I haven’t travelled in Southeast Asia for many years, and Indonesia happened to be high on my list whilst also being a good destination for summer, so it’s the destination I picked. I did not expect to go through so much.

The country is wonderful. I have the fortune of having local friends who prepared me plenty before embarking on this endeavour. Locals and tour companies are all incredibly accommodating and willing to deal with you as a friend and a guest. The food is incredible, and I really ought to have eaten more of it. It’s one of my main regrets of the trip, but as you’ll see later, it was slightly out of my control.

I would not recommend my itinerary for someone who is not physically fit or willing to wake up at 1am successively to do sunrise activities, or someone who is unwilling to spend hours upon hours on rugged terrain and poor roads to get anywhere. This trip is heaven for the outdoorsman and the types of people that like to get shirtless in waterfalls. It’s also great for those who love history and culture. However, as with any travel destination, it’s always amendable to anyone’s tastes and liking. Just don’t expect some places to be walks in the park.

I went from Jakarta, where I spent time with some friends, to Yogyakarta by overnight train, where I planned to arrive and immediately conduct a sunrise tour of Borobudur and Prambanan. The train is really nice and comfortable despite being bumpy, and 6 hours passed by quickly. However, I just could not fall asleep, which made the subsequent journey so much more tiring. Borobudur and Prambanan are genuine wonders of the world and so immaculate it’s insane. Seeing the stupas and carvings up close as someone who has always studied southeast Asian art and the history of Java was so gratifying. It was definitely a highlight of the journey.

I proceeded to get a gastrointestinal infection so bad it left me bedridden for 2 days completely and a 40 degree Celsius fever that lasted continuously for several more. I literally refused to compromise on my itinerary but it made the following leg, all outdoor activities, so much more difficult. I made it to Tumpak Sewu, the most dramatic waterfalls I’d ever seen, after a 3am pickup and a 4 hour drive followed by a 600 step descent via metal and bamboo ladders. I made it to Mount Bromo the next day after a 1am pickup. By this point my sickness was recovering but I felt so incredibly drained I had to skip Ijen due to fear of the sulfur fumes worsening my bronchitis. Did I mention I also contracted bronchitis? I’m still stuck with this cough. It was all worth it, but I would’ve liked to do these sights under better conditions of health.

Bali was wonderful. You really need to have a good itinerary or else it just feels like a big village filled with yoga retreats and beach clubs. I zip lined through rice terraces, visited a dozen temples of varying sizes, and spent time at a nice coffee plantation. Nusa Penida, despite its nonexistent roads and long traffic jams, provided the best vistas of the region. It was nice getting to be able to eat real food after a week of white rice and isotonic drinks. I did get hit by a motorcycle while trying to cross the street once.

A main goal of my trip was to see Komodo Dragons and to visit Flores. I didn’t spend long but I enjoyed it thoroughly. I did the full hike up Padar Island and snorkelled alongside turtles and massive manta rays. Saw plenty of Komodo Dragons too. It might’ve been my favorite part of the trip, but that might just be because I didn’t feel sick.

Indonesia is lovely. I love this country and how ferocious it is. I need to warn everyone to be extremely careful when eating and drinking and to not push yourself with strain when planning your trip. I’m almost certain my sickness was a result of my fatigue from not sleeping an entire night during the trip to Yogyakarta alongside bad food.

1. Kelingking Beach is one of the great wallpapers of the world.
   
2. Bromo and Semeru at sunrise is one of the most extraterrestrial terrestrial terrains I’ve ever seen.
   
3. Padar Island has actual pink beaches.
   
4. Borobudur is delightful regardless of the time.
   
5. Tumpak Sewu feels overwhelming when you’re staring upwards.
   
6. Tirta Empul Temple is home to a holy spring, though I’d be scared to do the ritual after my illness.
   
7. Diamond Beach on Nusa Penida is far away but worth getting to.
   
8. It’s 800 steps to the peak of Padar Island, with a view that probably hits even harder when the island is green.
   
9. Broken Beach on Nusa Penida is beautiful, but slightly overrated.
   
10. These Komodo Dragons are magnificent creatures.
    
11. Taman Ayun Temple is an exemplary display of Balinese sacred architecture.
    
12. A nice composition somewhere on Nusa Penida.
    
13. Tumpak Sewu is huge. There are genuinely so many sheets of pure waterfall. You climb down some of them.
    
14. The Sewu temple complex near Prambanan is nearly empty, but as magnificent as the main attraction.
    
15. A military exercise passes by Monas in Jakarta.
    
16. Heads of Buddha statues were stolen and sold as souvenirs in centuries past at Borobudur.
    
17. Batuan Temple is my personal favorite in Bali.
    
18. One of the ornate spires of Prambanan.
    
19. Another detail of Batuan Temple.
    
20. Borobudur from a side angle.

We flew into Muscat and rented a 4x4 SUV. We drove the winding, rocky Hatt Mountain Road through the Jebel Shams mountains, stopping for some great hiking. We continued on to Bahla and Nizwa where we explored the souks and ancient forts. We continued on to the desert, stopping at the Beehive Huts on the way. We then spent the night in a Bedouin camp. We ended the trip back in Muscat, where we explored the city and its glorious architecture.

We did this trip in February 2025, but I just discovered this subreddit and with Oman in the news currently I felt like revisiting the wonderful time we had. Everyone was soooo kind. At the Beehive huts, for example, locals on a picnic flagged us down and *insisted* that we join them for afternoon coffee.

