Why We Travel 

Life isn’t just about routines.

The majority of us get up, drive quickly, meet deadlines, and browse the same social media feeds until we nod off, only to repeat the process. It’s easy to feel as though you’re living the same day over and over again after months of the same routine.
However, do you recall your very first trip to a new place?

  • The salty ocean breeze on your face in Zanzibar…
  • Watching the sun dip below Santorini’s white rooftops, painting the sky pink and orange…
  • Standing in front of the Taj Mahal at sunrise, feeling small but deeply alive…
  • Or that night in Iceland when, just for a moment, the Northern Lights danced above you, and you realized how big and beautiful the world really is?

Travel reminds us that life is bigger than bills and deadlines.

It connects us to people, cultures, and flavors we never knew we needed. A bowl of street noodles in another country. A sunset laugh with strangers you just met. A boat ride over impossibly blue waters. These little moments become the stories we tell for years , stories that bring us joy long after the trip is over.

And the truth is, you don’t have to be rich to live them.
With the right tools, smart flight booking, hotel rewards, budget guesthouses, and even affordable gear. These

“dream trips” become possible for everyday people.

That’s why dealscrafted exists: to help you turn your travel dreams into real plans.
Whether it’s a quick budget getaway or a once in a lifetime bucket list trip, you’ll find guides, tips, and deals here to make it happen.

So take a deep breath, imagine yourself out there in the world again, and start planning. Because you deserve more than just routines you deserve stories worth telling.

Scroll down and pick your dream destination.

  • Pick a destination → 2) Compare flights with miles/cash → 3) Book stays with points or deals → 4) Grab budget gear → 5) Go!

Pro tip: Prices swing by season. Mid-week flights + shoulder seasons = big savings.

Destination Guides

Zanzibar, Tanzania

Why go: Turquoise beaches + UNESCO-listed Stone Town + spice farms.
Quick history: Once a major spice/slave trade hub under Omani rule; unique Swahili-Arab heritage.

Where to stay (budget→mid):

  • Hilton: DoubleTree by Hilton Stone Town (walkable to markets).
  • IHG: Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma (alt in Maldives; for Zanzibar use local IHG partners or independent budget resorts).
  • Alternatives: Nungwi/Kendwa guesthouses.

Flights (miles-friendly):

  • United MileagePlus: Star Alliance partners to DAR/ZNZ.
  • Alaska Mileage Plan: Book Oneworld partners to East Africa gateways, then a regional hop.
  • Foods to try: Zanzibar pizza (night market), pilau rice, octopus curry, sugarcane juice.
  • Fun on a budget: Stone Town walking tour, Prison Island boat trip, spice farm tour, Kendwa sunset.


Maldives

Why go: Overwater dreams without overspending (island-hopping + guesthouses).
Quick history: Buddhist past → Islamic sultanate → republic; coral atolls across the Indian Ocean.

Where to stay:

  • Hilton: SAii Lagoon (mid-range resort pricing).
  • IHG: Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma (family-friendly, often promos).
  • Ultra-budget: Local-island guesthouses on Maafushi/Gulhi (day trips to “resort beaches”).

Flights:

  • MileagePlus/Alaska: Redeem to MLE via Middle East/Asia hubs.
  • Foods: Mas huni (tuna+coconut), hedhikaa (tea snacks), reef fish curries.
  • Fun: Sandbank picnics, snorkel house reefs, ferry island-hops, budget dive shops.

Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Why go: Blue lagoon, Matira Beach, honeymoon vibes (doable on a budget with careful planning).
Quick history: Polynesian settlement → French protectorate/overseas collectivity.

Where to stay:

  • Chain options are limited/pricey; mix guesthouses in Vaitape + day passes to big resorts.

Flights:

  • MileagePlus/Alaska: To PPT (Tahiti) via US/AKL/NZ hubs, then Air Tahiti to BOB (cash).
    Foods: Poisson cru (tuna + coconut), breadfruit, tropical fruits.
    Fun: Lagoon snorkeling tour, Mount Otemanu viewpoints, bike the island.

Santorini, Greece

Why go: Caldera sunsets for less (stay outside Oia).
Quick history: Minoan era → volcanic eruption shaped today’s caldera; Cycladic culture.

