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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!

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

    Leave a comment

  • 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

  • Palawan Travel Guide for 2024

    Palawan Travel Guide for 2024

    Palawan Island is located in the Philippines, and is a thin strip of land furthest west. It’s a popular place for travellers as there are many stops across the large island. There are beautiful beaches, once in a lifetime activities and amazing food!

    The Island is one of 7,641 Islands that make up the country of Philippines; with many dotted just off the shores. It’s a convenient location for travellers as you are only a 1/2 hour flight away when arriving in the capital of Manila, making it easily accessible! Also, if you have travelled other parts of the Philippines you can get a ferry from Cebu to Coron, but this will take a long time to travel – roughly 35 hours which will stop at other locations including the capital Manila, before heading to Coron (north Palawan). You can also fly from Cebu to Palawan which is roughly 2,000 Philippine Peso which is a lot quicker and not much more expensive!!

    The island is definitely worth the travel and wait time as we have not seen such paradisal beaches and islands anywhere else in the world!! The options are to fly to Puerto Princesa which is in the central part of the Island, or to the north Island of Coron which is the Busuanga Airport.

    *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 🙂

    Beautiful blue waters and beach hut in Coron, Palawan, in the Philippines
    Coron, Philippines

    Puerto Princesa

    The first location in our Palawan guide is Puerto Princess! The popular flight (and easiest) is to Puerto Princesa, as it is the larger airport and has more flights. However, Coron is a popular spot and one you don’t want to miss out on. We would recommend to head to Puerto Princesa and get local transport (likely a TukTuk) into the city of Puerto Princesa, which is roughly a 30 minute ride. There isn’t much to do here but is a lovely quiet place perfect to get over any jet lag from your travels! 12Go offer a bus and ferry option to transfer from Coron port to Puerto Princesa Airport here.

    We would recommend 1 nights in Puerto Princesa if you are fast travelling and 2 nights if you are slow travelling. As mentioned above, there isn’t much to do in the area but there is 2 activities we would recommend to do that you shouldn’t miss!

    The first of these are the underground river! The underground river is a natural UNESCO heritage site which a great way to learn more about the rich history of the Philippines and it’s beauty. This experience is a short walk into the Philippines forest where you come up to large rock formations and stunning blue water which leads into the mouth of a dark cave.

    You are given a guide who will paddle you through the caves and point out any interesting parts of the cave with his flashlight. Before entering the cave you are provided with a headset which has an automatic recording which will talk to you and inform you on the history of the cave and how it became so popular. Find guided tour tickets here.

    In the cave you will learn about Stalagmites and Stalactites, and be notified of the amount of bats in the cave. This will be pointed out by the guide through shining the torch for visibility. All round, the experience is calming, and is a lovely way to learn about the local caves. There is even potential to see wild monkeys on the way into and out of the caves! Be sure to avoid contact with them as they are wild monkeys, and are not pets!

    This is a great way to spend half a day in Puerto Princesa, and is one of the most popular spots in the area!

    Also close to Puerto Princesa is Port Barton.

    Port Barton

    This is another popular spot in Palawan, just north of Puerto Princesa, which is a literal paradise! The area of Port Barton has a large Horseshoe beach with many islands just off the coast.. perfect for a boat trip! The town has become more popular of recent years as more travellers are becoming aware of it’s natural beauty!

    It would be recommended to stay here for 2/3 nights and from here head further north. However, this is a great location to kick back, relax on the stunning beaches and spend time going for swims, snorkelling to look for marine animals, and exploring the area.

    It’s located near a mangrove and has some amazing walks to beaches which are so quiet that it seems private! The area is so stunning and always recommended by travellers who have been there. Also here is local waterfalls which you can venture to and spend some time taking in the natural beauty!

    There’s even an island called Paradise Island!!! You can book an island hopping tour that visits this island here.

    After enjoying Port Barton in all it’s beauty, you can then head up north towards El Nido by taking the most popular transport of a taxi/shuttle dependant on preference. The shuttle would be cheaper as it is taking multiple groups of people but will be slower and will usually take 4 or so hours. You can find a shuttle bus transport from 12Go for only £9 here. When we made the journey up to the north of Palawan to El Nido our shuttle blew a tyre and we were stuck on the side of a road for 1 hour with only a few local huts housing families and stray dogs. It was a welcoming experience as these people lived such a simple life and was so amazing to see it! Hopefully this doesn’t happen to you haha!

    El Nido

    When looking to visit El Nido there are 2 main hostels that travellers book! One is Frendz Hostel and another is Outpost Hostel. We opted for the latter which turned out to be one of the best hostels we stayed in across the whole 3 months in Asia! The hostel has everything you can ask for! Lovely staff, amazing facilities, good price, boat trips, the beach on the doorstep and more!

    When we say the beach on the doorstep, we mean that once we were dropped off near the hostel on the side of the road, we had to wander down steps onto the beach as pointed out by a sign. We wandered the beach for 2 minutes and boom there’s the hostel. Literally 3 steps up from the beach. It is so close that when you wake up in the morning and head down for breakfast, you will notice the tide has come in and if you are to go on the beach you will have to walk through the sea!

    You have the choice from a shared dorm of 12/8/4 or a private room. It is known to be a lively hostel, a place for people to meet fellow travellers and enjoy the evenings! Each day the hostel have boat tours running (there are 2 to do which are alternated), which we would recommend 100%. It’s an island hopping tour that really stood out and you will see places that literally look out of this world. The tours (as of September 2022) cost around £15 per person and would be from 9am till 5/6pm, which is inclusive of lunch (fresh fish and fruits like pineapple and watermelon), party games between islands (including alcohol), and snorkel gear and recommendations on where to find marine animals. It’s so worth the money and you get to know all the fellow travellers on the trip as well which is amazing!

    On the tour we met up with some local islanders that lived on one of the many islands dotted around the Philippines. Even though they didn’t speak English or we didn’t speak their language, we decided to play a game of Volleyball with the locals with mixed teams. We got to understand the simplicity of their life and how grateful they were for what little they had. It was such a surreal experience and on the island we were able to enjoy the sunset before heading back to the hostel for the end of the trip.

    As expected, we did both the boat tours which take separate routes around the islands visiting different areas! Once you get back you are welcomed at the bar with a free drink and the socialising has begun!

    The hostel offers great food, but it is a lot more expensive to eat at the hostel compared to local places just a 5/10 minute away. We are taking sometimes 3 times more expensive!

    If you do enjoy the party scene, you can venture into El Nido later in the evening and find a popular club called Amigos which has an amazing view once you walk through it! At the back you fall straight on the beach only 10/20 feet away from the sea and we can’t lie we had a few dips in there because why not! Many would take off their clothes and go in the sea in their underwear to then come out the sea, dry off and put their clothes back on to head back into the club! The vibes are electric and the people are super friendly! Even next door to the club there is an amazing burger spot which is a great place to stumble in once you have completed the night and looking for a late snack!

    From Outpost Hostel to the centre of town should only cost 100 Pesos (£1.50) each way and you can ride multiple people in one TukTuk!

