Stuck on your Instagram design? Captions are the perfect way to bring your travel photos to life and create the ultimate aesthetic travel feed! Don’t underestimate the power of a great caption—pick ones that will grab your audience’s attention and make your posts shine. Get ready to explore Bali!
Bali is a tropical paradise filled with lush rice terraces, breathtaking beaches, vibrant temples, and rich cultural traditions! This post includes quotes, cute, inspirational, and food-related captions to match your Balinese adventures. So, make the most of your trip and use these captions to capture your best memories in this magical island escape!
*This post contains affiliate links, which we may earn from. This does not come at an additional cost, but helps us to pursue this dream 🙂
We also recommend using these when planning your next trip!
Trip.com– Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.
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!
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!
Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!
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!
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!
We post Youtube Videos now! Please check out our newest Vlog!
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!
Travel fears are real, especially if you are younger. Just because you are older and more travel-wise it doesn’t mean that the fears are gone at all. The travel fears are super real and can be apparent even for the most experienced travelers. Anywhere you go will offer new challenges and create new fears. But the real question is, how do you overcome those fears?
A lot of fears from travel come from the unknown and unexpected outcomes. This can be new locations, new people or new activities. But there are definitely ways to not only overcome them, but thrive during this time. It’s not simple at all but if you follow these steps then you will be well on your way to getting there.
Fear Identification
First of all you have to identify the fear. This may seem very obvious but it isn’t as straight forward as you may seem. If you are looking to book your first solo travel trip and come to a sticking point when booking – even though it’s the perfect trip, it is most likely due to fear/worry. You know you haven’t done this before, and I’m sure you have friends or family who are worried on your behalf which hasn’t helped. This seems pretty obvious what the fear is. But for other circumstances it may not be so clear.
You have to figure it out the problem before you can look to solve this problem. The solving can be mighty difficult if you don’t know what you are supposed to solve.
The fear could be an activity you have done previously and enjoyed thoroughly, or a place you love. Sometimes it’s the things you can be most comfortable with that can include or build up fears. Maybe it’s a previous experience or maybe a high expectation that you’ve set or maybe it’s slightly different? There’s many factors that can alter and develop old feeling and turn them into fear.
So the best way to identify this would be to break the idea down. Split it into parts to help see where the fear is located. If you are worried about going to a conference, then is it due to meeting new people, or having to do a speech, or maybe something simple like eating in public? There will be an isolated fear somewhere, you just may have to dig further down into the activity or place to locate it.
Gradual Exposure vs Instant Exposure
Now these two cannot work hand-in-hand but is the main two ways in which people can overcome a fear which is preventing them. They both work towards the same goal of breaking that fear and reaching that ultimate goal. But it’s done in different ways so let’s delve deeper into what they mean and how they can help.
Gradual Exposure
Gradual exposure is the art of taking things slow to reach the goal. This will be part exposure to get comfortable. An example would be if you are scared of spiders, you would start with being in the same room with one. Once this becomes comfortable, you will then get a little closer and with time, get to the point you can stand by them without sprinting out the room. This is a ‘gradual’ process that can take up to weeks or months to master. It allows your body to be at ease with whatever your fear is.
This is aimed towards more reserved people who are less impulsive and spontaneous, but still have a desired goal at hand. They are to edge closer at their pace where they can comfortably go and make progress this way as they aren’t able to move any quicker. Which leads perfectly into Instant Exposure.
If we use a bungee jump or sky dive for example, someone who looks to use gradual exposure may start of with a small ledge, then onto diving in a pool. All the way up to a cliff jump and then onto the idea, the final fear.
Once they reach this fear, they will see it as a 3 metre dive or a cliff jump. In an attempt to trick the brain and reassure that we have done something similar before. The brain is more comfortable as it’s done something that’s somewhat similar, regardless of the scale and becomes more confident
Instant Exposure
Instant exposure is the simple decision to throw themselves into it in any means. This may not be directly into the fear, but into something similar that can massage that fear and allow for an easy jump next time. An example of this is a visiting a new place. A new place is scary and way outside your comfort zone. However, booking a flight may not be, neither is getting on a plane or being in an airport.
The idea of a new place is what you focus on though. But you know it’s very similar to what you have done many times before. You may even be staying at a hotel/hostel chain you have stayed at before, just at a different location. These familiarities is growing the confidence your body has.
For the instant exposure, it’s more of ‘faking it till you make it’ and being spontaneous by dealing with the ‘fear’ later. You are to trick the brain that you can’t go back as you have booked it. Another example would be an interview. We have all been nervous and wanted to cancel an interview right before attending it. Your brain will come up with excuses or reasons why you shouldn’t go, but these aren’t real reasons but more-so any excuse not to turn up.
The actual hardest step of conquering that fear is to simply accept you are doing it. Just booking it in, whether it’s a scary sky dive or an interview. Your body will kick in and complete the fear, but booking it can be the real sticking point. So sometimes your brain works better when you just book it and deal with the fear once you are in front of it.
Examples of Travel Fear & Overcoming Them
Skydiving
Sky Diving or any sort of fear that drives from height is tough to overcome. We know people who have legitimate crippling fear of heights and it’s not fun to watch. However, if you take the gradual exposure approach, you will start with something that’s comfortable, your limit which may be a 2 metre ledge or looking down out of a 3/4 story window. As you are in control of the situation, you are likely to get comfortable and feel safe at some point which allows the opportunity to increase the levels. You are to increase it as close to the fear as possible. So, if you are comfortable with the height but don’t like the jumping aspect, you start with diving in a pool and work your way up.
You end when you feel ready to book that sky dive and feel satisfied that what you have achieved so far, is close to the overall goal.
For instant exposure, it’s the hurdle of booking it. A good way to get comfortable with the idea of booking it is speaking with people who have done it before. A positive response will lower the fear a little, and make you one step closer to booking that skydive. When it comes to the sky dive, you will recite what you have learned from either of the types of exposure and use that to fuel the almighty jump. Remember, there will be many reasons flowing through your brain on why you shouldn’t do it. Such as what if the parachute doesn’t pull or you faint. But in reality, this is there to put you off so just focus on the end goal.
Instant exposure is the task of small steps in the process, whereas gradual is small experiences towards the process.
Solo Travel
Solo travel is probably one of the hardest to overcome for travelers, as it combines many different fears in one. It’s worrying how to meet friends, or reacting to any problems that may occur, or even visiting a new place which adds further fear. For gradual fear there are a few ways to dealing with this. You can tackle the fears individually or at a scaled level.
Individually might be visiting a new place in locally for you, with a friend or family member. You are likely to be comfortable with this and enjoy it. You then can build it up by visiting this place again but by yourself. This will allow you to be more confident in your own presence and learn to enjoy your company. The next step could be to visit somewhere close-by on your own which you haven’t been before. You can just do a small time there or just a walk to get comfortable. Maybe even stop for a coffee or a small lunch here.
