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Category: Travel Guides

  • Is Ha Long Bay worth it?

    Is Ha Long Bay worth it?

    Is Ha Long Bay worth it?

    Ha Long Bay is a beautiful location that is situated on the east side of Vietnam roughly 2/3 hours from the capital. The Bay is known to be one of the most popular spots to visit in the world to visit. So much so that it is known to be a natural wonder of the world. Over 10 million people are to visit the natural wonder but does it really live up to expectation? And is it worth visiting??

    *This post contains affiliate links, which we may earn from. This does not come at an additional cost, but helps us to pursue this dream 🙂

    Image of Ha long Bay in Vietnam, with boats and rock formations

    Transport

    The best way to get here from most locations is by private taxi or coach. As mentioned it is a few hours from the capital, and these are the most popular ways that people travel to the Bay. We went directly from the Ha Giang Loop which was a sleepers bus through Hanoi and to Ha Long. This was a long journey but was overnight so the perfect place you can have a sleep and wake up at your destination.

    You can check out the 12go buses here for all of your Asia bus needs, or check out the specific route here.

    The City of Halong

    The city is strange… A large city with buildings standing pretty tall but not much life. We stayed on the west bank of Ha Long and we struggled to find places to eat. There weren’t many people around and felt very desolate. Unfortunately we didn’t have the time to visit the east side of Ha Long but we heard similar stories of quiet streets and a lack of life in the large city.

    Hotel

    We stayed at Ruby Ha Long 8 Hotel which was on the bank of the water, a beautiful place for early morning walks. It’s a great location to see the Ha Long from the city and to go to the dock to board your boat ready to visit the islands of Ha Long. The Hotel costs roughly £15 a night and is high quality with lovely, spacious rooms, spotless bathrooms and great hosts. If you are looking to visit be sure to check out this hotel for an amazing experience here.

    Activities and Experience

    There are quite a few different activities and bookings you can attend with some providing overnight stay while in the Bay.

    When we visited we opted for the day trip into the bay which included a buffet lunch, kayak activities, places to swim and explore as well as cool islands and caves. The activity lasts most of the day usually ranging from 9 am through to 5/6 pm and definitely keeps you busy throughout the day.

    Check out the full experience via Viator here – Halong Bay Day Trip with Cave and Titop Island From Hanoi.

    To delve in deeper, we started the day in the morning and meeting at the docks to board the boat which is much larger than the boats provided across the rest of South East Asia. Usually the boats are small with limited cover but this is a proper boat!

    Here you had a seating area much like a restaurant with booths either side and a walkway down the middle to a bar with drinks and snacks. There are places to go outside and enjoy the lovely weather or views throughout the day so don’t worry. In the morning they will provide you with some fruits (fresh pineapple)for a small fee and you are left to your own devices while we head to the first stop.

    On the trip you head to some luscious caves deep into the bay which are very large and you are taught about the history of the bay. It’s a nice walk and can take up to 45 minutes to enjoy before you head off to your next destination. At the end of the caves there is a local shop which offers local souvenirs that you may want to buy to remember your trip by.

    Another destination on the agenda for the day is Ti Top Island which gets it’s name from astronaut Gherman Titov who visited the island in 1962. The island includes a statue which looks out across the bay and also has a viewpoint that is a pretty short walk. This gives you a beautiful view of the Bay!

    It’s known to be one of the top beaches in Vietnam and can be popular to visit in the busy months of the year. They have a designated area to swim in to preserve the surrounding waters. This is a common place for people to also enjoy sports including beach volleyball or just simple to relax and get an ice cream to soak up the views of this beautiful island.

    The top destination on this trip for us would be this small lagoon located through a small crack in the mountain that opens up to a lake-like water. Here there are wild monkeys that live and can come up close so make sure to keep your distance as after all, they are wild animals! The hidden water is a great place to explore with a Kayak and you get roughly 1 hour to explore, check out the rock edges, look for other small gaps towards more pools of water and just to marvel at the beautiful greenery.

    This location really is beautiful and is a place to soak up the natural beauty of the bay. It definitely helps you to understand why it’s a natural wonder of the world! Such a stunning location!

    Boat photo in Ha Long Bay Vietnam
    Buildings in the distance in Vietnam
    Cave experience as part of the Ha Long Bay trip
    Statue at ha long bay

    The lunch provided on the trip is rice with different local meats and veggies which is a great way to fill yourself up after exploring and being busy around the local islands. The food is cooked fresh on the boat and is a buffet so make sure you make the most of it.

    Throughout the day, the captain will make sure to update you on each location you are to visit and the plan for the day so you are aware of proceedings.

    At the end of the day you will be dropped off back at the same location you were picked up at so you can head back and get much needed rest after a long day exploring the bay.

    As mentioned previously, there are options to stay overnight or even for 2 nights! This would be a great way to see the Bay away from the bulk of travelling and enjoy the natural silence and beauty. This is also an opportunity to catch the sunrise and sunset in the bay which would be a marvel within itself. Also, as it’s a natural wonder there is limited pollution so there may be a good clear sky to enjoy the stars at night.

    If you are interested to know more on the overnight stays at the bay, do check it out the 2 day tour here and the 3 day tour here.

    Our Thoughts on Ha Long Bay

    Ha Long Bay is a beautiful location that is full of nature and untouched islands. The stops are very informative and have a great balance of history, nature and activities that will keep you busy for the whole day for sure. The price for the day trip is budget friendly and when visiting it is definitely the number one thing to do here. Many people travel to Vietnam to visit the Bay so we would totally recommend it!

    However, there are other places across South East Asia that are just as beautiful if not more so, including the South of Thailand and Palawan. If we could only recommend visiting one location we would recommend opting towards the South of Thailand and Palawan. We feel these are better value for money and have more opportunity to experience all of what the islands have including snorkelling, turtles and meeting locals on isolated islands.

    To learn more about these opportunities in the South of Thailand please check out more here. For more on Palawan, Philippines, check out our blog post here.

    We hope you enjoyed this blog and wish you an amazing trip wherever in the world you are travelling. We are currently showcasing all our travels, trips and experiences on our social media’s below so be sure to check them out.

    Our favourite must-needed travel resources

    Where to Fly

    Trip.com – Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.

    Kiwi – Use Kiwi’s amazing service that is pioneering in the flight space! They use virtual interlining, which means they can provide seamless connecting flights into one single itinerary!

    CheapOair – Being one of the fastest growing online travel companies in the US, CheapOair offers great flight deals, hotel rooms, rental cars and more!

    Where to Stay

    Booking.com – Offering over 28 million accommodations to book, we will always use booking.com! Having a rewards system built in, the more you book, the more perks you get!

    HostelWorld – You cannot budget travel without hostel world! Having over 17,000 hostels, boasting over 13 million reviews, hostel world is one our of top websites for budget travel! They are now offering more ways to meet people abroad, with meet ups, group chats and more available!

    Vrbo – Find stunning vacation rentals with Vrbo! Offering over 2 million paid listings in 190 countries, find memorable experiences with this accommodation service!

    Where to Explore

    Viator – A trip advisor company, viator offers over 300,000 experiences over 200 countries, including water sports, walking tours, boat trips, food tastes tours and more! Including activities for many budgets, check out Viator!

    Eat With – Experience authentic travel experiences with locals worldwide! Use eat with to book unique and intimate dining experiences, such as dinner parties in big restaurants, big feasts with a local family, cooking classes with a local and more!

    Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common too!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!

    Where to get Connected

    Airalo – With over one million people using Airalo, it is our go to eSIM provider for our worldwide trips! Having data packs from over 200 countries, find combined area packages and deals to suit your travel style and data needs!

    Where to be Protected

    ETKA – Every age from 3 to 85 can buy ETKA’s travel insurance, offering multilingual 24/7 chat support, and your insurance policy within 2-3 minutes!

    Our Top Traveller’s Essentials

    Backpack – Osprey Farpoint 40 – This backpack is a staple amongst many travellers! Being a lot cheaper than the luxury brands, this is a quality backpack from a well known brand. It boasts quality durability, is lightweight with a great framework and is a great option for most people! This backpack has a hip strap to help carry the bag, a breathable harness strap, and comes in multiple colours!

    Compression Packing Cubes – Compression cubes are our favourite packing accessory! These cubes are similar to the normal packing cubes, but feature a compression zip, meaning you can compress your clothes down… this makes packing easier, limits the space you are using, and means more room for souvenirs etc!

    Powerbank – Don’t lose power when travelling! It isn’t always guaranteed to find charging ports, so we would always suggest carrying a spare power bank, just incase you do run low on power when you need it!

    Universal Travel Plug Adapter – Most backpackers/travellers visit multiple countries during one trip. And that means it isn’t guaranteed you will be using the same plug head during each place. A universal plug is great as it lets you switch between each plug head style all in one item! We love ours, it has USB slots meaning multiple items can be charged at once.

    Find our full packing list guide here.

    Thank you for reading our Ha Long Bay Guide

    If you would like to support our own travel Journey, please check out all our other blogs, and subscribe to the newsletter where we are currently uploading daily blogs!

    We post weekly Youtube Videos now! Please check out our newest Vlog!

    Check out our Social Media’s below! We share our daily activities, all of our budget friendly travel tips, travel inspiration and more!

    Finally, share this post with your friends! Let’s build those travel plans and make memories!

    Leave a comment

  • Walking with Wild Deer in Denmark; Marselisborg Deer Park

    Walking with Wild Deer in Denmark; Marselisborg Deer Park

    Europe is full of many beautiful rural spots to look at nature. Whether it’s admiring the alp mountains or just the fields of southern France, it’s widely known to have scenic countryside views which many don’t know about. Being European, we attempt to visit Europe often to enjoy the major cities but also some of the lesser known locations and smaller towns and cities in different countries. The location of Aarhus, Denmark was one we didn’t know much about and when doing our research we came across a local park outside the city which was known for having wild deer which you could walk with… So we did exactly that!

    Read more to find out about the Marselisborg Deer Park and how you can walk alongside wild deer in Denmark!

    *This post contains affiliate links, which we may earn from. This does not come at an additional cost, but helps us to pursue this dream 🙂

    Mother and fawn at Marseliborg Deer Park in Aarhus, Denmark
    1. Visiting Aarhus in Denmark
    2. How to get to Marselisborg Deer Park
    3. The Deer Park + Experience
    4. When to visit Marselisborg Deer Park
    5. The Marselisborg Deer Park in Aarhus
    6. Our favourite must-needed travel resources
      1. Where to Fly
      2. Where to Stay
      3. Where to Explore
      4. Where to get Connected
      5. Where to be Protected
    7. Our Top Traveller’s Essentials
    8. Thank you for reading our Marselisborg Deer Park Travel Guide

    Visiting Aarhus in Denmark

    As our Aarhus trip was a 24 hour holiday, we didn’t have much time to lose and probably would of spent a little more time in the park if we had time. You can out a bit more about Aarhus here. Alongside our 24 hour trip here!

    Whilst in Aarhus you can stay at this hostel for a budget friendly (& high quality) stay!

    How to get to Marselisborg Deer Park

    The best way to get to the park is either through a private taxi, but as budget travellers we opted to wait for the public bus, which you can catch from Aarhus’ city centre.

    As we were on a schedule, waiting for the bus wasn’t the smartest idea as we waited for an hour at least but finally the bus arrived. It’s only a 10/20 minute bus ride out of the city to a small bus stop at the Ballehage/Ørneredevej bus station . From here you walk 10 minutes into the woods following a small road which leads up to a trail. The park is by the water and is protected with fences. As you enter you are given signs of how to stay safe.

    The Deer Park + Experience

    The deer can be very protective – especially with the males if it is mating season. So make sure to take caution and make no sudden movements when near them. Now you have entered and closed the gate behind you, you can wander around the park and explore to see what you can find. As we were late, we only spend roughly 1 hour 30 here but would likely spend more.

    About 5 minutes into the park is an open area where the majority of the deer stay which is the best spot.

    We would totally recommend spending a little to buy some fresh carrots or apples from the local shop to feed the animals. We weren’t aware of this before going but managed to find some on the floor to feed them which was adorable! At the time of visiting, there were a few calf’s running around with their mothers and playing in the park.

    Jack of Ourtwostepstart stroking a wild deer at the Marselisborg Deer Park
    Feeding deer at Marselisborg Deer Park in Aarhus
    Mother and Fawn at Deer Park in Aarhus, Denmark
    Deer in Aarhus' Marselisborg Deer Park
    Stag at the Deer Park in Aarhus
    Cute deer in Aarhus Marselisborg Deer Park

    The deer are used to humans and therefore are happy to come up to you if you are offering food and don’t mind being toughed. It’s such a beautiful park and location that we found a nice spot to sit down and enjoy watching the deer wander. Within eyesight there must be 50/70 deer at least.

