Wow, it’s not often that I am blown away by a credit card offer – but that changes with the Chase Sapphire Reserve 100k offer.
Chase has just launched the Chase Sapphire Reserve, and it is, without a doubt, now the best travel credit card out there – head and shoulders above the rest.
I’ll break down exactly why below, but first, here’s the important details:
You’ll earn 100,000 Chase Ultimate rewards points after spending $4,000 in 3 months.
You also get a $300 annual travel credit, which means you’ll get reimbursed $300 every calendar year when you use the Chase Sapphire Reserve on airfare and hotels.
You’ll get 3x on travel and dining and 1x on all other purchases.
Plus, you’ll also get complimentary Priority Pass membershipand $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
There is an annual fee of $550 a year, which seems steep at first, but…since you’re getting $300 a year in annual travel credit, it’s really a $150 annual fee – and you’re actually making $150 the first year, which I’ll explain below.
Why the Chase Sapphire Reserve is the Best Travel Credit Card
100k Sign Up Bonus with Reasonable Minimum Spend
You’ll receive 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.
Not only is 100k points a huge amount – the biggest we’ve ever seen for a Chase card – but the minimum spend requirement of $4k in 3 months is pretty doable for most people.
Many of the higher-end credit cards – especially those with 100k point sign up bonuses – require a much higher minimum spend.
Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
It gets better. Not only are you getting 100k points, but you’re earning the BEST travel points out there.
Chase points are my favorite because they can be used as cash through the Chase shopping portal or they can be transferred to awesome partners like United, Southwest, or Hyatt.
At minimum, these are worth $1500 if you use them through the Chase portal. And if you transfer them, they can be worth $3000+.
Long story short – Chase points rule, and 100k is a lot of points.
$300 Annual Travel Credit
Each year, you’ll get $300 in annual travel credit reimbursed. This supposedly will happen automatically.
All you do is spend money on your Chase Sapphire Reserve card on things that are coded as travel (flights, train tickets, etc.) and you’ll get reimbursed.
Since this happens annually based on calendar year, the first year, you’ll actually get $600 worth of travel credit (2016 and 2017) and only pay $550 in annual fee, meaning you’re making $150!
3x Points on Travel and Dining
The Chase Sapphire Preferred has been my go-to credit card for over 4 years now because I value Chase points as the best AND because it gives you 2x on travel and dining.
Now, the Chase Sapphire Reserve up the ante and gives you 3x on travel and dining.
This is awesome, especially for people who have a decent amount of spending on traveling and eating out.
Global Entry and Priority Pass
If all of that wasn’t enough, this card gives you $100 credit when you sign up for Global Entry (if you haven’t already) and gives you Priority Pass membership.
Priority Pass lounges are decent and there are a bunch around the world, so this is a nice secondary perk, for sure.
Bottom Line
As soon as it was released, the Chase Sapphire Reserve became the best travel credit card – instantly.
The 100k sign up bonus is incredible, Chase points are the most valuable points out there, the minimum spend is reasonable, the $300 annual travel credit helps offset the annual fee (and actually makes you money the first year).
Plus, you get 3x on travel and dining and a few other nice perks.
This is a MUST HAVE travel credit card – and I’d jump on this immediately, while the bonus is at 100k.
This will be my new everyday travel card – thanks Chase for knocking it out of the park!
To see all the best travel credit cards, click the travel credit cards in the black navigation bar at the top of this page.
You need a gift for your favorite traveler, but you have no idea what to get them.
What could they want…or need?
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
From less than $3 to over $1,000, we’ve picked out gifts for any budget.
And with gifts ranging from backpacks to himmelis (what are those?) and from headlamps to the perfect travel pants, there’s something for everyone.
Here are the 29 best gifts for travelers – so start shopping, and happy holidays!
Backpacks & Gear
There’s no more important item to a traveler than a good piece of luggage, and for almost all situations, I prefer a backpack instead of wheeled luggage (although we also have a wheeled luggage recommendation further down).
When shopping for a backpack, it pays to spend some money and find yourself a good one, and the two listed below are the ones I’ve been using, and loving, for the last 3 years.
