We've rounded up 3 worthy places that we love and are affordable. 
From high style and world-class shopping to jaw-dropping scenery and unrivaled art, culture, and food, these are the places everyone will be talking about this year and they are all within the reach of budget travelers! 

Best for: Natural beauty

The Aeolian Islands (Isole Eolie or Isole Lipari in Italian) are seven small inhabited Italian islands off the northern shore of Sicily, close to the tip of Italy's toe. The islands are popular as a holiday destination, offering sunshine, beaches and natural beauty. As well as sunbathers, they also attract thrill-seekers; the archipelago was formed by volcanic activity and two of the islands are still active volcanoes. While this fact may put some travellers off, many more are attracted to the dramatic scenery, hot mud baths, and the opportunity to hike up to the craters of Vulcano and Stromboli. The islands are grouped together as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Which island? The most practical base is the island of Lipari. This is the largest island with the most to offer - a pretty, reasonable-sized town with a choice of accommodation and the busiest port for hydrofoil and ferry connections. You can make daytrips to the other islands from here.

Our favourite travel guide book: Lonely Planet 
Read more about Aeolian Island at http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/sicily/aeolian-islands

Best for:  Dreamy Beaches, Cultural Experience, Natural Beauty and Shopping

Relax on a distinctive Lovina's black sand beach, get in the water for world-class surfing and diving, explore the island's jungle interior with its volcanoes and 10,000 temples, or just hang by a hotel pool in one of the friendliest, gentlest environments on earth. When you're ready for the Balinese version of a bustling metropolis, Ubud will delight you with its stunning royal palace and traditional market. Whether you plant yourself on a beach or in the heart of Ubud, remember that you've come to Bali to be soothed into a state of perfect relaxation by the natural beauty and unique music and cultural traditions of this perfect island.

Our favourite travel guide book: Lonely Planet 
Read more about Bali at http://www.lonelyplanet.com/indonesia/bali

Best for: Natural Beauty, Adventure and Cultural Experience

Nicaragua is beginning to appear on the radar of travelers, with its natural beauty and old-fashioned charm that neither tourism nor internal strife has ruined. It’s a low-key, slow-moving Latin American culture, inexpensive to travel and live in, and is often referred to as “Costa Rica 30 years ago.”

Nicaragua is easy to travel within and home to rich festivals and exciting outdoor adventures. From “ash boarding” down the side of one of the youngest (and active!) volcanoes in the world, to scuba diving in the Little Corn Island — known for its remote, pristine beaches — along with the excitement of colonial towns such as Leon and Granada, in Nicaragua you can still travel under the radar and have great adventures.

Note that many see the recent constitutional amendment that removes term limits on the presidency as a potential threat to democracy, but it seems unlikely that there will be any immediate effect on travelers.

Our favourite travel guide book: Lonely Planet 
Read more about Nicaragua at http://www.lonelyplanet.com/nicaragua

Loved by surf bums, water-sports junkies, perma-tan international travelers and Canadian and US snowbirds, this ‘Hidden Port’ is one of the most enjoyable spots on Mexico’s Pacific coast. If you want solitude to commune with nature, you’re in the wrong place: Puerto Escondido is a place to catch the legendary Mexican Pipeline, get some sun and party. By day, water sports are popular – you can go surfing, snorkeling, diving, sportfishing or looking for turtles, dolphins and even whales. By night, a busy cafe, restaurant and bar scene brings live music and a freewheeling, unpretentious nightlife. Within easy day-trip distance are the coastal lagoons of Manialtepec and Chacahua, which teem with birdlife. Development here has remained on a human scale, and part of Puerto Escondido’s charm is that it remains a fishing port and market town as well as a tourist destination.

Top Things To Do in Puerto Escondido

The beautiful Yasawa islands of Fiji, with this one hour-long, soothing visual journey. Begin your journey as the sun pierces through trees as vibrant blue waves break on a white sandy beach; progress up the island to a lush lookout, and enjoy distant wave breaks, trees and birds, and passing clouds. Finally transport yourself back to the beach as the day continues and end it with a beautiful sunset scene as it falls over a distant mountain. It's 90 minutes of pure nature bliss!