You will become accustom to being in your own company and in new/different places which is imitating the feeling of what you are likely to feel when you solo travel. So you are forced to ask for help if you need or ordering food at the bar to strangers, it’s all a step in the right direction and will build up your confidence in being a solo traveller.
Instant Exposure is a simpler path but a lot harder to conquer, it’s all about mental reassurance and attempting to book the experience and ‘go with the flow’. Doing it this way can be helped by speaking to people who have experience solo travelling or even reaching out to groups online who are planning to be in the same place as you at the same time. If you meet fellow travellers, you can support each other in booking that solo trip and making that leap into the fear. After all, the booking is the hardest part. If you can create friends who are to be there when you are, it will feel like you are travelling with a friend rather than being a solo traveler meeting strangers.
Conclusion
These examples and types of exposures can be assigned to any type of fear you have when travelling. You either need to imitate a scenario and almost role play to get comfortable, allowing your body to understand the task and how to overcome it. Or rather find ways of booking the opportunity with the support of others and using your own experiences as you know booking the fear, is usually always the hardest part.
We have both experienced many travel fears in which we have overcome many. This includes solo travel, meeting new people, new experiences and so much more. It’s becoming accustom to venturing outside your comfort zone and a whole lot of f**k it moments.
So you are aware, Aimee runs off instant exposure and normally books before realising what the fears are or look to face them head on. Whereas Jack is somewhere in between depending on the scenario. You have to find what works best for you and decide on how you want to attack the fear. As no one can conquer it for you but you!
Thank you for following the blog and we hope this truly helps you overcome those long or newly developed fears with travel or even other aspects of your life. If you did find this helpful, do like the blog and subscribe for more blogs to come!
Do let us know what your travel fears are in the comments below! We may talk in another blog regarding our experiences of overcoming our own fears and how we did it so if you want to know more, let us know.
You can follow our daily travels and experiences using our social media’s below! Do check it out as we are heading off to Thailand soon with a whole lot of Thai content to come!
Find our Travel Essentials!
We have a full list of recommendations for any travels! Check out our:
We also recommend using these when planning your next trip!
Trip.com– Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.
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!
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!
Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!
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!
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!
We post weekly Youtube Videos now! Please check out our Latest Vlog 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!
Vietnam is a beautiful country located in South East Asia and is a popular backpacking location for travellers!
No matter your travel itch, it will for sure be scratched here with bustling cities, rich history, and so much more to get your teeth into. Each location you visit is like a new country itself with it’s unique design and feel.
People seriously dream of visiting this place, but where in Vietnam shall you start?
There is no right or wrong answer to this question, but you sure want to make the most of your time here. If you are from the UK, you can spend 1 month here at most before moving on or doing a border run.
Through personal experiences, stories and research, we have come up with the best itinerary for travelling Vietnam, so look no further!!
Hanoi: Day 1 to Day 4
When visiting Vietnam, you are likely going to enter through one of the major cities. This will be either Ho Chi Minh in the south or Hanoi, the capital, in the north. Here, we opt for the north. Hanoi is a busy city that truly never sleeps.
This would be a great introduction to life in Vietnam and an opportunity to try a lot of the local foods, including Banh Mi. During your time here, you can visit local markets, hit up the local puppet show, or visit the history of Hoa Lo Prison and the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long.
You can easily find yourself lost in the busy streets of Hanoi but there is beauty wherever you turn and would be a great starting point for you Vietnamese journey!
Ha Giang Loop: Day 5 to Day 8
Now, this is one location people won’t think of and maybe only been made aware of due to other people’s experience but this is a MUST DO. For us, this was the best thing we did in South East Asia and something everyone would rave about when speaking about their top things in this part of the world.
It’s an experience that can very much cater to your itinerary and you can choose the length of time you want to experience this. Only a short 12-hour bus journey from Hanoi. Deep into the northern hills of Vietnam lies a tiny village called Ha Giang that boasts a pretty popular and beautiful sights many visit each year.
When visited in 2022, it was very popular, so it may be more so now it would still be highly recommended to see. The loop starts from a 1-night stay in the northern hills to a 3-night, 4-day stay. This stay will include travelling, from location to location, all through the northern mountains and staying in various villages and seeing sights along the way.
The sights include stop offs to meet locals, beautiful vantage points to enjoy the awe-inspiring views, homemade, local delicacies, and so much more. The itinerary will be laid out by the company you choose to do this through, and will give you a rough guide of your day-to-day activities.
All this travelling through the mountains will be done on a motorbike so get your license ready or get a joy rider to do it for you, either way, the experience will be a once in a lifetime trip you will not regret!
For more information on this, check out our blog on the Ha Giang full experience here. And make sure to try the veggie spring rolls!!
Da Nang/Hoi An: Day 9 to Day 11
Now, moving further south in Vietnam to a beachside location full of surprises. Da Nang is a powerful, coastal city surrounded by places to explore and local attractions.
Firstly, a day trip/night stay in Hoi An is required to experience the floating markets, beautiful handmade clothing and so much more. This place is likely venturing through a Disney film with it’s vibrant colours and feel. In the evening, the locals sometimes set off lanterns on the river providing a beautiful image as the sunsets.
Here is the home of leather wallets, tailored clothing, jewellery and so much more in Vietnam and a great place to explore when you have a little money spare from your trips.
After leaving Hoi An, you have options…
You can either venture to Ba Na Hills to see the hand bridge and venture up cable cars to the hidden cloud city in the mountains. Believe it or not there is a theme park up there and you can stay overnight for an amazing experience, something we weren’t aware of at the time. The hand bridge is the one you see on Instagram; however, be prepared for the views to be covered by the clouds because, yes, you really are super high into the clouds.
Or you can head to the Temples of My Son, which are deserted historic relics that you can find yourself exploring till your hearts content. This is a unique and unheard of UNESCO heritage site that not many travellers visit and have stood for centuries. To be specific, the relics here were built between the 4th and 13th century for Indian Kings and rulers and they really do still stand today.
Unfortunately, the Vietnam War saw to that some were destroyed, but large building still stand erect and strong even after all these years. It’s a great location to just wander for the day, see where the path takes you. Some people opt to visit there via bike to be able to visit the UNCESCO site and see all the beauty it has, and upon reflection, wish we did the same!
(both of these locations would lead you to head back to Hanoi and complete your 2 week trip! However, if you opt for neither of these, you have the opportunity to spend a couple days at one last location…
Ha Long Bay: Day 12 to Day 14
This is one of the natural wonders of the world and the views are not to be underestimated. Here, you can find yourself on the water, weaving between hundreds of tiny, uninhabited islands boasting all of its natural green beauty.
