Family Trip Deals

We are indeed creatures of habit. Which means we don’t venture too far from our previous experiences, travel or otherwise. If we have family out of state we tend to make repeated trips to see them, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s great to visit family. However, there’s a big world out there waiting for us to come and take a look. Get the best of both worlds and ask your extended family to come along for the ride. Check out the top five must see countries.

1. Egypt. King Tut, The Pyramids, The Valley of the Kings. The list is endless. But it’s just not the history and the culture, it’s the people too. Egyptians are some of the kindest and most generous people on the planet. They will welcome you into their homes in a second and even if they have almost nothing, they will share it with you. An afternoon on the Nile with an Egyptian felucca captain sailing your boat as the sun sets over the Nile in Luxor is a once in a lifetime experience not to be missed.
2. China. China isn’t somewhere people immediately think of when planning a vacation…but they should. If you watched the Olympics in Beijing, you got a glimpse of a beautiful country. Even if you could only afford 7 to 10 days, an itinerary that takes in Beijing, Xian, a Yangtze River Cruise and Shanghai will be a great introduction. And for an unforgettable experience, juts visit Guilin. Guilins landscape is amazing and totally unique. Mountainous might not be the best description, but the peaks that do rise, rise almost vertically up into the mist. If you get a chance take a ski lift up to one of the peaks and just take in the view, and if you are feeling adventurous, take a kart down a toboggan style run (about 3,000 feet in length)!
3. Jordan. Handily located, if you plan it right you can visit Egypt and Jordan together to make a real trip to remember. Amman is a great city full of atmosphere, Petra is marvelous, but surely the can’t miss site is the Dead Sea. The only ocean in the world with so much salt in it, you actually float! This alone makes Jordan a must see country. In addition, don’t forget the Wadi Rum, Aqaba, Jerash and the Kings Highway. A week in Jordan is good, but 10 days is better.
4. Hong Kong. Although there is much more to Hong Kong than just shopping, if you do love to shop, then Hong Kong is the place for you. A stroll along Nathan Road and a visit to the Temple Street market just HAS to be on your itinerary. And make sure you have your bargaining hat on as haggling is as big a part of the experience as the purchases themselves. The great thing is that despite it being a modern city, there is tradition around every corner. Don’t forget to take a trip to Victoria Peak and enjoy the stunning views and remember that even if it’s misty, there are 2 guys at the top who will take your picture and transpose it onto a picture of what you should see if the weather where not so poor ! I also suggest a couple of half day visits out to Lama and Lantau Islands too. A great way to escape the hustle and bustle of the craziness that is typical of Hong Kong.
5. Thailand. Thailand suffers a little from its reputation of being a very hedonistic destination and while it is true that there is a very wild side to Thailand (especially certain areas of Bangkok, Phucket etc) there is also an amazing culture to immerse yourself in. There really is everything there, adventure, culture and even for the not faint hearted, a place about 1 hour north of Thailand where you can go in, yes go in, with real live tigers. No cages, no chains, just you and around a dozen tigers. Despite the tsunami of 2004 it’s still a beautiful place.