Fall for Boston: 6 Great Activities

Article by Andreas Ambarchian, a freelance journalist from England. He writes about a variety of subjects including travel, wildlife and sports. This article was written on behalf of South American Vacations, providers of adventure tours in South America. With tropical rainforests, Andean mountains, and arid deserts, the varied landscapes of South America make it the perfect place to enjoy an exciting adventure holiday. The Amazon Jungle, PeruWhen it comes to adventure, there are few places in the world that can compare with the rainforests of Peru. Even getting to the region's largest city, Iquitos, is a bit of trek: unreachable by road, visitors have to arrive in the area via air or boat. The real adventure, however, starts when you leave Iquitos to explore the surrounding rainforest on a jungle tour. One of the most biologically diverse areas of land on earth, the Peruvian Amazon is inhabited by 63% of all the mammal species in the entire country and home to a third of all the mammals in the world. In this area, you can also see endemic species of birds and reptiles as you trek through the dense forest foliage. Where to book: To find the most reputable tour guides, go to the iPeru office in Iquitos on Calle Napo 161, Office 4, close to the Plaza de Armas in Iquitos. It's important to go with a trustworthy company because, although they are rare, unpleasant stories of trips gone wrong and abandoned tourists are not unheard of. Cost: The typical cost for a two-day tour is around $200 per person. The Death Road, BoliviaThe Bolivian capital of La Paz is a sprawling assortment of bare brick houses built precariously on the slopes of the valley that the city calls home. However, even more unstable looking than these dubiously positioned structures is the Death Road, a 41-mile stretch of gravel-covered dirt track that connects the capital to Coroico, a city northeast of La Paz. The infamous route is estimated to claim the lives of around 200 people a year, a figure that led the American Development Bank to label this stretch as the most dangerous road in the world in 1995. Although used by both cars and lorries, the road has recently become a popular tourist attraction, with backpackers keen to take on the deadly path. The route incorporates a nearly 12,000-foot descent, with tight, hairpin bends, almost all without the safety of guard rails. Where to book: Many hostels in La Paz have links with tour companies. Cost: The general price for one rider is around $60, less for larger groups. Iguazu Falls by Boat, BrazilThe spectacular views of the waterfalls of Iguazu are probably best observed from the Argentinian side of the attraction, however, for those interested in feeling the raw force of the famous falls up close, a boat ride from Iguazu National Park in Brazil is undoubtedly the better option. The tour starts inside the park, with passengers first being transported to the water's edge by car. From the shore, boats leave every 15 minutes, with the ride itself lasting about two hours. Passengers are taken through some of the smaller cascades before getting within breathtaking proximity of the Three Musketeers Falls, the largest part on the Brazilian side. Anyone going on the ride should be aware that they will get very, very wet, however, any personal items can be put in the waterproof sack provided on the tour. Where to book: Inside the park. Cost: $100 per person. Trekking to the Lost City, ColombiaBuilt in 800 A.D. and abandoned during the Spanish Conquest of South America, the Lost City of Sierra Nevada in Colombia was left undiscovered for hundreds of years until, in 1972, a group of treasure hunters stumbled on the site. More than 40 years later, the Lost City remains largely unexcavated, accessible only via a 44km guided trek. Tours to the ancient site, located in the tropical jungle of the Tayrona National Park, generally leave every day during the high season between December and March, or every few days throughout the rest of the year. Walkers can choose between the option of a four-, five-, or six-day trek. Along the route there are mud paths, rainforest clearings, and swarms of mosquitoes as well as refreshing rock pools. The final stage of the trek includes a climb up 1,400 steps. Where to book: At a travel agency in the nearby cities of Santa Marta and Taganga. Cost: Tours cost around $315.

