Map World - Where would you like to travel next?

Could You Own A Vacation Home in Your Dream Country – Yes, You Can

As the pound continues to grow in strength, holidaymakers are thinking about traveling a bit more than usual. But there are a small but growing number of travelers that are thinking about taking the ultimate step: getting their own vacation home. There are some obvious pros and cons to it. For example, one of the top benefits of buying a vacation home outright is that you have a space that’s always yours. So even if a travel destination gets super popular and rooms are hard to find, you can just arrive and come home to your space. It’s always set up the way you like it, and you don’t have to share it with anyone if you don’t want to.

But there are some pitfalls that you need to avoid. One, it can look cheap on the surface to have a vacation home, but this is still another property that you’re going to have to maintain in order to enjoy it. Many people believe that the maintenance costs are going to be less because they’re not going to be there as much. You might be surprised what a vacation home requires, simply because you’re not there as much. In addition to the maintenance, you may have property taxes due every year to a completely different country, and you have to make sure that’s settled. Living in the country will also require the usual expenses. Who handles the electricity servicing in that area? What about the water? Who takes care of the Internet? You’re going to have to think of it like a second home, more than a vacation home that you abandon for months on end. If you’re really far away from the new home, you’re going to need to think about how to get back and forth to it. Are those costs very expensive? Continue Reading →

Benefits of traveling by train on holiday

Leave a Comment

Whether you are planning a trip for yourself of for your family, travel will be something which you need to consider. Traveling by train has a few benefits which make it the ideal method. Here are a few reasons why traveling by train on hour holiday is the best option.

There is less frustrations when you use the train for your holiday

When you book a plane ticket there is a great amount of frustration and cost involved. You have to pick the airline that you want to book with, find the exact date, the amount of days which you are staying, read their baggage procedures, ensure that everything meets the security protocols, and such. Then after you have done all of this you have to go through the tedious process of finding a departure flight that meets both their and your schedule.

Booking a train ticket for your holiday is far less strenuous. Generally, all you will need to know is when you plan to depart, from where and where you are going. Most train services provide several trains to any particular location multiple times during the day, so even if you do happen to miss your train, you can exchange your ticket for the next one with little frustration.

There is far less invasive security with a train then with a plane

Where there is an amount of security with any traveling that you will do, plane transportation has gotten a bit ridiculous with the methodology of their security. From full body scans to regulating the way in which you have to pack your toothpaste and nail clippers, airlines have gotten a bit extreme with the whole process. If you add to this the measures taken when booking your luggage, then you have quite a bit of a problem.

Train security does monitor the baggage which is placed upon it, but with far less security then planes. This is not to say that a train is less secure; far from it. Security and monitoring of the train is done consistently by trained professionals. The difference is that the security on trains is done from a non-invasive perspective (when possible). This means you get to enjoy the trip instead of spend the whole time frustrated with an unnecessary frisking or search. Most trains also do not require that you have your passport, papers, and the endless stream of other papers required by other traveling methods. Generally, your ticket and an photo ID is all that is needed. Continue Reading →

Holidays in the Maldives Represent the Ultimate Getaway

Leave a Comment

Stressed? Don’t worry — even though it seems like you’re all alone in a class by yourself you are actually in better company than you think. We don’t need a bunch of studies to tell that stress really has an effect on people, and the only way to lift the curtain of stress off your life is to take a getaway. However, where do you really do when everything seems common and plain? You want a place where you can just hide from the world for a while, regain your strength and hey, even experience a little luxury too. We don’t feel bad about a luxurious vacation — not when regular life is already stressful as it is. If you don’t spoil yourself in your life life, why don’t try to make sure that you actually have a chance to spoil yourself when it comes to your holiday?

Holidays in the Maldives represent the ultimate getaway. For one, it’s something that not everyone knows about. If you’re one of those people that want the satisfaction of being the first person in your social network to actually check out a new travel destination, then this country is definitely for you. Even though it’s small, there’s still quite a bit to explore and check out.

