Nov 2, 2007
The possibility that Maui will outlaw B&Bs and vacation home rentals will turn that beautiful island into a place for high-priced Harrys
There's trouble in paradise. Hard as it is to believe, the Mayor of the popular Hawaiian island of Maui has launched a serious campaign to outlaw the operation of B&Bs and the short-term rental of vacation homes (although rental of condominium apartments to tourists will continue to be allowed).
And why? Several reasons (which may not be the real ones) are advanced. According to the Mayor, residents are complaining about the infestation of their residential communities by tourists occupying low-cost rooms in the homes of Hawaiians. A second reason: the growing market for the short-term rental of vacation homes has greatly increased the value of homes generally, making them unaffordable for residents, especially native Hawaiians.
(Condominiums, on the other hand, are already found mainly in areas inhabited by tourists, and thus life in these areas isn't affected by rental of apartments to short-stay tourists, according to the Mayor.)
That's the news reported to me this week by my daughter, Pauline, upon her return from three weeks of researching and revising the Maui chapter of the forthcoming Pauline Frommer's Hawaii. She was unable to determine whether those alleged justifications are really a smokescreen for a campaign initiated by the hotel industry, which has an obvious self-interest in wiping out B&Bs and vacation home rentals. Her gut reaction isn't what you might expect from a daughter of mine. Pauline feels that the Maui Mayor is sincere in claiming that B&Bs and vacation home rentals are harmful to the quality of life on her island.
Regulations prohibiting such rentals are supposed to take effect on January 1, 2008. The island will then assess fines of $1,000-a-day on persons violating the ban. Lawsuits have already been commenced by B&B and vacation home associations to block the new rules, and it's anyone's guess as to what will occur.
Meantime, an effort to adopt the same prohibition on the Island of Kauai was beaten back when opponents pointed out that thousands of jobs on that island are created by B&Bs and vacation home rentals. The drive to ban the B&Bs was instantly dropped when its effect on island incomes was noted.
Because hotel rates on Maui are already so high (many modest properties charge $300 a night per room), the ban on B&Bs and vacation home rentals will have a devastating impact on the middle-income and low-income tourist. Maui would become an elite island, and ordinary Americans would be relegated to the overcrowded Oahu. I'll be reporting on the fight and trying to determine if there are ways for us outsiders to assist opponents of these un-democratic efforts.
And in the meantime, I'd be grateful to hear on the subject from Hawaiian (and other) readers of this blog. Is it the hotel industry which thought up this campaign? Are the people of Maui really ready to eliminate average-income Americans from their beautiful island?
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And why? Several reasons (which may not be the real ones) are advanced. According to the Mayor, residents are complaining about the infestation of their residential communities by tourists occupying low-cost rooms in the homes of Hawaiians. A second reason: the growing market for the short-term rental of vacation homes has greatly increased the value of homes generally, making them unaffordable for residents, especially native Hawaiians.
(Condominiums, on the other hand, are already found mainly in areas inhabited by tourists, and thus life in these areas isn't affected by rental of apartments to short-stay tourists, according to the Mayor.)
That's the news reported to me this week by my daughter, Pauline, upon her return from three weeks of researching and revising the Maui chapter of the forthcoming Pauline Frommer's Hawaii. She was unable to determine whether those alleged justifications are really a smokescreen for a campaign initiated by the hotel industry, which has an obvious self-interest in wiping out B&Bs and vacation home rentals. Her gut reaction isn't what you might expect from a daughter of mine. Pauline feels that the Maui Mayor is sincere in claiming that B&Bs and vacation home rentals are harmful to the quality of life on her island.
Regulations prohibiting such rentals are supposed to take effect on January 1, 2008. The island will then assess fines of $1,000-a-day on persons violating the ban. Lawsuits have already been commenced by B&B and vacation home associations to block the new rules, and it's anyone's guess as to what will occur.
Meantime, an effort to adopt the same prohibition on the Island of Kauai was beaten back when opponents pointed out that thousands of jobs on that island are created by B&Bs and vacation home rentals. The drive to ban the B&Bs was instantly dropped when its effect on island incomes was noted.
Because hotel rates on Maui are already so high (many modest properties charge $300 a night per room), the ban on B&Bs and vacation home rentals will have a devastating impact on the middle-income and low-income tourist. Maui would become an elite island, and ordinary Americans would be relegated to the overcrowded Oahu. I'll be reporting on the fight and trying to determine if there are ways for us outsiders to assist opponents of these un-democratic efforts.
And in the meantime, I'd be grateful to hear on the subject from Hawaiian (and other) readers of this blog. Is it the hotel industry which thought up this campaign? Are the people of Maui really ready to eliminate average-income Americans from their beautiful island?
Write and read comments about this post.
Labels: accommodations, hawaii
Please forgive if I again bring up the necessity of applying for a passport
I apologize for constantly returning to the need for obtaining a U.S. passport, but it appears that the faster issuance of passports that everyone expects in the month of November, may simply be the calm before the storm. Recently, a key immigration official announced that he expected an avalanche of passport applications to recur in early December and then throughout the month of December, as people planning to travel overseas for the holidays suddenly awake to the need for a passport. And everyone had already expected a torrent of passport applications in January, as stricter requirements go into effect then for persons traveling by car or train into Canada or Mexico. The point is, once again, that passports have become a fact of travel life, and if you don't have one, you really should proceed to get one. To repeat: November will probably be the last calm before the storm.