    When to visit Marselisborg Deer Park

    The park is usually quite busy with people from lunchtime onwards till closure, so we would recommend to visit earlier in the morning for the best experience! However, it is a nice lunchtime activity, so depending on your allotted time available it depends when is best to visit!

    We visited during ‘golden hour’ which is itself was extremely beautiful.

    The Marselisborg Deer Park in Aarhus

    This is a must do when visiting Denmark and was such a surreal experience.

    If you enjoyed this blog make sure to check out our other blogs and don’t forget to subscribe for more travel blogs. Also, if you like the blog it would go a long way to support our website!

    We also post our travelling content on our social media’s which are liked down below if you would like to see what daily adventures we get up to!

    Our favourite must-needed travel resources

    Where to Fly

    Trip.com – Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.

    Kiwi – Use Kiwi’s amazing service that is pioneering in the flight space! They use virtual interlining, which means they can provide seamless connecting flights into one single itinerary!

    CheapOair – Being one of the fastest growing online travel companies in the US, CheapOair offers great flight deals, hotel rooms, rental cars and more!

    Where to Stay

    Booking.com – Offering over 28 million accommodations to book, we will always use booking.com! Having a rewards system built in, the more you book, the more perks you get!

    HostelWorld – You cannot budget travel without hostel world! Having over 17,000 hostels, boasting over 13 million reviews, hostel world is one our of top websites for budget travel! They are now offering more ways to meet people abroad, with meet ups, group chats and more available!

    Vrbo – Find stunning vacation rentals with Vrbo! Offering over 2 million paid listings in 190 countries, find memorable experiences with this accommodation service!

    Where to Explore

    Viator – A trip advisor company, viator offers over 300,000 experiences over 200 countries, including water sports, walking tours, boat trips, food tastes tours and more! Including activities for many budgets, check out Viator!

    Eat With – Experience authentic travel experiences with locals worldwide! Use eat with to book unique and intimate dining experiences, such as dinner parties in big restaurants, big feasts with a local family, cooking classes with a local and more!

    Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common too!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!

    Where to get Connected

    Airalo – With over one million people using Airalo, it is our go to eSIM provider for our worldwide trips! Having data packs from over 200 countries, find combined area packages and deals to suit your travel style and data needs!

    Where to be Protected

    ETKA – Every age from 3 to 85 can buy ETKA’s travel insurance, offering multilingual 24/7 chat support, and your insurance policy within 2-3 minutes!

    Our Top Traveller’s Essentials

    Backpack – Osprey Farpoint 40 – This backpack is a staple amongst many travellers! Being a lot cheaper than the luxury brands, this is a quality backpack from a well known brand. It boasts quality durability, is lightweight with a great framework and is a great option for most people! This backpack has a hip strap to help carry the bag, a breathable harness strap, and comes in multiple colours!

    Compression Packing Cubes – Compression cubes are our favourite packing accessory! These cubes are similar to the normal packing cubes, but feature a compression zip, meaning you can compress your clothes down… this makes packing easier, limits the space you are using, and means more room for souvenirs etc!

    Powerbank – Don’t lose power when travelling! It isn’t always guaranteed to find charging ports, so we would always suggest carrying a spare power bank, just incase you do run low on power when you need it!

    Universal Travel Plug Adapter – Most backpackers/travellers visit multiple countries during one trip. And that means it isn’t guaranteed you will be using the same plug head during each place. A universal plug is great as it lets you switch between each plug head style all in one item! We love ours, it has USB slots meaning multiple items can be charged at once.

    Find our full packing list guide here.

    Thank you for reading our Marselisborg Deer Park Travel Guide

    If you would like to support our own travel Journey, please check out all our other blogs, and subscribe to the newsletter where we are currently uploading daily blogs!

    We post weekly Youtube Videos now! Please check out our newest Vlog!

    Check out our Social Media’s below! We share our daily activities, all of our budget friendly travel tips, travel inspiration and more!

    Finally, share this post with your friends! Let’s build those travel plans and make memories!

    Leave a comment

  • How to see Elephants in Thailand!

    How to see Elephants in Thailand!

    Thailand is a beautiful, scenic country full of amazing experiences that we believe everyone should see. You can really do almost everything here from see amazing natural sea life to venturing in the mountains or going off grid in the national parks. You really have it all and it totally makes sense why it’s some people’s favourite country to visit. Seeing Elephants were a massive highlight during this trip!

    For us, it’s a place we see ourselves exploring and exploring until we see every inch of the country… but we know it would take a long time.

    Thailand is very rich in their array of animals and boost amazing diversity across the animal kingdom. From the Indochinese Tigers, to giant lizards, whale sharks, many types of monkey and the infamous Asian elephant!

    *This post contains affiliate links, which we may earn from. This does not come at an additional cost, but helps us to pursue this dream 🙂

    Elephant at Phuket Elephant Jungle Sanctuary
    Elephant at Phuket Elephant Jungle Sanctuary in Thailand
    Wild elephant at Khao Sok National Park
    Wild elephants in thailand

    Asian Elephants Background

    Asian Elephants are found across Asia, with the majority of the population being in India and Sri Lanka, and the rest found across Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. These elephants are much smaller than their Africa counterparts, standing at roughly 7 – 10 feet tall at the shoulder; with African elephants towering at 8 – 13 feet at the shoulder.

    These species are similar but have some distinct differences between the two. These include the size; Asian elephants are known to be quite a bit smaller as we have stated above. Also, the Asian elephants have a distinct one “finger” trunk whereas African elephants have 2. This means that African elephants can almost pinch objects as a grabbing motion whereas you may see Asian elephants roll their trunk to grab an object. The other main differences are the head shape, the Asian elephant having two bulb like shapes on the top of their head and they are different, round-shaped ears which are smaller than their African descendants.

    Asian Elephants Protection

    Unfortunately, Asian Elephants are used in various different ways for money or entertainment, which means the number of wild Asian elephants have been in decline for many years. We would ALWAYS urge people to visit these animals and be loving and respectful towards them, and only support organisations that have the animals best interests at heart.

    Usually, these elephants will be used for tourists to ride them, or use them in construction when moving large objects out the way. When doing this, they are not treated well and are manipulated to complete their task. If you are to visit any area that does promote this we would urge you avoid this tourist trap, as it is harmful to the elephants and only promotes locals to carry on with this sad activity.

    The elephants are still used in circuses across these countries where they are taught to dance, climb, and perform in front of a crowd. During their routines they would be whipped or beaten into submission so they complete their performance for the crowds and again is such a sad story to hear. We have first hand experienced some elephants who have been beaten and abused so bad that they are forever impacted by their torture and still act out “dance routines” out of fear on being beaten once more. More on this later on in the blog.

    In both instances, we would never recommend anyone to part take in animal exploitation and would always point people to visit organisations that support these beautiful animals. Below we have highlighted some of the amazing organisations and opportunities to marvel at these beautiful creatures.

    How to see Elephants in Thailand

    Elephant Jungle Sanctuary

    In Phuket and Chiang Mai is a sanctuary which have always supported abused, exploited and mistreated elephants from all walks of life. When you visit this sanctuary you are taught how to safely move around these amazing animals and give them the respect they deserve.

    Elephants in Thailand Sanctuary

    When visiting, you get half a day or a full day depending on what package you choose, and have an itinerary packed full of amazing things. In the morning, you are picked up from your stay, and taken to where the Elephants are free to roam. The elephants are allowed to wander across the many acres of land that is protected by the sanctuary as they wish, but are usually hovering by the food as expected.

    Upon arrival you will see elephants wandering and hovering around the food spots anticipating their lunch. You are given an introduction of the day and given the rules from the sanctuary. Each elephant has their carer, and they prepare the food they eat for lunch which you and the volunteers for the day will be feeding the elephants. The food will either be vegetables or fruit mixed in rice that is shaped into balls or local bananas. These are the elephants favourites and you can grab the food as you wish and feed it when ever elephant you wish!

    Elephant at Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Thailand

    As someone who has only done it once (so far), it can be daunting feeding them due to sheer size of them but after a few times you will become more comfortable with the gentle giants. You can go round and meet all the elephants and you can speak with volunteers at the sanctuary who will inform you of the name of the elephant, the history of each elephant and their experiences.

    Unfortunately, most of the elephants have some sad stories and we will give you an example below just to show what some of these amazing creatures go through and how important it is to support these animals.

    The elephants can be very food orientated so don’t take too long and ‘tease’ the elephants with the food as they will look to try and grab it from you. The best way to feed them is to hold it in front of them and they will use their trunk and their ‘finger’ to wrap around the food which they will then drop it in their mouth. Don’t worry, the elephants eat the banana peels so don’t think about peeling it for them!

    Close view of Elephant

    At the sanctuary, there is a photographer that will go around and take photos of you and the elephants which you can get at the end of the day to remember your experience by.

    The end of the feeding will lead you to grabbing some food and meeting the people in your group while the elephants go off with their owners and get ready for their mud bath.

    You get homemade local food which you can have a hand in making for the rest of the group if you wish. Lunch will be a spread of local foods and fruit which you can help yourself to so get ready for a hearty lunch! The food is amazing and really is flavourful, you will not be disappointed!

    After lunch, you are to get ready to get mucky!! The elephants will be in a large natural mud bath which you will be joining them. It’s better than it sounds trust us! So you need to get your trunks on and then meet the elephants in there.

    The activity is grabbing a bucket and chucking it on the elephants. Make sure to stay away from the back of the elephants as they can be unpredictable and obviously they cannot see you so you definitely don’t want to be sat on! The aim is to cover the elephants (other than their face) in mud. The elephants love the attention and mud and will like to try and roll about and even spray mud on themselves (and even you). The elephants will definitely show reveal their personality and once they are all covered, they are shown to the natural waters where they are scrubbed down and washed.

    Here you are given a scrubber and the elephants will let you scrub them on the sides and the top of the head which is very nice for them. We had some older elephants aged around 70/80 who were still playing and grabbing the edges of the bank and swinging in the waters. They would dunked their heads under and grab the weeds out the pool.

    It’s beautiful to see the elephants enjoy themselves and live a simple life where they can be themselves. The experience is truly beautiful and was definitely one of the top highlights of our trip!

    Find a trip to an ethical sanctuary in Chiang Mai here.

    Phuket Elephant Jungle Sanctuary

    Elephant’s Sad Story

    One of the elephants who we believe was roughly 30 years of age was previously owned and was a part of a circus who would travel the country. The Elephant would be taught simple tricks and dances and during rehearsals , the elephants would be whipped, abused, & beaten so they would complete the dance/trick and make no mistakes. These elephants then develop these actions into their personalities and unfortunately it becomes them. The elephant we talk about was 8-10 years rescued but would always sway in a dancing motion and would NEVER stop. After speaking with the carer, the elephant will NEVER stop this movement as the swaying (dancing) will mean they are not beaten and the elephant isn’t aware that it is safe from these horrible people and if it was to stop, nothing would happen. Unfortunately it is engrained into them and has become apart of their personality which is upsetting to hear. However, these sanctuaries are the best places for them and they are looked after really well.

    Elephant Watching in the Wild

    Kuiburi National Park

    In Kuiburi National Park you get to see wild elephants! It’s only open from 2pm – 6pm so make sure to visit the park beforehand to maximise your chances to see the elephants. You are in a safari and drive around the park with a ranger who will find the elephants and keep you at a safe distance to observe the elephants in their natural habitat. Usually this is roughly 50-100 metres away so you don’t disturb them so make sure to bring some binoculars to get the most out of the trip! If you forget binocular’s or don’t own any, don’t worry! You can rent binoculars for roughly 100 baht.

    When visiting the park, you are required to pay a national park fee which is roughly 200 Baht for an adult plus the cost of a ticket. The reason they charge this is because it’s attached to the Kaeng Krachan National Park which the elephants are able to free roam. It’s a great location to see elephants as the park has thin jungles great for visibility but also has over 200 elephants thriving in this habitat.

    Khao Sok National Park

    Here is the location we would recommend to see elephants!! There is no guarantee to see elephants here as they can be quite rare but trust me, if you do get so see them, it is totally worth it. Not only do you have the chance to see elephants in their natural habitat but you are also on a massive lake and there is a whole experience to the park. Beyond seeing the elephants, you are to stay on floating bungalows, go on hikes to look for elephants and so much more!