For almost any trip, taking something bigger than a carryon doesn’t make sense. Why pay all those extra fees to lug something heavy around the world?
The Tortuga it’s been with me all over the world.
It’s the largest possible size that still qualifies as a carryon and it’s got the perfect amount of pockets to carry your chargers and laptop without having to go in to the main pack.
Going on a shorter trip and want something more streamlined than the regular Tortuga backpack? The Tortuga Air is the perfect choice.
It opens up like a clamshell, making it super easy to grab something quickly. And my favorite part: the hidden but well padded laptop compartment makes removing it at an airport a cinch while still keeping it safe.
One of the only items to make this list three years running, this is an absolute must for any traveler. I’ve tried other travel towels throughout the years, and nothing compares to Packtowl.
It’s small, lightweight, and dries in a flash. Get it, give it, and never leave home without it.
If you’re looking to spoil your favorite traveler, there is no better gift than the perfect travel laptop. And the Macbook Air is, without a doubt, the perfect travel laptop.
All the quality of an Apple product, plenty of storage, and oh-so-light. As someone who used to carry around a Macbook Pro, I’m glad I made the switch.
Anyone who is traveling and taking pictures or videos, whether it be for business or pleasure, needs an external hard drive.
Luckily, with the Seagate Backup Plus Slim, you don’t have to lug around the bulky hard drives of old. This one is so small you’ll barely even notice it and with 2 terabytes of space, you’ll never come close to filling it.
I love reading physical books as much as the next person (and probably even more), but carrying around multiple books at a time isn’t feasible when you’re trying to travel light – and you’re trying to travel light, right?
So grab the absolute best e-reader on the market and have the entire world’s library at your fingertips.
Make sure to splurge for the Paperwhite version, as the built in backlight will pay for itself many times over.
You’ve got your smartphone, laptop, Kindle, and camera battery, but the place you’re staying only has one outlet.
Fear not – by plugging in your with a Monster 2 Go powerstrip, you’ll have 4 outlets. And since it folds up almost flat and has a short cord that never gets tangled, it makes the perfect travel companion.
As an avid magazine reader, picture taker and app downloader I have to say I miss the presence of an iPad in my life.
We bought the original iPad back in 2010 and it has since been lost, found, cracked and un-updatable. We got a Kindle Fire, which we thought could replace the iPad. It cannot.
For a traveler who doesn’t need a full laptop at their disposable, the iPad Air is perfect. And even if you do need a laptop, an iPad Air is so lightweight that you might want to bring it along anyway!
One of my biggest travel pet peeves is paying for bottled water in country’s where it’s not necessary. It’s expensive, bad for the environment, and just generally wasteful.
But traveling with a hard plastic or steel water bottle has never worked for me. It’s bulky, doesn’t fit in my backpack, and always ends up being a nuisance.
Enter the Platypus Plus Bottle. When empty, it takes up almost no room but can carry up to a liter of water at a time. Perfect!
When the power goes out in the third world country you’re traveling through, you don’t want to be the one stuck without a light (speaking from experience).
And having a headlamp makes a lot more sense than carrying around a heavier, and less useful, flashlight.
While most other headlamps cost $20+, the Shining Buddy is just as good, just as light, and cheaper.
It’s simple and unsexy, but if you’re traveling with a companion then a headphone splitter might be the best bang for your buck on this entire list.
It allows you to watch all your favorite tv shows and movies together without having to play the whole “left ear for you, right ear for me” game that gets old after after a few hours minutes.
One of the few things I never, ever leave home without – whether I’m taking off for a whirlwind, three month journey across the globe or just heading out downtown.
Taking notes and/or journaling is one of traveling’s greatest pleasures, and since the Moleskin Cahier notebook can easily fit in a pocket or a purse, you’ll never be without it when inspiration strikes.
A special section devoted to, you guessed it, the male traveler. Here are four items that have made my travel infinitely better and saved me tons of room in my pack.
For years, I’ve been waiting for a company to make the perfect travel pants, and FINALLY it’s happened!