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Labels: passports
Oops! They're off again. Windjammer Barefoot Cruises cancels its "restart" sailing of November 3
What was once simply a tragedy is fast becoming a farce. After announcing a November 3 sailing of their ship, the Legacy, the son and grandson of Windjammer's founder, the legendary Captain Burke, have cancelled the November 3 departure and announced that they really will be re-starting the line during the week of November 17. The plan to use Pay Pal to collect $399 payments for the November 3 cruise is apparently no longer being mentioned, according to www.modernagent.com, source of the original news about the November 3 "restart".
Need we add that you would be well advised to await a more formal announcement, buttressed by many details and assurances, about Windjammer's future? There are apparently investors willing to take on Windjammer, but they are also apparently having problems reaching agreement with the Burke family (which obviously wants to retain control). It's a sad, sad situation, and we've tried to keep you up-to-date.
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Need we add that you would be well advised to await a more formal announcement, buttressed by many details and assurances, about Windjammer's future? There are apparently investors willing to take on Windjammer, but they are also apparently having problems reaching agreement with the Burke family (which obviously wants to retain control). It's a sad, sad situation, and we've tried to keep you up-to-date.
Write and read comments about this post.
Labels: cruise, windjammer
At around $1,200 per person, including airfare from the west coast, a winter trip to uncrowded Kyoto is a top opportunity
Kyoto of the 2,000 temples and shrines, quiet canals, and wooden houses is the most gorgeous of Japanese cities. It is also celebrating winter this year with some tantalizing incentives for visitors from December through March (see www.kyotowinterspecial.com).
Chief among these, from January 12 to March 18, the city will throw open the doors to ten heritage site temples that are usually restricted to the monks, an unparalleled opportunity to see some of the gorgeous and glorious Buddhist sites normally not open to the public.
Wintertime visitors will be able to enjoy some of the special events that will take place around Kyoto, including festivals of lights and cherry blossoms, nighttime candle-lit tea ceremonies, and various Buddhist traditions from the New Year's Eve ringing of every temple bell 108 times to the February 2-4 Setsubun, acrobatic rites to exorcise demons from shrines and temples.
There are also special rates or room upgrade offers at about a dozen major hotels and ryokan inns. However, you might want to consider the "Kyoto at its Best" package from Go-Today.com (www.go-today.com), which includes roundtrip airfare and five nights' lodging. Prices on this deal aren't yet set for the winter season (the company is still waiting to hear from the Kyoto hotels), but they should be within 10 percent of the current rate of $1,109 (that's for departures from most major West Coast cities plus Las Vegas, Reno, Phoenix, and Tucson; other cities in the Midwest or on the East Coast cost $110-$160 more).
Winter in Kyoto will be cool (usual average of 41 degrees, and damp), but the chance to participate in wintertime rituals, see the city without hordes of summer tourists, and get into those normally closed sights, make it more than worthwhile.
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Chief among these, from January 12 to March 18, the city will throw open the doors to ten heritage site temples that are usually restricted to the monks, an unparalleled opportunity to see some of the gorgeous and glorious Buddhist sites normally not open to the public.
Wintertime visitors will be able to enjoy some of the special events that will take place around Kyoto, including festivals of lights and cherry blossoms, nighttime candle-lit tea ceremonies, and various Buddhist traditions from the New Year's Eve ringing of every temple bell 108 times to the February 2-4 Setsubun, acrobatic rites to exorcise demons from shrines and temples.
There are also special rates or room upgrade offers at about a dozen major hotels and ryokan inns. However, you might want to consider the "Kyoto at its Best" package from Go-Today.com (www.go-today.com), which includes roundtrip airfare and five nights' lodging. Prices on this deal aren't yet set for the winter season (the company is still waiting to hear from the Kyoto hotels), but they should be within 10 percent of the current rate of $1,109 (that's for departures from most major West Coast cities plus Las Vegas, Reno, Phoenix, and Tucson; other cities in the Midwest or on the East Coast cost $110-$160 more).
Winter in Kyoto will be cool (usual average of 41 degrees, and damp), but the chance to participate in wintertime rituals, see the city without hordes of summer tourists, and get into those normally closed sights, make it more than worthwhile.
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Nov 1, 2007
The trick to having turkey with your family this Thanksgiving is to fly there on Thanksgiving morning, when the nation's planes and airports are empty
We're now about three weeks from Thanksgiving. And people looking to buy plane tickets covering that weekend are again finding that the annual sky-high prices have kicked in. Itineraries that should cost about $200 are now being quoted at over a grand.
But if you simply have to get away then, there is one last trick for you to try: Fly on Thanksgiving itself. Few people want to, so whereas the airports are a nightmarish zoo on Wednesday the day before, by the holiday itself they're virtual ghost towns, and airfare prices reflect it. If you fly in the morning, chances are you'll be around the banquet table in the afternoon.
As for flying home, Sunday and Monday are fiendishly busy, so look toward Tuesday, when rates simmer back down to more reasonable levels.
Yes, you can have turkey with your family this year!
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But if you simply have to get away then, there is one last trick for you to try: Fly on Thanksgiving itself. Few people want to, so whereas the airports are a nightmarish zoo on Wednesday the day before, by the holiday itself they're virtual ghost towns, and airfare prices reflect it. If you fly in the morning, chances are you'll be around the banquet table in the afternoon.
As for flying home, Sunday and Monday are fiendishly busy, so look toward Tuesday, when rates simmer back down to more reasonable levels.
Yes, you can have turkey with your family this year!
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Though they're starting with the lesser museums, the French have embarked on a experiment that eventually may eliminate charges for all their museums
Oh la la! It's one of the few occasions when the French have brazenly imitated the British. Starting January 1, many French museums and monuments will test a new admission policy: They'll be free.