    Wild elephants at Khao Sok National Park
    Elephant mum and baby in Thailand
    Wild Elephant mum and baby in Khao Sok, Thailand

    It’s an experience that we would definitely recommend for anyone! In the morning on our way out of the park we stopped at a popular elephant viewing spot and found a mother elephant and her calf coming down to the waterfront. Time really stood still and it was such a majestic experience. We sat there for what felt like hours just admiring the beauty. We felt so lucky to experience this and if you manage to get this lucky then you will never regret it! To learn more about the full Khao Sok National Park experience you can visit our designated blog here.

    Seeing Elephants in Thailand

    There are many ways of seeing these beautiful animals in Thailand, but we would always recommend to look at the all the ethical ways. Make sure to do your research to which sanctuaries across Thailand are actually ethical as many will try to market as ethical to bring in more people. There are many sanctuaries to choose from for this and we may even do a blog post soon so you have all the options at your disposal.

    Many people dream of seeing elephants so do make it top of your itinerary when you are visiting Thailand, you won’t regret it!

    If you did enjoy our blog then make sure to subscribe for more things travel. You can also like the blog and give your thoughts down in the comments below. Any support would be very grateful so we can carry on providing our travel tips and support travellers to see all their top places.

    You can also follow us on our social media’s which we have shown all of our travel experiences and provide the best AND worst of travel. Be sure to see where we head next!

    Finally, share this post with your friends! Let’s build those travel plans and make memories!

    Our favourite must-needed travel resources

    Where to Fly

    Trip.com – Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.

    Kiwi – Use Kiwi’s amazing service that is pioneering in the flight space! They use virtual interlining, which means they can provide seamless connecting flights into one single itinerary!

    CheapOair – Being one of the fastest growing online travel companies in the US, CheapOair offers great flight deals, hotel rooms, rental cars and more!

    Where to Stay

    Booking.com – Offering over 28 million accommodations to book, we will always use booking.com! Having a rewards system built in, the more you book, the more perks you get!

    HostelWorld – You cannot budget travel without hostel world! Having over 17,000 hostels, boasting over 13 million reviews, hostel world is one our of top websites for budget travel! They are now offering more ways to meet people abroad, with meet ups, group chats and more available!

    Vrbo – Find stunning vacation rentals with Vrbo! Offering over 2 million paid listings in 190 countries, find memorable experiences with this accommodation service!

    Where to Explore

    Viator – A trip advisor company, viator offers over 300,000 experiences over 200 countries, including water sports, walking tours, boat trips, food tastes tours and more! Including activities for many budgets, check out Viator!

    Eat With – Experience authentic travel experiences with locals worldwide! Use eat with to book unique and intimate dining experiences, such as dinner parties in big restaurants, big feasts with a local family, cooking classes with a local and more!

    Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common too!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!

    Where to get Connected

    Airalo – With over one million people using Airalo, it is our go to eSIM provider for our worldwide trips! Having data packs from over 200 countries, find combined area packages and deals to suit your travel style and data needs!

    Where to be Protected

    ETKA – Every age from 3 to 85 can buy ETKA’s travel insurance, offering multilingual 24/7 chat support, and your insurance policy within 2-3 minutes!

    Our Top Traveller’s Essentials

    Backpack – Osprey Farpoint 40 – This backpack is a staple amongst many travellers! Being a lot cheaper than the luxury brands, this is a quality backpack from a well known brand. It boasts quality durability, is lightweight with a great framework and is a great option for most people! This backpack has a hip strap to help carry the bag, a breathable harness strap, and comes in multiple colours!

    Compression Packing Cubes – Compression cubes are our favourite packing accessory! These cubes are similar to the normal packing cubes, but feature a compression zip, meaning you can compress your clothes down… this makes packing easier, limits the space you are using, and means more room for souvenirs etc!

    Powerbank – Don’t lose power when travelling! It isn’t always guaranteed to find charging ports, so we would always suggest carrying a spare power bank, just incase you do run low on power when you need it!

    Universal Travel Plug Adapter – Most backpackers/travellers visit multiple countries during one trip. And that means it isn’t guaranteed you will be using the same plug head during each place. A universal plug is great as it lets you switch between each plug head style all in one item! We love ours, it has USB slots meaning multiple items can be charged at once.

    Find our full packing list guide here.

    Leave a comment

  • Rabat Travel Guide – Morocco’s Capital

    Rabat Travel Guide – Morocco’s Capital

    Rabat Travel Guide

    Morocco is unique country located in the north west of Africa where the Mediterranean and Atlantic meet. The country is full of history and antique architecture that dates back thousands of years; and is a staple in the countries rich culture today. Rabat is one city that really encapsulates this!

    There’s many reasons to travel to this beautiful country including the beaches, activities, food and more! The city can be split into two parts- one side of the city is very much full of all the locals with small street and riad stays; and the other is very much city-like. Large architecture and government buildings, with high-end shopping malls and food spots.

    When visiting this beautiful city we spent a total of 3 days/2 nights here and probably would recommend an extra day just so you can experience more of the city and the exciting activities here!

    1. Rabat Travel Guide
      1. Activities in Rabat
        1. Kasbah Des Oudaias
        2. Hassan Tower
        3. Rabat Old Town
        4. Day at the beach
        5. Mausoleum of Mohammad V
        6. Mohammad VI Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art
        7. Explore the Ancient Chellah
      2. Places to stay in Rabat
        1. Riad El Bir
        2. Riad Lalatiy
        3. Riad Dar Rabiaa
      3. Moroccan E-Sim
    2. Rabat Travel Guide!
    3. Our favourite must-needed travel resources
      1. Where to Fly
      2. Where to Stay
      3. Where to Explore
      4. Where to get Connected
      5. Where to be Protected
    4. Our Top Traveller’s Essentials

    *There are affiliate links in this post – they do not come at any extra cost to you, but just means we can earn commission to help us pursue this further 🙂

    Rabat street photography by Ourtwostepstart
    Kasbah Des Oudaias, Rabat, Morocco by Ourtwostepstart
    Moroccan spices photo by Ourtwostepstart
    Street cat in a street book shop in Rabat!

    Activities in Rabat

    As the country is full of history, your trip HAS to include trips to historical spots which have stood for many centuries!

    Kasbah Des Oudaias

    This castle-like structure was build in the 12th century and was a form of defence from any unexpected ships visiting Rabat. The mosque boasted many cannons and a tall wall to fend off enemies, and created a scary operation for those who manned it.

    Within the walls is delicately placed streets where people used to live when the old King designed and erected the mosque. It’s a beautiful spot of history located perfectly by the waterfront offering some amazing views and is a popular spot to visit. Within the walls there were gardens created which offer a great place to soak up the places natural beauty and enjoy the warm weather in Rabat. The buildings inside have been maintained the best they can without removing the authentic history of when it was built them many years ago.

    Kasbah Des Oudaias | Ourtwostepstart

    Hassan Tower

    This amazing structure was build for in the 12th century which is famously unfinished (known as the unfinished mosque). The Mosque includes a scattering of tall pillars that are placed all around which was meant to hold a roof when the building was fully completed. Due to the King Passing, the mosque completion was stopped and left this mosque and what was the tallest minaret in the world halted for construction.

    The Minaret still stands tall today and can be admired from hundreds of feet away as it’s so large! When visiting new countries it’s always good to learn more about the history and this would be a great way to embrace Moroccan culture.

    Rabat Old Town

    The old town is a beautiful area of Rabat and is full of culture and locals enjoying food, selling their trade and socialising. The best thing to do is wander the tight streets and marvel at the amazing handcrafted products from locals. The streets are perfect to get lost in, and are surrounded by old fashioned Riad buildings that have been standing for centuries.

    This is the perfect place to grab a cheap lunch. You have choices of local wraps, pastries, pitas and more with some delicious sweet treats including an infinite selection of Baklava. The locals here are super friendly, and are happy to help guide you in the direction you are going or provide you with the best service.

    At the top of the old town is the local graveyard which must span at least a few Kilometres long and is full of gravestones. It’s a strange place to have a graveyard as it is only a stones throw from the beach but it provides a beautiful and harmonic spot to watch the sunset over the water with the graveyard visible.

    Day at the beach

    Being a coastal capital, it definitely has it’s choice of beaches. The beaches here are a mix between stony or sandy depending on how lucky you are, and is a beautiful way to spend the day. On the beach just across from the Kasbah Des Oudaias is a quaint sandy beach which isn’t too popular, but is perfect to relax at and watch the world go by.

    At this beach there are some great activities including jet skiing, surfing and some cool water sports which are offered on the beach front. On this beach there is also restaurant that is a great place to stop and grab some food. As you are on the Atlantic, the water isn’t quite as warm as you’d like so be preparred! Also, the walk to the beach is straight downhill so walking back up will be hilly.

    Mausoleum of Mohammad V

    This is the burial site of King Mohammad V who died in 1961 and the Mausoleum was build in his honour. This is a cultural site which is open for people to visit and marvel at the beauty of this structure. It is built out of many rare materials, and stands out with it’s white-like colour and perfectly carved patterns.

    Standing beside the mausoleum is a white pavilion with a green emerald-like roof. The site is a great place to learn about the culture of Morocco and see some the countries most important sites.

    Mohammad VI Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art

    This is the perfect spot for any art enthusiasts. Located in the heard of Rabat, is the modern and Contemporary Art which boasts many top artworks of African heritage. These include a selection of paintings and sculptures which will catch anyone’s eye.

    The building is rather large and will keep you occupied for at least a few hours.

    Explore the Ancient Chellah

    This is a must visit in Rabat and really is a timeless historical gem in Rabat. This area is a large part of the roman empire’s surge into north Africa where they set up an impressive home for themselves mirroring what home would look like in 1 BC in Europe. Around the 11th – 14th century, Marinid’s occupied the roman grounds and turned it into a necropolis for its people for their most elite members.

    The blend of ancient romans and the Marinid’s has created unique architecture and a place like no other in the world. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and occupies some luscious gardens which is calming. This is a great place to learn more about two civilisations who occupied these same grounds many centuries apart.

    Places to stay in Rabat

    There’s so many recommendations we could provide but we feel the best way to experience Moroccan culture is by booking a traditional Riad which is dotted throughout Rabat. With this, we would also recommend booking in person as it’s cheaper and Riad’s don’t tend to update their bookings online so even if you do they may not have room (happened to us).

    If you don’t feel comfortable booking in person and want the security of booking online, then we would recommend these stays below:

    Riad El Bir

    This is the hostel Riad we stayed in and is perfectly located in Rabat. You are a 10 minute walk to the beach and the Kasbah Des Oudaias while being perfectly on the old town where you can grab snacks and local foods in seconds!! The owner was super friendly and also provided free wifi for anyone staying. As with most Riad’s they offered free Moroccan tea whenever you would like.

    Unfortunately breakfast wasn’t provided but you were so close to food spots it definitely wasn’t a problem!

    Riad Lalatiy

    This is a top rated Hostel in the centre of the Medina and local to many things to do in Rabat. The Hostel has a shared kitchen if you would like to use it and free WIFI and a balcony to enjoy the busy medina! The rooms are spacious and provide a good place to rest before venturing out for another jam-packed day of activities.

    The cost of a room is £22 with a double bed allowing for 2 guests per room. This is a good price for the location and amenities you get with this stay!

    Riad Dar Rabiaa

    Alternatively, if you want to stay in a hotel, you can! This hotel is central in the Medina and comes with communal seating areas to enjoy and even an indoor swimming pool! So after a long day exploring the vibrant city you can come back and enjoy a dip to relax.

    The hotel costs £64 per room (each room is for 2 people) and even includes a hearty breakfast. This hotel is unique as it even offers food and room bundles with an option to stay with breakfast, lunch and dinner for £112 a night or just breakfast and dinner for £85 a night. The hotel is a perfect way to experience a traditional stay in a Riad but to have a good amount of privacy.

    Moroccan E-Sim

    When visiting Morocco, there’s no better way to keep up with your socials and stay connected than with Airalo. This is a budget Esim provider allowing you to choose your data packages as you travel and you can easily switch between countries on the go. It has an easy to use interface and provides top-ups when you are requiring them. Click here if you are looking to get an Esim today! Find the Morocco eSIM here!

    Rabat Travel Guide!

    We hope you enjoyed our insight into the beautiful cultural city of Rabat- and if you did be sure to like the post and subscribe for all things travel! Here there is so much to see and do that it will leave you satisfied and wanting to see more. It’s a cultural place to be amazed at with endless activities to enjoy. The food here is spectacular but food recommendations are tough due to it being predominantly street food that we ate.

    Please let us know if you would like to see any further details on our trip to Rabat or Morocco and we would love to know your thoughts on travelling the beautiful country.

    Be sure to check out our previous blogs on Morocco including Top things to avoid in Morocco and our day trip guide to Meknes and more!! Also, you can follow our travelling journey on our Social media’s which are provided below.