    In the day there is still loads more to do! We ended up renting a driver and a group of us headed to some famous beaches (Nacpan & Duli Beach). These are roughly 45 – 60 minutes north of El Nido but well worth the journey! The beaches were empty, we were the only ones there! We stopped and had lunch on the beach before going into the sea and enjoying the beautiful weather! After a while, and moving between beaches, we came across loads of local Philippines kids running and playing on the sand which was awesome to see! As a group we played some volleyball and tired ourselves out to collapse on the sun loungers and enjoy the sunset. There’s no better way to enjoy this than ordering a local dessert of Halo Halo, which was so refreshing and beautiful! Definitely worth a try!!

    Also in El Nido there is a local waterfall called Nagkalit-Kalit ,which is a beautiful activity to experience, take photos, see the nature and swim under! El Nido is a place full of nature and one that should be on everyone’s bucket list!

    Moving on from El Nido would be to take a Ferry from the mainland of Palawan to the island of Busuanga which is the next location of Coron! The Ferry is pretty expensive at £40-£50+ and takes roughly 5 hours dependant on the weather and the choppy waters. Please note that the Ferry only runs 2 times a week (was Tuesday and Thursday we believe in 2022) so be sure to check this before looking to book as you might be stranded in El Nido for a few extra days if you don’t plan ahead. It’s not really the worst place to be left stranded!! You can book the ferry here.

    Coron

    From here you can head up north to the Island of Coron which is part of Palawan. Coron is a small seaside town that has some great activities that you definitely don’t want to miss out on.

    Here we would recommend to stay at Outpost Hostel located in Coron. This is the same company as the one in El Nido, but is less party and more chilled out. It is located through the town, and up a steep street that overlooks much of the town- and provide great views of the sea and sunrise/sunset. The Hostel also has a small pool you can use and offers daily entertainment each evening which normally consists of drinking games and fun!

    The hostel is super friendly and is only a 15 minute walk from the main town, which has some good entertainment like a place to play pool and some great local food spots. In Coron, we would recommend going on boat tours as there are so many pretty islands close to the island. However, be aware that it is slightly more expensive than the tours in El Nido, and doesn’t offer the same entertaining perks as well. You will also be required to provide your own snorkel equipment or purchase/rent the equipment for the tour.

    The tour will include going to some beautiful islands and swimming in some amazing turquoise blue lakes which are breath taking. You seriously cannot get bored of the tours and the beauty of the country Philippines. One of these being Barracuda lake which houses actual Barracuda’s that live deep in the lake and are seldom seen. Unfortunately we didn’t see one but one of our friends did and if you are lucky you may see them too!

    In the town of Coron you can take a walk up into the hills and find a spot where you can look over the whole town and the waters afar! Mount Tapyas is a popular hike and one that will take you up hundreds of steps and roughly takes 60 – 90 minutes if you take your time. Up here you will see a large sign like the one in Hollywood and be able to witness a beautiful view with picturesque islands in the back. This would be a great place to venture up before sunrise or at sunset to see some beautiful views!

    Coron is a hotspot for many aspiring divers to get their PADI diving certificate or learn how to free dive. It has some cool locations including reefs, turtle spots and shipwrecks where you are able to do this and learn how to scuba dive and earn your PADI certificate!

    Also in Coron, there’s a natural hot spring called Maquinit which allows you to bathe in naturally heated pools of water to relax and sooth your soul. Coron is such a beautiful seaside town full of character and beauty. It’s certainly a place you can’t miss out on!

    Palawan

    The best time to visit Palawan would ideally be between November to May as this is technically their summer time. This means there is less risk of bad weather and encountering typhoons or cyclones which are more apparent between June and October. However, when we visited Palawan it was the start/middle of September and the weather was beautiful. Full of sun with a few cloudy days! There were a few days (mostly in Coron) where we were hit with heavy rain or wet weather but it adds to the experience and really didn’t dampen our spirits while there!

    Leaving the islands of Palawan would generally consist of grabbing a plane to either the capital Manila or onto the rest of the Philippines like Cebu from Francisco B. Reyes Airport. It’s located close to Coron would only be a short TukTuk ride to here!

    Are you visiting Southeast Asia anytime soon? Check out the most useful apps for Southeast Asia travel, alongside our other Southeast Asia blogs here.

    Visiting Palawan is such a beautiful journey

    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

  • Ultimate Palawan Travel Guide 2024: Top Attractions, Hidden Gems, and Travel Tips

    Ultimate Palawan Travel Guide 2024: Top Attractions, Hidden Gems, and Travel Tips

    Palawan Island is located in the Philippines, and is a thin strip of land furthest west. It’s a popular place for travellers as there are many stops across the large island, with beautiful beaches, once in a lifetime activities and amazing food!

    The Island is one of 7,641 Islands that make up the country of Philippines; with many dotted just off the shores. It’s a convenient location for travellers as you are only a 1/2 hour flight away when arriving in the capital of Manila, making it easily accessible! Also, if you have travelled other parts of the Philippines you can get a ferry from Cebu to Coron, but this will take a long time to travel – roughly 35 hours which will stop at other locations including the capital Manila, before heading to Coron (north Palawan). You can also fly from Cebu to Palawan which is roughly 2,000 Philippine Peso which is a lot quicker and not much more expensive!!

    The island is definitely worth the travel and wait time as we have not seen such paradisal beaches and islands anywhere else in the world!! The options are to fly to Puerto Princesa which is in the central part of the Island, or to the north Island of Coron which is the Busuanga Airport.

    *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 🙂

    Coron, Philippines

    Puerto Princesa

    The popular flight (and easiest) is to Puerto Princesa, as it is the larger airport and has more flights. However, Coron is a popular spot and one you don’t want to miss out on. We would recommend to head to Puerto Princesa and get local transport (likely a TukTuk) into the city of Puerto Princesa, which is roughly a 30 minute ride. There isn’t much to do here but is a lovely quiet place perfect to get over any jet lag from your travels! 12Go offer a bus and ferry option to transfer from Coron port to Puerto Princesa Airport here.

    We would recommend 1 nights in Puerto Princesa if you are fast travelling and 2 nights if you are slow travelling. As mentioned above, there isn’t much to do in the area but there is 2 activities we would recommend to do that you shouldn’t miss!

    The first of these are the underground river! The underground river is a natural UNESCO heritage site which a great way to learn more about the rich history of the Philippines and it’s beauty. This experience is a short walk into the Philippines forest where you come up to large rock formations and stunning blue water which leads into the mouth of a dark cave. You are given a guide who will paddle you through the caves and point out any interesting parts of the cave with his flashlight. Before entering the cave you are provided with a headset which has an automatic recording which will talk to you and inform you on the history of the cave and how it became so popular. Find guided tour tickets here.

    In the cave you will learn about Stalagmites and Stalactites, and be notified of the amount of bats in the cave. This will be pointed out by the guide through shining the torch for visibility. All round, the experience is calming, and is a lovely way to learn about the local caves with the potential to see wild monkeys on the way into and out of the caves! Be sure to avoid contact with them as they are wild monkeys, and are not pets!

    This is a great way to spend half a day in Puerto Princesa and is one of the most popular spots in the area!

    Also close to Puerto Princesa is Port Barton.

    Port Barton

    This is another popular spot just north of Puerto Princesa which is a literal paradise! The area of Port Barton has a large Horseshoe beach with many islands just off the coast.. perfect for a boat trip! The town has become more popular of recent years as more travellers are becoming aware of it’s natural beauty!

    It would be recommended to stay here for 2/3 nights and from here head further north. However, this is a great location to kick back, relax on the stunning beaches and spend time going for swims, snorkelling to look for marine animals, and exploring the area.