But don't expect to waltz up to the Louvre with an empty wallet -- at least not initially; most of the eligible attractions are small (and yet it's a start). In Paris, the free museums will include Cluny's medieval goodies and Guimet's Asian art, where admission is usually $10 a pop. Those aren't normally on the first-time visitor's wish list, but they will please true fans of antiquities. And in a lesser concession, the esteemed Musée d'Orsay, stuffed with impressionist wonders, and the Centre Pompidou, famous for modern art, will now be open free of charge for one evening a week to visitors aged 18 to 25.
The ultimate goal, of course, is to spread culture to the general public. After six months, the French government will decide whether to continue or expand the plan.
London long ago made free admission a priority, and the gift continues to reward the public. It's estimated that some 30 million additional visits were made after the government eliminated admission fees starting in 2001 at major attractions like the British Museum, the National Gallery, the Tate Modern, National Portrait Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum, and a great many more.
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But don't expect to waltz up to the Louvre with an empty wallet -- at least not initially; most of the eligible attractions are small (and yet it's a start). In Paris, the free museums will include Cluny's medieval goodies and Guimet's Asian art, where admission is usually $10 a pop. Those aren't normally on the first-time visitor's wish list, but they will please true fans of antiquities. And in a lesser concession, the esteemed Musée d'Orsay, stuffed with impressionist wonders, and the Centre Pompidou, famous for modern art, will now be open free of charge for one evening a week to visitors aged 18 to 25.
The ultimate goal, of course, is to spread culture to the general public. After six months, the French government will decide whether to continue or expand the plan.
London long ago made free admission a priority, and the gift continues to reward the public. It's estimated that some 30 million additional visits were made after the government eliminated admission fees starting in 2001 at major attractions like the British Museum, the National Gallery, the Tate Modern, National Portrait Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum, and a great many more.
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A day in Panama City, surrounded by scores of brand-new futuristic skyscrapers -- and a perfectly-preserved colonial quarter (Part III)
Still reeling from the fact that our Panama City hotel had a full-scale casino of roulette wheels, baccarat dealers, craps tables and slots (nothing had prepared us for Panama's Las-Vegas-style gambling), Roberta and I headed for our first morning in town to the city's outstanding quarter of colonial gems, the Casco Viejo district of 17th century Spanish charm. Preserved as the conquistadors left it, Casco Viejo vies with Old Havana and Old San Juan in authenticity -- but is beginning to leave the others behind with the restored beauty of its courtyards, the sparkling tiles and marble that line many of the cafes, restaurants and shops that now occupy these historic structures. Just as Panama City's downtown across the bay is transforming itself into a totally-unexpected, skyscraper-packed Hong Kong, Casco Viejo is in the process of being restored into the most tastefully-attractive area of the city.Here, the district is studded with fun gift shops (pot-holders and eyeglass-containers in the strongly-colorful designs -- "molas"--of Panama's indigenous Indians, dolls in the ruffled long skirts of Panama's 19th century women, feather-light Panama hats), the cafes and restaurants are gracious and courtly, the sight of the city's skyline across the water is stunning, the Presidential Palace (currently housing the Honorable Martin Torrijos) is the center of power and surrounded by military -- but friendly -- guards), and the chief sightseeing attraction is the Museo del Canal Interoceánico (the museum which relates the history of the Panama Canal -- though its inscriptions are in Spanish only, its many visual aids and movies are easily understood). That Canal museum is an indispensable stop, a necessary prelude to your visit to the Miraflores Locks later in the day.
After a $30 lunch for the two of us (including appetizers, main course, two Panama beers and dessert) at the elegant Mostaza Restaurant, we cabbed it to the Miraflores Visitors Center on the outskirts of town for a look at the actual workings of the Canal. As we stood on a high outdoor balcony overlooking the Miraflores Locks, a live announcer speaking over a loudspeaker in Spanish, England and French explained the intricate workings that lifted these giant vessels to different levels of the artificial waterway. Asian sailors stood on the deck of one enormous container ship, looking up at us tourists as we gazed at them and their ship.
From Miraflores, we visited not one but two successive marketplaces of Panama City, and bought gifts for relatives back home at prices that were a quarter the levels charged in the lobby gift shop of our hotel.
The tourism of Panama is centered not simply in Panama City, but to a far greater extent in the picture-perfect, uncrowded beaches (with several large resorts) just outside Panama City, and in the renowned San Blas Islands, Pearl Islands, and Bocas del Toro off-shore islands, as well as on the Gulf of Chiriquí. It's found in the mountain stretches of Boquete housing rain forests, coffee plantations, Embera and Kuna Indians, resorts and retirement communities.
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Fearful of what the winter will bring, Caribbean hotels have begun to "deal"
The internet is currently awash with bargain offers made by all-inclusive hotels in the Caribbean for stays in the months of November and early December. But those are times when most people won't want to be in the tropics.
The period from early January to April 30, 2008, is another matter. That's the height of the Caribbean season when everyone wants to sneak in a vacation there. And this week, to the surprise of many, three Caribbean all-inclusives have suddenly announced air-and-land bargains (as little as $529 per person) at that time which you can snare by simply booking prior to November 6. The source is CheapCaribbean.com (tel. 800/915-2322; www.cheapcaribbean.com), which asks that you either enter the Promotional Code WINTER2008 for those prices, or read that code to the telephone reservationist, for the following properties:
The all-inclusive Lifestyle Tropical Beach Resort & Spa in Puerto Plata, the Dominican Republic, January 7 to April 30, 2008, 5 nights with air from $529 per person, double occupancy
The all-inclusive Gran Bahia Principe La Romana in La Romana, the Dominican Republic, January 2 to April 30, 2008, 5 nights with air from $599 per person, double occupancy.
The all-inclusive Barcelo Dominican Beach in Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic, January 2 to April 30, 5 nights with air from $599 per person, double occupancy.