    Our favourite must-needed travel resources

    Where to Fly

    Trip.com – Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.

    Kiwi – Use Kiwi’s amazing service that is pioneering in the flight space! They use virtual interlining, which means they can provide seamless connecting flights into one single itinerary!

    CheapOair – Being one of the fastest growing online travel companies in the US, CheapOair offers great flight deals, hotel rooms, rental cars and more!

    Where to Stay

    Booking.com – Offering over 28 million accommodations to book, we will always use booking.com! Having a rewards system built in, the more you book, the more perks you get!

    HostelWorld – You cannot budget travel without hostel world! Having over 17,000 hostels, boasting over 13 million reviews, hostel world is one our of top websites for budget travel! They are now offering more ways to meet people abroad, with meet ups, group chats and more available!

    Vrbo – Find stunning vacation rentals with Vrbo! Offering over 2 million paid listings in 190 countries, find memorable experiences with this accommodation service!

    Where to Explore

    Viator – A trip advisor company, viator offers over 300,000 experiences over 200 countries, including water sports, walking tours, boat trips, food tastes tours and more! Including activities for many budgets, check out Viator!

    Eat With – Experience authentic travel experiences with locals worldwide! Use eat with to book unique and intimate dining experiences, such as dinner parties in big restaurants, big feasts with a local family, cooking classes with a local and more!

    Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common too!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!

    Where to get Connected

    Airalo – With over one million people using Airalo, it is our go to eSIM provider for our worldwide trips! Having data packs from over 200 countries, find combined area packages and deals to suit your travel style and data needs!

    Where to be Protected

    ETKA – Every age from 3 to 85 can buy ETKA’s travel insurance, offering multilingual 24/7 chat support, and your insurance policy within 2-3 minutes!

    Our Top Traveller’s Essentials

    Backpack – Osprey Farpoint 40 – This backpack is a staple amongst many travellers! Being a lot cheaper than the luxury brands, this is a quality backpack from a well known brand. It boasts quality durability, is lightweight with a great framework and is a great option for most people! This backpack has a hip strap to help carry the bag, a breathable harness strap, and comes in multiple colours!

    Compression Packing Cubes – Compression cubes are our favourite packing accessory! These cubes are similar to the normal packing cubes, but feature a compression zip, meaning you can compress your clothes down… this makes packing easier, limits the space you are using, and means more room for souvenirs etc!

    Powerbank – Don’t lose power when travelling! It isn’t always guaranteed to find charging ports, so we would always suggest carrying a spare power bank, just incase you do run low on power when you need it!

    Universal Travel Plug Adapter – Most backpackers/travellers visit multiple countries during one trip. And that means it isn’t guaranteed you will be using the same plug head during each place. A universal plug is great as it lets you switch between each plug head style all in one item! We love ours, it has USB slots meaning multiple items can be charged at once.

    Find our full packing list guide here.

    If you would like to support our own travel Journey, please check out all our other blogs, and subscribe to the newsletter where we are currently uploading daily blogs!

    Check out our Social Media’s below!!!

    Finally, share this post with your friends! Let’s build those travel plans!

    Leave a comment

  • Monteverde Ziplining Experience | Best Adventure in Costa Rica

    Monteverde Ziplining Experience | Best Adventure in Costa Rica

    Costa Rica is a country full of adventure, experiences, and lots of fun activities! Deep in Manuel Antonio you will find this experience that is sure to help you make lifelong memories! The Monteverde ziplining and Tarzan swing experience is one you need to make a guarantee on your Costa Rica itinerary!

    *This post contains affiliate links, which we may earn from. This does not come at an additional cost, but helps us to pursue this dream 🙂

    Monteverde Cloud Forest Views
    1. Monteverde Ziplining & Tarzan Swing
      1. The experience
      2. How to book the trip in Monteverde
      3. What’s included in the Monteverde Trip
      4. Our Experience at the Tour
      5. Advice for this Monteverde Trip
      6. Is it worth it?
    2. Our favourite must-needed travel resources
      1. Where to Fly
      2. Where to Stay
      3. Where to Explore
      4. Where to get Connected
      5. Where to be Protected
    3. Our Top Traveller’s Essentials
    4. Thank you for reading our Monteverde Ziplining Guide!

    Monteverde Ziplining & Tarzan Swing

    The experience

    This ziplining and tarzan swing tour is one to remember! Enjoy the adrenaline rush as you zipline through the Monteverde forest, being thrown out into picturesque views for miles. Included in the trip is multiple ziplines, including different styles such as the superman line! There are many hikes to each spot, meaning you can soak in your surroudings, alongside an epic 148ft tarzan swing at the end!

    Part of the famous Monteverde cloud forest, this trip isn’t one for the feint of heart! You will face non-stop thrills, meaning this trip may not be suitable to everyone.

    You are given a full safety demonstration and safety equipment, meaning you can learn the main skills needed to enjoy this adrenaline-lovers activity!

    How to book the trip in Monteverde

    There are many places online to book this tour, however, we booked this one and we would highly recommend! All activites were included too (including the tarzan swing which is sometimes classed as additional)!

    You simply give your accommodation name/location, and get ready for your fun adventure!

    What’s included in the Monteverde Trip

    Included in the trip is around 10 ziplines throughout the Monteverde canopies, experience a superman flight, take on latin America’s longest and highest zipline, then enjoy the high tarzan swing!

    We were collected from our hostel accommodation, then taken to the adventure park, ready for our safety demonstration and equipment!

    Our Experience at the Tour

    We can honestly say we loved it! Aimee’s health has been up and down, so her fitness levels weren’t ‘usual’, and this is a trip where we would definitely having good fitness levels due to the fitness demand. There are many steep hills to walk up (you are in the forest!!), meaning if you aren’t fit this may be a struggle! Mix this in with the hot Costa Rican sunshine and humidity… it can be a struggle for sure! We did manage to see wild macaws which was so amazing.

    We met two lovely women from Canada who we ended up going for lunch with whilst on this trip, and everyone was in agreement it was great! We had beautiful conversations with these women, and was a highlight of our trip. Sadly, one of them hit a weight restriction issue, meaning she wasn’t able to partake in the Tarzan swing for safety issues.

    Advice for this Monteverde Trip

    Our top tips are make sure you are well hydrated and full, however, maybe leave a gap between food and these activities! Make sure you read all of the safety advice and pre-requirements, as things like heart health and weight could cause issues (and we would hate for anyone to experience that upset).

    The tarzan swing is an extremely intimidating experience, one we almost both stopped doing! However, were both very glad we went ahead with it! The adrenaline rush is very real, and makes for a fun end to the tour!

    Is it worth it?

    Yes!! We would always highly recommend this tour, and was of our main highlights of our Costa Rica trip! The prices can seem high, but realistically Costa Rica travel isn’t budget friendly, and the cost is similar to other activities across Costa Rica!

    Our favourite must-needed travel resources

    Where to Fly

    Trip.com – Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.

    Kiwi – Use Kiwi’s amazing service that is pioneering in the flight space! They use virtual interlining, which means they can provide seamless connecting flights into one single itinerary!

    CheapOair – Being one of the fastest growing online travel companies in the US, CheapOair offers great flight deals, hotel rooms, rental cars and more!

    Where to Stay

    Booking.com – Offering over 28 million accommodations to book, we will always use booking.com! Having a rewards system built in, the more you book, the more perks you get!

    HostelWorld – You cannot budget travel without hostel world! Having over 17,000 hostels, boasting over 13 million reviews, hostel world is one our of top websites for budget travel! They are now offering more ways to meet people abroad, with meet ups, group chats and more available!

    Vrbo – Find stunning vacation rentals with Vrbo! Offering over 2 million paid listings in 190 countries, find memorable experiences with this accommodation service!

    Where to Explore

    Viator – A trip advisor company, viator offers over 300,000 experiences over 200 countries, including water sports, walking tours, boat trips, food tastes tours and more! Including activities for many budgets, check out Viator!

    Eat With – Experience authentic travel experiences with locals worldwide! Use eat with to book unique and intimate dining experiences, such as dinner parties in big restaurants, big feasts with a local family, cooking classes with a local and more!

    Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common too!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!

    Where to get Connected

    Airalo – With over one million people using Airalo, it is our go to eSIM provider for our worldwide trips! Having data packs from over 200 countries, find combined area packages and deals to suit your travel style and data needs!

    Where to be Protected

    ETKA – Every age from 3 to 85 can buy ETKA’s travel insurance, offering multilingual 24/7 chat support, and your insurance policy within 2-3 minutes!

    Our Top Traveller’s Essentials

    Backpack – Osprey Farpoint 40 – This backpack is a staple amongst many travellers! Being a lot cheaper than the luxury brands, this is a quality backpack from a well known brand. It boasts quality durability, is lightweight with a great framework and is a great option for most people! This backpack has a hip strap to help carry the bag, a breathable harness strap, and comes in multiple colours!

    Compression Packing Cubes – Compression cubes are our favourite packing accessory! These cubes are similar to the normal packing cubes, but feature a compression zip, meaning you can compress your clothes down… this makes packing easier, limits the space you are using, and means more room for souvenirs etc!

    Powerbank – Don’t lose power when travelling! It isn’t always guaranteed to find charging ports, so we would always suggest carrying a spare power bank, just incase you do run low on power when you need it!

    Universal Travel Plug Adapter – Most backpackers/travellers visit multiple countries during one trip. And that means it isn’t guaranteed you will be using the same plug head during each place. A universal plug is great as it lets you switch between each plug head style all in one item! We love ours, it has USB slots meaning multiple items can be charged at once.

    Find our full packing list guide here.

    Thank you for reading our Monteverde Ziplining Guide!

    If you did enjoy the blog be sure to like and subscribe for more WorldwideTravel content. We also post our daily travel experiences on our social media’s which we have detailed before if you would like to check it out!

    Check out our Social Media’s below! We share our daily activities, all of our budget friendly travel tips, travel inspiration and more!

    Finally, share this post with your friends! Let’s build those travel plans and make memories!

    Leave a comment

  • Aling Aling Waterfall Experience – Complete Guide

    Aling Aling Waterfall Experience – Complete Guide

    Bali is such a busy place for travellers and backpackers to visit that you often get caught up with the crowds. On the island there is so much to do and see that you can often get overwhelmed with the options. Do you head west to Canggu which is a surfers paradise? Or east to the party islands? Or maybe stay central in the small authentic town of Ubud? The island of Bali has so many locations that offers scenic views and adventurous activities so it’s easy to miss the small things! This is Aling Aling Waterfall, and is a place to check out for sure!

    *This post contains affiliate links, which we may earn from. This does not come at an additional cost, but helps us to pursue this dream 🙂

    Picture of Jack of Ourtwostepstart at the Aling Aling Waterfalls
    Jack of Ourtwostepstart Jumping from one of the Aling Aling waterfall jumps!

    Aling Aling Waterfalls

    When doing initial research of Bali we can conclude that many don’t list Aling-Aling Waterfalls at top of the itinerary but for us we would put it on there for sure. It’s location is isolated but is located roughly 30 minutes south of Lovina which is a popular spot to swim with wild dolphins! Be sure to check out our best spots in Ubud here to get the best itinerary for that part of the island.

    Many seem to not notice the wonder that is Aling-Aling waterfalls and merely pass by it when visiting Lovina. However, we would totally recommend visiting and seeing the natural wonder hidden deep in the mountains.

    Finding and Entering Aling Aling

    This waterfall is a hidden wonder of Bali, off a mountain road and has 3 main cliff jumping points, and 1 natural water slide. At the site there is a large car park and an entrance fee of roughly £8 per person if you want a guide to take you, or £2 without a guide. Please note that if you don’t take a guide you are not able to swim or enjoy the natural waterslide or cliff jumps- and will be fined if you are caught.

    The actual Aling-Aling waterfall doesn’t allow swimming or cliff jumping as it sits at roughly 200 metres which is far too high for us!! However, there are set locations which allow this with a 5 metre platform and a swimming area at the base of a natural waterslide. The waterslide is very simple. You sit at the top of the fall which is roughly 10 metres up and you slide down the rocks which is softened by the flow of water before dunking in the beautiful pool below

    The Aling Aling Waterfall Experience

    The 5 metre jump is perfect for people who aren’t too confident in heights (or water) and is an easy ledge to practice on! The slide seems scarier but once you do it, you are likely to want to ride it again! Below is the slide in action!

    Further down the stream, you have higher cliff spots which are perfect for adrenalin junkies and confident jumpers. When we experienced these falls the weather really challenged us with torrential rain and flooding but this didn’t stop us from completing these jumps! The first cliff jump which is 10 metres was personally the hardest and is a simple leap from a ledge into the waters below.