    It’s located near a mangrove and has some amazing walks to beaches which are so quiet that it seems private! The area is so stunning and always recommended by travellers who have been there. Also here is local waterfalls which you can venture to and spend some time taking in the natural beauty!

    There’s even an island called Paradise Island!!! You can book an island hopping tour that visits this island here.

    After enjoying Port Barton in all it’s beauty, you can then head up north towards El Nido by taking the most popular transport of a taxi/shuttle dependant on preference. The shuttle would be cheaper as it is taking multiple groups of people but will be slower and will usually take 4 or so hours. You can find a shuttle bus transport from 12Go for only £9 here. When we made the journey up to the north of Palawan to El Nido our shuttle blew a tyre and we were stuck on the side of a road for 1 hour with only a few local huts housing families and stray dogs. It was a welcoming experience as these people lived such a simple life and was so amazing to see it! Hopefully this doesn’t happen to you haha!

    El Nido

    When looking to visit El Nido there are 2 main hostels that travellers book! One is Frendz Hostel and another is Outpost Hostel. We opted for the latter which turned out to be one of the best hostels we stayed in across the whole 3 months in Asia! The hostel has everything you can ask for! Lovely staff, amazing facilities, good price, boat trips, the beach on the doorstep and more!

    When we say the beach on the doorstep, we mean that once we were dropped off near the hostel on the side of the road, we had to wander down steps onto the beach as pointed out by a sign. We wandered the beach for 2 minutes and boom there’s the hostel. Literally 3 steps up from the beach. It is so close that when you wake up in the morning and head down for breakfast, you will notice the tide has come in and if you are to go on the beach you will have to walk through the sea!

    You have the choice from a shared dorm of 12/8/4 or a private room. It is known to be a lively hostel, a place for people to meet fellow travellers and enjoy the evenings! Each day the hostel have boat tours running (there are 2 to do which are alternated), which we would recommend 100%. It’s an island hopping tour that really stood out and you will see places that literally look out of this world. The tours (as of September 2022) cost around £15 per person and would be from 9am till 5/6pm, which is inclusive of lunch (fresh fish and fruits like pineapple and watermelon), party games between islands (including alcohol), and snorkel gear and recommendations on where to find marine animals. It’s so worth the money and you get to know all the fellow travellers on the trip as well which is amazing!

    On the tour we met up with some local islanders that lived on one of the many islands dotted around the Philippines. Even though they didn’t speak English or we didn’t speak their language, we decided to play a game of Volleyball with the locals with mixed teams. We got to understand the simplicity of their life and how grateful they were for what little they had. It was such a surreal experience and on the island we were able to enjoy the sunset before heading back to the hostel for the end of the trip.

    As expected, we did both the boat tours which take separate routes around the islands visiting different areas! Once you get back you are welcomed at the bar with a free drink and the socialising has begun!

    The hostel offers great food, but it is a lot more expensive to eat at the hostel compared to local places just a 5/10 minute away. We are taking sometimes 3 times more expensive!

    If you do enjoy the party scene, you can venture into El Nido later in the evening and find a popular club called Amigos which has an amazing view once you walk through it! At the back you fall straight on the beach only 10/20 feet away from the sea and we can’t lie we had a few dips in there because why not! Many would take off their clothes and go in the sea in their underwear to then come out the sea, dry off and put their clothes back on to head back into the club! The vibes are electric and the people are super friendly! Even next door to the club there is an amazing burger spot which is a great place to stumble in once you have completed the night and looking for a late snack!

    From Outpost Hostel to the centre of town should only cost 100 Pesos (£1.50) each way and you can ride multiple people in one TukTuk!

    In the day there is still loads more to do! We ended up renting a driver and a group of us headed to some famous beaches (Nacpan & Duli Beach). These are roughly 45 – 60 minutes north of El Nido but well worth the journey! The beaches were empty, we were the only ones there! We stopped and had lunch on the beach before going into the sea and enjoying the beautiful weather! After a while, and moving between beaches, we came across loads of local Philippines kids running and playing on the sand which was awesome to see! As a group we played some volleyball and tired ourselves out to collapse on the sun loungers and enjoy the sunset. There’s no better way to enjoy this than ordering a local dessert of Halo Halo, which was so refreshing and beautiful! Definitely worth a try!!

    Also in El Nido there is a local waterfall called Nagkalit-Kalit ,which is a beautiful activity to experience, take photos, see the nature and swim under! El Nido is a place full of nature and one that should be on everyone’s bucket list!

    Moving on from El Nido would be to take a Ferry from the mainland of Palawan to the island of Busuanga which is the next location of Coron! The Ferry is pretty expensive at £40-£50+ and takes roughly 5 hours dependant on the weather and the choppy waters. Please note that the Ferry only runs 2 times a week (was Tuesday and Thursday we believe in 2022) so be sure to check this before looking to book as you might be stranded in El Nido for a few extra days if you don’t plan ahead. It’s not really the worst place to be left stranded though really!! You can book the ferry here.

    Coron

    From here you can head up north to the Island of Coron which is part of Palawan. Coron is a small seaside town that has some great activities that you definitely don’t want to miss out on.

    Here we would recommend to stay at Outpost Hostel located in Coron. This is the same company as the one in El Nido, but is less party and more chilled out. It is located through the town, and up a steep street that overlooks much of the town- and provide great views of the sea and sunrise/sunset. The Hostel also has a small pool you can use and offers daily entertainment each evening which normally consists of drinking games and fun! The hostel is super friendly and is only a 15 minute walk from the main town, which has some good entertainment like a place to play pool and some great local food spots. In Coron, we would recommend going on boat tours as there are so many pretty islands close to the island. However, be aware that it is slightly more expensive than the tours in El Nido, and doesn’t offer the same entertaining perks as well. You will also be required to provide your own snorkel equipment or purchase/rent the equipment for the tour.

    The tour will include going to some beautiful islands and swimming in some amazing turquoise blue lakes which are breath taking. You seriously cannot get bored of the tours and the beauty of the country Philippines. One of these being Barracuda lake which houses actual Barracuda’s that live deep in the lake and are seldom seen. Unfortunately we didn’t see one but one of our friends did and if you are lucky you may see them too!

    In the town of Coron you can take a walk up into the hills and find a spot where you can look over the whole town and the waters afar! Mount Tapyas is a popular hike and one that will take you up hundreds of steps and roughly takes 60 – 90 minutes if you take your time. Up here you will see a large sign like the one in Hollywood and be able to witness a beautiful view with picturesque islands in the back. This would be a great place to venture up before sunrise or at sunset to see some beautiful views!

    Coron is a hotspot for many aspiring divers to get their PADI diving certificate or learn how to free dive. It has some cool locations including reefs, turtle spots and shipwrecks where you are able to do this and learn how to scuba dive and earn your PADI certificate!

    Also in Coron, there’s a natural hot spring called Maquinit which allows you to bathe in naturally heated pools of water to relax and sooth your soul. Coron is such a beautiful seaside town full of character and beauty. It’s certainly a place you can’t miss out on!

    Palawan

    The best time to visit Palawan would ideally be between November to May as this is technically their summer time. This means there is less risk of bad weather and encountering typhoons or cyclones which are more apparent between June and October. However, when we visited it was the start/middle of September and the weather was beautiful. Full of sun with a few cloudy days! There were a few days (mostly in Coron) where we were hit with heavy rain or wet weather but it adds to the experience and really didn’t dampen our spirits while there!