The air in question is from Miami, but the add-on is only $60 to $150 from New York or Chicago (and similarly located cities), $250 or so from Los Angeles. And prices-including-air are available from dozens of other cities.
It's obvious that these three all-inclusive resorts have "blinked" and decided to hedge their bets for the coming winter, by accepting a few cut-rate reservations at the present time. Watch the November 6 cut-off.
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The period from early January to April 30, 2008, is another matter. That's the height of the Caribbean season when everyone wants to sneak in a vacation there. And this week, to the surprise of many, three Caribbean all-inclusives have suddenly announced air-and-land bargains (as little as $529 per person) at that time which you can snare by simply booking prior to November 6. The source is CheapCaribbean.com (tel. 800/915-2322; www.cheapcaribbean.com), which asks that you either enter the Promotional Code WINTER2008 for those prices, or read that code to the telephone reservationist, for the following properties:
The all-inclusive Lifestyle Tropical Beach Resort & Spa in Puerto Plata, the Dominican Republic, January 7 to April 30, 2008, 5 nights with air from $529 per person, double occupancy
The all-inclusive Gran Bahia Principe La Romana in La Romana, the Dominican Republic, January 2 to April 30, 2008, 5 nights with air from $599 per person, double occupancy.
The all-inclusive Barcelo Dominican Beach in Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic, January 2 to April 30, 5 nights with air from $599 per person, double occupancy.
The air in question is from Miami, but the add-on is only $60 to $150 from New York or Chicago (and similarly located cities), $250 or so from Los Angeles. And prices-including-air are available from dozens of other cities.
It's obvious that these three all-inclusive resorts have "blinked" and decided to hedge their bets for the coming winter, by accepting a few cut-rate reservations at the present time. Watch the November 6 cut-off.
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Labels: caribbean, deals, dominican republic
Oct 31, 2007
The new Azamara Cruiseline is luxurious in level but priced rather moderately for the elegance it offers (as little as $1,500 for a two-week cruise)
Early November sees the launch of Azamara Cruises (tel. 877/999-9553; www.azamaracruises.com), the upscale offshoot of Celebrity Cruises that aims to lure passengers hungry for small-port itineraries and luxury-level staff attention. Its first ship, the Journey, has been doing Bermuda runs all summer to fulfill old obligations, but as of November, it and its twin, the Quest, begin the itineraries for which they are truly intended.
Prices for two-week (14-day) trips are impressively reasonable for an intimate ship that purports to provide lavish attention to its guests (the crew-to-passenger ratio is nearly 2 to 1). Rates are around $1,500 to $2,500 per person for those extended, two-week itineraries. For that, you'll get a manageable ship (about 700 passengers, as opposed to Celebrity's usual load of 1,700 or so) that is so new (seven years old) that many of the cabins have private balconies. Many other small luxury ships in the industry were constructed before that trend, so again, Azamara is providing a good value for money.
The cruise line won't repeat the same itinerary more than a few times a season, which makes it easy to see some of the world's great smaller ports--the ones the giant cruise ships, of which there are more and more, can't handle. When's the last time you saw Osaka, Shanghai, and Hong Kong on the same itinerary? That's what the Quest will do in a year's time. Or how about an itinerary combining Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Dublin, and Inverness? That's on the Journey next July; it will spend the winter in South America, even hitting Antarctica a few times.
Azamara is not a budget cruise line, to be sure. But its rates are reasonable enough to afford a whole new set of travelers the chance to experience offbeat ports without paying ridiculously for the privilege. Besides, any opportunity to cruise beyond the standard Cancun-Key West-Bahamas roster should be a cause for celebration.
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Prices for two-week (14-day) trips are impressively reasonable for an intimate ship that purports to provide lavish attention to its guests (the crew-to-passenger ratio is nearly 2 to 1). Rates are around $1,500 to $2,500 per person for those extended, two-week itineraries. For that, you'll get a manageable ship (about 700 passengers, as opposed to Celebrity's usual load of 1,700 or so) that is so new (seven years old) that many of the cabins have private balconies. Many other small luxury ships in the industry were constructed before that trend, so again, Azamara is providing a good value for money.
The cruise line won't repeat the same itinerary more than a few times a season, which makes it easy to see some of the world's great smaller ports--the ones the giant cruise ships, of which there are more and more, can't handle. When's the last time you saw Osaka, Shanghai, and Hong Kong on the same itinerary? That's what the Quest will do in a year's time. Or how about an itinerary combining Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Dublin, and Inverness? That's on the Journey next July; it will spend the winter in South America, even hitting Antarctica a few times.
Azamara is not a budget cruise line, to be sure. But its rates are reasonable enough to afford a whole new set of travelers the chance to experience offbeat ports without paying ridiculously for the privilege. Besides, any opportunity to cruise beyond the standard Cancun-Key West-Bahamas roster should be a cause for celebration.
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Labels: cruise
Is Panama the new penny-pinchers' paradise? And what about Nicaragua? (Part II)
Because of a turbulent political history and the virtual occupation of the country by the U.S. military for so many years, tourism was late coming to Panama. The same in Nicaragua, where a fierce civil war made visits there almost unthinkable. Only recently, some twenty years following the end of conflict in Nicaragua and seven years after the transfer of sovereignty over the Canal to Panama (and the full departure of the U.S. military), have both countries embarked on a major effort to attract vacationers.And in both instances, the tourism effort has been preceded by massive publicity about real estate in Panama and Nicaragua, just as tourism to Costa Rica was preceded by a similar real estate boom. In the case of that latter country, American seniors were tipped off about the low cost of land and living and moved there by the tens of thousands. Tourism followed.
