Recession? What recession?! It seems the backpacking crowd aren’t the type to let something as little as a global economic crisis get in the way of their travel plans.
In fact, travellers are more than just out there on the scene – they’re still searching for that new, unique, exciting destination to jet off to next…
This weekend, the Observer ran a piece on hot new backpacking spots with Albania as the new ‘number one’ on the scene. (Ed. – We’re all over this one – check out the five reasons to visit Albania we put together last September!)
Cheap, unspoiled and now beginning to rejuvenate after years under a hard-line dictatorship, Albania certainly has the credentials to be this year’s top backpacking “secret” in Europe. A decent travel infrastructure is also developing to complement its attractive beach/culture combination. Accommodation may still be a bit hard to find in more rural areas, but there’s a decent range of hostels in Tirana which make a good starting point for exploring Albania.
The Observer’s other tip-offs include Namibia, Laos, Malaysia and Bolivia… which have all managed to stay somewhat under the radar on their respective backpacking circuits.
It’s hard to pick a favourite sight amongst these… there’s Malaysia’s futuristic capital, Kuala Lumpur (or ‘KL’ as it’s rather snazzily known), or La Paz, Bolivia’s capital, which sits high up in the valleys of the Andes… Then there’s the stunning natural landscapes of Laos (think Thailand before Starbucks arrived), and the Skeleton Coast of Namibia…
And in case you’re still not quite decided whether 2009 is the right to moment to head off on an adventure, Nomadic Matt (who’s in Thailand right now, incidentally…) has put together his thoughts on why, far from being a bad year to up and leave, now is actually the best time to travel!
The moral of the story? You just can’t keep a traveller at home! Once you’ve got that travel bug, it’s all over… Izuno Travel clearly can’t keep still, either – here’s their ten reasons why a backpacker just can’t stay home for long!
What’s your top tip for 2009? Have your travel plans been affected by the recession, or has the doom and gloom of home inspired you to head out into the big wide world? Let us know… AW
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Hey guys, love the promotion of Albania. I’m an American who has spent a lot of time traveling around Europe and just LOVED Albania. I ended up living there for 9 months. After I went back to the states and graduated University, I got a scholarship to study in an Albania city next door in Macedonia. Anyway, I have some close friends who live in villages near the city of Korca and Polgradec (which is on a beautiful lake, Lake Ohrid). If anyone is looking for cheap accommodation in that area, as well as a unique experience living in an Albanian village, just send me a text at 00355693737311 and I’ll call you on Skype, or email me at elyloew@yahoo.com.
Good luck in your travels. The world is really a beautiful place