CI Azumano Travel

One of the most overlooked things about international travel: how much further your money goes in places you'd assume are expensive.

A few more for your mental math:
🇵🇹 $100 in Lisbon = two nights at a beautiful boutique hotel.
🇲🇽 $200 in Mexico City = a multi-course tasting menu for two at a top restaurant.
🇯🇵 $50 in Tokyo = a 12-piece omakase lunch from a real sushi chef.
🇹🇭 $30 in Bangkok = a Michelin-starred street food meal with drinks.

Compare any of these to what the same amount buys in New York, London, or San Francisco and the question changes. It's not "can I afford to go?" — it's "can I afford not to?"

Want help planning a trip where your money actually goes somewhere? That's us.

Some hotels are just a place to sleep. Others become the highlight of the trip.
From oceanfront terraces to skyline views, the right room can change everything about how you experience a destination.
Read more:

The View from the Balcony: Hotels That Make You Want to Stay In Discover why the right hotel room can transform your trip, from ocean-view villas to mountain escapes and unforgettable city stays.

This is how clients describe working with our travel expert Angela Prager.

Read their full story ✈️ https://bit.ly/4fLAYSD

When you book a 8pm flight on Tuesday that lands in Rome at 11am on Wednesday, the booking site asks: "When does your stay begin?" Most people enter Wednesday. That's a mistake. Enter Tuesday.

Yes, you'll pay for a night you don't sleep there. But on Wednesday at 11am, your room is ready. You shower, you nap, you start your trip like a human being instead of fighting reception at 3pm for an early check-in that may or may not happen.

This is the single biggest difference between a vacation that starts strong and one that starts with you sleep-deprived in a hotel lobby surrounded by your luggage.

An extra $200 to make sure day one of your trip actually counts? Worth it. Every time.
This is the kind of thing we'd build into your itinerary without you having to ask.

Most first-time Bali travelers book a hotel in "Bali" and assume they'll figure out the rest when they land. Then they spend half the trip in traffic.

Bali is the size of Delaware but it's wildly regional. Pick wrong and you'll wonder what everyone's talking about.

🌾 Ubud — jungle, yoga, monkeys, art markets. Spiritual core. No beach.
🏄 Canggu — surfers, digital nomads, beach clubs. Hipster Bali.
🌅 Uluwatu — clifftop temples, world-class surf, dramatic sunsets. Upscale.
🌃 Seminyak — restaurants, nightlife, shopping. Polished resort Bali.
🌿 Sidemen — rice terraces with almost no tourists. The "old Bali" you keep hearing about.
🌋 Amed — black sand, freediving, fishing village pace. Quiet.
🏝️ Nusa Penida — that famous T-Rex cliff photo. Day trip, not a stay.
🐠 The Gilis — three tiny islands, no motorized vehicles, the best snorkeling.

Pick two or three. Don't try to do all eight. And whatever you do, don't book somewhere just because it's "in Bali."

This is exactly the kind of thing an advisor exists for. DM us.

Dreaming of Puerto Rico? 🌴☀️

The best time to visit depends on what you want:
Perfect beach weather → December–April
Lower prices & fewer crowds → May–June
Surf season → Winter months
Hurricane season → August–October

https://bit.ly/4uh4js5

Travel Lemming

The Best Time to Visit Puerto Rico (By a Local) Wondering when to visit Puerto Rico? Read island local Vanessa’s guide to the best time to visit, month by month, for every type of travel!

Think you know cruising? Think again.
Today’s cruises offer more flexibility, better experiences, and access to destinations you cannot reach any other way.
If you’ve been unsure about cruising, this is a good place to start.
Read more: https://bit.ly/42T4j6e

Cruise Curious? What to Know Before You Float Discover how modern cruising offers more flexibility, better experiences, and access to unique destinations.

You do not always need to go far to have a great trip.
Coastal New England continues to deliver with simple, memorable experiences. Fresh seafood, ocean air, small towns, and a pace that feels just right.
Read more:

Lighthouses, Lobster, and Long Weekends: Why Coastal New England Still Wins Explore Coastal New England’s timeless charm, from Cape Cod to Bar Harbor, with scenic towns, fresh seafood, and effortless seaside escapes.

D.O.M. in São Paulo is the restaurant that put Brazilian fine dining on the world map. Chef Alex Atala spent decades traveling the Amazon to source ingredients no other fine-dining kitchen was using — fermented cassava broth, jambu leaves that numb your mouth, and yes, edible ants that taste like ginger and lemongrass.

The tasting menu runs about R$760 (~$140 USD) — which, for a 2-Michelin-star meal that has been ranked among the top 5 restaurants on Earth, is genuinely remarkable value. A comparable meal in New York or Tokyo would run $400+.

Worth it? For most travelers — yes. Especially if you've never tasted Amazonian ingredients prepared this way (most haven't). The dishes are inventive, the dining room is stunning, and Atala himself often makes the rounds.

A few honest caveats from recent diners: it's not the slam-dunk it was a decade ago. Service can be uneven for a 2-star, and some courses land harder than others. If you're choosing one destination restaurant for a São Paulo trip, A Casa do Porco (currently ranked #1 in Latin America, about a third of the price) is the locals' pick.

But for the cultural moment — eating Atala's food in Atala's room — D.O.M. still earns the splurge.
Heading to Brazil? We'll help you build the food itinerary. The whole point is knowing which splurges are worth it.

This Memorial Day, we pause to honor and remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

From all of us at CI Azumano Travel, we wish you a meaningful and peaceful Memorial Day.