For the Panama City conference which I attended last week, major real estate developers in Panama and Nicaragua had published glossy, 100-page catalogues and elaborate brochures which are also being distributed and publicized all over the world. P.R. agencies had been hired to spread the word about the joys of living there. As I saw last week in Panama City, property people are bank-rolling promotions that greatly surpass the efforts even a well-funded tourism program would be capable of making.
Some of these promotions raise disturbing questions. One real estate firm declared triumphantly that in Nicaragua, it is possible to hire a full-time maid who doubles as a cook, for about $7 a day. A full-time gardener who doubles as a chauffeur, earns about $10 a day. An American, on a total income of $25,000 a year, lives "like a king" in Nicaragua, it was claimed. A couple receiving social security income of $18,000 a year lives moderately but well. (These examples remind us that we American travelers often enjoy special comforts based on the sub-standard wages of the people at the destination; we often "live off others").
Still, it's hard to deny that costs in Panama and Nicaragua are low not simply for an American retiree, but for the tourist. In Panama, taxis are ridiculously cheap. Museum admissions are half what they'd be in the United States. A can of beer costs 50¢. Movies (top-notch U.S. films) are $3.75. Though Panama's tourism effort is currently emphasizing its beaches, its charming countryside villages, its countless off-shore islands offering an enchanting stay, and conversely, the lively discos and nightclubs of its Amador Causeway in Panama City, its museums and Canal, all such hype is delivered against a background of low cost.
At a time when the U.S. dollar is plunging in value against numerous currencies, Panama's tourist representatives are talking up the fact that Panama's currency IS the U.S. dollar -- you needn't change your money at a loss into fewer foreign funds. And when Panama's remarkable Minister of Tourism -- the world renowned music super-star Ruben Blades -- is interviewed by a journalist, he almost always slips in a comment that Panama's cost of living is low, as he did in a print interview during my stay in Panama City last week.
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Labels: central america, panama
Stop the presses! A Windjammer website is reporting that one ship will sail on November 3, at a price of only $399 per person (if you book today)
I'm holding my breath, and am cautiously skeptical, but the reputable Travel Pulse Daily, reporting on news announced in a Windjammer-associated website, is claiming that the son and grandson of Captain Mike Burke (founder of Windjammer) have arranged a November 3 sailing from Costa Rica of the line's Legacy flagship. And to fill that ship, they are announcing a one-day sale today of $399 per person for any one-week sailing in the coming months. You pay via Pay Pal.
You can access this news directly at modernagent.com. I'm carefully expressing a cautious hope that the efforts of these two young heirs will succeed. But: Caveat Emptor.
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You can access this news directly at modernagent.com. I'm carefully expressing a cautious hope that the efforts of these two young heirs will succeed. But: Caveat Emptor.
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Labels: cruise, windjammer
Oct 30, 2007
Never go an airport without first phoning the airline on which you have seats to learn whether the flight is scheduled to depart on time
On our trip to Panama last week, Roberta and I were scheduled to fly back at 9am from Panama City. We placed a wake-up call at the hotel for 6am, were downstairs with our luggage at 7am, and reached the airport at 7:30am, only to learn that the flight had been postponed until 2:15pm, nearly six hours later. We had made the classic mistake of greenhorn travelers: We had failed to phone the airport in advance to learn of our flight's departure time. Instead of a morning at the pool, or shopping in downtown Panama City, we cooled our heels for several hours in a very uninteresting airport -- and were groggy from a 6am awakening for the rest of the day. Never, never leave for an airport without first phoning the airline to learn whether the departure is on time.
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Labels: tips
Is Panama the new penny-pinchers' paradise? Could be (Part I)
Minutes after arriving at the airport of Panama City and driving into town, you glimpse an awesome sight, as I did last week: a line of massive ships, one behind another on the seaside horizon, waiting their turn to enter the world-important Panama Canal. It is the distance saved by that unique "path between the seas" that enables all of us to pay affordable prices for raw materials and products shipped from thousands of miles away.
Later, on your first day in Panama, you take a cab to the visitors' center at the Miraflores Locks, as I did, and from a fourth floor balcony look down at enormous container ships and humongous tankers lifted or lowered like toys to the various levels of the Canal. It's a sight that rivals many others as among the great learning experiences of travel.
In the years of controversy leading to the U.S.-Panama Treaty that transferred the Canal to Panama starting December 31, 1999, cynics claimed that the Panamanians would lack the competence to properly operate the Canal. In fact, they have operated it brilliantly, raising its earnings and usage to historic peaks. They are now engaged in a five-billion-dollar project to widen the Canal and make it available to more and bigger ships each day.
And the energies unleashed by control of the Canal have, in turn, created an economic boom. I know of no city in the world, with the possible exception of Beijing, which is currently erecting as many high-rise skyscrapers as Panama City: office buildings, condominium apartments, hotels.
Its skyline is beginning to resemble Hong Kong or the financial district of New York. Some 11,000 modern apartment units will come on stream in the next two or three years, and the city is awash with real estate developers selling those apartments to visitors (especially from other Latin American countries) looking for a safe haven for their cash or (in the case of Americans) a second home or retirement location.
I delivered a speech on travel trends last week to a convention of retirees in Panama City, and got the full treatment -- a massive pitch--from the real estate interests in my audience: claims that glamorous apartments in Panama City cost half the price of their equivalents in Miami; enthusiastic judgments about the stability of Panama and the rule of law; the access to fine medical care; the ease with which foreigners can establish residence; a cost of living said to be only 40% of American levels.
