I chose a 4 bedroom mixed dorm over the gigantic female only dorm bc I prefer the smaller ones, it usually leads to a more peaceful sleep for me. The two girls in here checked out today and now I’m with 3 guys. I don’t feel uncomfortable but the idea in itself is a little nerve racking. Have any other women had this experience and what did you do / how did it go?

I'm from the UK and have never seen the Day of the Dead celebrations. I'm considering doing a trip to Mexico around this time to check it out (I've been to Mexico before and speak Spanish). I noticed the flights were pricier for places like Oaxaca which I hear is the best place to see it all.

Just wondering if anyone has had any experiences with the celebrations, if they think it's worth a detour to see it, and where you'd recommend going? I'm leaning towards somewhere like Merida or Oaxaca, but open to any suggestions (I'm a solo traveller too so would be nice to go somewhere where it's easy to meet people too)

I moved to the UK a few years ago, and I’m still not quite sure it feels like home. I’ve lived in a few countries before this (NZ was once home plus some time in Australia, the US and South Africa), and I guess I’m still adjusting to being somewhere that isn’t temporary.

Curious if others have found ways to make one place feel more like “yours” after a lot of transition.

Id done a fair bit of solo travel and love it, however its always been to countries where English is commonly spoken so the language barrier not been an issue

Next week though im going to Vietnam, where the opposite applies and i dont think alot speak English. I have Google Lens and Google translate downloaded (with offline language packs) to help when going into bars or restaurants, but is there any other tips people have picked up when English is barely spoken?

Hi all

I have time off from work and am planning a trip (5 weeks in total) from mid-August through mid-September. The current plan is 10 days in Australia, two weeks in New Zealand and then South Pacific island exploration. I am feeling a bit overwhelmed and would love some guidance. I will be traveling solo and I do not drive.

Australia (10 days max)

My decision is between sticking to Sydney and Melbourne (and surrounds) or heading from Sydney to Queensland (Cairns, Gold Coast, Byron Bay).

• I don't want to spend the entire time traveling.
• I realise these are two very different itineraries but does one make more sense than the other in the time I have and during August?
• I am not generally a tour person but is this the best way to see a lot in this time? Any recommended tour operators?

New Zealand (two weeks)

I am also a huge LoTR fan and would like to see as much as possible. I love wine tasting as well and would like a city/nature mix.

• I looked at Red Carpet Tours which has been recommended here but sadly they don't have anything available then. Are there other recs?
• Assume I will fly into Auckland from Australia. I'd like to include Rotorua/Hobbiton, Tongariro National Park, Wellington, Christchurch and Queensland.

Appreciate your thoughts! Thank you!

I’ve been staying at a hostel the past couple days and have enjoyed the town so I extended another night. I confirmed the price with the guy at reception and he explained to me all sly that since I’ve stayed there a couple days he’ll knock a whole 3,000 COP (less than $1 USD) off my night BUT only if I write a perfect 10 star review on HostelWorld AND mention the guy’s name. since he was “soooo helpful” letting me stay in the same bed in an empty room and offering to give me a new towel.

I didn’t do it and declined the discount because I find that sort of scheme gross and that $1 isn’t worth it. I actually had a good time at the hostel but it wasn’t perfect and the fact that this guy basically was trying to bribe me really rubbed me wrong.

Is this way more common than I thought it was? I’ve stayed in 15+ hostels in the past couple months and have never been so blatantly “incentivized” to write a good review. I’ve seen little signs like “write a review for a free drink” or something but never such a shameless request with such demanding criteria.

Hi fellow travelers!! I’m starting a 7 month backpacking trip June 4th and I’m so excited! I’ve solo traveled before and I absolutely love it but I do know that the people i’ve met have made the experiences for me 100 percent! Because solo traveling as we all know means mostly navigating and having control on ur own but also making wonderful friends along the way :)

I went to Paris in February and made lifelong friends, I also went to Amsterdam which i LOVED more as a city… but the people I met didn’t stick as much so I think about Paris a lot more… Do you guys find that you meet people in every destination or do you sometimes struggle to make connections??

