Wonder how to write a backpackers diary? Here is a sample. It is of my backpacking trip to Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terraces in Guilin, China.
Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terraces is located within the Longsheng County northwest of Guilin City. To get to the Rice Terraces, one has to take a bus from Guilin Main Bus Terminal to Longsheng. Bus to Guilin Main Bus Terminal can be easily spotted along the Zhongshan Zhong Road. Then you have to get down at Heping Village on route to Longsheng. The journey takes around 2 hours and the bus ticket is 22 Chinese Yuan per person. At Heping Village, you can rent a van to bring you all the way up to one of the many villages uphill.
There are a few villages in Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terraces Scenic Area where you can stay and see stunning rice terraces view. They are the Golden Bamboo Zhuang Village and Huanglong Yao Village just to name a few. Be sure to stay overnight at Diaojiaolou, a kind of traditional long footed house built on the mountain slope. Wake up early the next morning to hike all the way up the hill to see sunrise. It is a bit tiring but certainly a worthwhile experience. I was told by locals that the scenery of rice terraces viewed from hilltop varies according to season. This picture was taken in August, I would say during which time is the late summer.
Stunning sunrise at Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces
Tags: backpacking, travel journals, travel tips
I always think the best way to remember one’s travel experiences is probably to keep a diary. Do you write travel journals? Do you keep a diary of your backpacking trips? If you do, then you are certainly who The Backpackers Place is looking for!
Do you write travel journals?
You are most welcomed to write your backpacking diary for The Backpackers Place. Just fill up the contact form and I will get to you as soon as possible. You will then be requested to submit a minimum 100-word article of your backpacking advice, emotion, experience, feeling, tip or anything you would like to share with our fellow backpackers. Please also submit a photo or more taken during the above backpacking trip. Please be reminded that only original and unique content is entertained and all your writings and pictures should be solely from you.
In return, The Backpackers Place will link to your blog or site, if you have one. I will be more than happy if you link back to The Backpackers Place. What do you think? Please act now! I shall put on my own version of backpackers diary in the next post.
Tags: backpacker, backpacking, travel, travel journals, travel tips, trip
Aren’t we backpackers supposed to be green travelers too? We share one common interest, which is to travel around the world. This world never lacks in beauty, it is just that whether you know how to appreciate or not. At the time of travel, we may have engaged in activities which can cause substantial damage to our natural environment. One example of such activities is air travel. Thus it is important for us backpackers to take a responsible attitude in minimizing the impacts on the natural environment while traveling.
Beautiful African sky
Inspired by Green Traveler Guide, here is my guide to sustainable travel and tourism as a backpacker. I shall call it Green Backpacker Guide.
1. Pack less. Follow your airline’s excess baggage policy. The less you bring, the fewer burdens you will put on your plane and the less carbon emission by your plane. According to Tourism Concern again, if the rapid growth in aviation industry continues at present rate, it will become a major contributor to global warming by 2030.
2. Fly less. Try to use land or sea transports particularly for shorter journeys. Land transports such as buses and trains as well as sea transports such as cruises and ships produce less carbon footprint than planes.
Fly less!
3. Do not take home hotel amenities. Some guesthouses and hostels do provide matches box, shower gel, soap, shampoo, toothbrush, etc to the guests. Leave them alone if you do not use them. This is to ensure that less resources being exploited to replace the items.
4. Do not buy if it is not necessary. To me, shopping is never a part of backpacking. Do not also buy souvenirs made from endangered species, hard woods or ancient artifacts such as carvings made from elephant tusk.
Last but not least, be a responsible backpacker and shows love to our Mother Nature. Do not litter in the scenic spot. Do not waste energy and water. Think green all the times. Remember, this might be your holidays, but it is their home!
Tags: backpacker, travel, travel tips
One mix-up when comparing hostels with hotels is we tend to think that hostels are budget hotels. A hostel is by no means a budget hotel, so do not expect the same level of comfort in a hostel as in a budget hotel. If you are ready to sacrifice some comforts during your traveling, please read on!
Cheap accommodations at hostelbookers.com
The 2 biggest portals providing online hostel bookings for backpackers and travelers are hostelworld.com and hostelbookers.com. Let’s look at hostelworld.com first, shall we? Hostelworld.com provides online confirmed bookings for hostels and other budget accommodations. There are also packaged tours and city guides of your travel destination on their website. There is a service charge of USD2 for every booking made, but the money is donated to UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund). Hostelworld.com has been partnering with UNICEF since 2004 to help improving the lives of children living in some of the world’s poorest countries. Kudos to both hostelworld.com and UNICEF!
Began in 2003, London based hostelbookers.com provides online bookings to over 17,000 budget accommodations in more than 3,500 locations worldwide. Unlike hostelworld.com, there is absolutely no booking fees if you book your hostel with hostelbookers.com. The Backpackers Place has signed up to become an affiliate of hostelbookers.com. So, do click on one of our banners to book your hostel with hostelbookers.com starting today! There is absolutely no booking fee, no hidden cost, no service charge, thus guaranteeing you the lowest price around!
Tags: backpacker, cheap accommodation, travel tips
We backpackers should adhere to staying in the modest accommodation. I used to stay in youth hostels. And most probably I will keep on staying in youth hostels wherever I go traveling in the future. This post determines to bring you the differences in between youth hostels and traditional hotels as well as convinces you to stay in one in your upcoming trip.
So, what a hostel is? Hostels are budget orientated accommodation providing overnight lodging to backpackers. The concept of youth hostel was first created in 1912 by Alex Schirrmann under German Youth Movement which encouraged young people back then to concentrate on outdoor activities. Alex Schirrmann then set up the first youth Hostel in the world in the name of Altena Castle in Germany. His idea has spread rapidly worldwide and resulted in the founding of the International Youth Hostel Federation (IYHF) in 1932 in Amsterdam. It later changed its name to Hostelling International. Today, Hostelling International has more than 90 different national youth hostel associations as members. The organization also runs over 4,500 youth hostels worldwide.
Hostelling International
What are the differences in between a youth hostel and a traditional hotel, you may ask. Youth hostels run by Hostelling International promote cultural exchange, conservation of the environment, love and care of the nature and simple but quality living, among others. They are not hotels because hostels tend to be more budget orientated and do not have the same level of formality as hotels. Many hostels also have programs to share books, DVDs and other items. Unlike hotels, youth hostels encourage guests to socialize with each other. One evidence is the dormitory room commonly found in any youth hostel.
Stay tuned for I will share with you next the 2 biggest portals providing online bookings for hostels and budget accommodations worldwide!
Tags: backpacker, cheap accommodation, trip
