This is a Hipmunk post from Jodi Ettenberg of Legal Nomads.

This is the view from my guesthouse in El Nido, the Philippines. Located on Palawan, a long slice of land reaching northward to Mindoro and southward toward Malaysian Borneo, and bordered by the South China Sea to the west and the Sulu Sea to the east. It’s also stunningly beautiful. El Nido was always a stop on the route for those heading to Palawan, but given that it was fairly isolated (when I visited in 2009 the only way there was via cargo ferry, private chartered flight – too expensive!, or bus on muddy roads), it was not as touristed as elsewhere in the country. That’s changing, so we thought we would provide some info for those looking to visit.

Enter Paul, a Filipino running Walk Fly Pinoy who has provided a handy guide for getting there and away, where to stay and what to do, and more. His full guide to El Nido is here.

Safe travels!

-Jodi

Although it might not seem like it, you could be spending an extra $550 on your trip. From that $4 bottle of water to $150 total for hotel parking, we found the average hidden costs associated for a  five-day vacation for one person. Here we’ve laid out where your money could be going without you realizing it, as well as some of our tips for saving money on vacation.

This is a Hipmunk post from Jodi Ettenberg of Legal Nomads.

Most tourists down think of Vietnam as cold, but during winter months Hanoi certainly fits the bill. It was close to 32F when I was there in the colder months, which meant one thing: bundling up.

And not just the people either: the dogs also found themselves dressed up to face the day.

Two particularly adorable mutts from the streets of Hanoi. Homemade sweater on the first one, too – the owner was knitting a second one when I stopped to take a photo!

This is a Hipmunk post from Jodi Ettenberg of Legal Nomads.

We’ve written about egg coffee in Hanoi, but this photo from around my apartment in Saigon illustrates why the coffee culture in Vietnam is so compelling to visitors. Colourful pitchers of freshly brewed coffee (in the Vietnamese filter, of course) on the side of the street, waiting to be consumed.  It’s a regular occurrence for most residents, but if never failed to make me smile. It’s always the little things!

When conducting a hotel search, you will now see a “Book on Hipmunk” button for certain hotels, allowing you to purchase that hotel without leaving the site or app. With your Hipmunk account, you can securely save your billing information so you don’t have to enter information for each individual purchase. We’ll also keep track of all your upcoming hotel bookings across web and mobile in the “My Bookings” section of your account.

Hotels on iOS

Hotels on Android

We’ve also added “Verified by Hipmunk” to hotel descriptions on web and mobile. When checking out a property, the Verified by Hipmunk section will show you Wifi prices, parking rates, and any additional charges such as resort fees. That way, you can be informed of additional costs before you book a hotel.

Verified by Hipmunk on iOS

Verified by Hipmunk on Android

And yes, we called all these hotels to verify this information, so you don’t have to. You’re very welcome!

Check out the Hipmunk Flight and Hotel App for free!

This is a Hipmunk post from Jodi Ettenberg of Legal Nomads.

What better time to visit England than in the spring? With trees budding and green grass and – finally! – some sun, it’s a perfect chance to explore what the country has to offer, without the cold. Some photos from recent days in Brighton, London and the Cotswolds.

-Jodi

Postman’s Park in London

Waiting for the train in London.

City Road in London

Cheltenham

Cheltenham on a spring day.

Clear Skies in Brighton

Get both adventure and relaxation in one getaway. Hipmunk and Liftopia are sending you and a friend for the perfect weekend getaway this summer in Sun Valley. Head here to enter!

One lucky fan will win two roundtrip tickets to Sun Valley from Hipmunk and a 3 night stay at Sun Valley Resort. Winner will also receive certificates thanks to Liftopia and Sun Valley Resort to enjoy 2 rounds of golf, 2 mountain bike rentals, access to unlimited tennis, 2 tickets to the ice show, 2 gondola ride tickets, a $100 gift certificate for dining, and a $250 spa gift certificate. It’s safe to say you’ll have plenty of things to do!

So if you’re looking for a fun weekend peppered in with some R&R, then  head here by Friday, May 24. Share the link with your friends and increase your chances of winning!

This is a Hipmunk post from Jodi Ettenberg of Legal Nomads.

The 2nd Avenue Subway project has been on the table for many many years. It was first proposed in 1929 [1] but has found itself stopped and started and shelved ever since. In 2007, the 2nd Avenue line construction began in earnest, and the MTA has just released these photographs from April 2013, taken underneath 86th street.

We thought it would be interesting for travelers and locals alike to see what lies just beneath the metropolis. Photos are all from the MTA’s Flickr feed. For the full set from the 86th Street Station, see here.

Photo: Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin.

Photo: Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin.

Photo: Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin.

Photo: Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin.

This is a Hipmunk post from Jodi Ettenberg of Legal Nomads.

Clayton from Spartan Traveler quit his job over a year ago in San Francisco and has been traveling the world ever since. He recently posted about what technology you would need if you wanted to work on the road, breaking each piece of equipment down to pros and cons, as well as what he’s used it for. A helpful list for anyone looking to travel long or short term and still be able to get work done along the way.

Digital nomad must-haves, (c) 2013 Spartan Traveler

An excerpt:

“The equipment that allows me to work from almost anywhere was thoughtfully accumulated over the last 18 months, and it’s a balance of price, weight, and power. There’s no need to go gear-crazy if you’re just starting out (or ever). All you really need is a decent laptop, some cheap headphones, and a place to work.

There are plenty of “top # pieces of gear for digital nomads” out there, but most of them range from borderline excessive to absolutely ridiculous. I’m assuming here that a) you have a budget or you’re just starting out and b) you don’t want to carry 80lbs of extra gear with you (that can also be damaged or stolen).

[...]

The point is: you can get started cheaply, so don’t assume you need the latest and greatest gadgets to make it happen.”

You can check out all of Clayton’s recommendations here. Among them is the iPhone 5, so for those shaking their heads at the Asus in the photo above, fear not

-Jodi

Giving the gift of travel is actually gifting someone with a unique and memorable experience. Whether a trip to Paris, New York or Hawaii, each holds the possibility for memories to be made that are guaranteed to be cherished. Seeing a gorgeous sunset in Bora Bora or eating the best gelato in Rome are some of the types of memories that we fondly remember when we speak about our travels. Giving someone the opportunity to experience a new city or country is a gift that quite doesn’t compare to a dozen roses. But what may even be better than sending your mom on a relaxing beach vacation, is actually going on a trip with her.

We think that giving the gift of travel is overlooked. We can all get caught up in our day to day, and when the moment comes, it’s easier to send a bouquet of flowers than it is to plan a memorable trip for that special woman in your life. But we challenge you to think about giving travel. To help inspire you,  some of our Facebook fans shared with us how they have  given the gift of travel to their mothers.

So this Mother’s Day, we encourage you to think about giving the gift of travel – whether a weekend getaway or a two week safari – we’re certain this gift won’t compare with others.