Bluff Works chinos check every single box:
Lightweight
Wrinkle-free
Super comfortable due to the stretchiness of the fabric
Look awesome
Special travel pant perks like zipper pockets to keep from being pickpocketed or just having your wallet or phone slide out.
Made in the US by a company dedicated to quality and their customers.
Since getting these chinos three weeks ago (I have the harvest gold and the blue), I’ve rarely worn anything else – in fact, I’m wearing them right now while writing this!
They are, legitimately, that awesome.
So while they are more expensive (for me, at least) than any other pair of pants I’ve bought, I can say, without a doubt, they are worth every single penny – and then some.
As much as I like my Vivobarefoot Gobi boots, I like the Tigrays even more! I was blown away by incredible these shoes look and also how well they’ve held up.
I’ve worn them all across the world, and the only issue I’ve ever had is a broken shoelace – which is quite an easy fix.
These are the perfect “dressy-enough-to-go-out-in-but-casual-enough-to-wear-with-shorts” shoes.
For every trip I take, I pack 3-4 pairs of shoes. A “dressy enough” pair (the above mentioned Tigray shoe, Gobi boot or both), a pair of sandals, and a pair of sneakers.
And in order to pack a pair of sneakers that don’t take up your entire bag, you need to pack a pair of barefoot ones.
While I’m not a huge runner, I have run (slowly) in these plenty of times.
But the main reason I love them so much is that they have just enough padding to hike in (whereas other barefoot shoes have too little), their semi-waterproof, and yet still pack very, very easily.
After trying out numerous pairs of barefoot sneakers, the Merrell Trail Gloves are still my all time favorites.
All women’s gifts are recommendations from Heather Sherry, brainchild behind the fashion site Sartorial Stripes and the one who constantly stuns everyone by how good she looks while travels – and who keeps me from wearing sweatpants around the world.
Leggings are a travel must-have. These Topshop leggings (above) are affordable and look great with a cozy oversize sweater for those long plane rides and they look equally stylish when you land.
I wear mine constantly paired with ankle boots or sneakers.
The version from Ann Taylor (which I just purchased and love!) or J.Crew are a little more expensive but are thicker and dressier – meaning you can feel comfortable wearing them out to dinner.
A cardigan jacket is a nice supplement to your winter coat. This Zara one (above) is perfectly neutral but structured enough to wear with leggings or jeans whether you’re waiting at the gate, sleeping on the plane, or hitting the streets once you arrive.
The Nike Internationalist is the perfect dual purpose sneaker – it looks fashionable while sightseeing and feels comfortable when exercising on the road.
I used to pack both my running shoes and casual shoes but I have since started packing just one and I have been hiking, running and walking around the world in these for the last year.
A scarf is one of the best travel accessories and while I usually go for a neutral color, this plaid one seems a little more festive. And the best part? It is big enough to use as a blanket on the plane. I also love this blanket scarf by Shoreditch and this one by Calvin Klein.
This pair of Sam Edelman booties are a tried and true ankle boot. The same style is available every year because of its versatility, style and comfort. I can wear these boots walking around all day and my feet never hurt! There are a lot of colors available but I love the black because they can be casual or dressy.
If you like beer…and you like maps…well, we’re kindred spirits. And since that’s the case, you also probably reallyreallyreally want this map too – which I first saw at Sanitas brewery in Boulder and instantly fell in love with.
Every brewery, all 3,500 of them, is listed – yes, even that small, local one you’re sure isn’t on there.
It may be expensive but it’s big, unique, and it will make an incredible gift (especially for your favorite travel blogger…hint, hint!)
One of my favorite pieces of jewelry is my customized Layered + Long Wanderlust necklace. I wear it daily layered with some of L+L’s other necklaces. On my wishlist this year are these luggage tag charms from Jet Set Candy. You can chose your home airport or pick your favorite destination – such a fun way to wear your travel memories!
These beautiful Scandinavian inspired himmelis are a great way to add a bit of travel charm to your home space. There are quite a few design options to choose from, but the Moravian star is my favorite. It’s perfect for the holiday season but I would leave it up all year… possibly placed on top of a stack of travel books.
I like to organize my miscellaneous items (chapstick, headphones, wallet etc) in a leather pouch, which can also double as a clutch to elevate an outfit.
