So many people travel for important holidays that you may be quite disappointed with the cost of it. There are great ways you can save money though whether you are traveling by plane, train, or bus to get to your destination for the holidays. It is essential that you book your travel arrangements early. You don’t want to be stuck without a way to get where you want to be for the holidays due to everything being sold out. You should also to take your time to compare prices.

You will find some travel dates should simply be avoided around the holidays. This will allow you to avoid crowds which often equal substantial delays. You will also be able to get the same travel arrangements at a lower price just by carefully calculating the best times to travel.

You may be surprised that Valentine’s Day is a top travel holiday but it is. It is very important for people to be able to spend this holiday together. Since Presidents Day is very close to Valentine’s Day many people are able to take a long weekend. Avoid traveling during this Monday holiday and you will save money. Instead fly out in the next few days and then stay for a couple of days after Valentine’s Day instead of before.

Spring break takes place for about three weeks in March depending on which schools students are attending. If you plan to travel for spring break you need to plan it very carefully to maximize your time and to get good prices. Many colleges allow people to complete their final exams early. Try to do this and travel on a Wednesday or Thursday. Avoid peak days such as Friday and Saturday. You also want to come back on week days as they will be lower volume dates for travel.

Many people fly to see their parents for Mother’s Day and for Father’s Day. These are important holidays that take place on a Sunday in May and then on a Sunday in June. Traveling on the actual day will save you money over flying out on the Friday or Saturday before. This way you can get there on their special day and stay around for several days. Your return trip should be for one of the weekdays after the holiday instead of on the weekend.

Thanksgiving is a common holiday that people travel for. Since it always falls on a Thursday, most people get an extended weekend so they can go visit for a few days or take a vacation. The highlight of this holiday for travel takes place on the day before Thanksgiving. However, if you are willing to travel on Thanksgiving Day you can avoid the crowds. You will also find you save up to 50% of the price of getting there just by waiting less than 24 hours.

Most people return from their Thanks Giving trip on the Sunday following the holiday. Try to avoid this day as well and return on the following Monday. Most employers want some people to be in the office on the Wednesday before so offer to do it in exchange for having the following Monday off.

Christmas is another peak holiday travel season, and you will find the fares get much higher the nearer it gets to the actual Christmas Day. Try to travel before the 19th in order to take advantage of the best possible fares. If you won’t be able to stay through New Year’s then choose a day in the middle of the week after Christmas. These are often slower days than the weekends and you will get better prices.

Avoid travel on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day as they are two of the most popular travel dates of the year. Fares are often double what they normally would be so you will save yourself plenty of money and delays if you work around them when you travel for the holidays.

For those interested in traveling to Sumatra Lake , the largest crater lake in the world in Medan North Sumatra Indonesia, remember to avoid traveling during the festive months of Idul Fitri, Ceng Beng and School Holidays. These are the times where many will be traveling to and from Medan Indonesia.

Visit www.MedanKu.com to download Medan city guide, budget travel guide and see more pictures and videos of Medan Indonesia

For more information and travel tips visit unusual vacations

Not so long ago our travel agent was our best friend with colorful brochures and tips on trips. Remember the only time you could get away was when the kids were out of school.  But we’re at the age now - well, a good number of us - where we can get away for a week or two and the kids; they are taking their own vacations.

Recent times have put travel plans, at least the leisure ones, on the proverbial back burner.  A lot of us lost good money in the collaspe of the US markets and feel bad even thinking of taking a vacation.  And yet, vacation travel turns out to be a much needed stress relief in troubled times.  So, don’t feel bad about it; know that it’s necessary to keep your spirits up and sane.

And not everyone is suffering in this economy. Believe it or not, there are many that aren’t affected by the economy in a way that keeps them from travel.  But I want to address those who may have a little they can use for travel to take their spouses and families on a wonderful and relaxing vacation, knowing that you’re not going to break the bank.

Each day on Three Best Beaches, I feature three or four of the world’s best beach destinations. Don’t go there just yet. I want you to discover a few of the best travel tips my readers use each day to get the lowest prices, and guess what - they’re totally free.

The first is the Vacations to Go newsletter.  This is full of great deals and travel tips you won’t find anywhere else.  It arrives in your email box, but you can view the website as well.  My second tip for you is the alert sheet from Airfare Watchdog.  Now there are dozens of travel websites that allow you to set up alerts, but these guys have it down to a science. The best benefit is that you put in your airport and the Watchdog will send you the best fares to destinations across the globe.)

And one of my favorite online tools is the fare search at Kayak. You can see many destinations at the same time and which site is best to get your ticket. One website that is the best by far for planning is Trip Advisor.  It’s normal people like you that share what they found at a given hotel and destination and give you their opinion.  That can save you a week of grief because you’ll always get the best hotel out there.

