Chiang Mai is one of the most beautiful, cultural and interesting places in all of Thailand. The markets and day trips into the jungles where hill tribes still live happily are something that cannot be seen in many other places in Asia.

And this amazing Facebook Hot Deal is the perfect short break to get you there!

Priced from just $1052 departing Perth, $1413 departing Adelaide, $1156 departing Melbourne, $1176 departing Sydney or $1175 departing Brisbane. All prices are per person twin share and include taxes and levies.

This Facebook Hot Deal is only available until Friday 20th August and only available for travel until the 16th September so don’t muck around!

The package includes:

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This week, after claiming a conversion to Hinduism when filming her last movie, Julia Roberts has been in the news and all over the Internet about this later-in-life move toward a new religion. Roberts now chants with her family at home, they regularly visit temples, and she believes in reincarnation.

In short, Julia Roberts practices what she learned on the road.

Yes, the actress changed. Her trip traveling through three continents (India, Italy, and Indonesia) gave the “Eat, Pray, Love’ star the chance to reflect, to learn and to decide a new path as she moves forward in life.

This is what traveling is all about to me, too.

Read the full article here. and you can get your own copy of Eat Pray Love by clicking here.

Have you read Eat, Pray, Love? What did you think? Did it inspire you to travel again? Please let me know in the comments below. When you leave a comment on this site, it appears automatically – no waiting for it to be moderated, and no having to sign up first.

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Wow, what a great response to Bali Villa Sale Week returning to Nick Bowditch Travel.

5 days of great savings and unique offers to get you over to beautiful, relaxing Bali in 2010.

And this year, if you are a fan of my Facebook Page or follow me on Twitter, each day there will be an extra special offer attached to each villa deal, so if you use Facebook or Twitter and aren’t getting my updates, sign up today!

Today’s special is also in beautiful Seminyak:

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Bali Rich Villas – Seminyak

This special is available for travel between 16th September and 19th December 2010. You can stay in a 1 or 2 Bedroom Private Pool Villa for 7 nights but only pay for 6. The package price is from just $996 per person twin share – ask me for special family rates.

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The deal includes:

* 7 nights accommodation
* Breakfast daily
* Afternoon tea daily
* Fruit and Vase of Flowers on arrival
* Return airport transfers in Bali
* Free daily mini-bar (soft drinks only)
* Wi-Fi internet access in the villas
* Daily turn down service
* Free shuttle to Kuta, Legian and Seminyak areas

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Special Facebook and Twitter Bonus:

$300 Resort Voucher to spend on spa treatments, food and beverages at the property!

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Interested?

You must book and pay by Monday 26th July 2010. To make a booking, call me TODAY on 02 4328 4398. Conditions apply.

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It’s on again! The special Bali Villa Sale Week is on again this week on Nick Bowditch Travel.

5 days of great savings and unique offers to get you over to beautiful, relaxing Bali in 2010.

And this year, if you are a fan of my Facebook Page or follow me on Twitter, each day there will be an extra special offer attached to each villa deal, so if you use Facebook or Twitter and aren’t getting my updates, sign up today!

So, on to the first great special:

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Disini Villas – Seminyak

This special is available for travel between 16th September and 19th December  2010. You can stay in a Deluxe 1 Bedroom Private Pool Villa for 7 nights but only pay for 6. The package price is from just $1,349 per person twin share – ask me for special family rates.

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The deal includes:

* 7 nights accommodation
* Voucher for luxury spa treatments
* Breakfast daily
* Return airport transfers in Bali
* Free use of bicycles
* Free shuttle to Seminyak and Kerobokan areas

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Special Facebook and Twitter Bonus:

$300 Resort Voucher to spend on spa treatments, food and beverages at the property!

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Interested?

You must book and pay by Monday 26th July 2010. To make a booking, call me TODAY on 02 4328 4398. Conditions apply.

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The amazing Bali Villa Sale Week is on again!

From Monday 19th July until Friday 23rd July, I have some incredible family travel deals at five different – but all really beautiful – villas on the island of Bali.

The villas are located in Seminyak, Nusa Dua, Jimbaran and Sanur so no matter what kind of Bali experience you are looking for, I have the right villa for you to base your family holiday in.