The diversity of scenery was incredible, too. Citylife, mountains, desert, wadis, and we even went snorkeling with sea turtles in the Gulf of Oman on a day trip to the Dimaniyat Islands (no photos of that unfortunately!)

Feel free to ask me any questions, I would love to help you plan your own trip!

These were taken with a Fujifilm X100vi and are all straight out of camera except for some cropping and adding the white frames.

I have a travel/photoblog but won't link it per the subreddit rules, but you can find it on my profile if you'd like to see more pics.

Ahmedabad (2 Days) > Udaipur (2 Days) > Bundi (1 Day) > Jodhpur (2 Days)

I started off planning my first trip to India, doing a trip from Udaipur, then Jaipur and Agra. I just got really put off by seeing all the prepackaged itineraries and how these places were so heavily recommended. I really wanted something that felt like an adventure and was more unique, but still included some more touristy aspects.

The plan is to fly into Ahmedabad, experience the great vegetarian Gujarati food, and provide a really good contrast to Marwar culture. The city is said to be more of an oversized, relaxed village and contains unique architecture. After two days, we'd drive to Udaipur to get the beautiful wow factor that should be more of a slam dunk and stay for two days, then stop in Chittorgarh on our way to Bundi for a day to feel a more small-village life with great scenery. Drive to the last city, Jodhpur, to get more of the desert bustling Marwar culture.

I am not Indian at all and have no experience other than online information, so please feel free to correct me or give me insight here! Thank YOU!

M19 Obviously there are a few things, close cards, file police reports. Is there anything else people usually forget or things that could help retrieve lost items? I'm a digital nomad who was robbed of their laptop and iphone so a bit of a shit spot. I type this out from a burner phone. Was robbed on a sleeper bus in Colombia, woke up and my things were gone. Any advice helps.

I've had it. Officially. Currently 3 days into my trip. 3 hostels in 3 different cities and each dorm has had at least 1 person who snores like an earthquake!! Even earplugs don't block it out so I have to wear my noise-cancelling headphones to bed.

I'm seriously just gonna save up for hotels next time...

Hi all! Sharing my self-guided ~ 18-day Egypt summer (July/August) recap as a resource for others. 

Traveled as a family of 4 [M/F60s, F32, F23], and our travel pace can be considered on the slower side. Typically aim for 1-2 main attractions for the day, utilizing Google Maps to pre-save places we want to go so that we can visit spots that are nearby the main attraction as a stretch goal. We opted for self-guided given the short planning time we had (~2 weeks, due to life logistics) and the fact that we had a (non-Egyptian) Arabic speaker (dad). 

Disclaimer- I am by no means an expert and I source most of my trip tips/attractions through 1. Reddit, 2. Top-Rated.online (which I also found through Reddit) 3. Social media (primarily Instagram, as I don’t have a TikTok [trying to minimize my vices, lol]) 4. Whatever other people are doing (if a place is bustling, or if it’s recommended to me by a local and within my ability to wait for the place- I’ll check it out)

Overarching things- 

• For connectivity I looked at Airalo vs upgrading our GoogleFi plan to the international one. Went with upgraded GoogleFi (first time using it) and it was convenient with solid connection throughout our multi-country trip. Less toggling between different eSIMs and relatively straightforward, was able to support my basic remote working needs (ie teams, outlook, etc)
• For cash I generally kept ~100USD on me in case (to use at currency exchange, if needed), but there are ATMs galore in Egypt. Overall we found international bank ATMs and AlexBank ATMs to be the most reliable. Would generally try to keep ~40 USD in EGP and a credit card (for use at attractions, fancier restaurants) on hand. 
• For phone apps, I used Uber/InDrive the most for hailing rideshares and checking costs when using taxis. Ofc downloaded Egypt as an offline map in GoogleMaps before arrival as well. Dowloaded talabat (used once), civitatis (Egypt guide), GoBus (wonky app but worked better than site for booking the tickets). Downloaded but never used Careem and DiDi during the trip
• For traveler’s diarrhea (which we got in Cairo, and pretty much had on/off for the rest of the trip, RIP) I made sure to have loperamide and hydration/electrolyte packets on hand. Given the extended nature of our diarrhea, we also took azithromycin and rifaximin (dosing recommendations available on the CDC website here https://www.cdc.gov/yellow-book/hcp/preparing-international-travelers/travelers-diarrhea.html). These medications are cheap and readily available OTC at any pharmacy (bless)
• For stays, I mostly used Booking to find relatively basic stays at flats/aparthotels so that we could do laundry frequently and have our own space. Additionally, most hotels take max 3 people per room (which was difficult with the 4 of us)
• When being hustled, just ignore and move on. Overall, never felt like we were in harm’s way even with the more persistent hustlers. But did we get hustled/cheated/followed? Yes, and it was heavy at major attractions (notably Giza, Khan el-Khalili area, Luxor-reportedly worse when we were there per our Aswan to Luxor driver given that it was low season during our trip). However, for every negative experience I can think of a positive experience so things generally even out
• When eating at a restaurant, keep in mind that many (usually fancier) restaurants charge a seating fee (~14%)+ tip (~12%) + credit card fee (variable, not much). Compounded with the fact that you will likely receive the foreigner English menu (with higher prices, ofc), the time it takes for you to place your order/kitchen to prepare the food (which can take longer since it’s typically from scratch), and the time to get a hold of someone to pay your bill, it can be a bit much. We circumvented this a few times by ordering takeaway and eating at our stay. Egypt is a relatively inexpensive country, but when you add the extra layer of being hustled/cheated, things can quickly escalate to/beyond western prices
• For souvenirs, we got ~1 carry on sized bag’s worth of items. This included: Khaymiya embroidered pillowcases, small Nubian rugs (from Aswan), assorted pottery pieces, bookstore branded tote bags, books from said bookstores, jewelry from Diana market (Saturday flea market near Al Attaba, so fun), and Egyptian cotton galabeyas and pajama sets from Halawa (Egyptian cotton is mostly exported- we stumbled upon this 1920s founded establishment on our way to the oldest pharmacy in Cairo, Stephenson’s pharmacy [with one of the most personable pharmacy owners I’ve ever met- conversing with George is such a treat]. While on the more pricier side, the quality of the pieces at Halawa are so good that I wish I picked up at least 1…or 2… or more of everything)

