Beekman Beer Garden

Two Beekman Brothers - Traveling the World in Search of Great Beer

Budget Travel

Best Travel Spots Southeast Asia

There’s a good reason that Southeast Asia is known as the backpackers’ paradise. Herds of backpackers visit the enticing land of Southeast Asia because the travel logistics are convenient. Most places here are inexpensive, so you don’t have to think twice about going out. Also, traveler’s safety is rarely a problem since the people are hospitable and welcoming. But most of all, the beautiful tropical climate is always an attraction.

The entire region is a refreshing exposure of diversified culture and flavorsome food. Even if you have a few spare weeks, a trip to Southeast Asia might just be all you need, with its picturesque towns and natural attractions.

Let’s go through some of the best travel spots you can find in Southeast Asia if you decide to plan a trip there.

· Temples at Bagan, Myanmar

They say there aren’t but a few sunsets in the entire world that can compare to the enticingly beautiful sunsets over at the thousand temples on the Bagan plains. Bagan used to be the capital city in the ancient Kingdom of Pagan and had 13,000 temples within the city. Now, only 2,000 of these Buddhist temples remain there engulfed in a mystifying spiritual aura that can be felt especially during the majestic sunsets.

The high density towering structures of the temples beholds admirable architectural designs that have stood there for ages. In Myanmar, you should also try out the local cuisine. The Ăthouq is one of the best foods to have there and is a kind of a light tart served with a spicy salad made with raw vegetables and lime juice.

· Angkor Archaeological Park, Cambodia

This is archaeological wonderland will take you back in time with its stone monuments. Tourists are always surprised at the awesome size of the temple complex. You can roam freely around the complex stretching more than 400 square kilometers and go on your own little discovery tour. The entire temple complex was actually built over by many generations of Khmer rulers. These crumbling ruins are one of the main tourist destinations in Cambodia.

One visit to these historic archaeological relics will give you a glimpse into the Mayan civilization and the once large densely populated cities that are now quiet and rural. In fact, there are still discoveries being made here.

· Malaysia

Malaysia is one of the most awesome cities out there and people are very friendly too. That’s always a great combination. The food is zesty and always appeals to travelers. The city of Penang is probably the street food capital of the country with its food containing a unique blend of Indian, Chinese and Malay influences to create a fusion of savored flavors.

Food lovers need to visit Penang and try out the hot cutties, spicy laksas and exotic soups. Plus, all that food hunting won’t take a toll on your pockets either because almost all of the restaurant food is conveniently inexpensive. Be sure to visit Penang’s capital, Georgetown which has been a home to 200 year old temples, mosques and colonial buildings. It’s also been declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

 

Best Beers in Europe

You know exactly what you’re getting when you enter a bar in the United States of America and order your usual brewsky, However, you can’t safely say the same for your next trip to Europe. If you were to name two social activities Europeans are big on, it has got to be football and beer. Both of them are quite different from what Americans are typically used to. The football is basically soccer in Europe and the beers vary from one type to another. Beer drinkers would tell the difference right away. European craft beers just don’t hit your taste buds the same way that popular American beers do.

Needless to say, European frizzy beers are refreshing with their light flavors and have a beautiful diversity with thousands of craft breweries or more. European or not, we can all agree on beer’s contribution to loosen our tongues, reducing inhibitions and making discussions easier in social gatherings. Maybe the best part is that you won’t even get drunk with beer because of the low alcohol content, unless you’ve had too many strong beers.

If you’re planning your trip to Europe, you have got to try out the craft beer. Here are some of the best beers in Europe that you have got to try.

· Atak Chmeilu

Atak Chmeilu is Polish for Hop attack and boy has it attacked the Polish beer scene. The Browar PINTA produces this beer in Żywiec, southern Poland. The beer has a citrus flavor to it, complemented with hints of malt and caramel. Every sip of this frothy ale will leave behind the lemony aftertaste as well as the bitterness most English beers are known for.

· Camden Pils

The Camden Pils has successfully introduced the traditional European taste of brewed pilsner to the English. Though the triple spin on it may taste unfamiliar, the Camden Pils in London is famous for its tangy flavors accompanied by just the right amount of bitterness, offering the best of both worlds and makes a perfect combination for our unacclimatized taste buds.

· Boundary, Filthy Animal Chili Porter

This is not your usual bitter sweet beer. It packs some fire power. Even though the alcohol content in every bottle is a mellow 4.8%, the infused chilli makes the Filthy Animal a bit of an acquired taste, but a must try nonetheless. This beer is from Northern Island and will only cost you about £2.75 per 330ml bottle. You can taste a bit of roasted coffee following the chili. If it’s not hot enough, drinkers often line up substitute chilies for reloads on a fun weekend night.