If you guys struggle to make connections in a city how do you maximize your time/ enjoy yourself? Obviously if i wasn’t comfortable being alone I wouldn’t solo travel but it definitely makes me a little anxious thinking about the idea of not having people to go out with and stuff… how have you guys coped with feelings of loneliness, or ensured that you made connections with people while abroad?

Hey! Seeking some advice on northern Spain backpacking. I’ve got 3 days to do some hiking away from a city since I work remote.

Thinking of doing it in picos de Europa (Spain) but am all ears to other route suggestions in northern Spain.

Hoping to find a route through with places to stay. Wondering if anyone has done something similar and can recommend any hostels/refuges or routes. I’ll be doing this in 2ish weeks so looking to stay at a mid altitude (don’t wanna hike in snow, don’t have the gear for it).

Thanks!

I’ll be going on a cruise out of Athens in October. I want to spend 3 days either before or after the cruise exploring. I’m curious if anyone else has done this or spent only a brief time in the area and could offer tips to make the most of my time there.

Is there something I should prioritize? Day trips? Can’t miss restaurant?

I enjoy nightlife, good food, shopping, and of course, seeing the major sites.

Looking at staying in Plaka vs Monastiraki? -Electra Palace Athens -AthensWas Design Hotel -Perianth Hotel

Sites: Acropolis, Parthenon, Lycabettus Hill, Temple of Zeus, Temple of Poseidon…

Also looking for help with restaurant ideas. I like fine dining, local, can’t miss.

Finally, if there’s one piece of advice you could offer a solo woman hitting Athens for a fun filled 3 days, what would it be?

Hey yall, I was hoping to get some pointers for my SE Asia trip which I’m planning.

I’m keen to travel next Jan, and for reference, im 20, I’m a big outdoor person, big on my Architecture (studying it), and love pristine views , hikes and am more keen on the nature/ socialising/ rather than it being a picturesque beach / foody holiday.

Aiming for a relatively low cost trip, very very keen on camping within the countries if possible, and doing atleast 1-2 overnight hikes.

My plan was as follows (have planned on 16-17 days, although, I’m open to make it 1-2 weeks longer if needed)

Melbourne>Chiang Mai (via Bangkok)

5-6 days in Northern Thailand,

1 day in Phuket, then Phuket>Hanoi

3 days in Vietnam, then

Hanoi>Kota Kinabalu

4-5 days in Borneo,

Borneo>Kuala Lumpur OR Singapore, (1 night), then > Melbourne

Within each country, I’ve got a rough outline of what I want to do there. I was very keen on Thailand and Borneo/ Indonesia, wheareas Vietnam was more of a place I’ve heard about vicariously.

I’m keen on seeing the big cities (Phuket, Hanoi) but also I’m completely fine with them being omitted from the itenerary,

Any suggestions on how I could optimise this trip would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers

Male 27 from the US planning on going to Portugal at the end of May. Probably for about 6-7 days.

I’m having a bit of option paralysis but right now thinking of staying at a beach hotel in Cascais then taking the train into Lisbon for attractions/sights. Apparently the train between the two runs often and is super easy. Overall I’m looking to spend some days just having drinks and chilling on the beach then some days walking Lisbon.

Anything I should avoid or must see? Do any of the nearby beaches offer chairs and umbrellas to rent? There is Ribeira, Rainha, and Cascais.

Will weather be an issue? I’m seeing now it might not be as warm as I was hoping.

This is my first solo trip anywhere so I’m overthinking and nervous about getting somewhere and being unhappy with the accommodations. Thanks for any help!

I’m traveling to the US. Going to San Francisco, visiting some smaller towns and driving through to LA. Wondering if it’s safer to leave my diamond engagement ring and my wedding ring behind in my home country or is it safe to travel with it? I guess just don’t want to make myself a target of robbery with a diamond on my finger. But then I rather take it with me if it’s safe to.