Depending upon where in the world you are going, a travel vaccination review with your doctor might be a good idea first. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have updated information on their website about health threats in various countries. You’ll need to think far enough ahead to schedule a doctor’s visit 4 to 6 weeks before your scheduled departure. Some vaccines take that long to begin working. The CDC divides the idea of a travel vaccination into three categories: routine...

The concept of fractional ownership of luxury items allows more people than ever to live the life of a jetsetter. Condos, cars, private jet airplanes, yachts, and even fine art can be yours for a fraction of the cost. Of course, you only get to enjoy it for a fraction of the time but, to many people, a little is better than nothing. We’re used to the idea of fractional ownership in relation to condos. You pay a yearly fee, maybe a few thousand dollars, for the use of the condo for a...

If you decide to expatriate, one thing you should get used to is the fact that you’re always going to be an Ugly American. No amount of time, money, or plastic surgery will change it. So why become an expat? There are too many reasons to list: adventure, new horizons, unusual employment fugitive status. Doesn’t mater what your reasons are because they are as legitimate as any. But why must you be classified as an Ugly American? You haven’t personally offended anyone. The answer goes back...

Bouvet Island is 19 square miles in size and 93% covered by a glacier. Located in the South Atlantic Ocean, Bouvet is more than 1,000 miles from Antarctica and 1,600 miles from Cape Town, Africa. The coast is harsh and foreboding, with steep glacier cliffs falling to black volcanic sand beaches. With no ports or anchorages of any sort, your best means of ingress is to land by helicopter. Once there, feel free to study the feeble vegetation consisting of moss and lichens. Other than that,...

For the jetsetting beach bum, a problem eventually arises. Where do you go in the world for a new beach fix after your travels have taken you to the usual sandy spots around the world? Well, that’s an easy one – it’s time to get experimental. Everyone and their brother has hit the tropical white sand beaches, encircled with swaying palm trees, turquoise water nibbling at the shore. Are you ready for one with a twist on the theme? Check out the resort complex San Alfonso del Mar in...

Holding two passports calls to mind images of Matt Damon as Jason Bourne from the movie series shuffling through a handful of alternate identities as he runs and fights his way through Europe and part of America. Action thriller plots not withstanding, the truth is that there are instances when it might be beneficial for the world traveler to have a second passport. Is this even legal? Absolutely. Unlike Mr. Bourne, who had a different passport for every country, we’re talking about multiple...

Much of the free travel information out there comes with a slant of personal bias. Sorry, that’s the nature of the business model. It’s tough to find an opinion unencumbered by advertising dollars or some sort of financial incentive to taint the review towards the positive. On the other side of the coin, you have the review mill websites. TripAdvisor is a good example. Aggregate websites like this invite travelers to post their own unbiased reviews. Great idea! Except that, just like callers...

Looking for a travel website? You know the usual suspects - Travelocity, Priceline, Kayak, Orbitz, Expedia - and they all have their place in the universe. But there’s also a part of travel that goes beyond simple pricing of planes, trains, and automobiles, and that’s a little thing we like to call Achieving the Permanent Vacation. That’s what the Jetsetter Show specializes in. Sure, you can head over to Travelocity and the rest when you simply need a good price on a quick trip. Our travel...

Travel to Venice, Italy, is high on the wish list of many budget travelers. Heck, for ANY traveler. Who wouldn’t want to kick back in a gondola with their sweetie and let some guy with a long pole sweep you through the watery streets? Problem is, it seems like every other person in the world wants to visit this historic part of Europe too. Big demand means big prices. Here are some ideas to bring that trip back within your budget. Aim for the off-season. Venice is hot and crowded in the...

Airline officials create a new fee every time they sneeze. To the flying public, this can turn your “good deal” ticket fare into a credit card busting surprise when all the damage is added up. But if you’re smart, you can make sure your discount travel airfare stays discounted by preparing yourself to ward off ludicrous fees. Here are a few of the biggies: 1. Checked Baggage: It used to be that checking baggage was no big deal. Not any more. These days you’ll pay 25$, $35, or more for...

The reality of air travel is that sometimes flights are canceled. Is the appropriate response to barge to the front of the check-in line screaming obscenities at the hapless counter clerk? The Jetsetter opinion is that such behavior only earns you a visit with a TSA employee in a little room with no windows and, ultimately, doesn’t help anything. Here are a few sane ideas to deal with the eventuality of canceled air travel. Sign up for alerts: Wouldn’t it be nicer to know there is a...

Families joke about taking a vacation to a conveniently located relative’s house, maybe in Orlando or Branson, and crashing on the couch. Hold your guffaws, because crashing on someone’s couch is now a great way to see the world. We’re talking about the website Couchsurfing.com and the concept is exactly what you might imagine – a dream come true to adventurous travelers and nightmare to those who have seen the Saw movies one too many times. It goes like this. A network of people offer up...