The water and bay are something to admire for sure, and worth the long trip to the City from the (likely) capital. However, don’t be fooled by the large, tall buildings in the city of Ha Long Bay as the city feels deserted and baron.
When exploring the streets, it was really difficult to find anywhere to find a place to eat or shops open. Maybe it was the time of year we visited (November) or something, but it wasn’t what was expected.
However, the Bay is really something to admire and a wonder that shouldn’t be slept on. You have the opportunity to explore caves, visit Ti Top island, and go kayaking to look for wild monkeys! The great thing about Ha Long Bay is that the locals to preserve the natural beauty and therefore make sure that it is kept well even with many tourists visiting it throughout the year.
If you don’t know already, Vietnam is really a beautiful country, and a trip here would be a huge highlight reel for you in many years to come. The country really does boast a beautiful mix of amazing foods, loving people, historic sights, natural wonders and so much more. And even in 2 short weeks you can find a way to experience all this and more!!
W would however recommend a whole month in the country to really explore and soak in the country has to offer. It truly is amazing and a location we could not recommend for new travellers, avid travellers, or generally anyone in this world.
If you have been to Vietnam before or any of these locations, we would love to know your thoughts and recommendations on any locations that are a MUST to include in this 2-week itinerary.
Find our Travel Essentials!
We have a full list of recommendations for any travels! Check out our:
We also recommend using these when planning your next trip!
Trip.com– Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.
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!
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!
Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!
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!
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!
We post weekly Youtube Videos now! Please check out our Osijek Vlog 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!
Wanting to visit a city free of tourism while traveling Croatia? Meet Osijek! This smaller city packs a punch, and is a great place to spend 1-2 days while in Croatia! It was an amazing spot to slow down, and really take time to breathe!
So, here is our travel guide to Osijek in Croatia! We will share some things to do, places to eat, where we stayed, and some other helpful top tips!
*This post contains affiliate links, which we may earn from. This does not come at an additional cost, but helps us to pursue this dream 🙂
With Osijek being a smaller city (well, 4th largest in Croatia), it isn’t as cram packed as Zagreb, but still there are some great things to do!
Wander Ante Starčević Square
Ante Starčević Square is in the centre of Osijek city, surrounded by shops and cafes! Here you will find a cute water feature, alongside a statue of Ante Starčević himself! It is a great place to take time to relax and wander, as it is very quiet and peaceful.
Visit Petar Pan!
We’ll be honest this place was so yummy it really deserved a spot on the list! Perfect for a hot sunny day, we stopped here for an ice cream break and was not disappointed! With a menu full of ice cream sundaes, they had ones designed to look like Disney characters which was so fun. The only downside was they didn’t take card (we believe), so make sure to have some cash!
Look how cute this Pinocchio themed ice cream was! Yum!
SS Peter & Paul
This Neo-Gothic co-cathedral in Osijek is really stunning! We saw this cathedral on the walk through to the city square, and it is breathtaking! We didn’t go inside, however we have heard some great things about the people running the cathedral.
Find the 8 statues!
Find the 8 statues of Osijek! We saw three of the eight and they are really special! Some include a mum holding her baby, the Croatian Paganini, an elephant, and a writer (one of Croatia’s most famous statues)! This can be a great way to explore and take in the city atmosphere as you find all of the statues!
Franjo Krežma – the Croatian PaganiniŠetač – a writer in eternal walk
Walk along the Drava River
With a nice breeze, you will appreciate walking along the river in summer! We spotted some boats, and took this time to chat and decompress.
Osijek Zoo
We didn’t actually go to the zoo, however this is a recommended spot in Osijek. You can find tickets here! Some animals they have include lions, bison, zebras and giraffes!
Where to eat
We will be honest with you, the night we stayed in Osijek we struggled to go out due to Aimee’s health, so we got some snacks from the shop!
Mlinar bakeries
These are dotted around Croatia, but we made sure to grab snacks from here! Our top recommendation would be a chicken burek (we miss them very much)!!
Restaurants
As we didn’t visit any set restaurants, we will share a list of some recommended ones for you to try!
Travelling Osijek was pretty straight forward, but these are some top things we recommend!
Croatian eSIM
For a ‘set’ amount of data, we found Airalo to be the best choice! You can find their packages here.
You can find bundles with unlimited data, that span across the whole of Europe, perfect for those backpacking around multiple countries… Find them here at Yesim!
Google translate app
Osijek was a little harder to navigate due to not everyone knowing English (it was a lot less touristic). Therefore, having the translate app was a godsend! The best thing about having the app version is you can use your camera to scan your surroundings (think menus, signs etc), and it will translate it to your language in real time!
Pre-booked transfer
If you are flying into Osijek (yes they have an airport!!), please try to book prior transfers. We struggled to find a bus and ended paying for taxi transfer, which we aren’t sure was the best deal. This was just based on our own experiences.
Where to stay
For this trip we stayed in such an amazing airbnb! We only spent £29 for a night, which at the time was a lot better than hotels in the area at our time of searching! We genuinely are so happy we stayed here, we will leave the link here, this isn’t an affilate link, just somewhere we wish to get the love they deserve!
We hope this guide helps you for your next trip to Osijek! It is an amazing city to visit for a stop-gap, and was a place to stop and breathe.
Find our Travel Essentials!
We have a full list of recommendations for any travels! Check out our:
We also recommend using these when planning your next trip!
Trip.com– Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.
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!
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!
Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!
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!
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!
We post weekly Youtube Videos now! Please check out our Osijek Vlog 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!
Wanting to visit Bangkok in 2025? This city is bursting full of exciting activities, beautiful places to visit, fun foods to try; and even our list won’t touch the sheer amount of things to do! But, we hope this list is a great start to building your bucket list trip to Bangkok! We will also link some of our own YouTube videos doing these exact activities for some additional inspiration!
*This post contains affiliate links, which we may earn from. This does not come at an additional cost, but helps us to pursue this dream 🙂
We also recommend using these when planning your next trip!
Trip.com– Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.
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!
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!
Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!
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!
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!
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!
Flying long haul can be scary, especially when you have never done this before. It’s such a different experience to flying locally. The plane is larger, you get food, and special amenities including a screen to watch movies, shows and play games! But where do you start and what’s the best tips and tricks for the flight?
As some of you may know, we had an amazing trip to Thailand at the end of August ’24, and therefore had a long haul flight recently. We thought there is no better way to share our experience than to write a blog so you can see all the little tips to use as well.
*This post contains affiliate links, which we may earn from. This does not come at an additional cost, but helps us to pursue this dream 🙂
Comfortable clothing is a NECESSITY when traveling on a long haul flight. A simple yet effective outfit like joggers and a baggy top would be perfect. The last thing you want to is constantly toss and turn trying to be comfortable. Or even worse – have to try change in one of those tiny bathrooms that you can barely go toilet. A hoodie would be prefect for this situation, a great multi-use item that can keep you warm but also act as a makeshift blanket or pillow if you need it.