I'm not a real estate expert able to weigh those claims, and I can only suggest you make the trip (a five-hour flight from most parts of the U.S.) and see for yourself. But in a subsequent blog, I'll discuss the current campaign by Panama's new minister of tourism, the musician/actor Ruben Blades, to encourage touristic visits. It's the new "hot spot" for American vacationers in more ways than one, and so is nearby Nicaragua (which I'll also discuss).
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Later, on your first day in Panama, you take a cab to the visitors' center at the Miraflores Locks, as I did, and from a fourth floor balcony look down at enormous container ships and humongous tankers lifted or lowered like toys to the various levels of the Canal. It's a sight that rivals many others as among the great learning experiences of travel.
In the years of controversy leading to the U.S.-Panama Treaty that transferred the Canal to Panama starting December 31, 1999, cynics claimed that the Panamanians would lack the competence to properly operate the Canal. In fact, they have operated it brilliantly, raising its earnings and usage to historic peaks. They are now engaged in a five-billion-dollar project to widen the Canal and make it available to more and bigger ships each day.
And the energies unleashed by control of the Canal have, in turn, created an economic boom. I know of no city in the world, with the possible exception of Beijing, which is currently erecting as many high-rise skyscrapers as Panama City: office buildings, condominium apartments, hotels.
Its skyline is beginning to resemble Hong Kong or the financial district of New York. Some 11,000 modern apartment units will come on stream in the next two or three years, and the city is awash with real estate developers selling those apartments to visitors (especially from other Latin American countries) looking for a safe haven for their cash or (in the case of Americans) a second home or retirement location.
I delivered a speech on travel trends last week to a convention of retirees in Panama City, and got the full treatment -- a massive pitch--from the real estate interests in my audience: claims that glamorous apartments in Panama City cost half the price of their equivalents in Miami; enthusiastic judgments about the stability of Panama and the rule of law; the access to fine medical care; the ease with which foreigners can establish residence; a cost of living said to be only 40% of American levels.
I'm not a real estate expert able to weigh those claims, and I can only suggest you make the trip (a five-hour flight from most parts of the U.S.) and see for yourself. But in a subsequent blog, I'll discuss the current campaign by Panama's new minister of tourism, the musician/actor Ruben Blades, to encourage touristic visits. It's the new "hot spot" for American vacationers in more ways than one, and so is nearby Nicaragua (which I'll also discuss).
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Labels: central america, panama
The Aussie AirPass brings travel to -- and around -- Australia down to $1,099
From the sail-like contours of the Sydney Opera House and the wines of South Australia to the underwater life of the Great Barrier Reef and the crocs and kangaroos of the Outback, Australia is a once-in-a-lifetime trip.
But the problem with traveling in Australia is that the place is so enormous. This is, after all, not just a country but a continent. Don't expect to be able to drive quickly from one part to another. You really have to fly. That's what makes the Aussie Air Pass from Qantas (tel. 800/227-4603; www.qantasusa.com) an important tool and, starting at $1,099, one of the best deals in transpacific travel.
The pass includes the round-trip transpacific airfare from Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Honolulu (15 other major U.S. gateways are available for add-on fees of $90 to $360) into Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane. The big bonus is that you also get three additional flight segments within Australia at no extra charge.
Considering that a simple roundtrip flight to Australia for the time period involved (late November) on other airlines starts at $1,201, that ‘s a pretty good deal to begin with. Add in those extra flights within Australia and the pass becomes a top travel bargain.
The pass divides Australia into three zones, and at its base price covers only flights within Zone 1: southeast Australia, including the three arrival cities as well as the Gold Coast, Tasmania, and Adelaide. If you wish to travel beyond that region, you'll have to pay an extra $200 to $400 (depending on season) for a version good for travel throughout Zone 2, covering the rest of Eastern Australia -- and, frankly, everything else most visitors want to see. This includes Cairns, gateway to that wonder of the natural world, the Great Barrier Reef; Darwin in the tropical Top End, the land of didgeridoos, crocodiles, and the massive Kakadu National Park; Alice Springs, the unofficial capital of the Outback in the deserts of Australia's Red Center; and Ayers Rock/Uluru, that iconic mound of red sandstone rising out of the sandy plains in the geographic center of the continent. (Zone 3 covers Western Australia, an unlikely destination for first-time visitors to the land Down Under.)
These prices on the pass are good from travel Nov. 17 to 30, and again in May and August of next year. In between these dates, the price fluctuates between a still very reasonable $1,399 and $1,599, with a high season spike (Dec. 9 to Jan. 31) to $2,199. Taxes and airport fees can add up to $200 or so to the total price.
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But the problem with traveling in Australia is that the place is so enormous. This is, after all, not just a country but a continent. Don't expect to be able to drive quickly from one part to another. You really have to fly. That's what makes the Aussie Air Pass from Qantas (tel. 800/227-4603; www.qantasusa.com) an important tool and, starting at $1,099, one of the best deals in transpacific travel.
The pass includes the round-trip transpacific airfare from Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Honolulu (15 other major U.S. gateways are available for add-on fees of $90 to $360) into Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane. The big bonus is that you also get three additional flight segments within Australia at no extra charge.
Considering that a simple roundtrip flight to Australia for the time period involved (late November) on other airlines starts at $1,201, that ‘s a pretty good deal to begin with. Add in those extra flights within Australia and the pass becomes a top travel bargain.