Though if you’re like most people, your nerves are going to be too frayed to really want a full jam packed schedule of everything under the sun to do on holiday. Sure, you can go island hopping or wander around the resorts. But if you really just want to unwind and let the world pass around you, you’re not going to suddenly draw the ire of some magical travel police. You’re not going to get arrested for just wanting to take a true rest.

It’s easy to get into the Maldives, as the visa policy is very lax. The resorts provide a nice all-inclusive experience that you’re sure to love — there’s no need of worrying about where to go to eat, or what you’re actually going to do with your time. You might want just a few massages and then a chance to just walk the beach. Your holiday is actually what you want it to be and isn’t that what it should be anyway?

Overall, now is the perfect time to book the ultimate getaway — a trip down to the Maldives!

Make The Most Out of The Summer Lineup of Cruises

Leave a Comment

The future of travel is here, and it centers on a word that we almost forgot about: cruises. Yes, cruises are something that you will either love or hate, and if you dislike cruises we have one question: why?

Was it a bad cruise experience?
Did you feel that you didn’t get a good deal?

Hey, we’re not trying to pry, but we really like cruises for several reasons. First and foremost, it’s a great way to really make the most out of the summer. You might think that cruises come in just one little box with no variety, but you’re actually mistaken. The real truth of the matter is that cruises give just about everyone in your travel group something to enjoy. If you have someone that’s a real adventure seeker, they can do one of the many fitness-oriented activities onboard as well as take part in guided hiking tours and other outdoor activities that might come around once you reach the first few ports of call. On the other hand, if you have someone that wants to be pampered there are salons and massage centers on the ship.

Yet this doesn’t address the concern that most travelers have about trying to make the most out of the summer lineup of cruises. This can be tricky when there are other things to think about, such as scheduling.

So the first thing that you need to do is to make sure that you actually think about the length desired for the cruise of your dreams. You can go on a short cruise trip that’s really just a long weekend, or you can invest in a longer cruise session. Even if you want to do multiple cruises, you might be torn on doing one big session or a bunch of smaller sessions that might be maybe one to two weeks long. The longer you’re out at sea during one time, the more expensive your stay is going to be. IF you’re trying to look for deals, you will want to look for all inclusive deals. Not only will every detail be addressed for you already, but you won’t have to worry about something being left out.

The lineup of summer cruises can literally take you all over the world, which can help you see places you’ve only dreamed of — why not take the plunge today? You’ll definitely be glad that you did!

The Need For Travel Guides

Leave a Comment

Travelling is one way to ease your stress from work and busy life. Sometimes, you have to take a breather from everything that is happening with your life by going on an out-of-the-country trip. There are a lot of benefits from travelling. It can help you reflect on yourself and the things that are happening in your life. Also, it can help broaden your horizons because you get to witness and immerse in different cultures and traditions, as well as deal with different kinds of people. You can taste new food and see places you have never been in before. Moreover, you can try exciting activities that you never even heard of in your own country. Travelling abroad is indeed a memorable experience that you will always treasure.

However, you must remember that it is necessary for you to be prepared for travelling. It is fun but it is not that easy to travel, especially if you do not have any idea where to go. This is where travel guides come in. These guide books can help you along the way, as they provide all the information that you need. You can see the locations of hotels in the country you will visit, as well as the prices of accommodation. You can also find out where the different key places such as tourist spots, transportation terminals, restaurants, and shopping boutiques, among others.

Travel guides come in various forms nowadays. If before, you can buy travel guide books from bookstores, now, you can get a travel guide in just a few clicks. There are travel web sites that you can visit so as to get a guide that can help you travel to your chosen destination. The good thing about this is that you no longer have to buy a printed book, as you can already access all the information you need on the Internet. But if you want, you can still carry a guide book during your trip so that you can refer to it anytime you need to.