    The 2 further cliff jumping locations were 15 metres but looked the same as the 10 metre. There was only one slight difference minus the height difference. The 1st 15 metre jump required you to leap away from the side to avoid overhanging rocks before reaching the pool below. This is a hard thing to commit to but make sure to jump outwards! At each activity location there are steps so you can make your way back up to the jumping spot again or to watch your friendly make the leap!

    We didn’t make our way to the final jumping spot due to the weather but as it was the same height it didn’t matter too much. The location is in the heart of the mountains, in the jungle so be aware of your footing as it is all natural terrain.

    Check out one of the jumps below!

    Is it worth it?

    Usually this activity would take around 1/2 hours to enjoy and just beside the waterfall car park is a local place serving food which is a great place to grab a meal after all that jumping you did! It serves local food with the usual amazing flavours.

    For us, this is an activity we would definitely recommend to anyone visiting Bali as it’s got everything! Adventure, beauty, nature, hiking. It’s a perfect way to spend half a day while travelling the island. We would recommend hiring a taxi to Aling-Aling if there is a group of you. If you are an individual or just you and a friend, you can also hire bikes and head there if you are confident in your motor skills!

    We hope you enjoyed our experience and would love to know your thoughts on Aling-Aling waterfalls and if you would dare to jump the 15 metres!

    We have found a full comprehensive tour here, for easy booking!

    Our favourite must-needed travel resources

    Where to Fly

    Trip.com – Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.

    Kiwi – Use Kiwi’s amazing service that is pioneering in the flight space! They use virtual interlining, which means they can provide seamless connecting flights into one single itinerary!

    CheapOair – Being one of the fastest growing online travel companies in the US, CheapOair offers great flight deals, hotel rooms, rental cars and more!

    Where to Stay

    Booking.com – Offering over 28 million accommodations to book, we will always use booking.com! Having a rewards system built in, the more you book, the more perks you get!

    HostelWorld – You cannot budget travel without hostel world! Having over 17,000 hostels, boasting over 13 million reviews, hostel world is one our of top websites for budget travel! They are now offering more ways to meet people abroad, with meet ups, group chats and more available!

    Vrbo – Find stunning vacation rentals with Vrbo! Offering over 2 million paid listings in 190 countries, find memorable experiences with this accommodation service!

    Where to Explore

    Viator – A trip advisor company, viator offers over 300,000 experiences over 200 countries, including water sports, walking tours, boat trips, food tastes tours and more! Including activities for many budgets, check out Viator!

    Eat With – Experience authentic travel experiences with locals worldwide! Use eat with to book unique and intimate dining experiences, such as dinner parties in big restaurants, big feasts with a local family, cooking classes with a local and more!

    Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common too!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!

    Where to get Connected

    Airalo – With over one million people using Airalo, it is our go to eSIM provider for our worldwide trips! Having data packs from over 200 countries, find combined area packages and deals to suit your travel style and data needs!

    Where to be Protected

    ETKA – Every age from 3 to 85 can buy ETKA’s travel insurance, offering multilingual 24/7 chat support, and your insurance policy within 2-3 minutes!

    Our Top Traveller’s Essentials

    Backpack – Osprey Farpoint 40 – This backpack is a staple amongst many travellers! Being a lot cheaper than the luxury brands, this is a quality backpack from a well known brand. It boasts quality durability, is lightweight with a great framework and is a great option for most people! This backpack has a hip strap to help carry the bag, a breathable harness strap, and comes in multiple colours!

    Compression Packing Cubes – Compression cubes are our favourite packing accessory! These cubes are similar to the normal packing cubes, but feature a compression zip, meaning you can compress your clothes down… this makes packing easier, limits the space you are using, and means more room for souvenirs etc!

    Powerbank – Don’t lose power when travelling! It isn’t always guaranteed to find charging ports, so we would always suggest carrying a spare power bank, just incase you do run low on power when you need it!

    Universal Travel Plug Adapter – Most backpackers/travellers visit multiple countries during one trip. And that means it isn’t guaranteed you will be using the same plug head during each place. A universal plug is great as it lets you switch between each plug head style all in one item! We love ours, it has USB slots meaning multiple items can be charged at once.

    Find our full packing list guide here.

    Thank you for reading our Aling Aling Waterfall Guide

    If you did enjoy the blog be sure to like and subscribe for more Bali and South East Asia Travel content. We also post our daily travel experiences on our social media’s which we have detailed before if you would like to check it out!

    Check out our Social Media’s below! We share our daily activities, all of our budget friendly travel tips, travel inspiration and more!

    Finally, share this post with your friends! Let’s build those travel plans and make memories!

    Leave a comment

  • Ubud Travel Guide : The Ultimate Bali Trip

    Ubud Travel Guide : The Ultimate Bali Trip

    Ubud is a secluded town located in central Bali and is known for it’s traditional lifestyle and setting. It’s not party like Gili T, or social like Canggu, but rather calm and old-fashioned in it’s look. Here you will find traditional areas and food spots to enjoy the local parts of what Bali has to offer.

    This being said, there’s still so much to do. It’s definitely a location you would need to spend a few days at to make the most of the activities available. We would recommend 3/4 days here and it’s a place you cannot afford to miss! The activities are endless, and the food is to die for… so be sure to add this to your Bali plans!

    *This post contains affiliate links, which we may earn from. This does not come at an additional cost, but helps us to pursue this dream 🙂

    Photo of a baby monkey in the Ubud Monkey Forest
    Night-time temple views
    Mount Batur Sunrise in Ubud
    Wild Monkey in Ubud

    Ubud Travel Guide

    Activities in Ubud

    There are a range of activities that cover many interests so be sure to give yourself enough time to enjoy all Ubud has to offer!

    Mount Batur

    This is such an amazing experience that a lot of people tend to skip due to the length of the activity. You get to hike up an active volcano.. what more do you want??

    The day will start of super early! Earlier than you think- at roughly 2 am for pick-up (depending where you are staying)! From here, you head towards the base of the mountain but stop off for breakfast on the way. It’s not a traditional breakfast but you will be offered tea or coffee and a fried banana for energy. As you relax, it’ll give you time to meet the people you will be hiking with. You then head off to the base of the volcano and begin your ascend. The initial climb is a long stretch of road that becomes steep and then you are to head up some steep steps.

    The climb is likely to take 2/3 hours with time taken waiting for people to climb ahead. Unfortunately it can become somewhat congested with people when going up. However, when you get to the top it really feels like it’s just you up there. There’s so many viewpoints to choose from and when you get to the top you are perfectly in time for sunrise. This is the whole reason you wake up at 2am!

    The views are absolutely stunning and that’s even on a cloudy day. Once you have taken photos and soaked up the beautiful views, you can head up further to the absolute top and see if from there! Be cautious as there are wild monkeys that live on the volcano and can be aggressive if provoked. The best way to deal with them would be to ignore them and keep your distance where possible.

    At the top you will take an hour to soak up your surroundings and more importantly catch your breath and get ready to descend the volcano! Now this is the fun part!

    At the top you are shown to a naturally heated spot where the volcano spurts warm gases and heats up the rocks. You can spend time here and the local guides will provide some cool information on how this happens! After this, you head across a narrow strip at the top which is no more than 2 feet wide at points with no rocks to keep your balance with your hands. So be careful!!

    Mount Batur Sunrise
    Mount Batur sunrise in Ubud

    Once the scary part is over, the fun begins! The majority of the descent is down through hard grains which is almost like sand. Most people spent their time almost skiing down in their shoes which is much better than walking in our opinion!

    The hike is a must and and really offers so much more than the views at the top (even though they are spectacular!). On the way back you are likely to stop off at the coffee plantation and you get the opportunity try many flavours of coffee. It’s not necessary the best thing to do after a long morning climbing a volcano as many would like to just go back and relax but the types of coffee available is awesome with loads of different flavours. These include avocado, coconut and honeycomb to name a few! Find the sunrise hike here.

    Jewellery making class

    This is a great opportunity to take something away that will always remind you of your travels or of the beautiful place of Ubud! You get to go to a jewellery making class which you are shown the steps to make your own designs and given the materials which is included in the price. If you make simpler designs, you may even be able to make 2/3 types of rings for any family members you want to gift them to!

    They help you melt the silver and manipulate it so that it is ready to be cut and designed as you wish!

    It’s such an amazing experience and is a great way to make a sentimental gift for yourself or someone important that isn’t just bought at a local market. It’s a design that you have created and the perfect way to round of your trip in Ubud! Just make sure to not book up that day as it’s a 3 hour slot to complete, and you will need most of that time to finish your jewellery. Unfortunately we booked to leave early that day so had to cut our time short on our jewellery making class. Find a great class here.

    Monkey Forest

    The Monkey Forest is a popular spots for travellers and visitors when going to Ubud. It’s a forest located right on the edge the town which is home to many monkey that are allowed to roam freely throughout the forest and even into the town. Now, this has caused many problems with the monkey being hit by traffic and also going into shops and restaurants looking for food.

    When visiting the park, it’s super important to be aware of your surroundings and keep anything small in a bag or left at your accommodation. This includes food! The monkeys have come accustom to people bringing food into the forest and now see us as providers of food. They will check your body (including pockets and your bag to see if they can find food. One even tried to open our backpack in search for food.

    It’s such a beautiful forest which is well maintained for the monkeys and have some amazing spots to enjoy and take photos. However, we would recommend to respect the monkeys privacy and do not approach any monkey and if a monkey does approach, to slowly move aware safely. A lot of people forget these are wild animals and they deserve their privacy.

    The park has some luscious walks and some cool bridges you can cross where you can get some amazing photos of the monkeys in all sorts of places. It truly is a cool place to visit to see how the monkeys live. Find a full guided tour here.

    Baby Monkey in Ubud Monkey Forest
    Monkey in the Trees
    Monkey descending tree in Ubud Monkey forest

    Local Markets

    In Ubud there is a local market that is in the heart of the town and is a very traditional market. It’s relatively small but offers many handmade items that locals have handcrafted. The prices are affordable as it’s not a popular one for travellers to visit but the quality is there! The market has woodwork, mini statues and an assortment of clothing!

    After visiting all the busy and energy zapping activities in Ubud, there’s no better way to relax than strolling through markets and looking at some local stalls!

    Campuhan Ridge Walk

    This is a very popular trail located a 10/15 minute walk from the centre of Ubud. It takes roughly 1/2 hours to walk the trail there and back so be sure to take your walking boots. On the trail, there is no shade from the sun so if you are to do this on a warm day, make sure to go early in the morning or later in the afternoon when its a little cooler.

    The walk provides stunning views and has a tall single palm tree located on it’s path which provides great photo opportunity! We would recommend to walk the trail in the morning just after sunrise (or at sunrise if you can) or just before sunset to get the best views from the trail.

    Kecak Fire Show

    There is a local temple in Ubud that hosts shows almost every night for spectators to watch and enjoy. The shows are usually in the evening and boast local dances and songs. The fire show is a great way to wind down and spend the evening after you have just eaten and it will help you learn more of the local culture of Indonesia!

    The show is placed in a traditional setting with the seating area likely to be stone blocks so don’t expect luxury! It’s a truly unique experience and one we would recommend for all to do!

    Tegallanang Infinity pool and rice terraces

    These infinity pools are a staple for Ubud and a really popular place for travellers and tourists. They have a number of pools located on the side of the building offering luscious views of rice fields, statues and so much more!

    They have a few bars which you can enjoy some cocktails and order food to enjoy by the pools. There’s a lot of seating options available including seating towards in the pools overlooking the scenic views.

    This place doesn’t just offer infinity pools and food but so much more!! there are walks you can take around the grounds which have perfect photo stops including aesthetic seating areas and large swings! There’s also bridges with water running through creating a peaceful aroma and it’s a place you can relax in for the day when you need a much earned rest!

    The entrance fee is pretty cheap but the food and drinks inside are more expensive than most places in the area so be prepared to pay for that! You also can’t take any food or drink in which is important to know beforehand. Find this tour, where you can visit the Tegallanang Rice Terraces, waterfalls and a jungle swing!

    Statue at Tegallanang Rice Terraces
    Rice Terraces at Tegallanang in Ubud

    Saraswati Temple

    Sarawati is a local temple in the centre of Ubud that boasts some beautiful statues and water gardens. It is known as the underwater palace and has some of the best stone carvings across Bali. It’s home to some amazing artwork and even has a lotus garden which is great for capturing the best photos.

    As with many locations, it would be best to visit first thing in the morning to avoid crowds or later in the afternoon. As it is a popular temple, you may find yourself in a busy temple if you don’t plan ahead when visiting. It’s a amall temple which you can walk through within 30 minutes but it’s completely free to visit.

