An Unforgettable Memorial Day Site

June 6th, 2014, marks the 70th anniversary of one of the most memorable battles in history, D-Day, when Allied forces stormed the beaches of Northern France, effectively changing the tide of war in favor of victory. This is an exciting time to be in France's Normandy region, home to picturesque cities like Honfleur, Bayeux, and Caen, as well as popular scenic sites like Mont St. Michel, a UNESCO world heritage site that shouldn't be missed if you're in the area. The region is celebrating the 70th Anniversary of D-Day by hosting a series of events from June 1-15 including a parade of D-Day amphibious jeeps and British boats on June 5th at Carentan, a Memorial Parade and Concert for Peace on Friday, June 6th, at Sainte Mère Église, Glenn Miller style concerts on the beaches of Arromanches followed by an impressive fireworks display, an air show on June 7th, a Liberty Dance in Bayeux with Big Band Jazz music, and festive family picnics on Omaha Beach. A parachuting display will take place Sunday, June 8th, at Sainte Mère Église, and three 1940s-era military camps will be set up in Carentan, Sainte Mère Église, and Vierville Sur Mere to demonstrate what military life was like in an American military camp, for paratroopers, and post-liberation. Click here for a full list of area events. I'm going to be visiting the area from June 3–8, touring the WWII sites, beaches, and memorials, visiting the festivities, and hearing accounts from Veterans who were there that day. I'm going to be staying just outside the town of Bayeux at theHotel iBis Budget Bayeux, an Accor Hotel we featured on our "World's Best Budget Hotels" Pinterest board. By the time I booked my trip, car rentals in the area were down to only manual shift vehicles (which, unfortunately, I don't know how to drive) and overpriced BMW automatic shift cars that would cost upwards of $500 for just a few days, not to mention the fact that gas is now running $7–$8 a gallon! I was able to find a company in Bayeux called Bayeux Shuttle that runs day-trips to all the big sites and attractions—I'll be taking a full-day tour of the Normandy Beaches and Memorials one day, taking a half-day trip to Mont St. Michel, and testing out the local bus routes (and inevitably, taxis) as I make my way to various events along the coast. I've been reading about affordable bike rentals in Bayeux, so might look into that as well. I'll be posting photos to our Budget Travel Instagram Page, so follow along as I explore this beautiful region, and visit our new "Stunning Scenes From France" Pinterest board to get a better idea of where I'll be heading. On a personal note, my grandfather on my father's side was actually supposed to fight on the Normandy Beaches that day—he was stationed somewhere in Morocco with the U.S. Navy but got pneumonia right before his regiment was shipped out to France and had to stay behind. It's crazy to think I might not even be here today if he had gone—and to think I'll be visiting Normandy for him all these years later. We want to hear from you: have you ever visited the WWII sites of Northern France? Have you explored the Normandy region without a car? Tell us all about it below!

This article was written by Sia Ling Xin, who travels and writes about it for Asiarooms.com, a blog and online community focused on travelling in Asia. You can also find her on Twitter. Empty beaches. Gentle waves. Coconut drinks. Chirping birds. Beaches so lonely, it takes a 3-hour car ride and two ferry crossings to get to them. Yet, the two Thai islands that form Ko Lanta are wonderfully self-sufficient, with so much to see and do—and so much to offer even if you truly want to just lie back and relax, and not to indulge in any sightseeing activities. If you're sick of the hustle and bustle of more mainstream Thai islands and want a hideaway to clear your mind and invigorate your senses, Ko Lanta is the place for you. Lonely beaches All visitors will arrive on the north side of the island, and this is where the more commercialized beaches are. The more south one goes, the lonelier the beaches get. However, being an island only the most determined and discerning people seek, even the popular northern beaches, Klong Dao and Long Beach, hardly have more than a handful of people on them at any time. Most fresh arrivals opt for these beaches—if you have a few more nights, it would be interesting to book accommodations along Kantiang Bay and Klong Din down south as well, and split your stay between the two beaches.   Those feeling adventurous can hire a speedboat (for about 1800 baht per person) and head to the nearby Ko Rok Island—famed for idyllic white beaches and emerald waters. Monitor lizards are a common sight here, and lucky snorkelers may even spot a reef shark or turtle. From budget to luxury, there's a room for everyone I stayed at Twin Lotus Resort and Spa on Klong Dao beach, which has a gorgeous beachfront infinity pool (along with beachfront villas). Many a morning was spent lounging by the pool after a delectable buffet breakfast. The above-18 rule also meant there were no noisy children splashing or running around, perfect for those looking for serenity. The entire resort is beautifully landscaped with ponds, vivid green lawns, and coconut trees dotting the property. Rooms start at $70 a night. Prima Lai, located on the Southern end of the island, is worth