    Leaving the island would generally consist of grabbing a plane to either the capital Manila or onto the rest of the Philippines like Cebu from Francisco B. Reyes Airport. It’s located close to Coron would only be a short TukTuk ride to here!

    Visiting Palawan is such a beautiful journey

    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

  • Unlock Madrid’s Marvels: Your Ultimate Bucket List Guide to Exploring Spain’s Vibrant Capital

    Unlock Madrid’s Marvels: Your Ultimate Bucket List Guide to Exploring Spain’s Vibrant Capital

    Spain’s capital boasts expansive views, elegant aesthetics, and stunning architecture. Madrid is a city full of adventure and things to do, so let us help you plan your Spanish city trip itinerary!

    *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 🙂

    Our top list of things to do in Madrid!

    • Sip on cocktails at Salmon Guru, one of the best cocktail bars in the world.
    • Walk around the city’s oldest flea market, the Rastro.
    • See masterpieces at the Reina Sofia.
    • Spend hours in the Prado Museum.
    • See a live flamenco performance.
    • Eat a picnic in Buen Retiro Park.
    • Have the best chocolate covered churros from Chocolatería San Ginés .
    • Walk around the largest working royal Palace in Europe.
    • Take in the views of the second-century BC Egyptian temple.
    • Go on a traditional Spanish tapas food crawl!

    Activity Recommendations

    Reina Sofía – Comprising of over 21,000 works, this museum is home to Picasso’s masterpiece the Guernica. Explore the works of Dali and so many more in this multi-narrative museum that is a must visit! Find tickets here.

    Prado Museum – Explore the largest range of Spanish artwork in the world at the Prado Museum. Admire the works by Rembrandt, Dürer, Titian, Murillo, Velázquez and Goya, as you take in this beautiful gallery. Find tickets here.

    Flamenco Performance – Flamenco shows are a must see when visiting Spain, so treat your senses to a full flamenco performance at this package deal where you can see a show at a usually sold-out venue of the oldest tablao (flamenco venue) in Madrid, alongside a tapas dinner.

    The Royal Palace – Discover the Royal Palace and Royal collections in this full guided tour, with chances to see the royal apartments and the royal gardens. This tour comes with a private guide, and headphones for your guided tour, and is the best way to learn about this history of the palace! Find tickets here.

    Spanish Tapas Crawl – Experience the original tapas crawl as you visit four different food locations in a non-touristic area of Madrid. This includes 10-12 tapas dishes, one house drink per location, and a guide for your tapas crawl! Find it here.

    Places to stay

    Here are some of our recommendations for staying in Madrid

    Budget Traveler :

    2060 The Newton Hostel – Being in the amazing central location of the Tirso de Molina Plaza, this hostel is an amazing start for your Madrid adventure! Offering 8-12 bedroom dorms, this hostel starts from only £19 a night, which is SO good for a capital location! Find it here.

    Mid Budget Traveler :

    Bastardo Hostel – Priding themselves to not JUST be a hostel or place to stay, Bastardo Hostel is a great mid budget option, offering both dorm and private accommodation, to suit a variety of budgets. They have breakfast options, rooms with terraces and more! Find it here.

    Luxury Traveler :

    UMusic Hotel Madrid – This 5 star hotel is an amazing luxury travel option to create the most unforgettable Madrid trip! Boasting a sun terrace with pool, a restaurant, fitness centre and prime location, this is a hotel to remember! Starting from £250 a night, this is the hotel to build memories! Find it here.

    Have you done any of these things?

    Would you add anything else to this list? If you have been previously, what is your favourite thing to do? And if you haven’t been, what is your most idolised thing to do?

    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

  • Vietnam Travel Guide; Top 7 Must-Visit Places in Vietnam

    Vietnam Travel Guide; Top 7 Must-Visit Places in Vietnam

    Vietnam is a stunning location that is rich in culture and beauty. The Vietnamese people are very proud of their countries heritage, and has some beautiful historic monuments that thousands of travellers visit each week.

    The country has so much to do, there are mountains in the north, forests in the west, a stunning coastline on the east and little tropical Islands dotted about.

    Out of the countries in South East Asia, it is not as popular as Thailand or Indonesia, but is just as beautiful. It’s a country that has months worth of places to visit, and some of the kindest people in the world; but a place not many take the time to discover.

    In this list we have narrowed the activities and places to visit down to 7, so when you are backpacking Vietnam you can see the best things to do, and not miss out on seeing what the country has to offer! These are based on our personal experiences, and those we have met travelling that have given their views on Vietnam and the best things to do.

    This list is the things we would recommend all travellers/backpackers to do when visiting Vietnam. These are ones that we couldn’t miss out on and will make your time one to remember!

    *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. Hoi an

    Hoi An is a small city located on the east side of Vietnam just south of Da Nang. This archipelago is a beautiful setting which we stumbled upon, filled with markets and a river that runs directly through the middle. This welcomes Vietnamese boats and boat rides in traditional circular boats down the river. Hear you can experience some of the countryside and learn more about the area!

    Further in the city, they have the most stunning tradition to light lanterns on the river to create a beautiful view. It’s something that is unique and really sets a lovely tone in the city when you wander. You can actually create your own foldable lantern in this workshop here, which can collapse nicely to fit in your luggage home, for a stunning authentic souvenir home! In the city there are so many local shops that offer real leather products and jewellery which would be perfect to shop at!

    They are some awesome food spots as well so make sure to take your time in this area, and we would recommend a 1 night stay to make the most of your time in Hoi An. You can enjoy a small group food tour around Hoi An with a guide to experience the best local foods here.

    2. Ha Long Bay

    This is known as one of the natural wonders of the world, and a place that is like no other on our planet. It’s located on the coast which is east of Hanoi and has over 1,600 islands to explore!

    You can experience an overnight cruise which you stay on the boat and spend the night on the water in nature, such as this beautiful 5 star cruise here, or the day cruise to visit many islands, like this one here where you can see caves, go kayaking, swimming and more! During thie trip you will have opportunities to stop at the islands to explore. These includes the famous Titop island named after the Russian Cosmonaut that was the 2nd person to ever orbit the Earth.

    Activities include kayaking in natural waters, wildlife watching (including wild monkeys) and cave exploring! There’s so much to see and do and the views are breath taking. We would definitely take the time to travel to Ha Long Bay and and experience the natural wonder!

    However, there’s not much to do in Ha Long as it’s very quite and a lot of the city is closed so be prepared to keep yourself busy. We would only recommend 1/2 night max as you will run out of things to do in the city very quickly!

    3. Ha Giang Loop

    When travelling South East Asia, we wasn’t even aware of this as an activity and was only told during our first outing in the Philippines. We met a local traveller who had spend 6-12 months in Asia and said this is the BEST thing he has done so far while here.

    The Ha Giang Loop is a small village in the north west region of Vietnam and is located just south of a hundreds of miles of open roads, peaks and tiny villages high up in the mountains. This is a largely undiscovered area which has seldom roads weaving in valley and alongside mountains.

    As expected, it is home to some of the most amazing views we have EVER witnessed and really connects you back with nature.