PLUS…

If you are a fan of my Facebook Page or follow me on Twitter, each day there will be an extra special offer attached to each villa deal, so if you use Facebook or Twitter and aren’t getting my updates, sign up today!

The first deal will be announced in 2 days for the beautiful Disini Villas in Seminyak so stay tuned…

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Looking for the latest Bali guidebook?

Get it from Lonely Planet by clicking here.

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On Wednesday afternoon, I was contacted by ABC Radio in Perth to comment on low-cost carriers and whether they are a good option for families when travelling.

Russell Wolf asked me how low I thought fares could go (on the back of Air Asia offering return fares to London from Melbourne and the Gold Coast from just $240!

We also talked about whether safety is compromised and just what are you going to forego by choosing a low-priced carrier for your travel.

You can check out the full 8 minute podcast by clicking here.

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Every now and then, somebody submits something to my office which I am proud to endorse. Sometimes it’s a new product, a great website or travel application and sometimes, like this time, something is presented which has been a long time coming.

This week I was given a copy of The Art of Solo Travel – A Girl’s Guide by Stephanie Lee.

This ebook is literally packed with great information, really beautiful photography and important and relevant content all put together in a nice, easy-to-read layout.

The content covers why girls are compelled to travel alone, how to prepare for a big solo trip, what it’s all going to cost, tips on frequent flying and staying healthy while you are away and heaps of other resources and helpful links for the reader to find out more.

About the Author

Stephanie Lee was born in 1978 in Malaysia, and has lived in three different countries. She spent her childhood in Kuala Lumpur, and later moved to San Francisco, USA during her teenage years. She then went on to study architecture at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.

After completing her degree, she worked in several architectural firms designing residential buildings. After six years of full-time work, Stephanie caught the travel bug and left everything behind to embark on a solo open-ended journey which took her all around the world. To date she has been to approximately 30 countries, most of which were by herself. While travelling she documented her experiences extensively and started a nomadic career as a travel writer. She has since has articles published in Brave New Traveler and Indie Travel Podcast.

When not travelling or writing, she still practices architecture and currently lives in Sydney. She continues to contribute articles to Indie Travel Podcast. This is her first travel book.

You can check out the ebook, and read other testimonials including mine, by clicking here.

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Traveling with children? It can be pretty stressful. With their continuous whimpering and whining, the trip can be a nightmare. Worry no more, it is nothing planning and good old preparation cannot fix.

Here are some practical tips for parents traveling with their toddlers:

1. When packing and getting ready to go, the key to a great tour with your children is to arrange and get organized as much as you can. Planning requires you to make a lot of lists because nothing beats having it planned and reviewable in a small pad or some electronic organizer.

2. Have a list of things to buy. When on an airplane, you can only carry with you so many things and mainly with food these days, there are a lot of security concerns. Put those little goods in your list of groceries and check it off.

Read the full article here.

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Thai officials have ruled out UN-backed mediation in an increasingly violent dispute with anti-government protesters on the streets of Bangkok.

A protest leader suggested the talks, but a government spokesman was quick to rebuff the offer, saying outside groups should not interfere.

At least 29 people have died since Thursday, when soldiers and police moved in to shift the demonstrators.

The protesters, known as red-shirts, have been camped in Bangkok for months.

They want Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to resign and call a new election.

A red-shirt leader, Nattawut Saikua, said protesters were willing to hold UN-moderated talks to end the stand-off, providing that the army withdrew from the area around the red-shirt camp.

Read the full story here.

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Having grown up in an era when “vacation” meant piling in the family station wagon every summer, some of today’s parents are putting their own annual family trip in the hands of the pros to save time and expose their children to more diverse experiences.

But parents aren’t completely off the hook. Here’s what you need to know.

Find an outfitter who knows kids. Families with teens will be happy on any trip as long as there are aspects of it that appeal to all members, which can be tricky. When Penny Putnam was looking for a trip that would engage her and her husband, both history buffs, and their then-13-year-old son, who “needed action,” she found a tour in Turkey with Wildland Adventures that combined snorkeling over sunken coastal ruins and visiting architectural landmarks.

Read the whole story here:

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