>IF YOU'RE worried about inflation hitting your travel budget, hurry down to ASA Holidays to check out its latest under-$500 budget tours.
The travel agency's four-day packages to Ho Chi Minh City ($388), Macau and Zhuhai ($418) and Hong Kong ($498) come complete with return air tickets, hotel accommodation, sightseeing and meals.
So does its five-day Cambodian package which is at $448.
Departures for the four-day packages are this month, next month and in September, and July 6, 13 and 20 for the Cambodian trip.
For the itineraries and to make bookings, call 6303-5303 or 6303-5318.
EVERY savvy traveller knows that savings can always be found during off-peak travel periods - which is around now.
Just check out the return Economy fares to various cities being advertised now by online retailer Zuji.com
Bargains include Qantas flights to Perth (from $260), Melbourne or Sydney (both from $598), available on a first-come-first-served basis till July 11.
You can also fly to Shanghai on Garuda Airlines from $348 and Seoul on Asiana Airlines from $688 but do book by the end of this month.
And, till Sept 30, Cathay Pacific's flights to Beijing and Los Angeles are going for upwards of $544 and $1,199 respectively.
Prices have also dipped for hotel rooms. It's the summer sale period in Hong Kong and room rates are down by up to 15 per cent on Zuji.com
As Australia is moving into winter, hotels rates there are also down by up to 25 per cent.
Check out www.zuji.com which offers instant confirmation on hotel bookings.
This article was first published in Life!, The Straits Times on July 1, 2008.