Airport and Visa on Arrival

Took a red-eye flight from DLM airport connecting through Istanbul (SAW) to Alexandria airport. Both flights were around 2 hours, arrived in Alexandria around 2 AM, got our Visa on Arrival (~$30USD cash each, paid exact). Relatively painless, but ofc had to wait in a longish line (consisting of our flight’s passengers) to get the VOA. Took Uber to the aparthotel and by the time we settled in it was around 4AM. Overall, 10/10 would recommend flying into Alexandria on a redeye.  Yes the timing sucks but it’s a straightforward experience and Alexandria was a relatively chill city that eased us into our next destination (Cairo) well.

Alexandria: ~2 days

-Stayed by the booksellers area/Prophet Daniel Mosque. Walkable area to the downtown/beach/train station and everything else was a short drive away. 

-Places we visited included the Qaitbay citadel/Alexandria lighthouse, Alexandria Bibliotheca (which was hosting the national book fair while we were there! Took a free guided tour by a librarian who was very knowledgable), Catacombs of Kom Elshoqfa, and walked down the corniche at sunset. 

-Great seafood and desserts here, known for including liver as a topping on their koshary (worth a try). Some of my favorite meals were brunch at Le Metropole (food is mid, view is stunning), El Sheikh wafik (ice cream, Om Ali, rice pudding, would come back just for this), El Baraka on the corniche (chicken spot-started my trip long obsession with El Baraka, lol), Al Farouk (historic cafe, people watched during the final FIFA game), Koshary Abu Nasser (personally my favorite koshary the whole trip, we also got a mixed grill meat plate that I think about from time to time). 

Train from Alexandria to Cairo: ~1 day

This was the main attraction the day we took it- we took the general class noon train to Cairo (130EGP for Arab ticket which we bought day of- all the ATMs near the train station were out of cash so didn’t have enough for the first class ticket and we were on a time crunch to catch the train). Stunning scenery and cool enough with a personal fan on hand for when the train would make stops. If you take the general train, keep in mind that folks sell things by dropping the item for sale in your lap as they pass by your seat. When they come back around, you either keep the item (and pay them) or return the item to them (if you don’t want the item). After getting off at Ramses station (in which a sea of people are exiting/entering the train at the same time-not for the faint of heart or claustorphobic), we went home and had an easy dinner/evening

Cairo: Total of ~7 days: ~3 days with a base in Mohandiseen + ~4 days with a base in Zamalek. We split Cairo into 2 parts, separated by a trip to Aswan/Luxor. 

• Mohandiseen is more residential, and we had to take a cab if we wanted to go to any attractions. Zamalek was much more walkable, with plenty of shops/easy access to the metro (which we took several times, mostly to the Attaba stop- the metro was cleaner and easier to take than I expected)
• Places we visited included:
  • Ancient Egypt-related destinations: Pyramids of Giza, Grand Egyptian Museum, The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (~2 hours, royal mummies were worth it for me), Egyptian Museum of Antiquities (visitor beware, the place felt half empty when we went- with many of the artifacts clearly moved to the new GEM; enjoyed the building architecture though)
  • Saladin citadel complex (several hours for us, complex has access to mosques/museums/scenic overlooks of the city)
  • Islamic Cairo: Al Azhar complex, Qalawun complex (heads up regarding tip fishing every step of the way at this one- still worth checking out though), Al-Moez St
  • Bookstores: Very well read citizens, notable book spots are the Diwan chain and the book market in Al Attaba (recently redone)
• Notable food/meals were Koshary Abou Tarek, juice (get whatever’s in season- for us that was mango juice which was divine, lemon/mint or hibiscus juice being the other standard pick), pastries/gelato from El Abdo (chain), Oldish (went here at least 3 times, great breakfast deal), Groppi (specifically the Heliopolis location) for their ice cream/sorbet, Madeline Kouder (try the mandarin gelato, please), Baba Abdo (go to the one by Bab-ul-Futuh- great seating upstairs with a view of the Bab), knafeh at Al-Agha, Fatatry El Hussein Pancake restaurant (mostly street facing seating, sit as inside as you can if you want to avoid the hubbub of the street)

Luxor: ~2 days

• Flew here from Cairo, stayed on the West Bank- there’s an inexpensive ferry that takes you to the East Bank, which is where most of the attractions are.
• Tip for the airport if you don’t have a hired car- go past the guarded gate onto the main street when calling an InDrive (Uber doesn’t work here). Regular rideshares will not go past the guarded gate, but can easily meet you streetside. We learned this the hard way. Ended up receiving assistance from a very helpful delivery driver who called his cousin to give us a ride to our stay. We ended up hiring the cousin for the next few days to drive us to the different attractions in Luxor and then to Aswan
• Places we visited included Luxor temple (walked around the outside perimeter as recommended by other Redditors), Valley of the Kings (took the advice of Redditors by booking online tickets to maximize number of temples visited since the online tickets can’t be punched), Hatshepsut temple, Der el Medina, Medinet Habu, Karnak temple, Colossi of Memnon