    Teganungan Waterfall

    Teganungan waterfall is located around 30 minutes south of Ubud in a remote area of Bali. It’s one of the larger waterfalls in the central Bali area being 15 metres tall! There is a fee to entering the area but it is only roughly £1.50 or 20,000 Indonesian Rupiah.

    There are some perfectly placed seating or bird nests that are used by travelers to get good photos with the waterfall in the background. You are allowed to go right up to the waterfall and swim in the waters below which is a great way to relax in such a tranquil place. If you aren’t fancying a swim, you can head up on the terraces to grab food with jaw dropping views of the waterfall.

    These restaurants are slightly more expensive than local Bali restaurants but they have cheaper alternatives elsewhere on the complex. As it’s a popular spot, it’s likely to get busier the closer you get to lunchtime so if you want to avoid the crowds, it’s best to get there bright and early!

    Places to eat in Ubud

    There are many food options in Ubud that you can explore. They have a good range of different restaurants with some tasty authentic Indonesian restaurants!

    Taco Cartel

    This is a Mexican lunch spot that is like a takeout. There is seating but it is a rather small shop that does lovely tasting food! They offer the traditional Mexican choices such as tacos, burritos, and quesadillas.

    They even offer deals such a each taco being 19 Indonesian Rupiah for lunch (as of October 2022). The food is cooked in front of you as they have an open kitchen. You can watch the chefs cook your food from scratch! The food from Taco Cartel is super flavourful and offered at a decent price compared to other locations. Our Favourite was the Pork Burrito which is super filling and comes with a lovely spicy sauce to enjoy. However, on the menu is a monster wet burrito which is perfect if you are starving and love a hearty meal!

    They offer burgers and other grill type meals which look super good.

    Rayjin Ubud

    This is a beautiful Japanese food spot that you can’t miss out on! It is known for being a budget-friendly yet tasty Japanese restaurant, you can expect a delightful culinary experience without breaking the bank. The menu features an array of classic dishes like steaming bowls of ramen with rich, savory broths, perfectly cooked noodles, and toppings such as tender slices of pork, soft-boiled eggs, and fresh green onions. Sushi rolls are crafted with care, offering combinations of fresh fish, crisp vegetables, and tangy rice, all wrapped in delicate seaweed.

    Donburi bowls provide hearty portions of seasoned rice topped with succulent cuts of teriyaki chicken, beef, or tofu, drizzled with a sweet and savoury sauce. Despite the modest prices, the quality of ingredients and the authenticity of flavours make each meal satisfying and memorable. The cosy, casual ambiance and friendly service further enhance the dining experience, making it a perfect spot for a delicious and affordable Japanese meal. It’s a stunning restaurant located in the heart of Ubud and one you must visit!

    Bebek Bengil

    This is a traditional restaurant that is bursting full of flavour. It’s a popular spot in Ubud providing high quality foods that is authentic Indonesian delicacies such as the Crispy Duck. The food is reasonably priced and the food is more-ish for people to return back to the restaurant the next day.

    The food is certainly persuasive but the views out from the restaurant boast a scenery that not many restaurants in the area can compete with. They have luxurious views of local rice fields and nature creating the perfect experience for food lovers!

    Cafe Lotus

    This is a must visit as it is located perfectly in the centre of Ubud. It’s sandwiched in between the local temple, street markets, the main street and the local museum! It’s got the perfect location and also provides stunning views of local gardens which is the perfect way to relax in the day and soak up the sun!

    The cafe offers hearty, high-quality meals that you cannot miss out on. The food comes at a premium cost but you do get some of the best flavours that Bali have to offer with each dish! They offer traditional meals but also so simple pasta, pizza and sandwich meals that are sure to fill you up and leave you satisfied! This is the perfect stop gap between your hectic day so you can enjoy some good food and stay within the heart of Ubud.

    Places to Stay in Ubud

    Green View Backpackers

    This is a quant hostel located outside the busy streets of Ubud in a quiet and hidden location. It’s premises are located by a small stream and is roughly a 20/30 minute walk into the main parts of Ubud. This location is perfect for travellers who love walking as it offers some beautiful morning walks at a fraction of the price of some stays closer to the centre.

    This hostel charges roughly £5 per night for dorm stays and private rooms for £13. You get all basic amenities and there are also some tea and coffee dispensers available free of use! The hostel also provide breakfast included and you have a choice including a banana pancake or some assorted fruits. It’s a simple breakfast but it’s a great way to start your day and you can’t really complain at the price at all! Find it here.

    Demank House

    This is a Hostel located close to the centre of Ubud and provides rooms of up to 2 people so it’s perfect for couples and friends who travel together or have met through travel. The rooms are super clean and come with balconies with luscious views of the street and surrounding areas. The rooms give a more hotel stay feeling as appose to a busy hostel which is great for those who like to relax!

    The main benefit to this stay is the price and breakfast! The price is £12 each night but this is for a room of 2 so if you are sharing then it’s only £6. You can’t get much better than that! The breakfast also consists of toast, scrambled eggs, tea and fresh fruit. This comes as an extra but is so worth additional cost to start the day on the right foot! Find it here.

    Askara Hostel

    A perfectly placed hostel directly in the centre of Ubud allowing for easy access to most of the town’s busiest places and top activities. The rooms are offered at £9 for a dorm room which shares 12 or £24 for a private room for 2 people. For it’s location and luxury, it’s a great spot to stay and even has a pool to relax in on chilled days.

    At the hostel they have a host of activities you can book to experience in Ubud. They organise the whole trip and make it comfortable for you so you don’t have to do anything but enjoy the ride! Breakfast is also included as part of your stay which is a local dish with fruits and a hot beverage of your choice. It’s a popular hostel for travellers so is a great place to meet people but without any party/drinking element!

    Ubud is such a beautiful location full of activities, history, culture and nature. It’s a spot that is so diverse in setting that doesn’t resemble any other places we have visited before. It’s a place many should visit and experience with so many amazing activities to choose from!

    We hope you enjoyed our breakdown of what to do, where to eat and where to stay in Ubud. It would be much appreciated if you could like the post if you enjoyed. Find it here.

    Travelling to Southeast Asia?

    Check out our blogs for Southeast Asia! Check out blogs like our Palawan travel guide, top 7 places to visit in Vietnam, and our North Thailand itinerary!

    Our favourite must-needed travel resources

    Where to Fly

    Trip.com – Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.

    Kiwi – Use Kiwi’s amazing service that is pioneering in the flight space! They use virtual interlining, which means they can provide seamless connecting flights into one single itinerary!

    CheapOair – Being one of the fastest growing online travel companies in the US, CheapOair offers great flight deals, hotel rooms, rental cars and more!

    Where to Stay

    Booking.com – Offering over 28 million accommodations to book, we will always use booking.com! Having a rewards system built in, the more you book, the more perks you get!

    HostelWorld – You cannot budget travel without hostel world! Having over 17,000 hostels, boasting over 13 million reviews, hostel world is one our of top websites for budget travel! They are now offering more ways to meet people abroad, with meet ups, group chats and more available!

    Vrbo – Find stunning vacation rentals with Vrbo! Offering over 2 million paid listings in 190 countries, find memorable experiences with this accommodation service!

    Where to Explore

    Viator – A trip advisor company, viator offers over 300,000 experiences over 200 countries, including water sports, walking tours, boat trips, food tastes tours and more! Including activities for many budgets, check out Viator!

    Eat With – Experience authentic travel experiences with locals worldwide! Use eat with to book unique and intimate dining experiences, such as dinner parties in big restaurants, big feasts with a local family, cooking classes with a local and more!

    Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common too!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!

    Where to get Connected

    Airalo – With over one million people using Airalo, it is our go to eSIM provider for our worldwide trips! Having data packs from over 200 countries, find combined area packages and deals to suit your travel style and data needs!

    Where to be Protected

    ETKA – Every age from 3 to 85 can buy ETKA’s travel insurance, offering multilingual 24/7 chat support, and your insurance policy within 2-3 minutes!

    Our Top Traveller’s Essentials

    Backpack – Osprey Farpoint 40 – This backpack is a staple amongst many travellers! Being a lot cheaper than the luxury brands, this is a quality backpack from a well known brand. It boasts quality durability, is lightweight with a great framework and is a great option for most people! This backpack has a hip strap to help carry the bag, a breathable harness strap, and comes in multiple colours!

    Compression Packing Cubes – Compression cubes are our favourite packing accessory! These cubes are similar to the normal packing cubes, but feature a compression zip, meaning you can compress your clothes down… this makes packing easier, limits the space you are using, and means more room for souvenirs etc!

    Powerbank – Don’t lose power when travelling! It isn’t always guaranteed to find charging ports, so we would always suggest carrying a spare power bank, just incase you do run low on power when you need it!

    Universal Travel Plug Adapter – Most backpackers/travellers visit multiple countries during one trip. And that means it isn’t guaranteed you will be using the same plug head during each place. A universal plug is great as it lets you switch between each plug head style all in one item! We love ours, it has USB slots meaning multiple items can be charged at once.

    Find our full packing list guide here.

    Thank you for reading our Ubud Travel Guide

    If you would like to support our own travel Journey, please check out all our other blogs, and subscribe to the newsletter where we are currently uploading daily blogs!

    Check out our Social Media’s below! We share our daily activities, all of our budget friendly travel tips, travel inspiration and more!

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  • Khao Sok National Park Travel Guide

    Khao Sok National Park Travel Guide

    Khao Sok National Park

    Nestled in the heart of southern Thailand, Khao Sok National Park is an oasis that offers lush rainforests, towering rock formations, and tranquil waters. Whether you’re an adventure seeker, wildlife enthusiast, or simply a lover of natural beauty, Khao Sok has something extraordinary to offer. Here’s a travel guide will make your visit unforgettable.

    To visit the beautiful park we would first recommend staying just outside the park in Khao Sok Morning Mist Resort which is a popular stay close to the national park with easy access. It’s best to reach by taking the bus from Surat Thani which takes roughly 2/3 hours. The bus will drop you off at the tourism information centre which requires a 20 minute walk down the road to your hostel Khao Sok Morning Mist Resort. Here, the resort sort out your booking for the park and will provide transport to the entrance of the park.

    *There are affiliate links in this post – they do not come at any extra cost to you, but just means we can earn commission to help us pursue this further 🙂

    Floating bungalows in Khao Sok National Park, Thailand
    Khao Sok National Park
    1. Khao Sok National Park
    2. Visiting Khao Sok National Park
    3. Encountering wild Elephants
    4. Kayaking and exploring
    5. Hiking Trails
    6. Exploring the Caves of Khao Sok
    7. Night Tours in Khao Sok
    8. Swimming in the lakes of Khao Sok National Park
    9. Is Khao Sok Worth visiting?
    10. Our favourite must-needed travel resources
      1. Where to Fly
      2. Where to Stay
      3. Where to Explore
      4. Where to get Connected
      5. Where to be Protected
    11. Our Top Traveller’s Essentials
    12. Thank you for reading our Khao Sok Guide!

    Visiting Khao Sok National Park

    Khao Sok National Park is a beautiful treasure of Thailand! With the best time to visit being between December – April (this is not necessary at all, however, these periods are recommended for the best visit), explore the perfect bliss of this national park.

    Multiple trip variations exist, including different activities such as hikes boat tours etc! We have listed this one, which includes a morning jungle hike, two wildlife safaris by longboat, two lunches, dinner and breakfast!

    Find the link to an amazing 2 day experience in Khao Sok National Park here.

    Encountering wild Elephants

    One of the most awe-inspiring activities in Khao Sok is the chance to see wild elephants in their natural habitat. As you venture deep into the park, guided tours can lead you to areas where these magnificent creatures are known to roam. Imagine the thrill of spotting a herd of elephants bathing in a river or feeding on lush vegetation. Be sure to maintain a respectful distance, allowing these gentle giants to go about their day undisturbed.

    When we venturing through the national park, we spotted a mother elephant meander down to the waterfront with her young calf for hydration. This was a truly surreal experience which left us in wonder. It’s amazing to see parts of this beautiful country protected to allow these beautiful creatures freedom to roam and be wild.

    Wild elephants seen in Khao Sok national Park
    Wild Elephants spotted in the National Park.

    Kayaking and exploring

    When arriving at your chosen stay for your time in the national park, you are free to explore the local surroundings which include free access to a kayak! This gives you freedom to explore the waters and and limestone cliffs. There is so much to see you cannot miss out on this! While exploring you can see gibbons calling and swinging through tall trees, storks/hawks & eagles gliding through the skies, or if you are lucky… elephant or a shy Tapir meandering near the waters edge! The waters are crystal clear with many fish visible to spot.