· Ožujsko

Ožujsko is the flavor of Croatia and one of their most accepted beers ever. It is manufactured by the company Zagrebačka Pivovara and is the lager of choice especially during the Euro football season. It serves as a refreshing drink for the hot summer and only contains 5% alcohol by volume, so you don’t have to worry about stress gulping when watching the Euro league matches like Croatians traditionally do.

 

7 Tips That Will Surely Help You Travel on a Budget

As refreshing and soul-enriching as traveling can be, it requires a lot of preplanning and smart budgeting. People who travel a lot know the importance of managing finances for the trip. There are a lot of factors that you need to take into account while setting up a traveling budget.

Traveling on a budget can be really tricky if you don’t know some tricks of the trade. For those who are on a tight budget and still want to travel to a nice place, we list here some tips that will keep you covered.

1. Look For a Cheap 5-Star Location as Per Your Currency

You want to travel on a budget but certainly don’t want to compromise on the destination. First of all, you must consider visiting a country where your currency is worth more and then search for luxury experience within that. This is a very important factor while traveling on a budget which many of the rookie travelers don’t usually consider.

2. Go Deeper With the Research

Everybody knows that not all places cost the same. However, only few people actually realize that there are certain parts in all destinations that cost more than others. Therefore, you must research well and come up with a plan that includes all the exact parts of the destination that you want to visit and then manage budget accordingly.

3. Eastern Europe Is Cheaper Than Western Europe

If Europe is your choice of destination, consider going to somewhere in the east of Europe. It might surprise you that Eastern Europe is generally cheaper than the Western region. Consider countries like Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Croatia, Romania, etc.

4. Always Opt For Destinations That Have Cheaper Flights

A big chunk of money goes on the plane ticket. While traveling on a budget, you must search for destinations that can be reached without spending big on the ticket. You will need to conduct some serious research for it, as you can get away with spending a little more on the ticket if your destination allows you to save money later on. Be smart.

5. Be Flexible With Accommodation Options

If your aim is to travel to your dream destination on a budget, you must be willing to compromise on luxurious accommodations. Look for smaller hotels with little to no extra charges for additional facilities. You need to remember that comfort and beautiful views can be acquired without having to stay in an expensive 5-star hotel.

6. Travel Off-Season

If you are going to travel at the peak of season when everybody is looking to get to the same destination, you will need to prepare yourself to spend big. Traveling on a budget will require you to travel off-season to save money. You can also travel mid-season to enjoy a little bit of extra crowd coming from different cultures.

7. Eat Smartly

Once at your destination, you will be tempted to try out fancy foods that will eat away (pun intended) a large chunk of your money. While traveling on a budget, try to eat like a local and not a tourist for the most part.

Implement on these above mentioned tips and you will see that traveling on a budget is not as difficult as one would think.

4 Essential Tips to Deal with the Travel Hangover

You can’t take the party out of traveling. How can you claim to have toured a city if you haven’t even lived it up and experienced the night life with the locals? However, there is nothing worse than boarding that flight home or to your next destination (if you’re lucky) the very next day, while you’re still experiencing the dreaded hangover. The kind of nagging hangover that just won’t leave you alone.

We all know drinking the night before an early flight is not a great idea. But often, an early flight saves you money and why wouldn’t you go for that. So, if you find yourself cramming a night out with friends and having an early flight the next day, you’re going to be hungover for sure with nothing else to do but waiting in the cabin for hours until the plane lands.

However, there are a few things you can do to manage your travel hangover better. Let’s go through some of them.

1. Hydrate yourself, a lot!

Try to drink at least one glass of water for every alcoholic beverage you consumed the night before, to wash out all the alcohol as soon as possible. Drink a lot of water before you leave, and even on the flight. When you’re ending the night, it’s best you order tonic water or club soda with lime. This will minimize your on flight hangover.

2. Make a hangover kit

You might not have access to drug stores or make time to visit one when you’re caught up between the rough hangover and the early flight you need to catch. So, make sure you pack enough of your preferred painkillers and antacids for pain relief. Also pack wet wipes, pedialyte packets in case you can’t find yourself a Gatorade, sunglasses and breath mints to have all you need to wait out that storm of a hangover.

3. Book an aisle seat

If you’ve had a wild night of partying and have to fly back home the next morning, then this small tip will be really helpful. You need to have an escape route when the need presents itself. The rough morning may be met with some unprecedented upsurge of bile and whatever else you’d been having. An aisle seat will ensure a quick run to the bathroom without any further delay in case of an emergency because making your way to the aisle from the corner is the last thing you would want to do if you’re going to throw up. One must always be prepared.

4. Get comfortable

Comfort is the key to tackling a bad hangover. So, grab those sweatpants and a loose upper to give yourself the household comfort you need in this dire time of need. A hooded jacket that you can snuggle into and flip flops that you can easily jerk off will make you feel better. Bump your seat up to first class if that’s feasible to you, so you can lie down. If you’re in economy class, just try to get as close to the bulk head as possible because there’s ample room there.