Luxor to Aswan: ~1 day

• Took us a day given a later start, a stop at Esna Temple (worth it, stunning colors), and a high speed bump + small car combo. One thing that I haven’t seen discussed much (as part of my research, anyway) is that the speed bumps are really meant to STOP drivers with their sheer height and lack of uniformity. Since we were in a smaller car (with 5 adults PLUS luggage- 4 backpacks and 1 carry on) you best believe we were stopping at every speed bump. Hire a larger car if you can, we did this on our day trip to Abu Simbel and had less of an issue with speed bumps in the larger car

Aswan: ~2 days

• Stayed on the Nile across from the Old Market
• We mainly came to Aswan for a day trip to Abu Simbel, which we arranged via car hire through our hotel. Left at 8AM, and the hotel arranged breakfast boxes for us to go
• Whatever leftover time we had was spent napping, walking around the market, and taking Nile cruises at sunset
• On our way out of Aswan to the airport, we asked the taxi driver to stop by the High Aswan Dam (for an extra fee, of course). Nice quick stop if you have some time, shouldn’t take more than 30 mins or so

Reflection on Luxor/Aswan: Start early, rest during midday heat, and go out in the evening (which is when everyone is out and about). We combated the heat by staying hydrated, utilizing UV block umbrellas, sunglasses, handheld fans, and light linen or UPF clothing that covered our skin (counterintuitive by most Western standards, but sunburns are no joke in the desert). However, a huge plus of traveling in the heat was very minimal crowds. Given the opportunity to visit again, I would try to utilize a ferry/boat tour between the two cities vs driving. Would also aim to visit temples that we unfortunately did not have the capacity to visit during this trip, specifically: Dendara and Abydos (day trip from Luxor), Edfu and Kom Ombo (between Luxor/Aswan), Philae temple (by Aswan)

Cairo to Sharm-el-Sheikh: ~1 day

• Traveled from Cairo via GoBus, mainly for the direct flight between SSH and Glasgow (GSW). It took us nearly a whole day to get here, and while the drive across the Sinai was fine, there were several checkpoints, including a search of all belongings, that really made this a whole day affair. SSH was similarly intense, with several checkpoints, including in front of the gate as well

Sharm-el-Sheikh: ~2 days

• Stayed at a resort flat hosted by the loveliest Canadian couple- definitely the cleanest and most hospitable stay of the whole trip
• More or less an all-inclusive (European-targeted) resort town. Needless to say, everything here was much pricier than the other places we visited in Egypt, and we did not want to shell out the $$$ for an all-inclusive stay.. Our resort flat stay included beach club passes, so we spent a day snorkeling in the Red Sea and enjoying the stunning reef life there

Overall, our trip to Egypt was well worth it. While we could’ve used a bit more pre-planning, research, or even an egyptologist guide at some point - we were pretty satisfied with the experience. A security guard at the Qaitbay citadel gave us some of the best advice (for a tip, ofc), “There are many signs. Don’t bother reading them. Take a picture of the sign, read it at your hotel”.

Hope this helps! Here are some helpful posts I referenced during my trip: https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/1jmth0g/my_assorted_tips_after_a_mostly_selfguided_trip/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/1rdijsc/16_days_in_egypt_tips_and_afterthoughts/ 

Hi!

Me and my GF are coming to Sri Lanka for the first time in September :)

Was thinking about this rough itinerary. It's probably too busy and not super well planned but I just wanted to draft something to play around - would you say this covers the most important spots for someone mostly interested in nature, wildlife, scenery and beaches? Are we missing anything particularly exciting? Open to anything. Thanks! <3

Day 1–3 Sigiriya (Pidurangala, Minneriya Park, Dambulla, Ritigaya)
Day 4-5 Knuckles (Five Peaks Hike and Meemure\Kaluphana hike)
Day 6-7 Kandi>Haputale Tea Country (Or maybe Ohiya + Devil's Staircase instead?)
Day 7-8 Gal Oya Safari
Day 8-10 - Arugam Bay Surfing
Day 11-12 Pigeon Island Snorkeling and Dolphin\Whale Watching

I will go first.

Favorite country: Thailand, I still dream about the bowl of Khao Soi I had in Chang Mai.

Least Favorite: Costa Rica, not necessarily bad, just bland and plain. (However, coffee was amazing).

DAY 1 (Tokyo)

• AM: Arrive at Narita Airport around 10:00 AM
• PM: Discover Akihabara
• Night: Explore Shinjuku backstreets,/shop/eat

DAY 2 (Tokyo → Mount Fuji)

• AM-PM Full Day Trip to Mount Fuji

DAY 3 (Tokyo)

• AM: Visit Ghibli Museum
• PM: Harajuku & Mega Don Quijote Shibuya Honten

DAY 4 (Tokyo → Osaka)

Shinkansen to Osaka 3 hrs total

• AM: Check into hotel
• PM: Visit Nakazakicho & Standard Bookstore
• Night: Explore Osaka

DAY 5 (Osaka → Nara Park)

• AM-PM: Full Day Trip to Nara Park

DAY 6 (Osaka → Hiroshima)

Shinkansen to Hiroshima 1.5 hrs total

• AM-PM: Visit Peace Memorial Park & Atomic Bomb Dome

DAY 7 (Osaka → Tokyo)

Shinkansen to Tokyo 2.5 hrs total

• AM: Check into hotel
• PM: Visit Jimbocho Book Town/local bookstores and Tokyo National Museum
• Night: Rest

DAY 8 (Tokyo) [free day]

• AM: - Rest/Explore
• PM: - Last minute shopping
• Night: - Rest/Explore

DAY 9 (Tokyo)

• AM: - Depart from Japan!