    If is recommended to book the Ha Giang Loop with hostels or activity companies, like this one, as it is safer and they have a set route. However, if you are adventurous you can hire your own motorbike and head into the mountains yourself! Please note that the region is vast and you could easily get lost so we would only recommend this if you are an avid bike rider and know the area well, or have planned this thoroughly.

    When booking, you can choose anywhere between 2 – 4 days and they provide you with a full breakdown of everything you will do while completing the loop. No matter the length of time you will see breath-taking views, eat some amazing food deep into the mountains and visit isolated waterfalls.

    Unfortunately we only did 2 days worth and loved every second of it! We would tell everyone that they need to do the 4 day Loop which will take you further into the mountains, go to the China border, visit cliffs and so much more!! It’s an experience that changed our outlook on our travels, and we have vowed to go back and complete the full loop in the future!

    During the first day we started out early around 9 am and get to meet your personal rider (if you have chosen this). You can ride the bike yourself but we would only do this if you are a competent rider and know rode motorbikes confidently before. We opted for a driver to be safe!

    It’s important to note that you will only take a small bag that is taken on the bike so pack light! You can rent protective gear for the ride which you should do! Normally you can get up to 60 km so falling off can be very dangerous. It’s cheap and could save your life if the worst was to happen. We would also recommend to take long sleeve clothing and long trousers so protect your legs. It can get warm on the back of the bike but it will protect you if you were to fall off.

    During the rike, you will take a break every 1 – 1 1/2 hours to stretch your legs, nip toilet and eat some food and drink before heading off again! You will stop for lunch in a small town on Day one and have food included which is a buffet. The food is beautiful and a great place to fill yourself up and meet your fellow riders!

    The place to stay is hidden in a small town and offers another buffet for dinner which includes the BEST food we have ever tasted… and this was veggie spring rolls. Drinks are available and you can dance the night away with music and get to know all the amazing people around you. It really is a great experience! The next day you leave early and head forward further into the mountains but we headed back another way and made stops at some beautiful locations where we took photos and met some amazing people. This included taking a break at a waterfall and going for a swim. Me and the rider took turns jumping off the rocks into the waterfall and even rock, paper, scissor to see who jumped first… (Jack won!!).

    It was an out of this world experience and will definitely be the best thing you do in Vietnam! It’s just beautiful.

    The Ha Giang loop is usually booked through local (Jasmine Hostel) hostels or on activity companies in Vietnam

    4. Da Nang – Marble Mountains

    The Marble Mountains are located in Da Nang and is a great way to learn about the history of Vietnam, and explore cultural caves. The marble mountains include many steps which take you past sculptures, pagoda’s, religious caves, and old relic houses.

    It would take roughly 3-4 hours to explore and offer some amazing views of the city and beach from above. You can climb all the way to the top and even stop off for a quick ice-cream as you recover for the humid weather. The marble mountains get the name by being made from marble which is shown through sculpture shops surrounding showing off their amazing work. A lot of the statues are taller than us and are perfectly created!

    It’s such an amazing part of Vietnam to walk through and there really is no place like it. When leaving the mountain you can enter some souvenir shops that have small marble items you can purchase to remember this beautiful place by!

    5. Cu Chi Caves

    In Ho Chi Minh you can get a bus to the caves and learn more about the history of Vietnam. Vietnam were involved in a civil war between the 50s and 70s which saw many thousands of lives lost. During the war, the Vietnamese used tunnels as a way of hiding from the enemy and built a small tunnel civilisation which they would live in to survive.

    This is now available to visit and go into to see how they lived and learn more about the war. During this, you will be able to see the tunnels they walked and lived in, how they hid the entrances and many traps that they would lay to kill any enemy and how it was used. Find a half-day tour here, with an informative guide straight from Ho Chi Minh City.

    This really helps understand the war more and is a great way to spend half a day near Ho Chi Minh City.

    6. Hanoi Tailored Clothing

    Hanoi is a well known location for travellers to pick up tailored clothing to take home. There are so many tailored clothing shops and the quality of the maker and materials is amazing. They will show you different materials and designs to choose from and will let you design and create your own clothes and make it fit you perfectly.

    Once you place your order, you then leave it with them for a few days so it is designed and put together before picking it up. A lot of people struggle with finding a suitable place to keep/pack the clothing once purchased but you can now get the clothes sent home which they will sort at an extra cost.

    This is a rather expensive experience which can cost upwards of £100 – £200 as a minimum. You can easily spend close to £1,000 on tailored clothing but the clothes will last due the use of some top quality material and the expertise of the makers. For men it’s great to get a suit for home and for the ladies a dress that can remind you of your times in South East Asia.

    7. Mui Ne

    This is a place not many know about in Vietnam but definitely will be popular in the future! This hidden gem is a beautiful paradisal beach which is located next to sand dunes. These sand dunes are red, yellow and white so you can experience some amazing colours dependant on what part of Mui Ne you are.

    This is a perfect spot to do sandboarding activities and hire quad bikes/dune buggies to ride across the sand and have the best time. Once you are tired after a long activity in the sun, there’s no better place to collapse and enjoy the crystal clear waters and soak up the sun with an ice-cream or a fresh coconut.

    These sand dunes make you feel like you are in the Sahara Dessert and there is not any similar locations in South East Asia so make sure not to miss out on this!

    Vietnam is a must visit spot!

    Vietnam is an amazing country that is a must to explore for all travellers. There is so much to explore and learn whilst being here and it’s a place you are sure to make memories.

    Make sure to check out our backpackers guide to Hanoi and our other blogs on how to backpack South East Asia and other countries across the world.

    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!

    You can follow our Backpacking and travel journey through our Social Medias below:

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

    Leave a comment

  • Top 7 Must-Visit Places in Vietnam: Your Ultimate Travel Guide for 2024

    Top 7 Must-Visit Places in Vietnam: Your Ultimate Travel Guide for 2024

    Vietnam is a stunning location that is rich in culture and beauty. The Vietnamese people are very proud of their countries heritage, and has some beautiful historic monuments that thousands of travellers visit each week.

    The country has so much to do, there are mountains in the north, forests in the west, a stunning coastline on the east and little tropical Islands dotted about.

    Out of the countries in South East Asia, it is not as popular as Thailand or Indonesia, but is just as beautiful. It’s a country that has months worth of places to visit, and some of the kindest people in the world; but a place not many take the time to discover.

    In this list we have narrowed the activities and places to visit down to 7, so when you are backpacking Vietnam you can see the best things to do, and not miss out on seeing what the country has to offer! These are based on our personal experiences, and those we have met travelling that have given their views on Vietnam and the best things to do.

    This list is the things we would recommend all travellers/backpackers to do when visiting Vietnam. These are ones that we couldn’t miss out on and will make your time one to remember!

    *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. Hoi an

    Hoi An is a small city located on the east side of Vietnam just south of Da Nang. This archipelago is a beautiful setting which we stumbled upon, filled with markets and a river that runs directly through the middle. This welcomes Vietnamese boats and boat rides in traditional circular boats down the river. Hear you can experience some of the countryside and learn more about the area!

    Further in the city, they have the most stunning tradition to light lanterns on the river to create a beautiful view. It’s something that is unique and really sets a lovely tone in the city when you wander. You can actually create your own foldable lantern in this workshop here, which can collapse nicely to fit in your luggage home, for a stunning authentic souvenir home! In the city there are so many local shops that offer real leather products and jewellery which would be perfect to shop at!