Article by Andreas Ambarchian, a freelance journalist from England. He writes about a variety of subjects including travel, wildlife, and sports. He wrote this article on behalf of Tucan Travel, specialists in tours all over Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia offers fun-loving guests lots of opportunities to enjoy late-night beach parties, as well as plenty of secluded sections along the seemingly endless coastlines of the region. Here are five beaches you won't want to miss. Koh Phangan, ThailandAn island off the coast of Southern Thailand, Koh Phangan is one of the most popular areas in the region with young travellers. While the island is surrounded by beautiful coastline, it is for its beach parties that the area is most well-known. The monthly Full Moon parties, which take place on Haad Rin, are notoriously hedonistic affairs with all-night music, cheap drinks and good-but-inexpensive food. The area also hosts a number of spin off nights, including Half Moon and Black Moon parties. Even for this part of the world, Koh Phangan is particularly indulgent. Ko Yung, ThailandOne of the most ecologically diverse islands of the Ko Phi Phi archipelago, the small northern territory of Ko Yung is home to a relatively undisturbed coastline. Blessed with exotic marine life, including leopard sharks and colourful coral reefs, the island is a far cry from the fast developing main island of Ko Phi Phi Don, the largest and most populated island of the archipelago. Ko Yung has a mixture of stone and sand beaches, both of which act as perfect launch pads from which to enjoy the warm Andaman Sea. Koh Rong, CambodiaDespite a burgeoning tourism scene, the idyllic coastline of Koh Rong still offers guests the chance to experience white sand beaches away from the crowds. Many of the developments on the island are very new, most having opened as recently as 2010. Visitors should go to the southeast part if they seek a bustling nightlife, however, further north or west, away from the tourist village of Koh Touch, are some of the most secluded beaches in Cambodia. Nha Trang, VietnamFormerly a quiet fishing town, Nha Trang is now one of the most popular seaside resorts in Vietnam. Located about eight hours northeast of Ho Chi Minh by road, the largest city in the country, Nha Trang is easily accessible inside Vietnam, as well as having growing international links. Despite this fast development however, the beaches here still capture the essence of a traditional fishing village with local fisherman happy to cook up the catch of the day at very reasonable prices. The beaches also have on offer some of the best scuba diving in the country. El Nido, PhilippinesThe inspiration for the film The Beach, El Nido is suitably idyllic and alluring for the setting of a paradise island. The local authorities are trying to keep El Nido sustainable so there is still plenty of coastline to go around despite a recent growth in tourism within the region. The beaches here offer the usual white sand and turquoise water as well as adventure activities such as snorkelling and rock climbing on the nearby cliffs.

By this time next week, I'll be strolling along the Champs-Elysées, snacking on fresh-baked croissants, and roaming the streets of Paris on my way to the next world-famous museum. I'm going to be visiting London and Paris next week and the good news is, you can come, too! Follow along with my adventures as I post photos from the road to our brand new Instagram page, @budgettravel. I'm going to be taking a tour by Contiki, a company specializing in vacations for 18-35-year-olds, and I'm right in the middle of the age group having just turned 26. This is my first time taking a group tour, as I've gotten used to taking solo trips around the U.S. or family vacations abroad that required tons of planning ahead of time, so I'm excited to sit back and not have to worry about all the big details like hotels and sightseeing for a change. I'm taking Contiki's London & Paris Plus Paris Extension tour, so I'll have three nights in London and five nights in Paris, giving me a total of nine days to see the sights. The package price includes a guided trip to the Palace of Versailles, a visit to the Eiffel Tower at night, sightseeing and walking tours of London and Paris, a trip to a French perfumery, tickets to a West End musical, a one-day pass for the London Underground, a two-day pass for the Paris Metro, ferry crossing across the English Channel with a scenic drive through historical WWI battlefields on our way to Paris, plus daily breakfast and two three-course dinners. While much of the trip is planned out—there are also guided trips to Stonehenge and Bath, and a group trip to the Moulin Rouge dinner show built in as optional add-ons—I will still have a lot of free time to check out other sights not covered by the tour, like inside of the Louvre, for instance. I'm going to invest in a Paris Museum Pass and indulge in some museum-hopping during the off-days, and make a pilgrimage to Palais Garnier, the famous haunted theater thought to be the inspiration for Phantom of the Opera. I've been to London before. My mother, sister, and I spent a few days there this summer at the end of a vacation to Ireland, a trip we'd literally been planning since I was in high school. With such a short time in London, we stuck to the tourist trail, visiting Westminster Abbey (the most impressive Cathedral I've ever seen, and I've been to the Vatican twice!), the Tower of London (very creepy and slightly depressing), and watching the Changing of the Guard procession outside Buckingham Palace with thousands of other tourists. We hopped on trains to visit some of Londons' best pop culture sites like Abbey Road, Harry Potter's Platform 9 and 3/4 at King's Cross Station, and the location of London's only Dr. Who Tardis, and spent a day exploring the Portobello Road Market in Notting Hill. But there are still a few places we didn't have time to check out—Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, London's great—and free!—museums like the British Museum and National Gallery among others, and the thing I'm looking forward to most, a ride on The London Eye, a magnificent Ferris wheel that overlooks Big Ben, Parliament, and the rest of the city. While this will be my second trip to London, it's my first time visiting Paris. Before I travel to a new place, I always ask my friends and family for recommendations for off-the-beaten-path spots that I'd never know about otherwise. Our intrepid Budget Travel audience has traveled all over the world and always has great advice, so now I'm asking you. What are your favorite little-known places to visit in London and Paris? Sound off below!