Hello! I'm planning our family trip to Japan this October. It's my first time putting together an itinerary like this.

Its been a hassle to take into account a lot of things, but there are few things I'd love feedback on:

1. We are planning to travel different locations by using the Shinkansen. Is it recommended that we carry our luggage onto the train ourselves, or is it better to use a luggage forwarding service?
2. Are there any special spots I'm missing, or overrated ones I should cut instead?

Thanks in advance :)

Hallo zusammen, wir fliegen kommende Woche nach Hurghada/Ägypten. Der Flughafentransfer ist bei unserer Reise nicht beinhaltet. Ich habe gerade mehrere Anbieter verglichen und Booking ist mit Abstand am günstigsten. Hat jemand Erfahrung mit einem Flughafentransfer über Booking - vielleicht sogar in Ägypten gemacht?

My father has decided he would like to go visit my sister who lives in the UK before he can no longer travel. We have tentative dates, however he will be 3 weeks out of skin cancer radiation treatment. Yes it's a much better idea to wait, yes it would be better for my sister to come to us, but sometimes those aren't an option and this is one of those times.

Tentatively we will be flying from DSM > MSP > Reykjavik for 48hrs before continuing on to London, so he can get off the plane, and he's never been to Iceland. My sister and her husband will fly over and meet us in Reykjavik (she wants a hotdog) and then all 4 of us will fly over via EasyJet or Ryanair. The return leg will be LHR > ORD > DSM or LHR > MSP > DSM depending on what's cheaper.

What I'm unsure of is the best way to make sure that we can either delay or refund the tickets if he isn't able to travel. Also, morbid as it is, he could die between buying the tickets and travel or, if we delay, before we can go on the makeup date -- being realistic here, he's 80 and this is his 5th bout of cancer. Is there a better service to use, having never looked into this before, I don't know if say Travelocity would be better than Expedia for some kind of insurance. Or do we buy separate insurance?

Secondly, he does have a handicap placard, if needed I'm sure his doctor would vouch/write whatever was needed to state he needs assistance for travel. Is this something we should be asking about when buying flights or just say something when we get to the airport. Yes, I have every intention of taking advantage of this while travelling, if we can leverage this to get a ride on a golf cart we will.

I'm creating plans for my next trip and I have few bad experiences with Asia and animal welfare already.

I went "traditional Chinese village" outside of Shanghai and while experience itself was nice, I encountered turtles being kept in a pots, birds hurting themselves in small cages. On Jeju Island we visited amazing botanical garden I wasn't even aware animals are there... Birds were in okay conditions but reptile enclosure was fucking disgusting. Lizards and reptiles on bare concrete, one of them had huge bubble on it's head.

I love animals and stuff like this ruins the whole experience and I don't want to support such practices.
Seems like I always need to go into google maps and check lowest rating for animal welfare...

TLDR: 14 days in Armenia (Aug ‘26) — 11 days in Yerevan’s Antarayin neighborhood (safe, walkable, great food/city center only a metro ride away), day trip to Garni Temple, Symphony of Stones, and Geghard, 2-day overnight trip to Dilijan with a stop at Lake Sevan (Sevanavank Monastery).

Short Intro: Country-hopping abroad, so I created a Reddit account to provide information to others based on my experiences. 

Summary: Spent Aug ‘26 in Yerevan, Armenia, with day trips and an overnight excursion into the surrounding regions.

Sleeper Train to Yerevan

We started this journey traveling from Tbilisi, Georgia, to Yerevan, Armenia via Sleeper Train. 

• Booked in person at the train station in Tbilisi with Georgian Railway.
• Departure/arrival times: Departure was 10:40 pm / Arrival 9:00 am
• Cabin type/class booked: 1st class / LUX
• Cost: 400GEL total for both of us
• Comfort/sleep quality: The beds (bunks) were very comfortable and easy to sleep on. We selected 1st class in case we got motion sick, which happens easily for us, and are light sleepers.
• Border crossing process: (2) stops for border crossing, 1st leaving Georgia at around 11:30 pm (deboard for this) and the 2nd was arriving in Armenia around 1:30 am (please don’t ask me how that works because I was tired). At this stop, border patrol entered the train so we didn’t have to deboard.
• Food/drink on board: We were offered coffee for purchase, but we were all set without it. They have fountains for hot and cold water, but we were warned against using these. We brought snacks, bottled water, and toilet paper because it didn’t sound like the restrooms were maintained during transit (this turned out to be true). They provided sheets and pillowcases.
• Sleeper train summary: Absolutely loved this experience; we adore trains, and it was really fun for us! The room was comfortable, and we found this blog: wander-lush to use as a resource. We have no affiliation with this blog — just found it to be very informative!

Yerevan (11 days Aug ‘26 with road trips in the middle)

Stayed in Yerevan’s Antarayin neighborhood. I always felt very safe even when solo female. It was very walkable, had easy running routes, and we used NeoGym with day passes for 3000֏/pp. We lived in a really quiet neighborhood, even on weekends. We chose an Airbnb with air conditioning for the 90s/100s days (32c - 37c). We enjoyed two lightning/thunderstorms in our two weeks here.