Great for turning your screen into a relaxing window to the world; the waves make for a great ambient sound and the sights are sure to ease your worries...ENJOY!



amazing video by David Hunting

This article could make a major positive impact on your life. Something about the sound would give me goosebumps all over. Watching him doing his art is putting me in a trance like state.

If you live in San Francisco, California, then you may be lucky enough to come across the art of Andres Amador. He doesn’t paint or sculpt. He prefers a medium that is temporary but absolutely beautiful: a sandy beach at low tide. He uses a rake to create works of art that can be bigger than 100,000 sq. ft.

He spends hours creating these intricate masterpieces, knowing that the tide will soon come in and wash away his work forever.
For Andres, his art is “more about the process and less about the result.”
He knows that it will all be temporary. While making his beach mural explorations, he uses a rope as a guide so that he can make the geometric patterns.
When asked WHY he does it, Andre gives the best answer…“The unanswerable question! Its fun. I get to be at the beach.”
Consider yourself lucky if you happen to stumble across one of his playa paintings, because it won’t be there long. By raking up the wet sand at low tide, he is able to make contrasting sand colors. He even offers his services, helping people propose. Or even teaching others to create these beachscapes as part of a team building exercise.
According to Andres, it only takes a couple of hours once the tide is low enough to create the designs.

Andres’ creations are simply stunning and knowing that these delicate creations are temporary somehow makes them even more beautiful.

Visit His Web Site where you can buy prints of his designs if you want.

Above all, share his work by clicking the button below. It’s truly awesome.


Article by Viral Nova

BALI  -  Coordinates:  8°39′S 115°13′E

Clothing Advice:

The most important thing to remember: keep it light. With Bali's tropical climate, endless beaches, and lush forests and rice paddy fields, you'll want to ensure that you stay cool and comfortable while enjoying the gorgeous terrain. Opt for sportier slip-on espadrilles and flats over cute summery wedges because the unpaved roads can be unforgiving.


Casa Lovina pick:

Lightweight, natural fabrics (cotton, rayon, modal, viscose and linen) work best in the heat, and you'll benefit from keeping a chic cover-up or maxi dress on hand — especially if you find yourself in one of Bali's many sacred Hindu temples, where a little modesty is required.

If you're all about surf, sand, and sun, then plan on practically living in your bikini :)


Fact about Bali:

The tropical island paradise that is Bali has long since been a dream place to visit for travelers from around the world. Its beautiful beaches, its warm, clear blue waters and the friendliness of its native people have all combined to make Bali a very popular holiday destination.

It is largely Hindu and is steeped in religion and ceremonies, which you will witness no matter what time of the year you are there! Bali has also got some amazing coastlines, flora and fauna because of its volcanoes.

Bali is an all-in-one place that is so amazingly huge. If you wanted adventure you could venture for the elephant trek, water rafting, surfing in different coast lines or just trekking.

If you wanted culture, Bali is plentiful. Arts and crafts are abundant and it is easily available. Ubud is the centre of the arts for Bali, whether it is paintings, carvings or stone sculptures.

I think a huge appeal is also its religion and its history deeply steeped in Hinduism. It is reflected in their daily lives when they perform religious ceremonies almost weekly. The hundreds of temples around Bali are carved ornately and are usually open to visitors.

And if it's party you want, Seminyak and Kuta will offer you the world, cheap, chic, expensive, lounges, beach bars, take your pick.

I have never stopped visiting Bali because each time I go, I learn something new and I gain a different experience. I enjoy the extraordinary richness of Balinese culture. It is hard to find another place in Indonesia or even in Southeast Asia where the practice of culture, religion and tradition remains still as authentic as on Bali, despite modern infrastructure and tourism industry.

It's in one word: AMAZING.


images via Indonesian Embassy, Roxy, Rafting Tour Bali

images via