However, if you are looking to take a hoodie be aware that this is something you will need to carry on the duration of your trip. So if you don’t have space in your luggage for it, you might need to compromise.
Bring Snacks
Now, as budget travelers, we always look to find ways to cut down on costs but also to have the top experiences we can. So unless you want to spend £4 for a chocolate bar you wouldn’t normally choose when you are home, then make sure to be prepared. We look to bring our own foods to the airport to avoid the prices and this is the same for the flight. Usually we pack rolls/baguettes for the airport AND for the plane ride with some additional sweets/snacks. However, you can’t just pack your whole bag full of snacks and food otherwise you won’t have all the other important things for your trip. We would recommend bring a meal deal or a roll as a snack between meals, as well as some sweets of your choice.
After all, you will be sitting for a large amount of time and likely to get bored, so hunger will strike.
Small Carry on Bag
Now this seems counter-intuitive as you’ve just been told to pack snacks and food alongside the important items in your bag. But you need your bag small enough to save yourself a lot of time and effort during the flight. Picture this, you pack your bag and it doesn’t fit under your seat. That’s fine, you just pop it in the overhead compartment and it’s out the way. Time to kick back and relax right?
What if you want snacks?
Or your phone runs out?
Or you realise there’s something in your bag that you need? Like a toothbrush as after all, it is a long haul flight.
It could be anything and you don’t want to keep jumping up and down to grab it as it will become annoying for you and your fellow travelers.
So the solution?
Find a bag that has good space but is also perfect to slide under your seat with still having a decent amount of leg room. This will allow for sure an easy grab for any unexpected issues or objects that you need to get from your bag.
Have your charger in your carry-on
If you never have been on a long haul flight before, then you may not know that the screens you have for entertainment also include a charging port and a headphone port for you. This is super important as you are likely to run out of charge on your device so make sure to pack your charger in a convenient spot.
The last thing you want to do is realise it is right at the bottom of the bag and have to pull EVERYTHING out to just to reach it, or worse! Put your charger in the holder so you have no charger during the whole flight. No one wants that problem.
Get up and walk around
It’s very easy to just sit in your seat and sleep, eat and watch your way through the flight but your body won’t be happy after it. You are likely to be very achy or tired by the end of the flight or maybe even light headed. You have to think, there’s not many times in your life where you are sat down in the same position for longer than 8 or so hours. Yes, we have sleep but that is usually in a more comfortable position than you one you will be in during a flight. It is recommended to get up and stretch every 2 or so hours.
However, we would recommend to not only do this, but walk up and back down the aisle once or twice to stretch your legs and get the blood flowing. This will help your body regulate and keep yourself from getting stiff.
Remember, after a long haul flight you will likely have after affects from jet lag so the last thing you want to do is add to that by making your body achy and stiff.
Plan your flight
Now this isn’t planning it to the minute. You don’t have to schedule each activity during the flight and keep to time constraints. That isn’t what we are saying. However, you will have 8+ hours worth of travel time with not a lot to do. So, how can you fill this time?
We would recommend to have multiple ideas of ways to keep you busy during this time. We have even seen people take Nintendo switch as a good activity which would definitely kill a few hours on the flight. However, you will soon get bored so what else is there to do. We would recommend having 2/3 other options on top of what they provide on the flight.
They provide great entertainment with many new and classic films, popular TV Shows, and music and even some pretty cool games with who wants to be a millionaire and popular games like battleships being available. For us, a great way to enjoy the first 30/60 minutes is to scroll through to see what they have to offer and pick out a few films/shows you will want to watch during the flight. We also do this with the games, have a little scroll and find games that will occupy us during the flight.
We would recommend to have a pack of cards, or a travel game to bring that is small as well as some games on your phone. But be sure that they are games that work offline as you won’t have any internet connection during the flight. Also include some sort of chilled activity like a book or E-book that you can read or a diary/journal that can occupy you.
Having these vast options will give you the option to change when you are bored and not run out of things to do. And worse case, you can just go sleep for a few hours to kill time!
Dietary requirements
Now this may not be important to everyone, but if you have any allergens or dietary needs such as being vegetarian, then make sure to communicate this. This is done BEFORE your flight and is necessary to put the steps in place to avoid any problems during this flight.
If you have an allergy with peanuts for example, it is a MUST to let them know beforehand. They will make an announcement during the flight that passengers are not to open any packets of peanuts during the flight. They will also make sure that the meals provided don’t include any peanuts. This will save any last minute conversations and problems during the flight.
For dietary requirements, such as being veggie, they usually take your meal orders when you book so that they can allocate enough to bring on board before the flight. The last thing you would want is for meal time to come around and there are no veggie options available because you didn’t let them know ahead of time. They will have a list of all those who have requested dietary specific requirements which likely means you will get your meals before the rest of the passengers which is a little bonus if you are super hungry.
These are super important to know so you don’t run into any problems during the flight and so you can enjoy your experience before heading off on your backpacking journey. These tips and trick will guide you through a smooth ride and allow you to make the most of your time in the sky.
If you did enjoy this blog, do let us know below by liking, subscribing or leaving a comment, it would be much appreciated.
As mentioned above, we are soon to be heading to Thailand so we will be using this tips ourselves! But also, look out for some amazing Thailand Vlogs, Blogs and much much more on our socials which is linked below.
See our Long-Haul Experience!
We recently uploaded our full travel vlog for our flight with Gulf Air to Thailand! So, if you want to see how a long-haul flight works out, then check out our vlog!
Find our Travel Essentials!
We have a full list of recommendations for any travels! Check out our:
We also recommend using these when planning your next trip!
Trip.com– Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.
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!
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!
Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!
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!
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!
We post weekly Youtube Videos now! Please check out our newest Vlog!
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!
Slow travelling is something we touched upon in a recent blog called ‘Fast Travel vs Slow Travel‘ which compared slow travel and fast travel. It’s understanding what they both are and which would be better suited to your travel needs and plans. It’s not a topic many think of when deciding to travel but really provides insight on how to plan your trip and helps you to make the most everyday.
For those who aren’t aware of what slow travel is, it’s pretty simple. Slow travel is the design to travel at a slower pace. Now, this can be for a number of reasons. And this is what we look to delve deeper into later on in this blog. But slow travel isn’t usually the common type of travel for most.