    A kayak trip would be perfect to take photos, just relax and be one with nature for a short while. The park is beautiful everywhere you look so be sure to soak up all the surrounding views and all the natural beauty.

    Kayaking in the national park lake, Thailand
    Kayaking in Khao Sok

    Hiking Trails

    Khao Sok is crisscrossed with an array of nature trails, each offering a unique perspective on the park’s biodiversity. The park’s guided hikes range from leisurely walks to challenging treks, catering to all levels of fitness and adventure. As you traverse these paths, you’ll encounter a rich variety of flora and fauna. Listen to the symphony birds and spot exotic flowers in bloom. Popular trails include the scenic route to Sip-et Chan Waterfall, where you can cool off with a refreshing dip in crystal-clear waters.

    While wandering the trails, you will encounter broken trees from wild elephants not so elegantly weaving through the forests. You may even be lucky enough to find elephants footprints but these are rather hard to come by. Be sure to watch out for any leaches which are common in Khao Sok and hard to notice. We were shown a demonstration by our guide on how to spot and remove them so hopefully you will too!

    Exploring the Caves of Khao Sok

    Khao Sok is dotted with intriguing caves waiting to be explored. One of the most famous is the Coral Cave, named for its stunning coral-like formations. A guided tour will take you through narrow passages and vast chambers adorned with stalactites and stalagmites. The cool, dim interiors offer a fascinating contrast to the bright, humid jungle outside. Some caves involve wading through water and emerging in secluded forest areas, adding an element of adventure to your exploration.

    The reach caves, you may require to embark on long hikes or bamboo rafting across rivers to your chosen cave. Some may even require the physical activity of climbing steps or rocks to the entrance of the cave. It is so worth it!

    Night Tours in Khao Sok

    Although this sounds daunting, this can be one of the best ways to see a lot of the wildlife in the national park. A lot of the wildlife are nocturnal which will open up a whole new experience with different encounters than in the day. Bats can be seen darting through the blackened skies and you may even spot a leopard out on the hunt. You will have a expert guide navigating you through the jungle with a flashlight your only visibility. It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience! As you are hidden deep in the national park, the stars will be shining at their brightest giving you a beautiful natural show when you look up.

    Swimming in the lakes of Khao Sok National Park

    At your accommodation, you will have free time to entertain yourself and what better way to do this than going for a swim in the lake. The waters are so clear and pure, inviting you in! As you are staying on bungalows, this offers a great opportunity to jump in and enjoy your time with picturesque beauty in the background. There’s something truly peaceful about going for a gentle swim in the lakes in the clear water to unwind. Alternatively, it’s also a perfect spot to sit on the side of the bungalows and read a book and watch the world go by. There’s barely a pin drop in national park so just kick back, relax and soak it all in! There’s not many better views in South East Asia than this national park so be sure to make the most of it!

    Is Khao Sok Worth visiting?

    Khao Sok National Park was definitely one of the many highlights that stood out during our time in Thailand and South East Asia! There’s so much to do and see and if we went back we would definitely spend longer there, just being in the wild. It’s a place everyone should visit and one we couldn’t recommend enough!

    To see more on our trips across Thailand check out our South Thailand 2-week itinerary, and our North Thailand itinerary! Make sure to subscribe to see more blog content!

    Views across the lake.
    Floating bungalows in Khao Sok National Park.

    Our favourite must-needed travel resources

    Where to Fly

    Trip.com – Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.

    Kiwi – Use Kiwi’s amazing service that is pioneering in the flight space! They use virtual interlining, which means they can provide seamless connecting flights into one single itinerary!

    CheapOair – Being one of the fastest growing online travel companies in the US, CheapOair offers great flight deals, hotel rooms, rental cars and more!

    Where to Stay

    Booking.com – Offering over 28 million accommodations to book, we will always use booking.com! Having a rewards system built in, the more you book, the more perks you get!

    HostelWorld – You cannot budget travel without hostel world! Having over 17,000 hostels, boasting over 13 million reviews, hostel world is one our of top websites for budget travel! They are now offering more ways to meet people abroad, with meet ups, group chats and more available!

    Vrbo – Find stunning vacation rentals with Vrbo! Offering over 2 million paid listings in 190 countries, find memorable experiences with this accommodation service!

    Where to Explore

    Viator – A trip advisor company, viator offers over 300,000 experiences over 200 countries, including water sports, walking tours, boat trips, food tastes tours and more! Including activities for many budgets, check out Viator!

    Eat With – Experience authentic travel experiences with locals worldwide! Use eat with to book unique and intimate dining experiences, such as dinner parties in big restaurants, big feasts with a local family, cooking classes with a local and more!

    Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common too!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!

    Where to get Connected

    Airalo – With over one million people using Airalo, it is our go to eSIM provider for our worldwide trips! Having data packs from over 200 countries, find combined area packages and deals to suit your travel style and data needs!

    Where to be Protected

    ETKA – Every age from 3 to 85 can buy ETKA’s travel insurance, offering multilingual 24/7 chat support, and your insurance policy within 2-3 minutes!

    Our Top Traveller’s Essentials

    Backpack – Osprey Farpoint 40 – This backpack is a staple amongst many travellers! Being a lot cheaper than the luxury brands, this is a quality backpack from a well known brand. It boasts quality durability, is lightweight with a great framework and is a great option for most people! This backpack has a hip strap to help carry the bag, a breathable harness strap, and comes in multiple colours!

    Compression Packing Cubes – Compression cubes are our favourite packing accessory! These cubes are similar to the normal packing cubes, but feature a compression zip, meaning you can compress your clothes down… this makes packing easier, limits the space you are using, and means more room for souvenirs etc!

    Powerbank – Don’t lose power when travelling! It isn’t always guaranteed to find charging ports, so we would always suggest carrying a spare power bank, just incase you do run low on power when you need it!

    Universal Travel Plug Adapter – Most backpackers/travellers visit multiple countries during one trip. And that means it isn’t guaranteed you will be using the same plug head during each place. A universal plug is great as it lets you switch between each plug head style all in one item! We love ours, it has USB slots meaning multiple items can be charged at once.

    Find our full packing list guide here.

    Thank you for reading our Khao Sok Guide!

    Thank you for reading our blog and we hope it helped with planning your trip to Khao Sok National Park!

    If you would like to support our own travel Journey, please check out all our other blogs, and subscribe to the newsletter where we are currently uploading daily blogs!

    Check out our Social Media’s below!!!

    Finally, share this post with your friends! Let’s build those travel plans!

    Leave a comment

  • Outpost Hostel Review: Beachfront Accommodation in El Nido

    Outpost Hostel Review: Beachfront Accommodation in El Nido

    Outpost Hostel, El Nido

    El Nido is a beautiful coastal location in Palawan which is surrounded by tranquil blue waters and paradisal islands. When researching the town there is so much to do, and therefore we decided to stay for 5 nights and searched for a busy Hostel that provided lovely views, and had good access to beach tours… that lead us to booking Outpost Hostel. You can see just how exciting Palawan is to travel in our guide here.

    We used HostelWorld and came across 2 main Hostels to choose from. The hostel we ended up choosing was Outpost Hostel, as it was directly on the beach and was known for good socialising to meet people. You can find a link to the hostel here.

    *There are affiliate links in this post – they do not come at any extra cost to you, but just means we can earn commission to help us pursue this further 🙂

    1. Outpost Hostel, El Nido
    2. Our review of Outpost Hostel in El Nido
    3. Overall – 9.5/10
      1. Arrival – 7/10
      2. Rooms – 8/10
      3. Toilet & Showers – 9/10
      4. Communal/social Area – 9.5/10
      5. Trips – 10/10
      6. Location – 8/10
      7. Food (Taste) – 8.5/10, (Price) – 5/10
      8. Facilities
    4. Our experience at Outpost Hostel
      1. Would we recommend Outpost Hostel?
    5. Outpost, El Nido!
    6. Our favourite must-needed travel resources
      1. Where to Fly
      2. Where to Stay
      3. Where to Explore
      4. Where to get Connected
      5. Where to be Protected
    7. Our Top Traveller’s Essentials

    Our review of Outpost Hostel in El Nido

    Overall – 9.5/10

    Arrival – 7/10

    When arriving in El Nido, we were dropped off in a peculiar location on the side of a bend of a main road. From here we were directed from our driver to head down some side steps. This was reaffirmed as we saw overhead signs directing us onto the beach for the Outpost Hostel. Take a left across the beach for 2 minutes and you will end up at the steps of the Hostel.

    It’s a simple Hostel to find as you just have to follow the beach until you find the entrance. If you are arriving in the morning you may find an issue of the tide coming in and having to walk through the sea (maybe up to your knees), to get to the entrance so wear appropriate clothing.

    When you arrive you head past the bar to the desk which you are welcomed with happy staff who will help you with your bags and direct you to your room.

    Outpost Poster in the Hostel in El Nido, Philippines
    Philippines map in the accommodation.

    Rooms – 8/10

    There are many rooms to choose from including dorms ranging from 4 – 12 people, and the option for a private room. The dorms are very spacious and offer ample space for you to keep your belongings at the bottom of each bed. It’s important to note that the dorms are bunk beds, so you may require to stay at the top bunk which many people try to avoid. If it isn’t completely full at the hostel you are able to ask and they will put you in a bottom bunk if there are bottom bunks available.

    The bedding is clean and the rooms are well kept. Very simple but it’s all you can ask for from a hostel, and the beds are comfy. Unfortunately they don’t have any privacy in the rooms. Curtains are not provided to give privacy which some may prefer, however the beds do still feel isolated and hidden which is nice.

    Toilet & Showers – 9/10

    The toilets are very professional and communal to all the rooms in the Hostel. It’s one large area which has many cubicles that are checked regularly and kept to a really good standard. The decor is very modern, and all the surfaces are kept clean. The showers are located in the same area as the toilets and are within cubicles just like the toilets. The showers are powerful and warm which is a nice, and includes hooks for your towel and any clothes you look to change into.

    Communal/social Area – 9.5/10

    The communal area is the whole of the downstairs which consists of a reception, bar for drinks, and tables and chairs for food and general socialising. It’s a large space which can hold up to 50-75 people; perfect for social nights at the Hostel. In the day a lot of people spend their time at the tables eating breakfast/lunch and admiring the views, before heading out on their daily adventures. There are even sun loungers and deck chairs provided for anyone that wants to spend time soaking up the sun and relaxing with on the beautiful beach.

    Upstairs there is a quieter communal area which overlooks the beach and ocean which was a favourite space to eat breakfast and soak up the morning views. There’s an open space that has sofas for comfort, a space for books and music which is perfect to relax. It’s a less sociable area than downstairs and is often a space used to individual time.

    The Hostel offers an environment for both a quiet evening or a sociable one making it a great hostel no matter your situation.

    Sunset Views on the beach in El Nido, Philippines
    Morning breakfast view in El Nido, Philippines
    Photo of one of the communal areas at Outpost Hostel in El Nido, Philippines
    Breakfast with beach view in El Nido

    Trips – 10/10

    The trips are the true selling point for the hostel! They do trips everyday as they have 2 main island hopping tours. The locations are split into tours A,B,C & D. One Tour is A & C and the other is B & D. These tours are very similar, but also different at the same time. They consist of visiting different islands that is close to the town of El Nido, with different activities throughout the day.

    A stop off close to an island that is so tiny that you have to swim to… it has no beach and there is a viewpoint at the top. The island was no more than 20 metres by 20 metres but the island had enough height above sea level to provide a beautiful view overlooking the waters to admire the picturesque islands in the back.

    There were a few islands that were perfect for scuba diving, and offered the opportunity to find turtles. Although we didn’t manage to see any, there are popular locations that see many turtles in the wild. We were just unlucky. Some of these islands will offer drinks and snacks on the beach, and you are free to explore as you wish. If you don’t want to snorkel, you can explore down the coast or venture into the island further. Maybe plays some games with locals or other boat trip goers. Or just enjoy the view, sit back and relax on the beaches!

    One of the islands is remembered very fondly as we played a game of volleyball with some locals on a random island. They didn’t speak any English and there was no way to communicate, but all was needed was a volleyball. We split the teams up so we had some locals to make it fair and we played a game. It was one of the best experiences we have ever had! The best part of it was we played volleyball as the sun started to set! It was magical!

    Also on the tour there is lunch provided which consists of a large fresh fish that is cooked whole and so soft! The fish was beautiful, and there was also pork and chicken provided with rice and a handful of other options. There was also fruit provided which was super fresh! Watermelon and Pineapple is given and you can eat as much as you want. We enjoyed this on one of the many beaches on the beach. They brought a table to set up to plate all the food on! The other trip had a stop which had a beach hut built on the side with benches and a table so food was served here!