I recently bought this bag from Banana Republic (shown above) and received multiple compliments on a night out in NYC. Other favorites include these from West Elm and this one from Cuyana.
I am not a backpack person. I don’t pack quite as lightly as Trav does, and I really dislike the pain involved in schlepping around a heavy pack that hurts my neck (no matter how ergonomically designed they are) and causes my clothing to bunch up in weird places.
Therefore, I am dying to upgrade my well worn Samsonite to this highly rated hard shell case from Traveler’s Choice.
Siem Reap, nestled deep in the heart of Cambodia, is home to one of the most magnificent wonders of the world, Angkor Wat.
And while Angkor Wat alone makes a trip to Siem Reap worth it, there are tons of other incredible things to do in this tourist hotspot.
Here are the top 10 things to do in Siem Reap, Cambodia in under 2 minutes!
Want more details, including recommendations on where to eat, where to stay, and who to hire as your driver?
Below are the top 10 things to do in Siem Reap:
1. Explore the Angkor Wat Temple Complex
Like this list would start with anything else!
You can buy one, three, or seven day passes and if you’re on a time crunch, you can see all the major temples in one day.
But if you are taking it more leisurely, the three-day pass will give you the chance to dive a little deeper, even if you do just use it for two days.
No matter how many days you spend, don’t miss any of the three main temples – Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and Ta Prohm (the “Tomb Raider” temple).
I’d also highly suggest stopping at Pre Rub, which doesn’t get as much publicity but is one of my favorites, specifically because there aren’t hordes of other people.
2. Sunrise at Angkor Wat
Yes, you’ll have to set that alarm for 5 o’clock, but no amount of extra sleep can rival the beauty of Angkor Wat at sunrise.
You certainly won’t be the only person there, but if you head inside right after the sun has risen – and while everyone else is still snapping pictures – you can have the temple complex almost all to yourself.
It’s worth it, as you’ll then be able to stay a step ahead of the masses for the entire day.
3. Hire a Driver (and make sure it’s Bunthy)
You can choose a variety of methods to get around Angkor Wat – bike, tuk-tuk, or car and driver.
If it’s hot, you want a little bit of luxury, or you want to see some of the temples that are further out, I recommend getting a car and driver.
Not only will you have air conditioning, but you’ll also have a built-in tour guide.
And if you want the best driver in all of Siem Reap, you’ve got to contact my good friend Bunthy.
There is no kinder, nicer, or more genuine person in this world, and his knowledge of Cambodian history, past and present, is a treat.
Hundreds of people have hired Bunthy as their driver based on our post from three years ago, and every single one has raved about him.
You can email him at bunthyme.bm@gmail.com or call or WhatsApp him at (855) 12 972 469.
And don’t forget to tell him Trav from Extra Pack of Peanuts sent you!
4. Stay at a Local Guesthouse
As the tourism industry in Siem Reap explodes, so does the available accommodation options.
Over the last five years, numerous hotel chains have sunk their teeth into Siem Reap, and while the properties are world-class, I always prefer to stay at a local guesthouse.
This not only gives you a more authentic experience but also makes sure that your money goes back into the pockets of people from the local community, not hotel conglomerates.
Each time we’ve been to Siem Reap, we’ve stayed at the Golden Mango Inn, and each time, we’ve loved it. It’s got a free (good) breakfast, a nice pool, and incredible staff.
It’s a little bit out of downtown – about 5-7 minutes – but they offer a free tuk-tuk service.
And just like Bunthy, don’t forget to tell the staff at Golden Mango Inn that Trav from Extra Pack of Peanuts sent you and says hi!
Bonus Tip: If you do stay at the Golden Mango, make sure to check out the Svay Mearas Beer Garden that is right next to it. You’ll be the only foreigner there (unless another Golden Mango guest follows you over) and one person MAY speak English, but you’ll get as authentic an experience as possible and the draft beers are only 50 cents.
5. Get a Fish Massage
Fish massages, which are now ubiquitous in Southeast Asia, apparently started right here in Siem Reap.