a splurge (rooms from $170 a night) if you're looking for a very intimate, very exclusive experience. Overlooking Kantiang Bay, the resort is known for a certain isolated beauty, while providing everything you could possibly need for a romantic beach vacation. Those on a budget can also easily find bungalows below $30 per night. These may be more basic, with no pools or breakfast included, but with the sea so close by, and good and affordable food easily available, not having these frills should not be a problem. Delectable seafood over the sea Check out Saladan Town, with its row of great seafood restaurants (budget 450 baht or about $15 for a multi-dish seafood dinner for two, including beer). Saladan Seafood (look out for a green sign) as well as Laanta Seafood (you'll spot a small wine shack a few steps after the entrance) both serve up authentic Thai food and uber-fresh seafood on the cheap. There are also many street food carts (a whole mango expertly sliced and served over glutinous rice, topped with coconut milk and rice krispies, for 70 baht), fruit smoothies (100 baht) and all sorts of kebabs, meat-on-a-stick, and fried noodles (budget about 150 baht). Find serenity in the hands of a masseuse The streets are dotted with massage parlours, and each has its own character and are worth checking out. One is particularly worthy of mention—Serenity Massage and Spa, along the streets of Saladan, offers an experience which would cost 10 times more its 350 baht per hour price tag (about $11) in anywhere but Thailand. Beautiful paintings adorn a room bathed in yellow light; the surroundings are clean, tinkling with soft music, and zen. The masseuses are polite and friendly, though a little chatty at times. The Thai massages here did wonders for my sore shoulders. My favourite part was the after-service complimentary fruit and tea on their back balcony, which overlooks the vast sea. Talk about ambience! Animal lovers, rejoice! The island also houses a precocious set-up for a Thai island—a full-fledged animal rescue and welfare centre. Known as Lanta Animal Welfare (LAW), the center has sterilized and treated more than 8,000 animals despite receiving no government funding. It is also incredibly well-run and organized: there are tours that start on the hour every day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors are welcome to play with the cats or bring the dogs out for a walk by the beach. The same folks behind the center also run cooking school and restaurant Time For Lime, a six-course Thai food tasting menu at 450 baht, with 100 baht cocktails during Happy Hour. All proceeds from the business go towards LAW. What better reason to try their signature lemongrass and chilli cocktails? How to get there The fastest way is to fly in to Krabi airport and hire a taxi or private car transfer. Check out Kohlantataxi.com to get a quote. My experience with them was professional and fuss-free. If you like to make a grand entrance, arriving by speedboat would cut down some travelling time. Should budget be an issue, get down and dirty with the super-cheap mini-van route—it's an experience in itself! The island is also accessible from Phuket and other nearby Thai islands.

On Wishful Wednesdays, we like to ask our audience "If you could be anywhere in the world today, where would it be?" For me, this beautiful picture of the Duomo in Florence, framed by a distinctive carved window, always makes me feel as if I'm standing there looking at the real thing! For some literary travel inspiration set in Florence, I highly recommend E.M. Forster's quirky, romantic novel A Room With a View.

This article was written by Zoe Smith on behalf of Viator.com. Few bucket lists are complete without a trip to the Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu, one of the world’s most famous archaeological sites and Peru’s number one tourist attraction. Built in the 15th century, the site is not only world-renowned as an architectural masterpiece but also known for its dramatic location, perched on a 2,430-meter high mountaintop high above the city of Cusco. Few travelers pass through Cusco without visiting the magnificent Lost City of the Incas, but for adventurous travelers, the ultimate challenge is hiking the legendary Inca trail, a high-altitude, multi-day hike through the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu. With Machu Picchu’s popularity soaring, dozens of tour operators and guides now offer tours to the Inca city, and with numerous trekking routes to choose from, plus government restrictions to contend with, it can be hard to know where to start planning your trip. To help you decide, here’s a breakdown of the different options to help you pick your perfect Machu Picchu trek. Getting to Machu PicchuMachu Picchu is located 112 km northeast of Cusco in southeastern Peru and the archaeological site is open all year-round, typically from around 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The easiest way to visit Machu Picchu is to take the bus or train from Cusco, a scenic two-hour journey, stopping in the mountain resort town of Aguas Calientes, from where it’s a 20-minute bus ride up the mountain to the Inca city. For hikers there are also a number of options, the most popular of which is the classic 4-day Inca Trail, renowned as one of the world’s most spectacular hikes, showing off numerous sights and ruins of the