With travel guides, you will surely enjoy your trip better. You can avoid the hassle of looking for terminals or other tourist spots and prevent yourself from getting lost. Plus, you can budget your time properly and ensure that you do not waste it just because you do not know which direction to take. Being in another country for the first time might be challenging and so, it is just necessary to be prepared for it.

Skiing Holidays Give You a Great Excuse To Put Real Life On Hold For a While

Leave a Comment

Let’s throw out something obvious here; if you’re reading this, chances are good that you need to put real life on hold for a while. That’s right, we said it — you need to step back and let real life just float for a little while. In other words, a vacation just might do you some good, whether or not you believe it right now. It’s just a matter of trying to find the type of holiday that’s really going to let you escape real life for a while.

So let’s throw out a new term — adventure. Action. Drama. Fun. Okay, we threw out four terms there, but we’re on a roll — don’t judge us, okay? It’s all about going out and creating experiences instead of just moving from one place to another and calling that a holiday.

The bottom line here is that if you’re looking for a great excuse to put real life on hold for a while, skiing holidays definitely let you do just that. They’re a bit out of the ordinary — how many of your friends have taken a ski trip in the last year? If you don’t hang out with natural adrenaline junkies, this could be a real “zero” type of number, if you catch what we’re saying. You don’t have to settle for that — the world’s a big place with plenty of things to do, so if you’re thinking about having a good time you definitely want to consider doing something a bit out of the ordinary. Continue Reading →

Train travel

Leave a Comment

If there’s one way to get around cheaply, quickly and without much stress, it’s with trains. Rail networks are always improving, and you can go all over the UK with no trouble, and even venture across the Channel to continental Europe thanks to the Eurostar. Taking the train is a revelation in convenient travel!

Whether you’re taking a weekend city break, going on your summer holiday or simply doing the daily commute to work, there’s no better way than on the train. Why sit in traffic for hours on a motor way when you can cruise past the congestion in comfort? Are airline tickets too expensive? Well then get there for a fraction of the cost with trains, and not have to worry about baggage allowance.

While turning up to the station on the day and buying a ticket is all well and good, if you book in advance online you can save a fair bit of money. There’s a plethora of great comparison websites to look at, and map-world.co.uk only features the best ones. What this means is you can find and book cheap train tickets with ease, and even reserve yourself a seat and avoid standing up for hours in the process.

You have all the power in your fingertips when looking online, and a few clicks of the mouse are all that separate you from some impressive discounts. All you need to do is put in your details like travel dates, times and destinations, and the magic of the internet will provide you with a series of relevant results. Order them by price and you’ll find a great deal in no time at all.

InterRailing around Europe is fast becoming one of the best ways to spend a summer, and the beauty is that anyone can do it. Experiencing the best cities in Europe like Paris, Amsterdam, Prague and Berlin is a fantastic idea, and what better way to travel than trains? Buy a ticket, travel as much as you want; whether you’re going to experience culture and cuisine, or simply to party, you’ll have the time of your life!

So if you’re looking to change your travel habits and get to your destination on time and without stress, check out the trains. Booking train tickets online can save you a lot of money, so let map-world.co.uk be your guide and prepare to get a great deal.

Safety tips for solo women travellers

Leave a Comment

It’s not really my preference to travel alone, I like to have somebody there to share the experience – I’ve still had some fantastic solo trips. The first time I hit the road on my own, I was pretty worried about being a lone woman and felt vulnerable and a little scared.

Luckily, that feeling didn’t last long, so I thought I’d share some tips about how I managed to feel comfortable as a woman travelling alone.

Choose your accommodation carefully

Figure out a safe location. For me, walking alone at night is the worst part of travelling solo, so I always make sure to book accommodation that’s really central, right next to a train station, and when possible, in an area I know will always be busy and full of people.

Stay close to other travellers

There are times when you don’t want it to look like you’re alone – getting off a long-distance bus or train, or at a major sightseeing spot – because that can make you vulnerable to people selling souvenirs or accommodation or generally making a nuisance of themselves.