Fast travel seems to be a lot more popular and here’s why. The main benefit of fast travel is so you can see more place compare to slow travel. It’s like visiting a sweet shop and buying one of everything. You know you are buying too much, but you don’t know when you will be in the sweet shop again so you make sure you don’t miss out. When travelling there is so much to see and do, travelers often get FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). It’s common and leads people to visit more places just to cram it all in. This partnered with the fact that many travelers only do this part time or rarely meaning they aren’t likely to be back at this corner of the globe any time soon. So they think ‘while I’m here I might as well make the most of it.
But this is enough about fast travel, after all, it’s not the topic of conversation.
Benefits of Slow Travel
As mentioned above, slow travel comes with a lot of benefits which we will put under the microscope now.
Becoming A Local
The main benefit of slow travel is being able to enjoy the places you visit more. Picture this, you have 2/3 days in each location and you are constantly rushing around to complete to ‘top things to do in each location’. By doing this, you will be missing out on the rest of the activities in the location as well as a host of things to do there. This includes the best coffee shops, places to eat and so much more.
Slow travel really allows you to savour each moment and enjoy the little things. If you are just racing through each place you may not remember much about it other than the ‘big activity’. Some of the fondest memories is the ones where you weren’t necessarily doing the craziest of activities, rather, the most simple. An example of this would be enjoying a late night sing along with locals in Indonesia where a local was playing guitar and we sat with him and his friends for hours singing. It was amazing!
Sometimes you need to just embrace the place you are in, take a moment to be present to enjoy it the most.
Recovery Days
Traveling will be an amazing experience no matter where you go. Whether you enjoy partying, living off grid or just exploring new cultures, you will be sure to have the time of your life. So many memories will be made and you will likely see more than most. However, a lot of people don’t mention one of the downsides to travel.
It. Is. Exhausting.
First of all, living out of a backpack or suitcase is pretty simple for a few weeks but when you are venturing into months or even years, it can be quite a challenge. Not to mention the endless activities you have planned each day to make the most of each trip. The last thing you want to do is have an ‘off day’ and miss out on some awesome experience!
So don’t!
It’s super important, if not a necessity to allow for down days. Days where you can relax and allow your body to recover. You have to think, a lot of your travel time will be lugging round a heavy bag and moving from place to place so 1-3 days every so often is so needed.
For traveling, we would recommend roughly a 2 day break every 3-4 weeks depending on how fast you travel and how much of a veteran you are at traveling. After a busy few weeks jumping from place to place and completing daring, once-in-a-lifetime activities, there’s no better way to spend some time.
For this, we would recommend you to find a place near the beach (if possible), a pool would work well also. And spend time to yourself, reading a book, or relaxing in the sun and taking the days easy. For adrenaline seekers, this may seem boring. However, your body cannot keep going at a fast pace forever when travelling so make sure to take this breaks to avoid travel burn out.
We would suggest to maybe revisit some old fond memories you enjoyed before travelling such as tennis or hiking but do it without feeling the need to be somewhere. Have a wander up the beach or through some shops and really let your body recover. It’s important to note that your mind would need a rest also. Having a few days without a packed schedule might help with this.
Avoid Missing Out
Travelling really is an open ended book. You have the possibility to experience whatever you want in each location and it’s your job, as the author, to make these decisions. A slow travel plan will allow you to learn about travelling on the way and maybe even be informed by fellow travellers of new, unheard of experiences that you are interested in. Research can only give you so much.
The idea of slow travel is learning more about each place and embracing the little things so when you go you will have added time in each location. This will give you a buffer so that if there are any other activities in a location you might not of planned for, then you have the time to schedule it in.
If you are running off a fast paced travel schedule, you will either have to miss out of the activity or substitute it with another which either way, you will be missing out.
Flexibility
Even if you have done hours and hours of research into where you are heading, and planned it perfectly, it doesn’t mean your schedule will work perfectly. You have to understand you are heading into new places which running totally different to what you are used to. They may have poorer transport, or different open and closing times which you can’t always plan for.
Slow travel lets you substitute your time and move about days to suit any issues that may arise. An example would be in Philippines which have poor transportation links which require a few days buffer. If not, you will have to lose out on parts of your plan. If we had planned slow travel, then we could of worked around it with the added days as safety. This is a mistake we aim to not make again as we missed out on one of our top activities because of this and we don’t want you to do the same.
Overview
Slow travelling is, at least for us, the desired way of travelling. It really allows you to make the most of your time and be flexible when deciding on your plans. There’s so many things that can delay your travels that are out of your hands, it’s best to have a little buffer. Therefore, you can still see everything you want plus more without missing out on your bucket list activities. Obviously, this is location specific but we would look to use this method when visiting most places. Your body will always need a day or more to recover when travelling so make sure to adhere to your bodies needs before getting travel burnout.
Thank you for reading this blog and we hope you enjoyed! If you did, make sure to subscribe for more blogs and check out our social media’s below to follow along with our daily travels. This includes a VERY exciting trip to Thailand over the next month where we will give you loads of Thailand related content!!
We post weekly Youtube Videos! Please check out our newest Vlog from Bangkok!
We also recommend using these when planning your next trip!
Trip.com– Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.
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!
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!
Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!
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!
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!
Bangkok is a bustling city that truly never sleeps so make sure your Instagram posts don’t either! There’s an endless supply of activity so make sure to keep your posts booming for all your followers and get them dreaming of their own Bangkok adventure’s!
Also, check out our Social Media’s for our amazing travelling journey! Hint Hint: we have just came back from our trip to Thailand!!
Brazil is world renowned of a country bursting with colour and life, full of many unique and amazing sights and experiences! Use our top 10 bucket list activities to help build your trip to Brazil!
*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 🙂
Christ the Redeemer Full tour – Visit the Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf mountain, Selarón Steps, Maracanã, Sambadrome, Metropolitan Cathedral, and finish with a beautiful all-you-can-eat BBQ lunch!
Beginners Samba Class – Take a beginners samba class in Ipanema with the queen of the Rio’s carnival Carla Campos! Get your dancing shoes on!
São Paulo: City Highlights Guided Tour – Discover the Nossa Senhora church, Trianon Park, the House of Roses, and more iconic locations, through this full guided tour of the different neighbourhoods.
Cantareira Natural Park Hiking Tour – Walk through the rainforest in this guided hiking tour around the Cantareira Natural Park! Take a dip in waterfalls, visit the old water supply system of São Paulo, and learn about local fauna and flora
Salvador
Morro de São Paulo Paradise Island Daytrip – Explore this car-free location, as you can chill in this beach village. Swim in the sea, ride horses, go on a diving adventure and much more!
Full Day River Tour – Visit an indigenous tribe, discover a floating village, and see the meeting of the rivers on this full day tour of the Amazon Jungle!
Brasília
Brasilia Tour – Check out the Cathedral, National Congress, TV Tower and Much More with this guided tour around Brasilia!
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 do you want to do most?
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.
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!