It’s weird, especially if you go to the places with the huge fish, but certainly unique to the region. And if you find a place that offers you a free beer with your fish massage, then you’re really in luck!
6. Go Shopping at the Old Market
Siem Reap has some of the cheapest prices in the world when it comes to market goodies, from clothing to food to souvenirs.
Of course, the first price they give you won’t be cheap, but if you haggle like a local, you can get some amazing deals.
My “haggling” rule of thumb: Always start my price at 25% of their original price (I know, crazy, but it works) and then work your way up towards 50%.
And don’t forget, always have fun with it! Haggling is part of the culture, but approach it with a good-natured attitude.
Remember, the locals need the money more than you, so haggle the price down, have fun, and in the end, if it’s the difference of fifty cents or a dollar, don’t be too much of a stickler.
7. Go for a Swim
Siem Reap can get hot….really hot (especially March-May).
And after trekking around Angkor Wat all day, you’re going to be dying for a chance to go swimming, so you better stay at a place with a pool.
One of the best things about the Golden Mango Inn is that the pool never closes!
Nothing beats those late nights and early morning swims under the stars – except maybe jumping in right after Angkor Wat!
8. Eat Fish Amok
While Cambodian food isn’t as “knock your socks off” delicious as it’s neighbors like Thailand and Vietnam, it’s still pretty good.
And one of the best and most famous Cambodian dishes is fish amok.
Give it a try, and make sure you’re getting it at a traditional Khmer restaurant – Khmer Kitchen on Pub Street is an easy place for starters.
9. Get a Drink On Pub Street
Speaking of Pub Street…nothing beats all day, every day happy hour that many of the restaurants here run.
Is it touristy? Sure!
Does it get crowded and noisy at night? Definitely!
But if you head there during the day, it’s a great place to walk around, relax, grab a drink (or three) and people watch. And at 50 cents a beer or $1.50 a margarita, it’s easy on your wallet.
A few of our favorite places include:
Viva Mexican– average food (what do you expect, it’s Mexican in Cambodia) but home to the aforementioned $1.50 margaritas.
Il Forno- If you’re looking for a pretty good rendition of an Italian meal, this is the place to go.
Khmer Kitchen- Traditional Khmer restaurant right on Pub Street with pretty good fish amok.
If you’ve never eaten a frog in Cambodia, you are truly missing out. And no, not mean frog legs – the whole frog.
And THE place to get frog – trust me, I’ve done my fair share of “research” – is Cambodian Soup on Pub Street in Siem Reap.
They are slowly bbq’ed over a fire and absolutely divine. At a $1 apiece, do yourself a favor and order a few. You’ll be glad you did!
Final Word(s)
For anyone who is thinking about visiting Southeast Asia, Siem Reap is truly a can’t miss destination.
And for anyone who isn’t thinking about visiting Southeast Asia….what’s wrong with you!
Angkor Wat is one of the most incredible places on the planet, and because it’s only starting to become more popular, you’re still allowed to have free reign around most of the ruins, something that may change in the future.
In the three years between my visits (2012 and 2015), I noticed a massive difference in the number of tourists, so I’d highly recommend getting to Siem Reap sooner rather than later.
And when you do, don’t forget to contact Bunthy.
As amazing as Angkor Wat is, the people are what really makes the travel experience special, and I’ve yet to find anyone with whom I’ve felt such a strong connection as Bunthy.
He even took me to his barber to get a haircut and insisted on paying for me (although I slipped the money in his glove compartment when he wasn’t looking…shhh….don’t tell him).
Have you been to Siem Reap before? If so, what were some of your top 10 things to do there?
FURTHER READING (POSTS HANDPICKED FOR YOU…BY US!)
None of that automatic “read more” stuff you’ll see everywhere else on the internet!
If you liked this post, then you’ll love these as well:
Budget airlines can be a traveler’s best friend – or worst nightmare. But writing them off because you don’t understand them is a major, major mistake.
Here is our step by step guide to finding and booking budget airlines – and saving yourself a TON of money in the process.