    Towards the end of each trip simple games were played with the whole boat, and losers would be served a shot of the rum provided by the hostel. Everyone was given a shot as mandatory to get people in the mood and was a great way to kill time between islands.

    When heading back and arriving back at the hostel, you were welcomed with an alcoholic beverage which was a lovely touch.

    One of the days we wanted to go to a beach roughly an hour away and one of the workers were happy to take us there in a minibus and charging us a small fee each to do so! We ended up getting 8 or so people to come with and made a full day of it with the staff enjoying the trip also! We visited a few beaches, played volleyball and ate local cuisines. The staff are very flexible and are happy to help with any bookings or plans you have when in El Nido so if you do have a question be sure to ask!

    Island Views on Palawan Tour from Outpost Hostel
    Island Views on Palawan Tour
    Island Views on Palawan Tour
    Island Views on Palawan Tour from Outpost Hostel
    Island Views on Boat Trip booked through Outpost hostel

    Location – 8/10

    The town of El Nido is only a 5 minute TukTuk away, and once you get back onto the main road there will be TukTuks waiting or they will stop to ask if you need taking somewhere. You could walk the distance as it isn’t far, but a TukTuk makes it easier! You should be able to get a TukTuk for 100/150 Filipino Peso (£1.50-£2.00). Make sure to barter and do not overpay! There isn’t much to do in the town but there are food spots, and is generally a nice town.

    Food (Taste) – 8.5/10, (Price) – 5/10

    The food at the hostel is super nice! They serve up local foods like Pork Sisig (our favourite) and Chicken Adobo- and it’s all freshly made and so flavourful. In the day they offer sandwiches and other snacks, which is a great bite to eat while chilling! There is a lot of variety with vegetarian options available also! When you order just let them know you where you are sitting and they will bring the food up to you!

    However, the price of the food is premium; and you can find local restaurants that offer their food at a much cheaper rate. In September 2022, the food in El Nido cost roughly 300 peso for dinner with the lunch being slightly cheaper. However, there is a local restaurant round the corner which offers some beautiful homemade dishes for roughly 100/150 Filipino Peso which is a lot more affordable and is only a 5 minute walk away.

    We would recommend looking for local restaurants to eating to keep spending down for your trip.

    Breakfast is included when booking a room and is one of the best meals for the day. They provide fresh fruit and beautiful options which will leave you very satisfied for your busy day ahead!

    Pork Sisig meal at Outpost Hostel
    Pork Sisig at Outpost Hostel

    Facilities

    The Hostel had an ATM on the top floor which was really convenient so you didn’t have to search for one and head into town.

    Our experience at Outpost Hostel

    Would we recommend Outpost Hostel?

    The Hostel was an amazing stay and one we would totally recommend when you are heading to El Nido! The customer service really is amazing, and they really do improve your experience. The food is lovely and the boat trips really help you to see the surrounding areas which you cannot afford to miss! The rooms are standard, but have the necessities needed– plus some well kept and modern showers and bathrooms! The evening is organised well to keep travellers busy with games, social activities and more! The hostel is one of the better ones we stayed in during our time in South East Asia, so don’t miss out! There’s no better view from a hostel balcony than a morning at Outpost, El Nido!

    Outpost, El Nido!

    Thank you for reading our review of the wonderful Outpost Hostel in El Nido, Philippines! If you are debating whether to book here we would totally recommend it and know you will not be missing out! Are you travelling Southeast Asia? Read our top 7 places to visit in Vietnam, an ultimate 2 week itinerary for North Thailand, and our top places to eat in Bali.

    Make sure to like the Blog post and let us know your views on staying at this amazing hostel!

    Our favourite must-needed travel resources

    Where to Fly

    Trip.com – Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.

    Kiwi – Use Kiwi’s amazing service that is pioneering in the flight space! They use virtual interlining, which means they can provide seamless connecting flights into one single itinerary!

    CheapOair – Being one of the fastest growing online travel companies in the US, CheapOair offers great flight deals, hotel rooms, rental cars and more!

    Where to Stay

    Booking.com – Offering over 28 million accommodations to book, we will always use booking.com! Having a rewards system built in, the more you book, the more perks you get!

    HostelWorld – You cannot budget travel without hostel world! Having over 17,000 hostels, boasting over 13 million reviews, hostel world is one our of top websites for budget travel! They are now offering more ways to meet people abroad, with meet ups, group chats and more available!

    Vrbo – Find stunning vacation rentals with Vrbo! Offering over 2 million paid listings in 190 countries, find memorable experiences with this accommodation service!

    Where to Explore

    Viator – A trip advisor company, viator offers over 300,000 experiences over 200 countries, including water sports, walking tours, boat trips, food tastes tours and more! Including activities for many budgets, check out Viator!

    Eat With – Experience authentic travel experiences with locals worldwide! Use eat with to book unique and intimate dining experiences, such as dinner parties in big restaurants, big feasts with a local family, cooking classes with a local and more!

    Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common too!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!

    Where to get Connected

    Airalo – With over one million people using Airalo, it is our go to eSIM provider for our worldwide trips! Having data packs from over 200 countries, find combined area packages and deals to suit your travel style and data needs!

    Where to be Protected

    ETKA – Every age from 3 to 85 can buy ETKA’s travel insurance, offering multilingual 24/7 chat support, and your insurance policy within 2-3 minutes!

    Our Top Traveller’s Essentials

    Backpack – Osprey Farpoint 40 – This backpack is a staple amongst many travellers! Being a lot cheaper than the luxury brands, this is a quality backpack from a well known brand. It boasts quality durability, is lightweight with a great framework and is a great option for most people! This backpack has a hip strap to help carry the bag, a breathable harness strap, and comes in multiple colours!

    Compression Packing Cubes – Compression cubes are our favourite packing accessory! These cubes are similar to the normal packing cubes, but feature a compression zip, meaning you can compress your clothes down… this makes packing easier, limits the space you are using, and means more room for souvenirs etc!

    Powerbank – Don’t lose power when travelling! It isn’t always guaranteed to find charging ports, so we would always suggest carrying a spare power bank, just incase you do run low on power when you need it!

    Universal Travel Plug Adapter – Most backpackers/travellers visit multiple countries during one trip. And that means it isn’t guaranteed you will be using the same plug head during each place. A universal plug is great as it lets you switch between each plug head style all in one item! We love ours, it has USB slots meaning multiple items can be charged at once.

    Find our full packing list guide here.

    If you would like to support our own travel Journey, please check out all our other blogs, and subscribe to the newsletter where we are currently uploading daily blogs!

    Check out our Social Media’s below! We share our daily activities, all of our budget friendly travel tips, travel inspiration and more!

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  • Riad Verus Review: Top Budget-Friendly Hostel in Fez, Morocco

    Riad Verus Review: Top Budget-Friendly Hostel in Fez, Morocco

    The best hostel in Fez? Riad Verus is a budget-friendly hostel that is a must-book location for a Moroccan trip!

    We spent one week in Morocco, exploring Fes, Meknes and Rabat, as budget travellers! We had the most beautiful time; experiencing Moroccan culture, trying local cuisine, exploring local areas… it was such an amazing last minute trip!

    Having 2 nights in Fez, we stayed at one hostel, called Riad Verus, and we had such an amazing time! So, here is our review on staying at this central hostel in Fez, Morocco!

    We were gifted two nights at this hostel, however these views are genuine and our fully our own. Please let us share all the positives and negatives of our stay!

    *There are affiliate links in this post – they do not come at any extra cost to you, but just means we can earn commission to help us pursue this further 🙂

    Decorations at Riad Verus, Fez, Morocco
    Upstairs Common Area in Riad Verus, Fez, Morocco
    Downstairs common area in Riad Verus, Fez, Morocco
    Stairs in Riad Verus, Fez, Morocco
    Downstairs common area in Riad Verus, Fez, Morocco
    Common Area downstairs at Riad Verus, Fez, Morocco

    Riad Verus

    The Basics

    Riad Verus is a Riad-style hostel in the heart of the famous Fez Medina in Morocco. With easy access to the winding Medina streets, this hostel is in a prime location for travelling around Fez, at a budget friendly cost. Starting from only around £7.50 per night in dorms, breakfast is included within the cost, and private rooms only costing around £24, which is great for couples and friends!

    With friendly and welcoming staff, Riad Verus hosts many different social events; while we were there, we got to experience breaking fast for ramadan with our entire hostel guests, with a full selection of traditional moroccan foods provided by the hostel. We then went upstairs for popcorn, shishas, and time to relax!

    This hostel wouldn’t be our top social hostel we stayed at, but this might just be due to guests at the time! However, there is definitely option to socialise- since we visited during ramadan, this might’ve slightly affected our experience of socialising! This is a great budget friendly option for the location especially! It was extremely clean, and the atmosphere was great!

    The Room

    We stayed for two nights in Riad Verus, in dormitory rooms! This is very common when booking hostels, as many budget backpackers always tend to reach for the cheapest option! Our dorm was a mixed dorm of 10 beds, with an en-suite provided for all guests in the room. Each bed is provided with a blanket which can be quite rare when staying in hostels, and provided a cosy aspect! The beds were built into a brick structure, so there wasn’t the risk of rickety beds, or having to worry about the person above/below. Each bed had a reading light, and charging socket access. There is locker access below the bottom bunks, but these aren’t massive.

    The bathroom in our dorm room was clean, with one toilet, one shower, and one sink. The door to the bathroom wasn’t extremely secure in our dorm, however this is easily helped by being communicative with your roommates, or if you are travelling with someone just ask them to watch the door! Some were quite ‘sticky’ doors, but this is understandable for an old building like this one! Everything worked well, the shower was great and had a lot of room, we wish there was an additional sink (or larger sink area), but it was enough!

    The Hostel

    The hostel comprised of 5/6 floors, with very steep stairs. This hostel wouldn’t be an accessible friendly one due to no lift access. We do understand this due to the type of building it is, however, it was a bit of a struggle for Aimee when she was unwell, so this is important to keep in mind. The hostel itself was an extremely beautiful building, boasting traditional Riad features and colourful atmospheres.

    Downstairs Communal Area in Riad Verus

    There were toilets littered across the hostel on each floor allowing for easy access. As you enter the hostel, there is a small communal area which has books available to borrow, and is a common place for travellers to meet and get to know each other. In this area there is a luggage room which is great to leave your belongings when you arrive before check-in or have just checked out, however this is not locked, so leaving your bag is at your own discretion.

    Upstairs communal area in Riad Verus

    There is also an upstairs area on the top floor, which has a variety of seating areas, games, and an even higher upstairs terrace area overlooking Fez. We particularly liked the upstairs over the downstairs common area, due to many choosing to socialise in this area. They included popular games such as cards against humanity, jenga, cards etc, all free to use! There was also shisha access, which we were given free the first night of our stay, after we broke fast with the hostel! The area had many sofa and seat styles, and different areas on this one floor at slightly different heights, so there was the option to ‘seclude’ yourself slightly if you did want a bit of peace! The upstairs had a retractable sun roof, so in the morning it was also really bright and airy! They even had some hostel tortoises in a little area!

    Riad Verus View from the Terrace

    Breakfast was served upstairs, giving a variety of foods for a hearty breakfast! There was vegetarian options which we thought was great! We were served a muffin, bowl of fruit, a sandwich with egg, avocado, meat and cheese, a granola/yogurt bowl and a type of samosa each! Considering this was included in the stay we were more than impressed. We were also given fresh orange juice, and then unlimited traditional Moroccan tea throughout the stay.

    Breakfast selection for two at Riad Verus

    Would we stay again?

    We would happily stay at Riad Verus again! We would prefer a lower ground room, only due to after long days of walking the stairs aren’t fun! For the price especially we really think this hostel is a great find, and we understand why they are a top voted hostel with Fez!

    We wouldn’t have many faults to majorly point out, more so just preference of not liking the steepness of the stairs, and some building features that are showing ‘ageing’, such as some issues with the doors. But honestly we wouldn’t deter staying for that reason!

    You can find a direct link to the hostel here, where you can book on HostelWorld.

    Riad Verus – The Best Hostel in Fez!

    We hope you enjoyed our review of Riad Verus in Fez, Morocco! Want to learn more about Morocco? Check out our Fez Itinerary, Things to do in Meknes , and things to avoid in Morocco.

    If you would like to support our own travel Journey, please check out all our other blogs, and subscribe to the newsletter where we are currently uploading daily blogs!

    Check out our Social Media’s below! We share our daily activities, all of our budget friendly travel tips, travel inspiration and more!

    Finally, share this post with your friends! Let’s build those travel plans and make memories!

    Leave a comment