Eventough that major domestic airlines offer PISO or EIGHT pesos fare this time of the traveling season you can also make your travels cheaper without availing of the PISO fare. Because of deregulation and competition, air travel became cheaper today than in 10 or even 5 years ago and it could get cheaper if only the price of petroleum products (particularly jet fuel) will be much stable.
* To start with, budgeting and finding a cheap hotel or restaurant will not help so much if the destination itself is expensive. Here's my point: I love Camiguin not only because of its beaches, waterfalls, hot springs, cold springs and 7 volcanoes but because it is cheaper to travel or even live there than to go to Boracay which has only a beach to offer.
* The Internet contains gazillion of information about the place where you plan to spend your vacation from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi so it pays to google first your destination before trying to make any reservation for hotels, transportation arrangements and organized tours.
* The best website I think there is for those who seek everything under the sun about travel is
www.virtualtourist.com. I enjoy reading everything it says on a particular destination I am interested in and one can even ask as question in the member's forum.
TripAdvisor.com is another great site to view reviews of hotels, restaurants and tourist spots.
* When you have a contact in that particular destination be it a hotel reservation clerk, a van-for-hire agent or whatever, don't be afraid to ask for
DISCOUNTS as they are available throughout the year even for peak season.
* If you still don't have an air ticket, you may find cheaper tickets during weekdays rather than flying on a Saturday or Sunday. Usually, the roundtrip discount don't apply to domestic airline tickets so try to check all the airlines if they offer a cheaper fare on your way to your destination or your return flight. It is common for me to have a different airline on the way back to Manila because of lower fare or better flight schedule.
* If you find information which the Internet offers not sufficient, you can request for a free visitor's guide or brochure from the local or regional tourism office of your destination. Maps and travel books are expensive and there's no need to bring those bulky Lonely Planet guides when you can print maps and information you need.
* When time is not an issue, it's always cheaper to travel off-season as the price of everything travel related significantly drops. And besides, the promotional fare of airlines are always timed during the off-season. I found out that September is the best time to visit Boracay if you hate crowds obstructing your view of the beach. Locals even dubbed September as the "little summer" as the weather is good during that time. Anytime of the year is the best time if you want to go to any Mindanao destinations as that region is always not on the path of typhoons.
Remember, the later you wait to do your planning for that well deserved vacation, the more you will likely to pay for it so
it PAYS to plan early.
HAPPY TRAVELING!
