World Travel
LIVING THE K-DRAMA DREAM
Lotte World- photo credit: Flickr user Petirrojo
Written by HI staff member Andrea
What do kimchi, ramyun and soju all have in common? Aside from being ridiculously delicious, they're all commonly seen on the ever-popular Korean drama (a.k.a. k-drama). If you haven't seen one before, GO NOW and watch one or two or four or ten. You may (or may not) cry, laugh, scrunch your nose, furrow your brow or twitch a cheek, but you will definitely get a taste of Korean culture and its gorgeous scenery. So, after sitting on your butt for 16 to 20 hours (the average length of one k-drama) with an empty box of tissues at your side and a blank stare, why not re-create some of your favorite scenes? Heck, Vancouver's got Twilight and New Zealand's got Lord of the Rings. On your next trip to Korea, take a k-drama tour of the city! Read more »
Q&A with Canada's Winner in the Big Blog Exchange
Early this morning Jeremy Fowler found out he was one of the 16 winners in Hostelling International's Big Blog Exchange and had won himself what he describes as the "trip of the lifetime" to Malaysia for 10 days in June. Another winner in the contest, Chee Ching from Malaysia, will be swapping places with Jeremy with her own trip to Canada at the same time.
The 23-year-old Hampton, New Brunswick, native finished a BA in English, Creative Writing and Cultural Studies last year at St. Thomas University in Fredericton and now works as a supervising lifeguard. What does he want to do for a living? "Basically I want to do something that I absolutely adore doing," he says. "I want to be active. I want to live an engaging life rather than a passive one." Sounds like a perfect candidate for the Big Blog Exchange. Hot on the heels of interviews with the CBC and the local paper, Jeremy chatted with us today about his big win. Read more »
Even for backpackers Japan is affordable!
Image credit: Flickr user_Marc Veraart
TOKYO – Most backpackers do not consider Japan as an affordable destination. You probably think that too, don’t you? Sorry to say, but you are depriving yourself of the closest, cheapest Asian destination from Canada. For example, round-trip flights from Montreal to Japan (flying to Tokyo via Chicago on United Airlines) currently cost about $1500, taxes included. This low fare is comparable to backpacking in Europe! Read more »
A modern hostel opens in the heart of Europe
A new Youth Hostel opens in Paris. Just minutes from the Gare du Nord and Gare de l'est, HI-Paris Pajol is at a major crossroads for many European travellers. It’s only one hour from London and Brussels and one and a half to two hours from Amsterdam and Berlin.
An exemplary hostel in terms of sustainable development Read more »
RTW With One Pair of Pants
When you're heading out on a months-long journey around the world, figuring out what to pack is no easy task. When I was planning my RTW trip a few years ago, I knew I was following warm weather around the planet, but I also wasn't quite sure how I'd pull off living with only one pair of pants. But I did it. I still have that pair of pants, almost four years later, with a blown-out knee, and a nearly blown-out bum, now a much lighter shade of blue than they were when they started, but I don't think I can ever get rid of them. So, what can you do with nine months and one pair of jeans? A whole lot, as it turns out. Here's just a peek. Read more »
Welcome to lush, tropical and beautiful Costa Rica!
Written by Guest Blogger: Lisa Photo by: Flickr user Rachfog
Costa Rica is a beautiful and lush country, rich in history and with a very happy culture according to the Happy Planet index which ranked Costa Rica number one in 2012. The primary language spoken in the country is Spanish, so brush up and try to speak the local language. It will be seen as a sign of respect and even if it’s bad it’ll put a smile on every Costa Ricans face that you encounter. Read more »
Finland's Hostel of the Year: Pori's Hostel River
Hostel River of Pori, Finland, has convinced both customers and the executive board of Hostelling International Finland of its excellence as a hostel. The national hostel association nominated Hostel River as Hostel of the Year 2013. Pori is an industrial city on Finland’s western coast and known as a lively centre of culture. Read more »
Bucket list: The Taj Mahal, India
The Taj Mahal. One of the world's many wonders, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a gift of love from an Emperor to his favourite Queen! Find out more...
HI's Top 5 places to visit in 2013
Where do you want to explore this year? Need some travel inspiration? Here are HI’s top five picks for 2013. Read more »
The best hostels in the world
Hostelling International (HI) is the only global network of Hostel Associations and we are pleased to announce the best hostels in the world according to our customers! Our annual meeting for hostel managers has just taken place in Cologne, Germany and as part of that meeting, our prestigious HI-5ives! Awards ceremony took place to celebrate the top hostels in the HI network. Read more »
Fort Edmonton Park is best place to enjoy vacations with...