The pass divides Australia into three zones, and at its base price covers only flights within Zone 1: southeast Australia, including the three arrival cities as well as the Gold Coast, Tasmania, and Adelaide. If you wish to travel beyond that region, you'll have to pay an extra $200 to $400 (depending on season) for a version good for travel throughout Zone 2, covering the rest of Eastern Australia -- and, frankly, everything else most visitors want to see. This includes Cairns, gateway to that wonder of the natural world, the Great Barrier Reef; Darwin in the tropical Top End, the land of didgeridoos, crocodiles, and the massive Kakadu National Park; Alice Springs, the unofficial capital of the Outback in the deserts of Australia's Red Center; and Ayers Rock/Uluru, that iconic mound of red sandstone rising out of the sandy plains in the geographic center of the continent. (Zone 3 covers Western Australia, an unlikely destination for first-time visitors to the land Down Under.)
These prices on the pass are good from travel Nov. 17 to 30, and again in May and August of next year. In between these dates, the price fluctuates between a still very reasonable $1,399 and $1,599, with a high season spike (Dec. 9 to Jan. 31) to $2,199. Taxes and airport fees can add up to $200 or so to the total price.
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You can fly round-trip to Iceland from $370, or onward to the rest of Europe (with a free Iceland stopover) for as little as $360
Half a century ago, intensely cost-conscious travelers flying to Europe went via Reykjavik. Longer-haul jets have made the old Iceland stopover a distant memory, but Iceland Air (www.icelandair.com) offers two excellent incentives for a return to flying the old-fashioned way.
The first is its prices. The airline recently announced its Holiday Fare Sale, which is bringing prices down to as low as $370 round-trip to Reykjavik, $360 to London, and $426 to Paris for travel Nov. 1 through Dec. 19. The second incentive is that Iceland Air maintains a policy of allowing a free stopover in Iceland of up to seven days, letting you sample two countries at the price of flying to one.
Also, and this is great news for the folks up in New England, the cheapest U.S. gateway is. for once, not New York City but Boston. From Boston, round-trip fares cost: $370 to Reykjavik, $414 to Amsterdam, $458 to Copenhagen, $426 to Frankfurt, $406 to Glasgow, $360 to London, $458 to Oslo, $426 to Paris, and $570 to Stockholm.
Prices for departures from Iceland Air's other gateway cities -- New York (JFK), Baltimore/Washington (BWI), and Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) -- run $42 to $140 more, with two exceptions. The first is that round-trip to Reykjavik is the same from every U.S. gateway: $370. The second is, oddly, Stockholm. For some reason, flights to Stockholm start at $570 Boston, $560 from MSP, $550 from BWI, and then drop to $430 from JFK.
As usually, midweek departures (Mon-Thu) will have better rates than weekend ones. Taxes and fees will add about $90 to the ticket.
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The first is its prices. The airline recently announced its Holiday Fare Sale, which is bringing prices down to as low as $370 round-trip to Reykjavik, $360 to London, and $426 to Paris for travel Nov. 1 through Dec. 19. The second incentive is that Iceland Air maintains a policy of allowing a free stopover in Iceland of up to seven days, letting you sample two countries at the price of flying to one.
Also, and this is great news for the folks up in New England, the cheapest U.S. gateway is. for once, not New York City but Boston. From Boston, round-trip fares cost: $370 to Reykjavik, $414 to Amsterdam, $458 to Copenhagen, $426 to Frankfurt, $406 to Glasgow, $360 to London, $458 to Oslo, $426 to Paris, and $570 to Stockholm.
Prices for departures from Iceland Air's other gateway cities -- New York (JFK), Baltimore/Washington (BWI), and Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) -- run $42 to $140 more, with two exceptions. The first is that round-trip to Reykjavik is the same from every U.S. gateway: $370. The second is, oddly, Stockholm. For some reason, flights to Stockholm start at $570 Boston, $560 from MSP, $550 from BWI, and then drop to $430 from JFK.
As usually, midweek departures (Mon-Thu) will have better rates than weekend ones. Taxes and fees will add about $90 to the ticket.
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Labels: deals
Oct 29, 2007
The successful new low-cost airline Skybus will expand its operations to North Carolina
The nation's newest no-frills airline is growing. Skybus (www.skybus.com), that low-cost airline that started operations from its base in Columbus, Ohio earlier this year, has announced that in January it will be opening a second base at North Carolina's Piedmont Triad Airport (to which it already flies from Columbus) near Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and the storied discount furniture outlets of High Point.
One wonders why it picked the Piedmont Triad and not the much larger Roanoke or booming Charlotte markets, but as the airline's spokesperson Bob Tenenbaum points out, those major metropolitan areas lie within about a 90-minute drive of the Piedmont, expanding this hub's reach to 45 million potential customers.
The new hub will grow slowly and frequently require connections to get where you really want to go. The plan is to inaugurate flights Jan. 15 to Boston, MA, twice daily (via Portsmouth, NH), to Jacksonville and Daytona Beach, FL (via St. Augustine), and to Fort Myers, FL (via Punta Gorda). On Jan 17 it will add Fort Lauderdale, FL, Gulfport-Biloxi, MS, Hartford, CN, and Springfield, MA. Come Feb. 25, the West Coast will open with a flight to Burbank/Los Angeles.
Skybus has built its reputation on cheap, setting aside at least 10 seats on every flight that are sold for $10, but, as the name implies, cramming in as many passengers as can fit, and nickel-and-diming customers on almost every other aspect, and not just the food ($2 snacks and candy, $8-$10 sandwiches) and drinks ($2 for soft drinks and bottled water, $5 for the hard stuff).
How much to check two bags? That'll be $5. Want priority boarding so you can snag an aisle or window seat? That's another $10. Still, if you manage to get one of those $10 seats (plus another $10 or so in taxes and security fees), what's an extra $5 for your luggage and $2 for your Pepsi?
Obviously, you won't find Skybus' fares or flights listed on many airfare search engines. But that's a subject for another blog, coming up soon.