OK, let’s take a look at travel this season.  For Americans, you can travel without a passport to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.  Granted, there are expensive trips, but by bargain hunting using the tips I’ve given, you can find great deals. Interested in the Caribbean? Spirit Airlines has the deals.  They are always running great deals.  And for those outside of the USA, check out very good deals right now for Florida.  Many rental homes can be found for very cheap at Vacation Rentals by Owner.  For example, you can get a home near the parks in Orlando for much less than the Disney hotels.

Use these tools and remember, we’re always giving out the best deals and destinations at Three Best Beaches. Stop by Three Best Beaches and check the Resources page for links to all these tools. Please get on our email list for many more money saving tips.

The Fasting Month of Rahmadhan in Medan Sumatra Indonesia

There are several things that visitors need to be aware during the fasting month when traveling to Muslim countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia etc.

Ramadan, the fasting month, is an event of great importance to the Indonesian and the world’s Muslim community. Being one of the five pillars of Islam, observance of the fasting month is the priority in the devout Muslim’s life during this month. Fasting involves a change in the daily routine of the Muslim faithful and represents an expression of their deep belief in God.

Many Indonesians take Ramadan as a chance to test and develop their inner, spiritual selves. The fasting regime is rigorous. No eating, drinking or smoking is allowed after the first prayer in the morning until the opening of the fast in the evening.

Prayer times change based on sunset and sunrise, so the exact timing is quite different every day. The morning prayer usually starts at around 4.30 AM. Before this time, all Muslim families must rise and consume the last food or drink that they will have for the next fourteen hours.

The opening of the fast, or Buka Puasa, occurs around 6.00 PM in the evening. At this time, all fasting Muslims will break the fast by drinking, eating and attending prayers. Expect restaurants to be more busy than usual especially those that are serving Indonesian or local food as many families may not cook for this breaking fast period.

During this time, you may noticed that some restaurants may be closed or are opening discretely with curtains covering up windows of restaurants during the fasting time. This is a sign of respect for those who are fasting.

You can see an example of a picture taken at www.MedanKu.com where restaurants have prepared curtains to cover up the windows including fast food chains for Rahmadhan.

Other ways travelers should do as a sign of respect are

* Be discreet when consuming food. Do not to eat or drink in public areas except for restaurants.
* Be observant and do not offer food or drink during the fasting hours to those who are fasting.
* Be respectful and do not showcase your own food or drinks in public places.
* Be empathetic and tolerant as you may find energy levels of those who are fasting to be low which may affect service levels and poorer performance.

Medan maybe unknown to international travelers. It is the third largest city in Indonesia and is famous for having the largest crater volcanic lake in the world known as North Sumatra Lake

For more information about Medan Indonesia please visit www.MedanKu.com - The Pride of Medan Indonesia - Travel & Living website for travelers.

Other resources for your adventure vacations can be found at www.VacationSpotsIdeas.com

Italy has always been one of the most popular destinations in Europe. Here are some quick how to tips for Italy

Tips for Italy

• The most popular tourist season is June through September: aim for May or October and you will enjoy smaller crowds and still have good weather.
• Pack light - you won’t regret it. One small bag that you can easy carry yourself on and off planes, trains and up and down stairs will give you a lot more freedom. Don’t expect every hotel to have an elevator - they don’t.
• Most long-haul flights arrive in Rome or Milan and these gateways will give you the best selection of discount flights. You may get a better over-all cost looking for a cheap flight into London or Amsterdam and then connecting on to Italy using a local European budget airline such as EasyJet or Ryan Air.
• If you do use a low cost airline check how far out of town the airport they are using is and how much it will cost you to get back into town. Few of the cheaper airports will be as convenient as Rome’s Fumcino airport where you can catch the Leonardo Express train to Rome’s Termini Station for Euro11
• Don’t worry about not speaking Italian - if you speak French or Spanish you won’t have a lot of problem. Even if you don’t patience, acting, sign language and a sense of humor will get you a long way.
• Train Travel. If you are going to use the Eurail pass for discounted train travel within Europe you need to purchase your pass before leaving home. Do you figures carefully though, many of the passes are not good value unless you are traveling from one end of Europe to the other. Also if you are over 26 you will have to travel first class on an Eurail pass while second class is comfortable and available for tickets bought in Italy.
• Italy has a fairly low rate of crime. Be careful of pickpockets in major cities but there is probably less violent crime than in your home town. Be aware of your surroundings in large train stations and popular tourist sites. The Romans never carry a bag slung over a shoulder but hung diagonally across the body - and you should too.

Enjoy your Italian vacation: hopefully these Italy vacation tips have helped