Sacred Valley of the Incas en-route to the final destination. When to GoIf you’ve decided to hike to Machu Picchu, the next thing to consider is when to go. The classic Inca Trail is closed for maintenance during the whole month of February, but if you must visit at this time, you’ll still be able to get to the site by train or via an alternative trekking route. The most popular time for trekking is between May and September, the driest months of the year, but it’s still possible to trek throughout the rest of the year. The shoulder seasons of March-April and October-November have the benefit of warm weather and fewer crowds, but there’s also a good chance of rain. Due to government regulations, visitors on the classic Inca Trail are restricted to 500 hikers per day (typically around 200 tourists and 300 guides and porters) and the trail must be booked in advance with a registered tour company. You’ll need to book at least two months in advance, but as permits are given on a first-come first-served basis, you might need to book up to six months in advance for the most popular time slots like June-August. You’ll also need to provide correct passport information upon booking, so that you can be allotted a space. Choosing a tourThe next thing you need to think about is what kind of trek you want to do, starting with which route to take. The classic Inca Trail takes four days and is unquestionably the most popular, but there are a number of other options that offer the chance to explore more off-the-beaten-track places, challenge yourself with a longer or tougher trek, or combine your trek with a multi-day tour of Cusco or Peru. Less-experienced hikers could even opt for a one- or two-day ‘mini-Inca-trail’ hike instead [Editor's Note: the Machu Picchu Adventure tour by G Adventures offers this one-day trek option]. When choosing a tour, there are also other things to consider, like accommodation options, cost, and the availability of porters. While many travelers will be looking to save money, the cheapest treks are not always the best choices, and you should think carefully about the camping facilities, porters (to carry your luggage) and food provided before selecting a cheaper tour. Choosing a trekking routeThere are now a number of increasingly popular treks to Machu Picchu, only one of which is the classic Inca Trail and if you have the time and money to hire a private guide, you will find a whole network of alternate trails and possible routes waiting to be discovered. To help you choose, here’s a rundown of the five most common trails. The Classic Inca TrailWhen you hear ‘Inca Trail’ this is the route that they’re talking about: the official 4–day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. A tough but manageable 43-kilometer (26-mile) trail, starting out at Qorihuayrachina near Ollantaytambo and climbing through the Sacred Valley (Urubamba Valley) to Aguas Calientes, you’ll hike steep mountain passes, rock-hewn stairs and cloud forest trails, taking in Inca sites like Q’entimarka, Sayaqmarka, Phuyupatamarca and Winaywayna along the way. You’ll spend three nights camping out in the mountains on the route before making the final climb to Machu Picchu in time for the sunrise. While the distance might not sound long, the altitude and steep climbs mean you’ll need to be fit and used to hiking to complete the trek—you should also give yourself at least a couple of days in Cusco to acclimatize to the higher altitude before setting off. Salkantay TrekAn increasingly popular alternative to the Inca Trail is the 5-day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu, known for its more challenging route and higher altitude. Climbing to heights of 4,600 meters and offering jaw-dropping views of the imposing Cordillera Vilcabamba mountain range (include the 6,271-meter tall Mt. Salkantay) this is not a trek for the faint-hearted, but those up for a challenge can’t help but be impressed by the natural sights on-route—waterfalls, glacial lakes, looming mountain peaks, and lush valleys filled with wildflowers. Inca Quarry TrailThose looking to take the road less traveled should opt for the Viator Exclusive 6-Night Quarry Trail to Machu Picchu, a unique route that climbs the 4,400 meter Chancachuco mountain pass and the Inca quarry of Kachiqta, taking in smaller archaeological sites like the Inti Punku (Sun Gate) along the way. A good option for adventurous types that still like to travel in style, there’s less camping and hiking on this trek than the others, but still plenty of stunning views. Lares TrekA shorter and less busy alternative to the classic Inca Trail, the Lares Trail to Machu Picchu is a 33 kilometer, 2- or 3-day trek running through the Lares Valley and taking in many of the highlights of the Sacred Valley. Passing beneath the Vilcanota mountain range, trekkers get the chance to follow ancient Inca Trails through traditional Andean villages, take a dip in the Lares hot springs and visit the Inca ruins of Pumamarca. Ancascocha TrekFollowing a similar path to the main Inca Trail, the Ancascocha Trail is often nicknamed the “hidden Inca Trail” and the rewarding route remains largely free from tourists. Taking four or five days to reach Machu Picchu, this is a challenging route with undulating terrain, passing through traditional villages like Usutapampa, past the Ancascocha lagoon and over the 4,876 meter Inca Chiriaska.