My followers will know that I am a perpetual traveler. For almost 6 years I’ve seen the most amazing places, had the most life changing experiences, participated in the most fantastic activities, and eaten mouth watering, unique, and sometimes strange food. All while on sponsorship!
I get asked all the time, “Marie, how to you get hotels, tour companies, and restaurants to sponsor you?” I realized that, for travel bloggers, this is the question that eludes us the most. It’s hard to believe that we can get FREE (okay not exactly free) accommodations in exchange for a blog post and social media shares. But it’s true…I’ve been living that life exclusively!
While lounging on a powder soft, blinding white sand beach (that happened to be right near my over the water villa) on an atoll of the Maldives I decided that, “My life is pretty damn good!” It’s not without it’s hard work, but I had to also admit that I rarely take a dime out of my pocket to enjoy these perks in my life. Here are highlights to some of those amazing trips…
Spa Village Resort Tembok, Bali, Indonesia
Located in the serene village of Tembok, the resort is nestled along the black sand coast of Northeast Bali’s volcanic mountains. Surrounded by the majestic beauty of the island, the resort is the perfect location to discover your bliss and reconnect with your soul using the ageless healing practices of Bali itself.
I enjoyed privacy in the Baruna villa. With high thatched ceilings, a wonderfully deep soaking tub, king sized bed, private pool, and a delightfully comfortable outside covered lounging bed… it was my own remote sanctuary.
Meals at the resort are designed with both health and exquisite taste in mind. Set against a backdrop of beautiful seaside landscapes and cool, salt kissed breezes, The Wantilan Restaurant welcomes guests with fresh fruits, seafood caught daily from the surrounding waters, and brilliantly prepared dishes of both traditional Balinese and Western selections. As part of my package I ate beautifully prepared healthy cuisine adding to the wholesome experience.
The award winning Spa Village presents a plethora of holistic treatments able to relieve any amount of stress. From herbal baths, to chocolate massages, to black sand foot therapies there is something for everyone!
Maafushivaru, Ari Atoll, Maldives
One of my Sponsored Media Trips began with a 25-minute flight over the Atolls of the Maldives. The weather was clear, giving me a panoramic view of the beauty of this part of the world.
I was greeted with a cool towel and tropical drink to enjoy while the check in process was taken care of. I found myself immediately relaxed; I think the fact that the floors in the common areas, including reception, was covered with sand…how could you not be carefree?!
Maafushivaru has three types of villas – Beach, pool and water. Each one catering to various tastes and budgets. The lush tropical vegetation that surrounds the resort along with it’s thatched roofs, and it’s small size is perfect for couples, families, and yes, even solo travelers.
Mealtime is a gastronomical affair and the buffet style Cuisine Gallery offers endless options, even catering to those with dietary limitations. I’m a gluten watcher, avoiding it as much as possible. I let the head Chef know about this before hand and was delighted to find him walking me through the buffet at each meal, ensuring that I chose the correct dishes. Each night the restaurant offered a different cuisine from Mexican, to Italian, to Asian. The options were endless, plentiful, and fresh.
Located near one of the Maldives best snorkeling and diving sites, excursions from local island hopping to swimming with manta rays and whale sharks is a must for anyone looking for a bit of adventure while staying at Maafushivaru.
This sponsored trip was the most amazing for me as it was a career get! I have since made a list of others I’ll get (yes, confidence is definitely a contributing factor is your success as a travel blogger) and am looking forward to the next few years of my travels and to showing you how you, too can do what I do!!
Amara Sanctuary Resort, Singapore
Located on Sentosa Island, the resort is a tropical paradise where life slows down and visitors enjoy lush tropical landscapes, luxurious accommodations, delicious cuisine, and amazing service from an extremely friendly staff.
During my stay I was taken aback at how “far away from the busy city” I felt. But Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa lives up to her name. Tucked in the midst of famous restaurants, Universal Studios Sentosa, Waterparks, and Aquariums, Amara Sanctuary is an oasis where guests can kick back and relax as if they were on a tropical island hidden out to sea.
The resort offers a variety of accommodation options. I chose to stay in their 1 bedroom villa. Complete with a wonderfully private pool, the escape was perfect for relaxation and catching up on some sun worshiping.
Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa offers three distinct restaurants. Shutters is an open kitchen where guests enjoy an endless array of breakfast choices each morning. Presenting both local international choices guests can start each day with a hearty breakfast.
There are so many accommodation choices on Sentosa and in Singapore in general, why decide to stay at Amara Sanctuary Resort? The difference is the people and the quality of care guests receive while visiting. Each staff didn’t just go out of their way to make sure my stay was an excellent one, but they genuinely cared about my well-being. I witnessed the staff happily chatting with guests and taking time to go out of their way to offer assistance for every need. This too was one of my Sponsored Media Trips.
The Elements Resort, Krabi, Thailand
Immediately upon arriving we knew we’d made the right choice. We were greeted even before getting out of the van that picked us up at the airport. The manager, Jason, started the check-in immediately and made it extremely easy and painless. Since the Resort wasn’t full and it was so close to the holidays, we were given an upgrade…definitely a great way to start a vacation! Yes, this was one of my Sponsored Media Trips!
The deluxe room was more than we expected and we were thrilled! It was spacious, clean, and offered amenities like a sarong, beach bag, sandals to use during our stay, bath robes, slippers, and beach towels. The rooms were cleaned daily with fresh linens and all our requests were addressed immediately by eager to please staff.
The resort offered free shuttle service into the shopping and restaurant district and so we jumped on since we were craving good Thai food. Once we arrived we chose a restaurant that was packed with both locals and tourists; we find that if locals are patronizing the place, then the food must be good!
We booked a Kayaking excursions via the YourKrabi website. They were extremely helpful and I was able to pay online. They communicated with me via email with regard to pickup (which is free from whatever hotel or resort you’re staying in), and sent printable coupons for our chosen tour. As with most tour companies, YourKrabi prices were cheaper than in the hotels & resorts. Our tour guide, Jimmy, picked us up on time and we were off. He was extremely knowledgeable and friendly and talked about the various sites on the way to our destination. We made quick friends with him and his assistant.
We did book a private long boat snorkeling trip (all part of the Sponsored Media Trips) through the resort. Jason and his staff organized everything for us down to a picnic basket with hot lunch, fruit, water, towels, and snorkeling equipment. Our boat driver, Mot, was a hoot and took us to the best snorkeling sites. For lunch he pulled up to a small island with a tiny strip of beach and set up our food at the water’s edge. It was gorgeous and we shared it with only one other couple.
Those are just some of the sponsored trips that I’ve enjoyed in the last few years. I’m not telling you this to brag…well, okay, maybe a little…but I want you to know what’s possible for you as a travel blogger… If I can get all this so can you and I’m going to show you exactly how to do it. If you’re interested in learning how to do what I do follow the link below…
Click HERE To Find Out More
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