Andy Shuman is a travel and credit expert and a freelance writer who blogs at www.lazytravelers.net. He is also an author of the Amazon bestselling Lazy Traveler's Handbook series.
Best Western Rewards Transfer Partners: Earn and Redeem Outside Hotel Stays
If you’re sitting on Best Western Rewards points, but you don’t feel like redeeming them for a hotel stay, you can spend them at Best Western partners. And likewise, you can earn more Best Western Rewards points through other brands that aren't just Best Western.
How to Travel to New York City on Points and Miles
The Big Apple and Gotham are not the only nicknames New York is known by. It’s also the City That Never Sleeps, the Melting Pot and even the Center of the Universe. No one who has visited New York will ever wonder if it deserves all that affection. New York is old and modern, huge and cozy, and always fascinating. Anyone who visits New York will find something to marvel at, whether they come from a small town or another megalopolis.
The Points Collector’s Guide to Japan Airlines
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If you’re planning to fly to Japan, and especially if you want to pay for your ticket with miles, Japan Airlines can be a great choice. Known as JAL, Japan’s flag carrier offers four classes of service — economy, premium economy, business class and first class. As for Japan Airlines' U.S. routes, you’ll find JAL nonstops to Japan from airports in 11 U.S. locations: Boston, New York, Chicago, Dallas, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Honolulu, Kona and Guam.
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The Startling Beauty of Tiny Yankicha Island in the Russian Far East
Upon entering Yankicha Island’s Crater Bay by Zodiac while on a Russian Far East cruise, you encounter a peaceful and ethereal land. Birds fly overhead and mischievous arctic foxes roam lush, emerald-hued slopes—the remnants of a devastating volcanic explosion that occurred about 10,000 years ago.
If you climb these hills, the view of Yankicha’s caldera and the inner isles that stick out of the bay becomes more stunning as you ascend. The waves that crash off the rugged Yankicha coastline con...
How to Consolidate Debt at a Lower Rate
According to the September 2017 Federal Reserve Bulletin, if you have credit card debt, you're not alone. Almost 50 percent of U.S. households don't pay off their credit card balance every month, and in Hawaii it's no different.
A 2017 Hawaii News Now article reports that, “While Hawaii has the 10th-highest median wage nationwide, that's not enough to make up for living expenses that are two-thirds higher than in the rest of the nation."
Get Inspired by the Peranakan Heritage in Singapore — From Authentic Food to Intricate Design
The Peranakan community is a remarkable and prosperous force in Singapore, faithful to the Old World’s colourful traditions and legendary culture, yet driving the future of the ultra-modern Asian city-state.
There are no ethnic connotations, although most Peranakans in Singapore are descendants of Chinese traders. Peranakan simply means “locally born” in Malay and reflects an era hundreds of years ago when traders settled down in Southeast Asia by starting families with local women.
New AmEx Credits Might Get You to Keep That High-Annual-Fee Travel Card
As more and more families are facing a financial crunch due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, cutting discretionary spending might seem inevitable. Today, the old adage that a penny saved is a penny earned holds true like never before.
But what about those of us who have some of American Express’ high-annual-fee travel cards? Most elite cards in AmEx’s portfolio are built around high-value travel and entertainment benefits ...
Why We Love the AmEx Green Card
First introduced in 1969, the American Express® Green Card is one of the most venerable cards in the AmEx lineup. On the card’s 50th anniversary, AmEx gave it a thorough face-lift by boosting the welcome offer, elevating the earning scheme and adding several benefits to appeal to frequent travelers of all ages. The revamped Green Card is a card with some premium travel benefits that’s more affordable than many of its higher-end counterparts.
Is the AmEx Green Card Right For Me?
The American Express® Green Card is one of the oldest credit cards in the world. Introduced in 1969 and fully overhauled in 2019, the American Express® Green Card looks much more attractive these days (both appearance- and feature-wise), but does it deserve valuable space in your collection?
The answer depends on whether or not you embrace the latest industry trend: more bang for more bucks.
Oman travel is on the rise. Get here before the crowds Do.
Leisure and Travel calls Oman “Authentic Arabia,” and there is a lot of truth in that. Featuring four UNESCO World Heritage sites, this country is diverse, rich in history, and has an abundance of natural beauty. Do not expect another UAE, which is also a fascinating country in its own right. The Sultanate of Oman watchfully maintains its conservation. You won't find any skyscrapers or even high-rises, and the government even regulates the number of visitors to preserve its heritage.
Destination Spotlight – Rome
Maybe it’s true that all roads lead to Rome, but they don’t lead to all of Rome’s districts. Tourists understandably flock to the Pantheon, Colosseum, and St. Peter’s Basilica, among other world-famous sights, while lesser-known treasures often remain undiscovered. That’s a shame because Rome hides its share of incredible surprises in plain view, as long as you’re willing to veer even slightly off the beaten path.
Passeggiata
Passeggiata (an evening stroll) down Via del Corso used to be a ven...
Italy Taste Festivals
If you’re interested in Italian cuisine and planning on being in the Eternal City at the end of September, there is one event you can’t allow yourself to miss.
Taste of Roma is an annual cooking festival bringing together the hungry public and some of Rome’s most celebrated chefs, sommeliers, and mixologists. This is a rare chance for you to rub shoulders with some of the most inventive minds of the city’s culinary scene.
The event will be held on September 21-24 in the stunning Auditorium Pa...
What to Consider Before Closing Your Travel Credit Card During the COVID-19 Crisis
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COVID-19 presents both a health and a financial crisis, and during such a difficult time, you may be looking to cut expenses you see as discretionary.
Dining Travel Trends – Bangkok
Welcome to the Bangkok fine dining scene. In this town, not only does the food taste and look good, but it also goes easy on your wallet. And it’s money well-spent – back at home, food of this caliber would set you back hundreds of dollars, euros or pounds.
The food scene of Bangkok is the stuff legends are made of. Whatever you visit Bangkok for – temples, parks, river cruises, or nightlife — you won’t be able to avoid (or want to avoid) the incredible Bangkok food scene.
Street Food in Bang...
Halong Bay, Vietnam – A Perfect Fusion of Rock, Water and Sky
Vietnam’s Halong Bay lies both near and far from the bustle of Hanoi, the country’s capital city of some 7.5 million people. Located about 100 miles east of Hanoi, the World Heritage site is a fairytale-like archipelago dotted with 2,000 tree-cloaked islands in the Gulf of Tonkin. Considered one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, Halong is a place of contrasts — remote forested limestone ridges and lonely towering pinnacles, juxtaposed with crowded floating villages, where locals sell drinks, sn...