Let’s compare India’s stock market to the United States stock market and ascertain the respective economic health. In the U.S., the stock market sits roughly where it did 11 years ago. India’s Sensex Index has multiplied itself three times over the same span of time. Who would have thunk that? For travelers looking to find a new host country with a vibrant economy, look what the cat dragged in. To many westerners, India appears chaotic and unsettled, with eight different coalition...

For those of you who prefer your aquatic travel adventures without the oceanic dangers of hurricanes or rogue waves, there are a host of enticing lakes around the world begging for your attention. We’re talking really deep lakes here, many of which would make a great vacation spot for the adventure traveler. At Jetsetter, we put our noses to the grindstone and came up with the three deepest lakes in the world. Lake Baikal (5,369 feet) â€“ this Siberian jewel contains approximately 20% of the...

If your primary reason for expatriating to another country is to escape bad money decisions like credit card debt - think again. That kind of stuff can follow you around the world. Relocating to another country will not magically alleviate the problem. To the contrary, you need to have your personal finances in tip top shape before committing to an overseas life. Consider the expenses even before setting foot into your new life: work permits, moving companies, insurance, one or more trips...

Tourists and businessmen (and women) alike have been heading to Hong Kong for decades. What many people don’t know is that this economic powerhouse is actually one of the oldest settlements in the world. Paleolithic artifacts have been discovered in the Wong Tai Sin area. Under British control since 1841, this group of islands in the South China Sea rapidly became home to one of the busiest port cities in the world. In 1997, England handed possession over to China, which turned out to be a...

Unless you’re independently wealthy or have recently been named the Sultan of (insert favorite country here), expatriating to a foreign land does not mean you’ll never have to obey a household budget again. On the contrary, living far from the safety net of family and friends makes the allocation of resources more important than ever. Normally the largest budgetary drain is housing. Your first choice is whether to rent or buy. Jetsetter thinks it’s a good idea to rent for the first six...

Here’s a side effect the international traveler may not have considered before. Languages are dying. Of approximately 7,000 languages spoken on this planet, 473 are classified as endangered. When the last known speaker of a language dies, the language does as well. For example… There are four known speakers of Lipon Apache in the U.S.; two speakers of Totoro in Columbia; a single speaker of Bikya in Cameroon. Why is it happening? In a single word - globalization. The world culture has...

Sometimes, on days our federal government is especially acting like an ill-tempered buffoon, the temptation arises to renounce citizenship and move somewhere else - anywhere that logic and common sense still applies, though those characteristics are becoming more and more scarce. The question becomes is it a good idea to renounce one’s citizenship and, if so, exactly how is it done? As to the first issue, whether it’s a good idea or not, that’s all up to you. All we can do is enumerate the...

The term to use if you are of a certain age in the country of Panama is "La cuenta por favor con descuento de jubilado." Translated to English it means "Check please, with the retiree discount." It’s like magic. You’ll pay up to 50% less on almost all goods and services. It’s sort of a national thank you to Panamanian senior citizens. But the truly cool part is that the descuento applies to American expatriates. A descuento of this size might actually make the difference between being able...

Historically a popular travel destination, Mona Lisa’s home still has a few things going for it – a reputation as the most romantic city on earth, fine food, an appreciation and long history of art and architecture. If you don’t mind the occasional disenfranchised urban youth riot or outraged farmers blocking roads, it could still be the country for you. It was good enough for Voltaire, Descartes, and Jean-Paul Sarte. But what is today’s French reality? If you’re independently wealthy, it...

How does health insurance work for Americans traveling abroad or even living in a foreign country? There are a few aspects regarding this unavoidable fact of life you should be aware of. Your first basic choice is whether to buy local insurance or go through an international insurance group like BUPA. For example, a comprehensive local policy in Panama could cost as little as $100 monthly. The risk you assume going this route is that the local insurer goes out of business. Then you’re back...

When you travel to Texas, keep in mind that the state sometimes likes to do things in a big way. Case in point is the Driskill Hotel in Austin. This is one of those hotels that is a travel destination unto itself. Sure, there are plenty of enticing activities and attractions in the area but it wouldn’t really matter if you never left the property. It’s that memorable. Jesse Driskill was a cattle baron who made his fortune supplying beef to the Confederate Army throughout the Civil War....

Ever wished you were ahead of the curve on a really good deal? Wouldn’t it be great to be first in line for the steal price rather than stuck in the back paying twice as much? Sorry, that’s how capitalism works. Rising demand of a limited quantity of goods means higher prices. In this case, the goods come in the form of prime beach location along Ecuador’s most under-developed, nicest coast. With 1,400 miles of coastline (that’s more than Florida) this central American country is set to soar...

Traveling all the way to the south pacific is such a logistical bother. Expect to use a variety of planes, trains, and automobiles – you might even have need to call upon a sherpa and mountain goat before you sink your toes in the toasty sand rimming a forgotten lagoon. For those who don’t have the time, energy, or money to mount a full-fledged global trek to find their tropical paradise, Little Palm Island in the Florida Keys is a tad closer for most of us. The great part is you can...