This article was written by Wendy Worrall Redal, Editorial Director at Natural Habitat Adventures. There's no question that Africa's legendary wildebeest migration is a bucket-list dream for nature travelers. But the fact is, Africa is expensive to get to, even for a budget safari. If you're fascinated by epic wildlife pilgrimages, here are three amazing phenomena you can witness without leaving North America. Gray WhalesOctober marks the beginning of the world's longest mammal migration: the epic journey of the Pacific gray whales from their summer feeding grounds in Alaska to the birthing and nursery lagoons of Mexico's Baja Peninsula. When the northern waters begin to freeze, the whales take a cue to head south, traveling 24 hours a day to cover more than 5,000 miles. Gray whales swim very close to the coast and are often seen from shore, revealed by their spouts as they exhale. By December the first of the whales—usually pregnant females—have reached the warm, protected waters of Baja, preparing to give birth and raise their young. In February and March, whale-watchers who visit the subtropical lagoons are often treated to close-up encounters with gentle mothers and their young—it's not uncommon for a friendly whale to guide her baby right up alongside an open skiff to show it off to delighted tourists. The Pacific coast offers excellent gray whale watching in the winter and spring. Whales are frequenty spotted from Oregon's many roadside pull-offs along the ocean (bring binoculars for the best view), or scout for spouts from Point Reyes National Seashore north of San Francisco. To come closer, consider a boat-based outing. Various day-tour operators and marine education groups offer whale-watching cruises, such as the Oceanic Society's naturalist-led 3-hour trip out of Half Moon Bay on weekends from December through May. For the ultimate thrill, book a Baja tour with multiple excursions among the whales. Sandhill CranesFor nature lovers, especially bird enthusiasts, few spectacles can compete with the annual sandhill crane migration along Nebraska's Platte River each spring. From late February through early April—usually peaking in mid-to-late March—some 500,000 sandhill cranes stage along the riverbanks to feed and build up fat reserves. The tall, graceful birds are accompanied by thousands of waterfowl, shorebirds and other species that also migrate through the area, creating a cacophonous frenzy in the marshes. Fort Kearney State Historical Park serves as the central information point for crane watchers each spring, with maps and guidance for how to watch from the many viewing decks and bridges in the Kearney and Grand Island area where the greatest number of cranes congregate. Several roadside turnouts offer a chance to see cranes from one's car, though the best experience is from within a specially designated blind. Rowe Sanctuary, operated by the National Audubon Society and Crane Meadows, a private non-profit nature center, offer sunrise and sunset blind tours for close-up views of cranes along the river. Reservations are required, and the cost is $15-18 per person. For more information on viewing the crane migration, consult Nebraska Game and Parks. Monarch ButterfliesWith the first frosts of autumn in southern Canada and the northeastern U.S., monarch butterflies take to the skies, drawn south by an innate compass that remains a mystery to scientists. Flying 50 miles a day for two to three months—up to 3,000 miles in all—they arrive at their winter roosting grounds in Mexico's central highlands by early November. The fir forests of this remote region of Michoacan provide just the right microclimate for the tens of millions of butterflies that congregate here, finding refuge in the fog and freezing rain at 10,000 feet by clinging together to the trunks and brunches in great clumps. At first sight they resemble heavy cloaks of autumn leaves, till the sun comes out to warm their wings and they swirl into the air in a fluttering cloud of orange. This is the only place in the world where one can literally hear the sound of butterfly wings beating. The millions of gossamer orange and black-veined wings create a gentle hum as the monarchs float about, sometimes landing on an enchanted visitor's head or hand. Once the warm winds of spring arrive in early March, the monarchs fly once again, following the blooming milkweed that sustains them on their northward journey. Travelers who want to stand among the monarchs must travel into the mountains above the former silver-mining village of Anguangeo to one of several butterfly sanctuaries that are accessible on foot via a steep hike or by horseback. A guided package tour is the best approach; most are approximately one-week affairs that typically begin and end in Mexico City and include other natural and cultural highlights in addition to the butterflies.