Backpacker Buzz

Your HI Membership card gets you all sorts of fantastic discounts on restaurants, attractions, and more. We want to improve the value you get with your HI Membership, and we need your help to do that. Please take our short survey, and you will be entered into a draw to win a 16 GB iPad 2.

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We here at Backpacker Buzz clearly like Iceland. That’s why we were thrilled to hear about HI-Manitoba’s amazing new contest, done in conjunction with HI-Iceland and Iceland Express. Read more »

We've all been forced to look at a friend's vacation photos and pretend to find them all fascinating. When you watch Williams Jans’ slideshows from his epic travels from around the world, there will be no need to feign interest. The Vancouver-based storyteller has a knack for telling hilarious travel tales that will make you want to book a flight to all of the far-flung destinations he's visited. Read more »

The first ever LIVE at Squamish music festival is coming this Labour Day Weekend, September 4-5. The town of Squamish - between Whistler and Vancouver on the Sea to Sky Highway - will play host to a whole slew of musical acts from Matt Good to Devo. You can win one of three weekend packages for two that include two weekend passes to the festival, a night for two at HI-Whistler and two HI memberships.

All you have to do is enter our draw. Winners will be announced on August 20.

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We all know them. Those little truths about travel that you come to know after a little bit of time on the road.

"You'll learn to sleep sitting up."

"SNORERS ALWAYS FALL ASLEEP FIRST."

"There's no such thing as a normal toilet."

Now we want to hear yours. Submit your favourite travel truth and you could see your idea in our 2011 calendar while the best entry will score a night for two in a private room at either HI-Banff Alpine Centre or the new HI-Whistler. Read more »

Celebrate biodiversity by entering the 2010 Robert Bateman Get to Know Contest. Launched on Earth Day, April 22, the contest is open to all young Canadians aged 19 or younger. Youth are invited to "get to know" local plants and animals and then submit works of art, writing, or photography to the contest for a chance to win wild prizes. Read more »

The fine folks at the Slovenian Tourism Board and the Bank of Tourism Potentials in Slovenia are running a contest that could bag you a trip to Slovenia worth 3000 EUR. All you have to do is describe the 3-day trip of your dreams, with an emphasis on responsible travel and ecotourism, and you'll be in to win. Read more »

Enter to win two-day ski package from Greyhound including lift tickets valid at Whistler and Blackcomb as well as return transportation between Vancouver and Whistler. One package will be given away every month until April. Read more »

Congratulations to Dan Habershon-Butcher from Bristol, England who has been selected as the winner in Hostelling International's Blog the Games contest!

The competition was tight and the final two came down to a final three at the last second when two videos had identical vote counts at the contest's cut-off on Wednesday. Read more »

Ten finalists have been selected from the entries into HI's Blog the Games contest. Vote now for your favourite at www.hihostelspm.ca/blogthegames. The two with the highest number of votes will go before HI judges and the winner gets a return flight to Vancouver during the 2010 Winter Olympics, five nights' accommodation in Vancouver, a new camera, $500 spending money and a ski trip to Banff at the end of it. Read more »