I just walk close to a group of other people so it’s not clear that I’m alone.

Be prepared to enjoy your own company

Sometimes, eating out alone will be fine, but in some places you might feel that you’re the centre of attention. When I travel alone I’m also quite happy to take a meal back to my hotel room (and then with a half bottle of wine!) and settle in for the night with a good book or some hotel TV.

Be prepared to meet other people

One of the big joys of solo travelling is you’re much more likely to make friends with your fellow travellers. Be open to suggestions for joint sightseeing trips with people you meet at a hostel or on a bus, but be wary too. I would usually only go with a couple or with a group of girls, rather than with a guy or especially a group of guys.

You just have to use your best judgement.

Choosing a Great Digital Camera for Your Next Trip

Leave a Comment

No matter where you go for your next trip, you’ll definitely want to make sure that you take pictures in order to really capture the event. The good news is that you don’t have to deal with just writing letters or buying postcards to mark the trip of a lifetime. These days, most people carry digital cameras in order to really send back memories that will make friends and family envious that they didn’t get to come with you!

The best thing about the digital times we live in is that the Internet has made it possible to get a top quality digital camera without spending a lot of money. This might seem like a scam, but the truth is that you can find such good deals online because it’s much easier to sell items at a lower cost. A low overhead means that the savings can be passed directly to you, which is a true win-win for all parties involved!

So, the only question that remains is how do you actually choose the right digital camera for your next trip? There’s a few things to think about in order to make sure that you get the best digital camera possible. The points here are mainly general starting points to get you pointed in the right direction. Naturally, you may want to add your own factors based on your unique situation.

Before you get started, you will want to set a budget to make sure that you don’t spend too much. Given how everything looks great online, it gets tempting to break your budget just to get something that looks like it has a higher level of quality than something else. It’s better to give up a few features than to go over your budget, something that will only leave you feeling bad before your trip — and who wants to feel bad before the next great adventure of life? Continue Reading →

Holiday Villas

Leave a Comment

Going on holiday is a fantastic reward after working hard all year, but sometimes you just want to get away from it all and relax with your family or friends. Private holiday villas allow you to do just that, and the great thing is that there are so many different types to choose from in a phenomenal number of locations. If you book early enough, you won’t have to pay a huge amount either!

Whether you’re looking to take a vacation in sunny Spain, fantastic France or snowy Switzerland, there are villas and chalets all over Europe, but don’t just limit yourself to one continent. From America to Asia, some of the best holiday destinations in the world have a plethora of villas.

No matter what kind of holiday you’re looking to have, the privacy of villas mean you can feel totally comfortable and do whatever you want. From going out and experiencing the local culture or cuisine to enjoying cocktails and relaxing by the pool, it’s all part and parcel of the experience.

Some of the most popular destinations to book villas to rent are around the Mediterranean, due to the glorious weather and close proximity to the UK. You don’t have to travel for long to get there, and it doesn’t cost much to do so. Portugal, Spain, France and Italy are all leading the way, and for good reason.

As you’d expect there are a wide range of villas available, from the relatively cheap to the top of the line. Luxury villas are very popular for larger groups as you can divide up the cost and get ‘more bang for your buck’. But that doesn’t mean cheap villas aren’t worth considering- some are very high quality and are actually in great locations. It all depends on what you want to do and how much you have to spend.

Booking a holiday home is incredibly easy, especially if you do it online. Most websites have some form of search function that allows you to see what destinations are available and then put in your details to confirm the one you want. While there are loads to choose from, it’s always better to book early in order to avoid disappointment!

Clearly then, spending a week or 2 in a private villa is a wonderful way to enjoy a holiday after a year of working hard. You’ll be able to relax, recharge your batteries and do exactly what you want. Whether it’s relaxing by the pool or getting out and experiencing local culture, it’s all down to you!