1. Find the Budget Airlines That Fly to Your Destinations.
One of the most difficult things about budget airlines is knowing they exist. There are two easy ways to figure this out:
1. Go to the Low Cost Airlines on Wikipedia. This list has every low cost airline, for every country in the world, broken up by continent. Find the airlines that fly to the area you want to travel to, then check their Wikipedia page for all their destinations. Alternatively, you can also visit their individual websites to check destinations and pricing.
2. If you know where you’re flying out of (i.e. Chiang Mai), type the name of that airport into Wikipedia and see a list of all the airlines that fly in and out of that location.
Some of the most common budget airlines:
USA – Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airways
Europe – EasyJet, Ryan Air
Asia – AirAsia, Malindo Air, Firefly
Australia – JetStar
2. Check the Fees
Now that you have a list of budget airlines that will work for you, start comparing the prices. One of the reasons budget airlines are cheaper is because they charge fees for certain things.
Every budget airline will clearly state these fees and often dedicate a page on their website itemizing each fee.
Be sure to check the fees and add it into the total cost of your flight to weigh whether the flight is actually the cheapest option.
The most common additional fees include:
Meals
Checked Baggage
Chosing your seat
Credit card processiong fee (This is the only one they won’t usually mention until the end)
Expert tip: Be aware that checking your bag at the gate will cost about twice as much as purchasing the checked bag beforehand online. So if you know you’re going to check a bag, buy it in advance. Or, you could travel in just a carryon.
3. Visit ITA Matrix to Compare Prices
Now that you know the exact price of flying on the low cost carrier, check ITA Matrix to compare the prices for the regular airlines.
Now that you have a good idea of what it will cost for a budget airline vs. a normal airline, you can choose the option that is best for you.
If the low cost carrier is substantially cheaper, AWESOME! You have just travel hacked yourself a better flight.
If the costs are similar than consider if the small savings are worth the extra inconveniences.
Now that you know how to find tickets with budget airlines, there are a few more things you should know when flying with these carriers.
Miscellaneous Tips
1. Budget airlines often fly into alternate airports
Make sure to double and triple check the name of the airport that your budget airline is flying into. Oftentimes, these airlines fly into a separate terminal or even a different, usually smaller, airport.
Make sure that you plan accordingly, especially if you have another flight to catch with a different airline.
2. A tip for getting your tickets even cheaper
You can drastically reduce the cost of your ticket by flying through a hub airport. First check the main hub (headquarters) for the budget airline. For example, Air Asia’s hub is Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. If you route your flights through KL then you can usually save quite a bit of cash.
Note: If you do enact this strategy, be aware that you are purchasing two separate tickets. This means you will have to exit the airport via customs, pick up any bags you may have checked and check in again at that airport. Leave plenty of time to get through customs, and through security again. However, usually these small inconveniences are well worth the savings!
3. The best time to book budget airline tickets
Budget airlines often run sales. If a sale is running when you are searching for tickets then jump on it while you can!
Other budget airlines work on a tiered structure (such as SkyMark in Japan). These airlines will open their flights 60 days (or more) before the flight and the cheapest tickets go first.
In most cases, we have noticed that the sooner you book tickets on low cost carriers the better. However, sometimes you can luck out even at the last minute so it is always worth checking.
Final Thoughts
You might be wondering if all this extra work is really worth it?
After 40+ flights on budget airlines, we would say, unequivocally, YES!
Budget airlines are not nearly as bad as people make them out to be, and you can save TON of money by following this guideline when booking your next flight.
Have you traveled on a budget airline before? What was your experience? Let us know in the comments below!
Now that they’ve scored the book deal they have to actually race each other around the world.
The first step?
Buying the most expensive bottle of scotch they could find.
And, boy, was it expensive!
Steve and Vali share their best, and worst, experiences during their travels along with their opinions on what makes travel so great. They speak about meeting up in Moscow, calling a truce to the race, and the hi-jinks that ensued before completing the race and sitting down to the monumental task of writing the book.
Steve and Vali continue the trend set in Part I of being hilarious. If you’re up for a good laugh, have a listen, you’ll be itching to find out who won!
This is part two of a two-part interview. To hear how Steve and Vali got their book deal, through a series of what you could predict at this point to be ridiculous events, make sure to check out part one of this interview!