    They are some awesome food spots as well so make sure to take your time in this area, and we would recommend a 1 night stay to make the most of your time in Hoi An. You can enjoy a small group food tour around Hoi An with a guide to experience the best local foods here.

    2. Ha Long Bay

    This is known as one of the natural wonders of the world, and a place that is like no other on our planet. It’s located on the coast which is east of Hanoi and has over 1,600 islands to explore!

    You can experience an overnight cruise which you stay on the boat and spend the night on the water in nature, such as this beautiful 5 star cruise here, or the day cruise to visit many islands, like this one here where you can see caves, go kayaking, swimming and more! During thie trip you will have opportunities to stop at the islands to explore. These includes the famous Titop island named after the Russian Cosmonaut that was the 2nd person to ever orbit the Earth.

    Activities include kayaking in natural waters, wildlife watching (including wild monkeys) and cave exploring! There’s so much to see and do and the views are breath taking. We would definitely take the time to travel to Ha Long Bay and and experience the natural wonder!

    However, there’s not much to do in Ha Long as it’s very quite and a lot of the city is closed so be prepared to keep yourself busy. We would only recommend 1/2 night max as you will run out of things to do in the city very quickly!

    3. Ha Giang Loop

    When travelling South East Asia, we wasn’t even aware of this as an activity and was only told during our first outing in the Philippines. We met a local traveller who had spend 6-12 months in Asia and said this is the BEST thing he has done so far while here.

    The Ha Giang Loop is a small village in the north west region of Vietnam and is located just south of a hundreds of miles of open roads, peaks and tiny villages high up in the mountains. This is a largely undiscovered area which has seldom roads weaving in valley and alongside mountains.

    As expected, it is home to some of the most amazing views we have EVER witnessed and really connects you back with nature.

    If is recommended to book the Ha Giang Loop with hostels or activity companies, like this one, as it is safer and they have a set route. However, if you are adventurous you can hire your own motorbike and head into the mountains yourself! Please note that the region is vast and you could easily get lost so we would only recommend this if you are an avid bike rider and know the area well, or have planned this thoroughly.

    When booking, you can choose anywhere between 2 – 4 days and they provide you with a full breakdown of everything you will do while completing the loop. No matter the length of time you will see breath-taking views, eat some amazing food deep into the mountains and visit isolated waterfalls.

    Unfortunately we only did 2 days worth and loved every second of it! We would tell everyone that they need to do the 4 day Loop which will take you further into the mountains, go to the China border, visit cliffs and so much more!! It’s an experience that changed our outlook on our travels, and we have vowed to go back and complete the full loop in the future!

    During the first day we started out early around 9 am and get to meet your personal rider (if you have chosen this). You can ride the bike yourself but we would only do this if you are a competent rider and know rode motorbikes confidently before. We opted for a driver to be safe!

    It’s important to note that you will only take a small bag that is taken on the bike so pack light! You can rent protective gear for the ride which you should do! Normally you can get up to 60 km so falling off can be very dangerous. It’s cheap and could save your life if the worst was to happen. We would also recommend to take long sleeve clothing and long trousers so protect your legs. It can get warm on the back of the bike but it will protect you if you were to fall off.

    During the rike, you will take a break every 1 – 1 1/2 hours to stretch your legs, nip toilet and eat some food and drink before heading off again! You will stop for lunch in a small town on Day one and have food included which is a buffet. The food is beautiful and a great place to fill yourself up and meet your fellow riders!

    The place to stay is hidden in a small town and offers another buffet for dinner which includes the BEST food we have ever tasted… and this was veggie spring rolls. Drinks are available and you can dance the night away with music and get to know all the amazing people around you. It really is a great experience! The next day you leave early and head forward further into the mountains but we headed back another way and made stops at some beautiful locations where we took photos and met some amazing people. This included taking a break at a waterfall and going for a swim. Me and the rider took turns jumping off the rocks into the waterfall and even rock, paper, scissor to see who jumped first… (Jack won!!).

    It was an out of this world experience and will definitely be the best thing you do in Vietnam! It’s just beautiful.

    The Ha Giang loop is usually booked through local (Jasmine Hostel) hostels or on activity companies in Vietnam

    4. Da Nang – Marble Mountains

    The Marble Mountains are located in Da Nang and is a great way to learn about the history of Vietnam, and explore cultural caves. The marble mountains include many steps which take you past sculptures, pagoda’s, religious caves, and old relic houses.

    It would take roughly 3-4 hours to explore and offer some amazing views of the city and beach from above. You can climb all the way to the top and even stop off for a quick ice-cream as you recover for the humid weather. The marble mountains get the name by being made from marble which is shown through sculpture shops surrounding showing off their amazing work. A lot of the statues are taller than us and are perfectly created!

    It’s such an amazing part of Vietnam to walk through and there really is no place like it. When leaving the mountain you can enter some souvenir shops that have small marble items you can purchase to remember this beautiful place by!

    5. Cu Chi Caves

    In Ho Chi Minh you can get a bus to the caves and learn more about the history of Vietnam. Vietnam were involved in a civil war between the 50s and 70s which saw many thousands of lives lost. During the war, the Vietnamese used tunnels as a way of hiding from the enemy and built a small tunnel civilisation which they would live in to survive.

    This is now available to visit and go into to see how they lived and learn more about the war. During this, you will be able to see the tunnels they walked and lived in, how they hid the entrances and many traps that they would lay to kill any enemy and how it was used. Find a half-day tour here, with an informative guide straight from Ho Chi Minh City.

    This really helps understand the war more and is a great way to spend half a day near Ho Chi Minh City.

    6. Hanoi Tailored Clothing

    Hanoi is a well known location for travellers to pick up tailored clothing to take home. There are so many tailored clothing shops and the quality of the maker and materials is amazing. They will show you different materials and designs to choose from and will let you design and create your own clothes and make it fit you perfectly.

    Once you place your order, you then leave it with them for a few days so it is designed and put together before picking it up. A lot of people struggle with finding a suitable place to keep/pack the clothing once purchased but you can now get the clothes sent home which they will sort at an extra cost.

    This is a rather expensive experience which can cost upwards of £100 – £200 as a minimum. You can easily spend close to £1,000 on tailored clothing but the clothes will last due the use of some top quality material and the expertise of the makers. For men it’s great to get a suit for home and for the ladies a dress that can remind you of your times in South East Asia.

    7. Mui Ne

    This is a place not many know about in Vietnam but definitely will be popular in the future! This hidden gem is a beautiful paradisal beach which is located next to sand dunes. These sand dunes are red, yellow and white so you can experience some amazing colours dependant on what part of Mui Ne you are.

    This is a perfect spot to do sandboarding activities and hire quad bikes/dune buggies to ride across the sand and have the best time. Once you are tired after a long activity in the sun, there’s no better place to collapse and enjoy the crystal clear waters and soak up the sun with an ice-cream or a fresh coconut.

    These sand dunes make you feel like you are in the Sahara Dessert and there is not any similar locations in South East Asia so make sure not to miss out on this!

    Vietnam is a must visit spot!

    Vietnam is an amazing country that is a must to explore for all travellers. There is so much to explore and learn whilst being here and it’s a place you are sure to make memories.