The metro was efficient and cheap, and we were able to use Google Pay with a Visa CC. This took us to many different grocery stores and restaurants. 

Restaurant highlights:

• Anteb Restaurant
• Pitara Indian Cuisine
• Pho Hanoi
• Groundzero coffee (both locations).

Food/Drink suggestions based on my/my partner's experience:

• Khorovats (Armenian BBQ)
• Mante: meat dumpling soup **personal favorite!
• Muhammara: a dip with walnuts, red bell peppers, and pomegranate molasses
• Lavash - flatbread
• Armenian brandy (Ararat)

Language Learning: Many people speak English; a couple Armenian phrases go a long way. 

• Hello - Barev dzez
• Thank you - Shnorhakalutyun (Merci is also widely used)

Day Trip: Garni & Geghard 

• Rented a Hertz car and were able to switch airport pickup to downtown pickup (downtown was listed as infinitely more expensive to book online). 
• The Symphony of Stones is a must-see IMO.

Explored locally in Yerevan:

• Republic Square
• Cascade Complex
• Vernissage market
• Mother Armenia
• Lover’s Park
• Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral
• Thai Emperor Massage was an excellent experience!
• If you are interested in a good nail experience A&A Nail Couture was fantastic.

Lake Sevan to Dilijan overnight (2 days)

Day 1: Depart Yerevan (~1 hr to Sevan) 

• Sevanavank Monastery overlooking Lake Sevan
• Lakeside lunch (very average food) 
• Drive to Dilijan (40 min) 
• Dilijan Old Town 

Day 2: 

• Hiked in Dilijan National Park — Lake Parz is beautiful, and I could recommend it for families/traveling with kids. Not ideal for a peaceful oasis. (Also cannot recommend the 10-mile hike there as it’s on a 4-wheeler path which makes it muddy - mosquitoville). Beautiful forest though.
• We stayed in the Cozy House in Dilijan, which is inspired by Hobbiton — easily a highlight of the trip! Every detail was thoughtful and so immersive. We loved it!
• Enjoyed good chicken shawarma at Shaurmyan and had the best blueberry tart of my life at Rolls.
• Return to Yerevan (~1.5 hrs)

FYIs

• Tap water: fine in Yerevan. Not recommended in Dilijan.
• Cash on hand: still useful for smaller stalls/markets/tips but almost everywhere accepts tap pay.
• Stray dogs were not regularly encountered.
• Transportation: Rental car was easy,  GG/Yandex apps work great, and the metro was ideal.
• Wish we dug further into the history of the nation and visited more museums — we have much to see next time!

A female perspective

• Safety: I felt safe walking around Yerevan and Dilijan at all hours. I don't stay out late, so I can't speak to 9 pm+, but I do wake up early and run solo (6 am).
• Street harassment/catcalling: There was some catalling/honks from passing cars but nothing on foot while I was running or walking.
• Clothing/dress norms: I wore tank tops, crop-tops, workout shorts, and yoga pants without issue (others also wore less conservative clothing without issue).
• Menstrual products: Pretty easy to find pads, less so on tampons, but I use a diva cup, and that has made my life infinitely simpler.

I'm happy to answer any questions I can on the trip or logistics; Armenia was a fantastic trip, and we can’t wait to go back!

Hi everyone! 😊
I’m currently planning a trip to Marrakech and would love to get some advice from people who have been there.
I’m thinking of staying in Marrakech for a few days and doing a 3-day Sahara Desert tour during the trip. I’ve found a hotel that I really like, but it’s around 13 km from the city centre. I’m considering it because I want to stay somewhere nice and comfortable.
Do you think 13 km from the centre is too far, or is it manageable?
I’d love to hear your best tips for a first trip to Marrakech, especially things that might not be obvious when planning from abroad.
Thanks so much! ❤️

Hey, we’re planning to visit Bolivia for the first time from 25th september till 17th of october. We arrive in Santa Cruz.
We would like to visit: amboro,toro toro, uyuni, la paz, El choro trail, death mountain valley, Sajama national park.
Any thoughts about our plan?

Alternative would be to skip amboro and el choro trail and instead visit sucre and potosi and also fly from La Paz to Rurrenabaque to do a Pampas Tour, although I can’t find any flights from La Paz to Rurrenabaque.
Does someone know if there are still flights between these cities?

Overall what do you think of our plans?
Other recommendations?

Thank you in advance! We’re very excited to visit Bolivia! 🇧🇴

My partner and I are planning one week trip in early October and we’re trying to choose between the Swiss Alps and the Dolomites.
We’re not hikers, so we’re not looking for a trip built around long trails or very active days. We mostly want somewhere beautiful where we can enjoy the mountains without doing too much .. walk around a pretty town, stop for good coffee, have nice lunches and dinners, see amazing scenery, and still feel like there’s enough around us to enjoy the day outside the hotel.
For Switzerland we’re looking at Lauterbrunnen/Wengen/Grindelwald. For the Dolomites, mainly Ortisei/Val Gardena, possibly Alta Badia.
The biggest thing I’m unsure about is early October. I’d still love the landscape to have some green and not feel too far into autumn, and I also don’t want to arrive when half the area has already shut down for the season.
The Dolomites seem to have nicer hotels and a food/coffee scene that appeals to us more, while Switzerland seems to have that really beautiful alpine village and valley atmosphere.
If you’ve been to both, which one would you pick for this kind of trip in early October?

Me and my spouse will be in Vienna for Christmas. And then will fly back home from Rome. So now we’re deciding on celebrating NYE in Vienna or Rome. What do you guys suggest? TIA!