Where to stay:

  • Budget bases: Fira/Karterados/Perissa (cheap buses to Oia).
  • IHG/Hilton: Limited on-island; look at Athens for chain redemptions + short hop to JTR.

Flights:

  • MileagePlus/Alaska: To ATH; then low-cost carrier/ferry.
    Foods: Fava (yellow split peas), tomato fritters, grilled octopus, Greek salads.
    Fun: Oia–Fira hike, black/red sand beaches, boat to hot springs, winery tastings.

Bali, Indonesia

Why go: Beaches, rice terraces, temples, cheap eats.
Quick history: Hindu-Javanese culture, Dutch colonial era → modern arts/spiritual hub.

Where to stay:

  • Hilton: Conrad Bali (often discounted shoulder season).
  • IHG: Holiday Inn Resort Baruna; Hotel Indigo Seminyak (watch promos).
  • Budget zones: Canggu (surf), Ubud (culture), Sanur (families).

Flights:

  • MileagePlus/Alaska: DPS via Singapore/KL/Doha hubs.
    Foods: Nasi goreng, satay, babi guling, Jimbaran seafood.
    Fun: Uluwatu & Tanah Lot, Tegallalang, Mount Batur sunrise, cheap scooter rentals (helmet!).

Pisa, Italy

Why go: Leaning Tower + cheap base for Tuscany.
Quick history: Medieval maritime republic; 12th–14th-century boom left today’s monuments.

Where to stay:

  • Hilton/IHG: Concentrated in nearby Florence/Livorno; in Pisa use IHG-affiliated or local hotels.

Flights:

  • Southwest (US domestic to gateway) + MileagePlus/Alaska to PSA/FLR.
    Foods: Cecina (chickpea flatbread), pappa al pomodoro, Tuscan salumi & gelato.
    Fun: Campo dei Miracoli, day trips to Lucca/Florence, Arno riverside sunsets.

Northern Lights (Iceland, Norway, Finland)

Why go: Aurora on a budget (late Sep–Mar).
Quick history: Norse heritage; Arctic cultures; wild landscapes shaped by ice and fire.

Where to stay:

  • Iceland: Budget guesthouses/Reykjavík hostels (IHG/Hilton presence in capital).
  • Tromsø (Norway)/Rovaniemi (Finland): Mix chain hotels + cabins.

Flights:

  • MileagePlus/Alaska: To KEF/OSL/HEL, then short hops.
    Foods: Icelandic lamb soup, cinnamon buns, Arctic char; budget grocery dinners to save.
    Fun: Aurora bus tours, Blue Lagoon (Iceland), dog sledding (Finland), fjords (Norway).

Taj Mahal (Agra, India)

Why go: World wonder at sunrise for <$10 entry.
Quick history: Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built it (1630s–1650s) as a mausoleum for Mumtaz Mahal.

Where to stay (Agra):

  • IHG: Holiday Inn Agra MG Road (value).
  • Hilton: DoubleTree (check points promos).

Flights:

  • MileagePlus/Alaska: To DEL; train or car to Agra (2–3.5 hrs).
    Foods: Mughlai curries, tandoori chicken, petha (local sweet).
    Fun: Taj at dawn (closed Fri), Agra Fort, Mehtab Bagh (sunset view), Fatehpur Sikri day trip.

Book Smart (Save More)

Flights:

Earn/redeem with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, United MileagePlus; use Southwest for cheap US positioning flights.

Hotels:

Gear:

  • Budget travel must-haves: packing cubes, universal adapter, waterproof phone pouch, compressible daypack, thermal base layers (for aurora trips).
  • Travel Gear under $20 – DHGate

FAQs

When’s the cheapest time to go?

  • Zanzibar: Jun–Oct (dry) & late Nov;
  • Maldives: May–Jun/Sept (watch rain);
  • Bali: May–Jun/Sep;
  • Santorini/Pisa: Apr–May & Sep–Oct;
  • Aurora: late Sep–Mar (avoid full moon).

Cash vs points?

Use miles for long-haul jumps and cash for short hops/ferries. Use Hilton/IHG points where cash rates spike (Santorini peak, Maldives resorts).

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