    Make sure to check out our backpackers guide to Hanoi and our other blogs on how to backpack South East Asia and other countries across the world.

    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!

    You can follow our Backpacking and travel journey through our Social Medias below:

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

    Leave a comment

  • 6 Proven Ways to Monetize Your Travels: Expert Tips for Earning While Exploring

    6 Proven Ways to Monetize Your Travels: Expert Tips for Earning While Exploring

    We understand your pain… you want to travel, but you don’t have the money? Or, you have SOME money, but don’t want your travels to stop?

    As we are on our monetisation journey too, we wanted to share some of the ways we are trying to earn, alongside some top tips from other creators! We are SO excited to monetise our travels, and we are so excited to help others do the same!

    Below we share some key ways to earn money while travelling, ready for your worldwide trips! These will include options for people with NO social media following, people with a following, and everyone inbetween!

    *This post includes affiliate links – these do not cost you anything extra, but means we might earn a commission; this helps us to continue making content and chasing our dreams 🙂

    Blogging

    Like our page, many people have started their travel blogging journey! It isn’t necessarily a ‘get rich quick’ way of earning, and we aren’t yet to see big figures! However, within the first month we did make a few cents, which doesn’t sound a lot; but this was SO exciting for us! It shows that it is possible!

    Part of the blogging experience does include some other monetisation links, like mentioned below, but implementing ads is one way your blog can directly earn money! We have the option to add in ads at certain places within a blog… Like we have put just below here!

    These spaces can earn just by page views, and some are click-through earners! We would suggest starting the blog sooner rather than later, just because it does take time. Even if you have a decent social media following, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll transfer onto your blog.

    Affiliate Links

    Affiliate links are a game changer for SO many! As a travel content creator, you are likely to share recommendations naturally… So, why not try to earn from it? Affiliate links come at no extra cost to the customer, but means you can earn a commission based off of their purchase through your links!

    We are using TravelPayouts, which has a wide range of travel based affiliate programs, such as HostelWorld, Booking.com, Airalo and more! It shows your commission stats on an easy to use table, with integrated tools and widgets that makes using affiliate links so easy! Find the link to TravelPayouts here.

    They have some amazing commission bases, with some being over 50%! Some programs also have amazing cookie lifetimes (with some being 30/31 days), meaning if someone clicks the link, and purchases 10 days later, since its within your cookie lifetime you should earn commission based on that purchase! Some programs do have entry requirements, so it is beneficial to have some sort of social media following! We have been accepted onto quite a few programs when we had just hit over 2k followers, which isn’t massive compared to many travel content creators!

    UGC

    This seems like the new kid on the block! UGC has taken the online world by storm, and we do see why! UGC stands for User Generated Content, which in essence is creating adverts for businesses to use. These usually differ from sponsored posts, which we will explain more about below!

    UGC very rarely requires a social media following, however, if you have numbers to back up your content it is always beneficial! We would also recommend posting to TikTok for your UGC journey, as in time you can apply to the TikTok shop creators program, which can earn you commission for marketing those TikTok products!

    There is so much information on TikTok to find about UGC, and we would love to share more about this if it is of interest! Please let us know by either liking or commenting on this post if you would like a full guide into UGC!

    Many people are earning hundreds, if not thousands monthly with UGC. It isn’t a ‘pyramid scheme’, as some people assume. It is just a new form of freelance services, You are making quality, relatable adverts for brands to use on social media, that is basically it!

    Freelance jobs

    UGC is of course a freelance career, however, if you have skills that are transferrable, then maybe look into freelancing! Some skills include graphic design, accounting, travel planning amongst many! You can post your services, or find gigs, on platforms such as Fiverr and Upwork! This allows you to be more flexible with what work you take on!

    If you would however want a bit more security, there is a multitude of jobs that allow remote working. You would need to ensure your working hours align with the current time of where you are located, alongside making sure you have reliable wifi, and can meet your job requirements! Some jobs even prefer if you are willing to relocate due to offices sometimes being located across many countries and continents!

    Travel Photography

    We aren’t yet using this strategy, however this is something we are now starting to organise!

    From tourism boards, to airlines, to general online websites, travel photography is used in a variety of places! It builds information into something appealing to the eye!

    Think of it this way, you see a holiday to Spain being advertised. If it was just text, you likely won’t be interested. However, if this ad is coupled with beautiful photos of that location, with things to do/see, you are SO much more likely to be intrigued.

    Travel photography can be monetised in a few ways.

    You can find stock image websites to sell your photos, on websites like Alamy and Shutterstock. There is sometimes content requirements, such as needing certain file sizes and formats. This usually allows multiple people and businesses to buy your photos, with whatever rights you choose to set. This isn’t going to necessarily be a big earner straight away, but will compress and grow as you post more images over time.

    Another way to monetise your travel photography is by selling them directly. We know some people who will contact tourism boards directly to offer their travel photography. Photographers will send over some watermarked (this is very important) images, such as a full portfolio, of the photos they are offering to sell, and this will allow the tourism board to pick and choose which images they wish to buy. This can lead to big sums of money, depending on what rights you give to them.

    Sponsored Posts

    This is one for people with a social media following! If you have a certain amount of followers, and/or a good engagement rate, this could be an avenue for you!

    Many businesses see the importance of social media now, so will pay creators to use their product in the form of sponsored posts!

    You see this across many platforms, with many successful YouTubers now having sponsored videos with ad deals, instagram/TikTok creators having dedicated posts to products or even hotels/trips!

    There is a lot of potential within this route, once you get to a substantial follower count! Do not be disheartened if you aren’t at 10k+ followers, as we have seen some creators be gifted and paid to sponsor items at even a few thousand followers!

    We will advise that following a specific niche may lead to more opportunities! From a brands perspective (let’s use lunchtime wraps as an example), would you rather sell to a broad audience of people who like food and food content (such as restaurants, foods to try etc), to a more direct audience who watch recipe ideas and foods to make at home, or to people who watch people who makes wraps as a large chunk of the content? Their marketing will likely be so much more beneficial if they are reaching their ideal customer directly!

    How have you monetised your travels?

    We hope these tips can help you in your own content creation journey! We would love to hear your journey, so please if you use our advice, let us know how it goes on our instagram @ourtwostepstart. We will happily answer any questions you have, and would love to hear your experiences!

    If you did enjoy the Blog make sure to like and subscribe for future Blogs as we aim to upload roughly 5/7 a week!

    Thank you for checking out our blog and be sure to see other blogs that we have made talking all things travel about Europe, Asia, Central America and everything in-between!

    To follow our travelling journey, do visit our Social Media’s provided below to see where we are and where we will be going next!

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

    2 responses to “6 Proven Ways to Monetize Your Travels: Expert Tips for Earning While Exploring”

    1. AA1C avatar
      AA1C

      Good post.I subscribed. Have a happy week🍀☘️💝

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. ourtwostepstart avatar
        ourtwostepstart

        Thank you for the support, and the lovely comment! We hope this helps you with your own travel dreams in the future 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

    Leave a comment

  • Top Activities in New York: Must-See Attractions and Things to Do in NYC

    Top Activities in New York: Must-See Attractions and Things to Do in NYC

    New York is one of the most popular cities for people to visit in the world. It truly is a staple of America, and is filled with endless activities for anyone! As expected, spending a week in New York can be super expensive and is definitely not a budget location!