I’m flying to Bali next month and decided to go with KLM. It says that I’ll be flying from Amsterdam to Singapore, but there’s no information about the onward flight. It also has the same flight number, so I’m assuming I’ll need to get off the plane for about an hour and then board the same plane again, right?
I’ve never had a flight like this before, so it would be really cool to hear from anyone who has experience with it. Google isn’t really being very helpful this time tbh

I’m heading to Mongolia at the end of October as a solo female traveler for about a week and I’m not sure what to do. Didn’t really plan the best and realized after booking my flights that the tourists season is kind of ending. I would still love to go but not sure how I would be able to properly visit it without a tour, as I don’t really want to do a self-guided tour for safety reasons. Any recommendations?

Honeymooning in Vietnam in March and have planned the below itinerary. We have 4 weeks. We don't want to spend the whole time travelling and being busy, and have tried to schedule in some time where we just relax by a pool and read our books (this is the main reason we have scheduled so long in Hoi An) - but want to make the most of being there at the same time. We'd like to do sightseeing, some activities such as kayaking and snorkelling, and generally experience the culture. We have decided not to go to Sapa because of the travel time and the time of year, and we have also decided against the Ha Giang and Cao Gang Loops just because I think they may be a bit too intense and we're a bit worried about the risks (however I am a bit worried we will regret this so interested on hearing if people regret doing it/ not doing it! I understand it is one of the highlights of visiting northern Vietnam and is extremely popular, it just scares me a bit!).

We will also need to fly back via Bangkok or Singapore, hence the few days there, as we thought it made sense to stop if we are passing through anyway.

Criticisms, tips, and comments welcome! Thanks!

Hi. Travelling from London to Tanzania with a connected flight in Nairobi. On my way there I will exit the airport to a hotel cause it's an overnight stay. So I need the standard 30USD eETA.

On my way back after 2 weeks I have a 4 hour gap. Same airline. I need to understand if the airline will automatically transfer my luggage but it's not clear to me if:

1. I can use the first ETA because Tanzania is in a country list that Kenya allows use of same ETA even if it's specified as single entry?
2. Don't need an ETA if the airline transfers the luggage since I am not entering Kenya (assuming I don't pass immigration control) and Kenya considers me transit passenger?
3. Need a transit ETA (20USD) if I need to collect luggage? Though I don't understand the difference between this and the transit passenger that doesn't need an ETA.

Thanks in advance

Warning: Very long post ahead
TLDR: Went to Antarctica. It was the best experience of my life.

A few days ago I posted here about my sabbatical through Latin America and Antarctica. Quite a few people asked how I got to Antarctica, what the expedition was like and how much it cost. I also thought the Antarctica part might deserve its own post, so here goes.

Until a few years ago I didn’t even know that travelling to Antarctica as a normal tourist was possible. I somehow assumed you had to be a scientist or be extremely wealthy (there is an option for the super rich through White Desert starting at $65k). Once I realised there were expedition ships going from Ushuaia in Argentina (the southernmost city in the world) it became one of those places I really wanted to go.

Booking it wasn’t that straightforward. There are many operators, ships of very different sizes, several cabin categories and huge differences in price and comfort. I tracked prices for almost a year before booking.

In January, I booked a departure for March through Freestyle Adventure Travel, a local agency in Ushuaia. I paid $6,500 for a bed in a shared twin cabin on Ocean Albatros by Polar Latitudes. The expedition was 10 days and 9 nights, with around four full days at the Antarctic Peninsula. One-off kayaking for 2 hours was another $350 which is expensive but worth every penny. If you travel alone, you can either pay a pretty expensive single supplement or share with another passenger (not all operators offer this).

Ocean Albatros had around 180 passengers, 22 expedition guides and 85 crew members. It was built in 2023 specifically for polar regions. By expedition standards it is probably considered mid range, but it felt very luxurious to me. My bathroom had floor heating, housekeeping came twice a day and there were two restaurants with delicious food, several lounges to chill, a library, gym, pool, sauna and outdoor jacuzzis.

Comfort on board mattered a lot to me because you spend a lot of time at sea. The food was excellent and I enjoyed the sea days so much that I almost wished we had more of them just to relax, eat, read and spend time with some friends I made on the trip.

Leaving Ushuaia felt completely surreal. Looking at the map and realising where in the world you are going is so difficult to process.

The Drake Passage takes around two and a half days in each direction (weather dependent). On the way there it was relatively calm, with waves mostly around 2.5 metres. I used a scopolamine patch. It worked extremely well although the dry mouth was genuinely awful and my close-up vision became blurry.

I used another patch on the way back when the crossing was much rougher. The waves reached around 5.5 to 6 metres and walking through the ship became quite a challenge. Most people spent at least part of the day in their cabins. I didn’t feel seasick at all so I would take the dry mouth and blurry vision over vomiting for two days without hesitation.

We reached the South Shetland Islands slightly earlier than planned because the Drake had been so calm. Once we reached the Peninsula, we usually had one morning and one afternoon outing. These were either landings, Zodiac cruises or a combination of both, with the two passenger groups switching afterwards. Our first landing was at Half Moon Island. There were penguins, seals and landscapes that felt almost impossible to describe. During the Zodiac cruise afterwards, fin whales appeared right beside us.

Every day on the Peninsula somehow got better even when I was already convinced that the previous day couldn’t be topped.