Bali is such a busy place for travellers and backpackers to visit that you often get caught up with the crowds. On the island there is so much to do and see that you can often get overwhelmed with the options. Do you head west to Canggu which is a surfers paradise? Or east to the party islands? Or maybe stay central in the small authentic town of Ubud? The island of Bali has so many locations that offers scenic views and adventurous activities so it’s easy to miss the small things! This is Aling Aling Waterfall, and is a place to check out for sure!
*This post contains affiliate links, which we may earn from. This does not come at an additional cost, but helps us to pursue this dream 🙂
Aling Aling Waterfalls
When doing initial research of Bali we can conclude that many don’t listAling-Aling Waterfallsat top of the itinerary but for us we would put it on there for sure. It’s location is isolated but is located roughly 30 minutes south of Lovina which is a popular spot to swim with wild dolphins! Be sure to check out our best spots in Ubud here to get the best itinerary for that part of the island.
Many seem to not notice the wonder that is Aling-Aling waterfalls and merely pass by it when visiting Lovina. However, we would totally recommend visiting and seeing the natural wonder hidden deep in the mountains.
Finding and Entering Aling Aling
This waterfall is a hidden wonder of Bali, off a mountain road and has 3 main cliff jumping points, and 1 natural water slide. At the site there is a large car park and an entrance fee of roughly £8 per person if you want a guide to take you, or £2 without a guide. Please note that if you don’t take a guide you are not able to swim or enjoy the natural waterslide or cliff jumps- and will be fined if you are caught.
The actual Aling-Aling waterfall doesn’t allow swimming or cliff jumping as it sits at roughly 200 metres which is far too high for us!! However, there are set locations which allow this with a 5 metre platform and a swimming area at the base of a natural waterslide. The waterslide is very simple. You sit at the top of the fall which is roughly 10 metres up and you slide down the rocks which is softened by the flow of water before dunking in the beautiful pool below
The Aling Aling Waterfall Experience
The 5 metre jump is perfect for people who aren’t too confident in heights (or water) and is an easy ledge to practice on! The slide seems scarier but once you do it, you are likely to want to ride it again! Below is the slide in action!
Further down the stream, you have higher cliff spots which are perfect for adrenalin junkies and confident jumpers. When we experienced these falls the weather really challenged us with torrential rain and flooding but this didn’t stop us from completing these jumps! The first cliff jump which is 10 metres was personally the hardest and is a simple leap from a ledge into the waters below.
The 2 further cliff jumping locations were 15 metres but looked the same as the 10 metre. There was only one slight difference minus the height difference. The 1st 15 metre jump required you to leap away from the side to avoid overhanging rocks before reaching the pool below. This is a hard thing to commit to but make sure to jump outwards! At each activity location there are steps so you can make your way back up to the jumping spot again or to watch your friendly make the leap!
We didn’t make our way to the final jumping spot due to the weather but as it was the same height it didn’t matter too much. The location is in the heart of the mountains, in the jungle so be aware of your footing as it is all natural terrain.
Usually this activity would take around 1/2 hours to enjoy and just beside the waterfall car park is a local place serving food which is a great place to grab a meal after all that jumping you did! It serves local food with the usual amazing flavours.
For us, this is an activity we would definitely recommend to anyone visiting Bali as it’s got everything! Adventure, beauty, nature, hiking. It’s a perfect way to spend half a day while travelling the island. We would recommend hiring a taxi to Aling-Aling if there is a group of you. If you are an individual or just you and a friend, you can also hire bikes and head there if you are confident in your motor skills!
We hope you enjoyed our experience and would love to know your thoughts on Aling-Aling waterfalls and if you would dare to jump the 15 metres!
We have found a full comprehensive tour here, for easy booking!
Our favourite must-needed travel resources
Where to Fly
Trip.com – Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.
Kiwi – Use Kiwi’s amazing service that is pioneering in the flight space! They use virtual interlining, which means they can provide seamless connecting flights into one single itinerary!
CheapOair – Being one of the fastest growing online travel companies in the US, CheapOair offers great flight deals, hotel rooms, rental cars and more!
Where to Stay
Booking.com – Offering over 28 million accommodations to book, we will always use booking.com! Having a rewards system built in, the more you book, the more perks you get!
HostelWorld – You cannot budget travel without hostel world! Having over 17,000 hostels, boasting over 13 million reviews, hostel world is one our of top websites for budget travel! They are now offering more ways to meet people abroad, with meet ups, group chats and more available!
Vrbo – Find stunning vacation rentals with Vrbo! Offering over 2 million paid listings in 190 countries, find memorable experiences with this accommodation service!
Where to Explore
Viator – A trip advisor company, viator offers over 300,000 experiences over 200 countries, including water sports, walking tours, boat trips, food tastes tours and more! Including activities for many budgets, check out Viator!
Eat With – Experience authentic travel experiences with locals worldwide! Use eat with to book unique and intimate dining experiences, such as dinner parties in big restaurants, big feasts with a local family, cooking classes with a local and more!
Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common too!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!
Where to get Connected
Airalo – With over one million people using Airalo, it is our go to eSIM provider for our worldwide trips! Having data packs from over 200 countries, find combined area packages and deals to suit your travel style and data needs!
Where to be Protected
ETKA – Every age from 3 to 85 can buy ETKA’s travel insurance, offering multilingual 24/7 chat support, and your insurance policy within 2-3 minutes!
Our Top Traveller’s Essentials
Backpack – Osprey Farpoint 40 – This backpack is a staple amongst many travellers! Being a lot cheaper than the luxury brands, this is a quality backpack from a well known brand. It boasts quality durability, is lightweight with a great framework and is a great option for most people! This backpack has a hip strap to help carry the bag, a breathable harness strap, and comes in multiple colours!
Compression Packing Cubes – Compression cubes are our favourite packing accessory! These cubes are similar to the normal packing cubes, but feature a compression zip, meaning you can compress your clothes down… this makes packing easier, limits the space you are using, and means more room for souvenirs etc!
Powerbank – Don’t lose power when travelling! It isn’t always guaranteed to find charging ports, so we would always suggest carrying a spare power bank, just incase you do run low on power when you need it!
Universal Travel Plug Adapter – Most backpackers/travellers visit multiple countries during one trip. And that means it isn’t guaranteed you will be using the same plug head during each place. A universal plug is great as it lets you switch between each plug head style all in one item! We love ours, it has USB slots meaning multiple items can be charged at once.
Thank you for reading our Aling Aling Waterfall Guide
If you did enjoy the blog be sure to like and subscribe for more Bali and South East Asia Travel content. We also post our daily travel experiences on our social media’s which we have detailed before if you would like to check it out!
Check out our Social Media’s below! We share our daily activities, all of our budget friendly travel tips, travel inspiration and more!