    Here we have compiled the best activities to see in the city to make the most out of the time; plus some important factors to consider when travelling to the City.

    When travelling to New York (and even the whole of America), they are very strict at airports so make sure to research and check what visas you will require/documentation to get into the country! You will also need to provide the location of where you will be staying and the reason for your visit when landing. Make sure to pack efficiently for your trip. If you are from America then this won’t apply to you but you will need an American plug head for visiting as they aren’t the same as Europe or the rest of the world. Also, the weather is vastly different depending on the time of year you go so it’s important to pack accordingly.

    Below, we have provided a list of activities that we would recommend to all visitors of New York so you can make the most of your trip!

    *This post includes affiliate links – these do not cost you anything extra, but means we might earn a commission; this helps us to continue making content and chasing our dreams 🙂

    Statue of Liberty

    A trip to New York wouldn’t be complete without stopping to see Lady Liberty. You can easily see her from afar if you head down to south Manhattan on the bank or look across from Brooklyn Bridge! Here you can get some really cool footage on a clear day, but you are rather far away so you can’t take it in fully.

    We would opt for people to go on the boat tour to Liberty Island, but wouldn’t recommend going into the Statue of Liberty! The island is small, and the boat travels around the island to give you good views of the statue, with Manhattan in the background. The statue inside requires you to climb a spiral staircase to the top and once you reach the summit, it is cramped and you are limited in time due to a long queue! Check out an awesome Statue of Liberty cruise here.

    You may be standing waiting in the statue for 20-30 minutes just to get to the top. Jack – as a 6ft tall man – had to bow his head due to the lack of room at the top. It’s not suitable for anyone 6 ft above and can be awkward to navigate. Also, when you are at the top you can look out the windows which are tinted green and dirty leaving for a subpar view outside. It’s definitely worth seeing as it’s so popular and a cool statue off the busy streets of Manhattan but we don’t think its worth going inside, and enduring a long wait for a very average and limited viewing.

    Top of the Rocks viewing deck

    Now, everyone talks about how every trip to New York should include a trip to the top of the Empire State Building and it’s probably something we would recommend too! However, we would always choose to visit the Top of the Rocks viewing deck first as it is further north to the Empire State building and gives you a better view of the whole Manhattan including the Empire State building.

    The Empire State building is located further south and is built within alongside the other high-rises leading to a lesser view in our opinion! However, it is still a great view and can provide a great activity for an hour or two.

    We would recommend that people are to visit the Top of the Rocks viewing deck early in the morning or late at night. The early morning views are spectacular and you can even get a sunrise over central park or the south of Manhattan over the Empire State which gives a perfect start to your morning. However, the night-time visit is spectacular as you see all the buildings across the city light-up! The views are amazing and it really is a view you can admire for a few hours. You can find tickets to the Empire State Building here.

    When visiting New York, this was one of our favourite memories and one that we think visitors cannot miss out on!

    Maddison Square Gardens

    Maddison Square Gardens is a beautiful stadium located in the heart of Manhattan and hosts some of the top sports in the country! When we visited New York it was during the sport breaks and unfortunately we were unable to watch a game but had a tour and would definitely go back to experience it! The stadium is enclosed which will create a great atmosphere and is a place many celebrities go to enjoy their favourite sport.

    Here they do a whole host of sports so that no matter your interests you can find something you will enjoy. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon/evening and experience something that you will truly enjoy!

    New York Pizza Slice

    Now this may sound a little crazy but this is a must!! New York is known for their pizza slices and we would recommend anyone who visits to experience it once! It’s a great budget friendly meal and who doesn’t love pizza! The slices are so large that 2/3 slices are enough as a dinner for one!

    There’s a range of topping that you can go for but we would recommend a standard mushroom or pepperoni as it’s simple but super tasty! It’s such a staple for New York and one we could definitely eat often! We have found a really great pizza walking tour here, where you get to try three different New York pizza chains!

    Visit Brooklyn Bridge

    Brooklyn Bridge is a popular location for people visiting New York and an area you can get some really good views of the city and also see the Statue of Liberty from afar. It also allows you to venture over into Brooklyn to visit a different borough of the New York state.

    The bridge is a place a bridge full of padlocks that couples have placed to symbolise their love be we would not recommend doing this and if you are found to do this you might be given a hefty fine!

    Central Park

    Central Park is a beautiful park located towards the northside of Manhattan and has a totally different environment compared to the hustle and bustle of the busy streets.

    There are beautiful walks and cycle trails perfect for exploring and getting in some exercise. It has some amazing views of the city and has little bodies of water dotted within the park. A great way to wander and spend a few hours exploring the park and the many statues that are on show.

    Museum of Natural History

    This museum is one of the most popular and well-known museums across the globe. When visiting, it has a relatively low entrance fee and has many exhibitions on show that you can wander and learn about for hours. There are also some additional exhibitions that are private and offer specific learning for those interested in that topic. These are very informative and a great way to spend your time in the museum.

    They have a canteen which offers decent foods and we would probably recommend for people to spend at least half a day in the museum as there is so much to see! You can find admission tickets here.

    Theatre Show

    I think this should be a staple when visiting such a large city like New York! There are options for amazing plays like Lion King, King Kong as well as many Broadway shows. There’s many options for people to choose from no matter the interests and is a great way to spend your evening!

    You can get dressed up, go out for a lovely meal then spend a few hours watching a perfectly choreographed play and spend the evening in luxury!

    Some great picks are Wicked, The Lion King, and Disney’s Aladdin.

    Shopping on 34th street

    If you are an avid shopper, then this is a place for you! Across 34th street there are many shops including the infamous Macy’s which offers some of the top brands in the world. These buildings covers multiple floors and are packed with different individual shops like Fred Perry, Superdry and more!! It’s the perfect place to find your favourite brands and maybe go on a little shopping spree as after all.. you are on holiday so why not!!

    Here they also have some really cool promotions that may not be offered elsewhere so would be a great place to look for some cool clothing and merchandise! If you LOVE shopping then you could easily spend a day wandering in shops and finding your favourite brands!

    Grand Central Station

    Grand Central Station is a beautiful station that has such amazing architecture and statues dotted in and around the building. We personally would visit just to see the station and the beauty it has but you can also use it as a fast and easy way to move across the city and into neighbouring boroughs!

    What many people may not know is they have an Apple shop located in the station which is great to wander around and even has a little market full of cakes and other sweet treats which can be a great place to grab food or have a wander!

    Time Square

    This is definitely a place you must visit! There is so much going on and it’s a place that is like no other! You will see street performers, musicians, souvenir shops, food stalls, a sky of marketing and so much more! While you are here we would recommend to visit The Hard Rock Café located on Times Square but if you are excited to go, make sure you make a reservation as it is a very popular place to eat!

    You can visit the famous Bubba Shrimp or maybe just sit on the steps of Time Square and just watch the world go by. It is a rather busy area and will be tough to move at times but is definitely a place we would recommend to see and admire even if it’s just to walk through Time Square.

    New York is such a busy place and has so much to do that it’s hard to do everything. Even when we visited there were things missed off of our list we were unable to do! We would set aside 5/7 days to do New York sufficiently depending on how busy you want to be, and if you like walking. Any longer will make the trip very expensive as it’s certainly not a cheap place to visit and stay!

    We hope this Itinerary helps plan your once in a lifetime New York trip so you can get the most of your time there!

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