Google Maps and Vacations

Vacations are exciting. Everybody wants their vacation to be memorable, fun and stress free.
As your vacation draws nearer you toss up between a couple of exotic locations.

The destinations on your short list seem so appealing but how do you know what will await you when you arrive?

Will it be everything you imagined it to be?
It might. Perhaps even more than you expected.
Your daydream is interrupted by a dark shadow of doubt and a thousand questions begin to arise.

What if the hotel is a dump?
How far is it from the beach?
Is it in a safe area?
Is it close to public transport?
Is it close to nightlife?
Is it too noisy because it’s close to nightlife?

In days gone by, you would call into your local travel agent for a glossy brochure, and a quick thumb through the pages would tell you all you needed to know.

Times have changed and all the best bargains are on the internet.
Reviews from travelers who have been there before you, offer tips and advice on destinations and accommodation.
Google maps is a great tool for fine tuning your traveling plans,

I was researching a holiday in Phuket, Thailand and I wanted to get more details about a four star hotel that someone had recommended.

Using Google maps I was able to verify the star rating of the recommended hotel.
As it turned out, the hotel was rated three stars, not four stars as had been suggested.
I could see from the map that the hotel was walking distance to the beach, but not quite two minutes from the beach. Public transport was not an issue.

The Hotel shows up on the map as being on a main road, as opposed to being located in a side street and this scored a tick from me as far as the safety aspect was concerned.

Proximity to bars, restaurants and clubs was easy to pinpoint using the map.
The large complexes visible next door to my hotel indicated that I was adjacent to shopping and nightlife.
I was now fully briefed and ready to make my booking with the help of Google maps.