Bariloche, Argentina is neatly nestled between Lake Nahuel Huapi and the Andes, and happens to be the country’s epicenter of wintertime outdoor activities. It’s a town that prides itself on its Swiss heritage and tries to encapsulate that heritage in everything it does, from skiing the Andes to making world class chocolate and offering tourists the chance to take their picture with Saint Bernards. However, there is one major difference between the Argentine Andes and the Swiss Alps, and that’s price.

For the skier/snowboarder

If you’re not a hardcore skier or snowboarder and do not travel with the entire kit you needn’t worry because renting one isn’t going to cost you an arm and a leg. To rent your apparel, including a jacket, pants, boots, gloves and goggles runs on average 45 pesos per person per day, which is equivalent to about $11.75 US at the current exchange rate.

To save yourself the hassle of lugging heavy equipment back and forth from the mountain I recommend renting your boots and board or skis at the base for 90 pesos per day ($23.50 US). If you don’t mind the exertion then it is possible to rent in town but on average the prices only differ by 5-10 pesos.

Finally, a day on the mountain will cost you 150 pesos, which if you’re still counting is only $39.20 US! Compared with other ski resorts in Vermont which charge up to $77 and ski resorts in France that charge 37 euro (or $52.50) per day it’s obvious where you’re getting more bang for your buck. For the person with some vacation time to use up and current low-season deals to South America there’s nothing stopping you from getting in a second ski season this year.

I don’t know about you but I’m extremely picky about gifts. I prefer when family members and friends give me gift certificates for holiday and birthday gifts. I always enjoy receiving flight vouchers but now I have another travel-related gift certificate to add to my wish list:

 The Marriott family of hotels has released gift cards that are usable in any Marriott location, worldwide.

I can use the gift certificate for spa services at a Marriott in Costa Rica or deluxe room service for my girlfriends and I in Las Vegas. It can even be used for an overnight stay. I’ve already added this to my wish list. The gift cards have no expiration dates or fees and you do not need to be a guest to use them. Click here for information on purchasing a gift card and here for a list of Marriott locations.

Let’s face it, traveling can be a pain. Flying comes with it’s own unique set of headaches that would stress even the toughest globetrotters. How do you know that airfare deal you found is the best travel deal?  Simply click on the picture below to see all the various costs and rule for each airline at a glance.

NYC Restaurant week has been extended through labor day! This means that you have another month to take advantage of all of the great restaurant deals!  Why not plan a getaway for labor day weekend? For more information on how to enjoy NYC on the cheap check out our previous post.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shefi/2161787579/

Sushi, sumo wrestlers, kimonos, and geishas – these stereotypical images adorn merchandise that caters to tourists in Japan. Perhaps your friends back home are expecting you to bring them back satin happi coats or candy sushi but if you prefer to get authentic souvenirs that are made by Japanese, for Japanese, you have to look beyond the stalls full of trinkets at major tourist destinations.

Unique Japanese Gift Ideas

A tea cup with pictures of sushi may be cute but let’s face it… it is kitschy and far from being an authentic Japanese item. If you go to a Japanese person’s home, you won’t find anything of the like. Authentic Japanese items that make memorable gifts can be found at local department stores, mom and pop shops, and artisan goods stores.

If you visit areas that are popular with Japanese tourists, you will find plenty of shops that sell “meibutsu”, or famous regional specialties. For example, Kagoshima City in Kyushu is famous for its regional products made with “kurobuta”, or black pig, while Oshima island in Tokyo prefecture is famous for hair oil made out of the camellia flowers that are abundant there.

A Japanese Tea Gift

Know any tea lovers? Consider buying them authentic Japanese green tea. Shizuoka prefecture is known for producing excellent green tea. Due to its reported health benefits, green tea has become popular all over the world. However, most of the green tea sold in tea bags outside if Japan is of low quality.

If you go down to the basement of large Japanese department stores like Sogo, you will find bustling, modern marketplaces that sell a variety of different foods. At one of these marketplaces, which are known as “depa chika”, or department store basements, you are likely to find high quality, aromatic green tea and other types of gourmet teas to boot.

To make your tea gift to a friend back home complete, add a handmade Japanese tea pot and cup set. You can spot quality Japanese tea cups by looking for kanji, or Chinese characters, painted on the underside of the cups.

Non-Cheesy Japan-Themed Goods

If you would like to find Japan-themed goods that aren’t adorned with cheesy images of sumo wrestlers and sushi, browse local department stores to see what you find. In many modern department stores, you can find stores that sell posh, Japanese-themed items like tea pots, bento boxes, chopsticks, and plates.

Although these products are available in just about any grocery store, at department stores you can find stores that specialize in selling one-of-a-kind, artisan goods. Beautiful plates, natural wooden chopsticks, cloth chopstick holders and fashionable bento boxes are just a few of the items these stores carry. The majority of Japanese stores offer complimentary gift wrapping services so any souvenirs you buy will be good to go for gift giving.

To find items that are really out there, consider browsing flea markets for antique and used trinkets. There are several flea markets worth visiting in Tokyo. Some charge small admission fees. Many flea markets in Tokyo are located on sightseeing routes so you can make convenient stops during your travels to browse through all of the stalls for souvenirs. At flea markets in Tokyo, you can find everything from brand name fashion bags to Japanese dolls.

Budget Shoppers

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/evert-jan/72454092/

If you want to take home loads of Japanese souvenirs but don’t have much money, check out the 100 yen shop. There are a variety of different 100 yen shop chains, but the largest of them all is undoubtedly Daiso.

The 100 yen store is the Japanese equivalent to the dollar store. You can find everything from socks to suitcases at the 100 yen shop. Although the majority of items there are not made in Japan, they are of very high quality.

On Takeshita Dori in Harajuku, Tokyo, tourists are known to frequent the Daiso 100 yen shop to score cheap gifts for friends and family back home. Popular items include erasers, stationery, and Japanese eating utensils. In Machida-ku, Tokyo, there is a large, five-story Daiso store that sells a vast range of products including gardening utensils, cosmetics, and books.

Explore the great western frontier with Frontier airlines. For 2 days (Until August 5th) the airline will be having a sale is having a sale on domestic airfares. While none of the cities are close enough for me to personally take advantage of the low airfares I’d like to pass them along. If I were based out of an airport out west, I’d definitely take advantage of these fares. This is a great chance to explore the smaller cities of the Mid-West. Less expensive than a bus or train, flights are good through January 15th and need at least 14 days advance purchase.

Fares range from $34 each way between larger cities like Albuquerque, NM and Denver, CO to $74 each way from Grand Junction, CO to Bozeman, MT.

By the way, Bozeman, Montana is the fifth largest city in the state of Montana and the location of Montana State University – Bozeman. (I had to Google this – I didn’t know where the city was located!) This is an excellent opportunity to get out and explore a location you know nothing about. Who knows, maybe it’ll become your new favorite weekend getaway!

For a list of destinations and fares, head to the Frontier site.  But make it snappy, this sale ends August 5th at 9:59 MDT

The Bermuda Department of Tourism has been gearing up all summer for their 400th anniversary.   To add to the deals they have already offered, for the next four days they are offering 40% off selected hotels.    This deal is valid August 2nd through the 5th for travel from August 21, 2009 to March 31, 2010.   Rooms are as low as $93 a night!