Ubud is a secluded town located in central Bali and is known for it’s traditional lifestyle and setting. It’s not party like Gili T, or social like Canggu, but rather calm and old-fashioned in it’s look. Here you will find traditional areas and food spots to enjoy the local parts of what Bali has to offer.
This being said, there’s still so much to do. It’s definitely a location you would need to spend a few days at to make the most of the activities available. We would recommend 3/4 days here and it’s a place you cannot afford to miss! The activities are endless, and the food is to die for… so be sure to add this to your Bali plans!
*This post contains affiliate links, which we may earn from. This does not come at an additional cost, but helps us to pursue this dream 🙂
Ubud Travel Guide
Activities in Ubud
There are a range of activities that cover many interests so be sure to give yourself enough time to enjoy all Ubud has to offer!
Mount Batur
This is such an amazing experience that a lot of people tend to skip due to the length of the activity. You get to hike up an active volcano.. what more do you want??
The day will start of super early! Earlier than you think- at roughly 2 am for pick-up (depending where you are staying)! From here, you head towards the base of the mountain but stop off for breakfast on the way. It’s not a traditional breakfast but you will be offered tea or coffee and a fried banana for energy. As you relax, it’ll give you time to meet the people you will be hiking with. You then head off to the base of the volcano and begin your ascend. The initial climb is a long stretch of road that becomes steep and then you are to head up some steep steps.
The climb is likely to take 2/3 hours with time taken waiting for people to climb ahead. Unfortunately it can become somewhat congested with people when going up. However, when you get to the top it really feels like it’s just you up there. There’s so many viewpoints to choose from and when you get to the top you are perfectly in time for sunrise. This is the whole reason you wake up at 2am!
The views are absolutely stunning and that’s even on a cloudy day. Once you have taken photos and soaked up the beautiful views, you can head up further to the absolute top and see if from there! Be cautious as there are wild monkeys that live on the volcano and can be aggressive if provoked. The best way to deal with them would be to ignore them and keep your distance where possible.
At the top you will take an hour to soak up your surroundings and more importantly catch your breath and get ready to descend the volcano! Now this is the fun part!
At the top you are shown to a naturally heated spot where the volcano spurts warm gases and heats up the rocks. You can spend time here and the local guides will provide some cool information on how this happens! After this, you head across a narrow strip at the top which is no more than 2 feet wide at points with no rocks to keep your balance with your hands. So be careful!!
Once the scary part is over, the fun begins! The majority of the descent is down through hard grains which is almost like sand. Most people spent their time almost skiing down in their shoes which is much better than walking in our opinion!
The hike is a must and and really offers so much more than the views at the top (even though they are spectacular!). On the way back you are likely to stop off at the coffee plantation and you get the opportunity try many flavours of coffee. It’s not necessary the best thing to do after a long morning climbing a volcano as many would like to just go back and relax but the types of coffee available is awesome with loads of different flavours. These include avocado, coconut and honeycomb to name a few! Find the sunrise hike here.
Jewellery making class
This is a great opportunity to take something away that will always remind you of your travels or of the beautiful place of Ubud! You get to go to a jewellery making class which you are shown the steps to make your own designs and given the materials which is included in the price. If you make simpler designs, you may even be able to make 2/3 types of rings for any family members you want to gift them to!
They help you melt the silver and manipulate it so that it is ready to be cut and designed as you wish!
It’s such an amazing experience and is a great way to make a sentimental gift for yourself or someone important that isn’t just bought at a local market. It’s a design that you have created and the perfect way to round of your trip in Ubud! Just make sure to not book up that day as it’s a 3 hour slot to complete, and you will need most of that time to finish your jewellery. Unfortunately we booked to leave early that day so had to cut our time short on our jewellery making class. Find agreat class here.
Monkey Forest
The Monkey Forest is a popular spots for travellers and visitors when going to Ubud. It’s a forest located right on the edge the town which is home to many monkey that are allowed to roam freely throughout the forest and even into the town. Now, this has caused many problems with the monkey being hit by traffic and also going into shops and restaurants looking for food.
When visiting the park, it’s super important to be aware of your surroundings and keep anything small in a bag or left at your accommodation. This includes food! The monkeys have come accustom to people bringing food into the forest and now see us as providers of food. They will check your body (including pockets and your bag to see if they can find food. One even tried to open our backpack in search for food.
It’s such a beautiful forest which is well maintained for the monkeys and have some amazing spots to enjoy and take photos. However, we would recommend to respect the monkeys privacy and do not approach any monkey and if a monkey does approach, to slowly move aware safely. A lot of people forget these are wild animals and they deserve their privacy.
The park has some luscious walks and some cool bridges you can cross where you can get some amazing photos of the monkeys in all sorts of places. It truly is a cool place to visit to see how the monkeys live. Find a full guided tour here.
Local Markets
In Ubud there is a local market that is in the heart of the town and is a very traditional market. It’s relatively small but offers many handmade items that locals have handcrafted. The prices are affordable as it’s not a popular one for travellers to visit but the quality is there! The market has woodwork, mini statues and an assortment of clothing!
After visiting all the busy and energy zapping activities in Ubud, there’s no better way to relax than strolling through markets and looking at some local stalls!
Campuhan Ridge Walk
This is a very popular trail located a 10/15 minute walk from the centre of Ubud. It takes roughly 1/2 hours to walk the trail there and back so be sure to take your walking boots. On the trail, there is no shade from the sun so if you are to do this on a warm day, make sure to go early in the morning or later in the afternoon when its a little cooler.
The walk provides stunning views and has a tall single palm tree located on it’s path which provides great photo opportunity! We would recommend to walk the trail in the morning just after sunrise (or at sunrise if you can) or just before sunset to get the best views from the trail.
Kecak Fire Show
There is a local temple in Ubud that hosts shows almost every night for spectators to watch and enjoy. The shows are usually in the evening and boast local dances and songs. The fire show is a great way to wind down and spend the evening after you have just eaten and it will help you learn more of the local culture of Indonesia!
The show is placed in a traditional setting with the seating area likely to be stone blocks so don’t expect luxury! It’s a truly unique experience and one we would recommend for all to do!
Tegallanang Infinity pool and rice terraces
These infinity pools are a staple for Ubud and a really popular place for travellers and tourists. They have a number of pools located on the side of the building offering luscious views of rice fields, statues and so much more!
They have a few bars which you can enjoy some cocktails and order food to enjoy by the pools. There’s a lot of seating options available including seating towards in the pools overlooking the scenic views.
This place doesn’t just offer infinity pools and food but so much more!! there are walks you can take around the grounds which have perfect photo stops including aesthetic seating areas and large swings! There’s also bridges with water running through creating a peaceful aroma and it’s a place you can relax in for the day when you need a much earned rest!