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One wonders why it picked the Piedmont Triad and not the much larger Roanoke or booming Charlotte markets, but as the airline's spokesperson Bob Tenenbaum points out, those major metropolitan areas lie within about a 90-minute drive of the Piedmont, expanding this hub's reach to 45 million potential customers.
The new hub will grow slowly and frequently require connections to get where you really want to go. The plan is to inaugurate flights Jan. 15 to Boston, MA, twice daily (via Portsmouth, NH), to Jacksonville and Daytona Beach, FL (via St. Augustine), and to Fort Myers, FL (via Punta Gorda). On Jan 17 it will add Fort Lauderdale, FL, Gulfport-Biloxi, MS, Hartford, CN, and Springfield, MA. Come Feb. 25, the West Coast will open with a flight to Burbank/Los Angeles.
Skybus has built its reputation on cheap, setting aside at least 10 seats on every flight that are sold for $10, but, as the name implies, cramming in as many passengers as can fit, and nickel-and-diming customers on almost every other aspect, and not just the food ($2 snacks and candy, $8-$10 sandwiches) and drinks ($2 for soft drinks and bottled water, $5 for the hard stuff).
How much to check two bags? That'll be $5. Want priority boarding so you can snag an aisle or window seat? That's another $10. Still, if you manage to get one of those $10 seats (plus another $10 or so in taxes and security fees), what's an extra $5 for your luggage and $2 for your Pepsi?
Obviously, you won't find Skybus' fares or flights listed on many airfare search engines. But that's a subject for another blog, coming up soon.
Write and read comments about this post.
Labels: airlines
Korea is considering a state-run complex devoted to medical tourism
Like a juggernaut that can't be stopped, the movement for Medical Tourism is continuing to explode in size and vigor. Unable to afford the treatments they need, perhaps as many as 200,000 Americans a year are traveling to hospitals and clinics ranging from Hungary to Singapore, braving the fierce disapproval of U.S. doctors and dentists that such travels provoke. Every month, seemingly, a new organization arises to assist in planning such trips; every month, a new study, report, or even full-length book is published promoting the "globalization" of medical and dental care.
Now comes news that the city government of Seoul, Korea, is considering opening a complex devoted entirely to medical tourism. As reported in The Korea Times, the results of a feasibility study on the project won't even be ready until next April, but the mere idea that the subject has been broached is compelling enough.
Medical tourism has advanced so far -- due not in small part to the ever growing gap between medical expenses and insurance coverage in America -- that foreign governments are now considering making it a core part of their tourism programs. I welcome your thoughts on the subject (even in the form of incensed emails from MDs and DDSs), especially from anyone who has engaged in medical tourism.
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Now comes news that the city government of Seoul, Korea, is considering opening a complex devoted entirely to medical tourism. As reported in The Korea Times, the results of a feasibility study on the project won't even be ready until next April, but the mere idea that the subject has been broached is compelling enough.
Medical tourism has advanced so far -- due not in small part to the ever growing gap between medical expenses and insurance coverage in America -- that foreign governments are now considering making it a core part of their tourism programs. I welcome your thoughts on the subject (even in the form of incensed emails from MDs and DDSs), especially from anyone who has engaged in medical tourism.
Write and read comments about this post.
Labels: korea, medical travel
Finally, an online treasure trove of local tourism resources around the world
There are two primary resources for planning a trip anywhere. The first, naturally, is a good guidebook for independent, expert opinions and reviews. The second is the local tourist office -- especially in the age when everything is on-line -- which provides up-to-the-minute information on everything a visitor might need, from directories of hotels, restaurants, museums, sights, and nightlife options to the latest calendars showcasing local events, special exhibits, festivals, and art shows. The best tourist offices will give you leads on where to rent bicycles, hire a guide, take a free walking tour, and even help you book such things as hotel rooms and theater tickets.
The problem was, until recently, that there existed no single, well-done database to help you find the official websites of local tourist offices and tourism authorities around the world. Guidebooks list them, of course, but Googling rarely works as you end up with hundreds of hits from hotel booking engines and other commercial interests. The actual tourist office is often hidden somewhere on page 3 or 4 of the Google results. There have been a few attempts to compile such a master list of official tourism authorities, but to date all were usually woefully incomplete, often out-of-date, and nearly always designed so poorly as the be nothing but confusing.
That's why I'm delighted with the launch of www.worldtourismdirectory.com a true database of official on-line tourism resources: a staggering 120,000 addresses in 330 nations, countries, and territories. It links not only to the sites of those local tourist offices but also to tourism associations, hotel chains, consulates, chambers of commerce, national parks, foreign-language media, tour operators, tourism news, sports, reservations agencies... I could go on listing, but there are more than 100 categories.
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The problem was, until recently, that there existed no single, well-done database to help you find the official websites of local tourist offices and tourism authorities around the world. Guidebooks list them, of course, but Googling rarely works as you end up with hundreds of hits from hotel booking engines and other commercial interests. The actual tourist office is often hidden somewhere on page 3 or 4 of the Google results. There have been a few attempts to compile such a master list of official tourism authorities, but to date all were usually woefully incomplete, often out-of-date, and nearly always designed so poorly as the be nothing but confusing.
That's why I'm delighted with the launch of www.worldtourismdirectory.com a true database of official on-line tourism resources: a staggering 120,000 addresses in 330 nations, countries, and territories. It links not only to the sites of those local tourist offices but also to tourism associations, hotel chains, consulates, chambers of commerce, national parks, foreign-language media, tour operators, tourism news, sports, reservations agencies... I could go on listing, but there are more than 100 categories.
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Labels: websites
Fifty years ago, 
Arthur Frommer is generally acknowledged to be the nation's foremost travel authority. He is the founder of the