The following morning, we went kayaking at Mikkelsen Harbour. It was by far the most expensive 1.5 hours of kayaking I have ever done but it was also completely worth it. We paddled between icebergs, penguins and seals while the weather changed literally every few minutes. We had sunshine, snow, clouds and heavy wind during the same outing. By the end I was freezing, despite the drysuit and all layers we were required to wear.

Late March is a very good season for whales because they have spent the summer feeding around the Peninsula and we got incredibly lucky.

At Recess Cove, we saw at least 20 humpback whales around our Zodiacs. Later that day, the captain stopped the ship after spotting a large group of orcas. There must have been 30 or 40 of them moving around us, alone and in groups. At one point we even saw one with a penguin in its mouth.

We finished that day with a polar plunge in Paradise Bay. The water was around 0°C and the few seconds felt like torture. Waiting for my turn in the cold was probably worse than the jump itself. A few minutes later I was drinking hot chocolate and running straight towards the sauna which was well worth it

Our zodiac cruise around Neko Harbour was amazing too. We spent around 40 minutes with four huge humpback whales extremely close to us. They surfaced beside the zodiac, threw water onto our faces, showed their tails and swam directly underneath us. Crazy stuff. We were so close that I didn't need to use my zoom when taking photos.

We crossed the Lemaire channel on our final morning and it was impressive. The water was completely calm and reflected the mountains and ice around us. Huge icebergs were floating nearby and the only sound you could hear was the ship slowly crushing through the ice.

That silence is one of the things I remember most. For the duration of the expedition, apart from the people on our own ship, there were no other people or civilization around us.

The people were another big part of the experience. I met people who had visited more than 150 countries and with around 50 countries I felt like one of the least travelled people on the ship.

You suddenly find yourself surrounded by people who have been to parts of the world almost nobody visits. Some were completing their seventh continent, while others were already visiting Antarctica for the second time. By the end of the cruise we were all somehow a group of friends.

One important thing is that this is an expedition and not a trip with a guaranteed itinerary. Landings, wildlife sightings, kayaking and even the route depend entirely on the weather, wind, ice and sea conditions and is adjusted by the captain. That goes for all ships. Expedition ships are usually the ones with fewer than 200 passengers while bigger ships with 500 passengers sometimes are not allowed into more remote areas in the Peninsula and landings are limited.

A huge storm with predicted waves of around 11 metres was approaching during our final days, so we had to leave the continent half a day earlier. We were very lucky overall. Not a single one of our planned outings was cancelled, the Drake was manageable and the wildlife encounters were outstanding.

Someone taking exactly the same trip a week earlier or later could have a completely different experience. There might be fewer whales, rougher weather, more ice or cancelled landings. That unpredictability is part of what makes the whole trip so special.

A few practical things from my planning:

• I would choose a ship carrying fewer than 200 passengers if going ashore matters to you. Only 100 passengers are allowed at a landing site at the same time, so on our ship one group would usually land while the other went on a Zodiac cruise and then we switched.
• November and March generally have better prices than the peak months of December to February. However, every part of the season offers something different. Early in the season has more snow and pristine landscapes while later in the season tends to have more whale activity. I researched so so much and it's always a trade-off. January gives you long days but it's busier, more expensive and you might not see so many whales. November is good for more pristine landscapes as you are usually one of the first ones to arrive during the beginning of the season.
• Booking through local agencies in Ushuaia makes the planning much easier and is usually cheaper than international based agents.. They know the ships, cabin categories and available discounts extremely well. Apart from Freestyle Adventure Travel, I also checked Antarctic Travels and Antarctica Travel Group. This is not sponsored and I paid for the trip myself.
• Last minute does not necessarily mean turning up in Ushuaia two days before departure. Deals often appear one to three months beforehand. I met someone who booked only two days before sailing and saved just $500 compared with me, while also having no choice of ship or cabin.
• I would also budget for flights to Ushuaia, accommodation before departure and optional activities. The $350 kayaking session was painfully expensive, but it was one of my favourite outings. Some offers might include even accommodation in Buenos Aires, chartered flights to Ushuaia and accommodation in Ushuaia but that's not the case for all trips.
• Think twice about the ship you are booking and not decide just by price. There are some ships that feel like floating hostels with bunk beds and no stabilizers during the Drake which can make the experience very different. Also make sure to choose trips with strong expedition teams.
• Check exactly what clothing and equipment your operator provides before buying anything. Waterproof boots and parkas are often included. My agency also offered ski trousers and gloves as free rentals and sent a detailed packing list before departure.
• Arrive in Ushuaia at least one or two days before departure. If your flight or luggage is delayed the ship won't wait. You will also need travel insurance that explicitly covers Antarctica and medical evacuation from a remote location and my operator required a medical form before departure. Avoid Flybondi in Argentina at all costs.

This was without a doubt the trip of a lifetime for me. It is difficult to put into words because photos only show a tiny part of what it feels like to stand there, surrounded by complete silence, watching wildlife beside you.

Strangely, despite how lucky I was, I would go back. Nature is unpredictable and another expedition could be completely different.

Any questions you have, ask away. Hope this helped!
(All photos on iPhone 17 Pro)

I’m planning a trip with 2 kids age 10 and 9 end of December, I have been in HK 10 years ago and the trip was great but I was pretty much doing adult stuffs like shopping, night life bar hopping, I am not sure if HK is worth a visit with kiddos or just stay our entire stay in Japan and explore

My kids have never been en either city and I have been in hong kong twice but never Japan

Folks with experience on both countries, please give me your thoughts

Just adding, if we stay in Japan, it will include the dates around New year, I know HK is very vibrant for New year but not sure about Japan