The entrance fee is pretty cheap but the food and drinks inside are more expensive than most places in the area so be prepared to pay for that! You also can’t take any food or drink in which is important to know beforehand. Find this tour, where you can visit the Tegallanang Rice Terraces, waterfalls and a jungle swing!
Saraswati Temple
Sarawati is a local temple in the centre of Ubud that boasts some beautiful statues and water gardens. It is known as the underwater palace and has some of the best stone carvings across Bali. It’s home to some amazing artwork and even has a lotus garden which is great for capturing the best photos.
As with many locations, it would be best to visit first thing in the morning to avoid crowds or later in the afternoon. As it is a popular temple, you may find yourself in a busy temple if you don’t plan ahead when visiting. It’s a amall temple which you can walk through within 30 minutes but it’s completely free to visit.
Teganungan Waterfall
Teganungan waterfall is located around 30 minutes south of Ubud in a remote area of Bali. It’s one of the larger waterfalls in the central Bali area being 15 metres tall! There is a fee to entering the area but it is only roughly £1.50 or 20,000 Indonesian Rupiah.
There are some perfectly placed seating or bird nests that are used by travelers to get good photos with the waterfall in the background. You are allowed to go right up to the waterfall and swim in the waters below which is a great way to relax in such a tranquil place. If you aren’t fancying a swim, you can head up on the terraces to grab food with jaw dropping views of the waterfall.
These restaurants are slightly more expensive than local Bali restaurants but they have cheaper alternatives elsewhere on the complex. As it’s a popular spot, it’s likely to get busier the closer you get to lunchtime so if you want to avoid the crowds, it’s best to get there bright and early!
Places to eat in Ubud
There are many food options in Ubud that you can explore. They have a good range of different restaurants with some tasty authentic Indonesian restaurants!
Taco Cartel
This is a Mexican lunch spot that is like a takeout. There is seating but it is a rather small shop that does lovely tasting food! They offer the traditional Mexican choices such as tacos, burritos, and quesadillas.
They even offer deals such a each taco being 19 Indonesian Rupiah for lunch (as of October 2022). The food is cooked in front of you as they have an open kitchen. You can watch the chefs cook your food from scratch! The food from Taco Cartel is super flavourful and offered at a decent price compared to other locations. Our Favourite was the Pork Burrito which is super filling and comes with a lovely spicy sauce to enjoy. However, on the menu is a monster wet burrito which is perfect if you are starving and love a hearty meal!
They offer burgers and other grill type meals which look super good.
Rayjin Ubud
This is a beautiful Japanese food spot that you can’t miss out on! It is known for being a budget-friendly yet tasty Japanese restaurant, you can expect a delightful culinary experience without breaking the bank. The menu features an array of classic dishes like steaming bowls of ramen with rich, savory broths, perfectly cooked noodles, and toppings such as tender slices of pork, soft-boiled eggs, and fresh green onions. Sushi rolls are crafted with care, offering combinations of fresh fish, crisp vegetables, and tangy rice, all wrapped in delicate seaweed.
Donburi bowls provide hearty portions of seasoned rice topped with succulent cuts of teriyaki chicken, beef, or tofu, drizzled with a sweet and savoury sauce. Despite the modest prices, the quality of ingredients and the authenticity of flavours make each meal satisfying and memorable. The cosy, casual ambiance and friendly service further enhance the dining experience, making it a perfect spot for a delicious and affordable Japanese meal. It’s a stunning restaurant located in the heart of Ubud and one you must visit!
Bebek Bengil
This is a traditional restaurant that is bursting full of flavour. It’s a popular spot in Ubud providing high quality foods that is authentic Indonesian delicacies such as the Crispy Duck. The food is reasonably priced and the food is more-ish for people to return back to the restaurant the next day.
The food is certainly persuasive but the views out from the restaurant boast a scenery that not many restaurants in the area can compete with. They have luxurious views of local rice fields and nature creating the perfect experience for food lovers!
Cafe Lotus
This is a must visit as it is located perfectly in the centre of Ubud. It’s sandwiched in between the local temple, street markets, the main street and the local museum! It’s got the perfect location and also provides stunning views of local gardens which is the perfect way to relax in the day and soak up the sun!
The cafe offers hearty, high-quality meals that you cannot miss out on. The food comes at a premium cost but you do get some of the best flavours that Bali have to offer with each dish! They offer traditional meals but also so simple pasta, pizza and sandwich meals that are sure to fill you up and leave you satisfied! This is the perfect stop gap between your hectic day so you can enjoy some good food and stay within the heart of Ubud.
This is a quant hostel located outside the busy streets of Ubud in a quiet and hidden location. It’s premises are located by a small stream and is roughly a 20/30 minute walk into the main parts of Ubud. This location is perfect for travellers who love walking as it offers some beautiful morning walks at a fraction of the price of some stays closer to the centre.
This hostel charges roughly £5 per night for dorm stays and private rooms for £13. You get all basic amenities and there are also some tea and coffee dispensers available free of use! The hostel also provide breakfast included and you have a choice including a banana pancake or some assorted fruits. It’s a simple breakfast but it’s a great way to start your day and you can’t really complain at the price at all! Find it here.
This is a Hostel located close to the centre of Ubud and provides rooms of up to 2 people so it’s perfect for couples and friends who travel together or have met through travel. The rooms are super clean and come with balconies with luscious views of the street and surrounding areas. The rooms give a more hotel stay feeling as appose to a busy hostel which is great for those who like to relax!
The main benefit to this stay is the price and breakfast! The price is £12 each night but this is for a room of 2 so if you are sharing then it’s only £6. You can’t get much better than that! The breakfast also consists of toast, scrambled eggs, tea and fresh fruit. This comes as an extra but is so worth additional cost to start the day on the right foot! Find it here.
A perfectly placed hostel directly in the centre of Ubud allowing for easy access to most of the town’s busiest places and top activities. The rooms are offered at £9 for a dorm room which shares 12 or £24 for a private room for 2 people. For it’s location and luxury, it’s a great spot to stay and even has a pool to relax in on chilled days.
At the hostel they have a host of activities you can book to experience in Ubud. They organise the whole trip and make it comfortable for you so you don’t have to do anything but enjoy the ride! Breakfast is also included as part of your stay which is a local dish with fruits and a hot beverage of your choice. It’s a popular hostel for travellers so is a great place to meet people but without any party/drinking element!
Ubud is such a beautiful location full of activities, history, culture and nature. It’s a spot that is so diverse in setting that doesn’t resemble any other places we have visited before. It’s a place many should visit and experience with so many amazing activities to choose from!
We hope you enjoyed our breakdown of what to do, where to eat and where to stay in Ubud. It would be much appreciated if you could like the post if you enjoyed. Find it here.
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.
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!
Our Two Step Start 
Leave a comment