Tag: backpacking

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The 5 most overrated products for backpacking

backpacks in pickup truck

Let me tell you what not to pack when going on a backpacking trip. Packing your backpack for a trip is different for everybody. Some take weeks to plan and use lists to make sure they don’t forget anything. Others, like me, start the evening before. We all have one thing in common though: we over pack. Heavily too. To make matters worse, there are some travel items that everybody seems to be recommending while they are really not that great. Or even useful. You pack them, drag them around your whole trip and unpack them back home. Never really used them at all. So in a probably futile attempt to rid the world of these overrated and useless travel products, and to give myself a nice opportunity for a rant, here are the 5 most overrated travel items for backpacking.

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2 weeks in Thailand: a highlights itinerary

The first country that often comes to mind when people contemplate travelling to South-East Asia is Thailand. The country is cheap, the food is tasty and the people are friendly. The country is developed enough to have plenty of pretty hotels, good healthcare and good infrastructure but there are still plenty of places to truly go off the beaten path. It is no wonder that people fall in love with the ‘land of the smiles’ and keep on returning. I visited five times and still love it. Travelling to Thailand for the first time and looking for a guide? Look no further, you clicked on the right article. In this 2 week itinerary, I’ll explain all about where to go, what to eat and where to stay!

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Koh Pha Ngan, partying the moon away

Koh Pha Ngan is undoubtedly linked to drinking bucket after bucket of long island iced-tea while dancing around a campfire with neon paint in every shade of the rainbow on your face. The full moon party that takes place here once a month is famous worldwide and draws in huge crowds of young backpackers that come for nothing else than partying. But is Koh Pha Ngan any fun if the moon is not showing its full face? I decided to travel there exactly in the middle between two full moon parties to find out. 

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Ayutthaya, the old capital of Thailand

Ayutthaya, the old capital of Thailand is easily overlooked when getting your Thai itinerary together. Big mistake. I’ve travelled through Thailand on four different trips and only on my last trip did I include Ayutthaya, but it is probably the most impressive and beautiful old temple complex in the whole country. And with it being one 80 kilometres from the Thai metropole Bangkok it fits in almost any programme. So stop hesitating, go there.

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Paracas & the Islas Ballestas

One step outside the bus and your nostrils will let you know that you have reached the coast. As next to pelicans darting around everywhere, the ocean smell is one of the key characteristics of the little coastal Paracas. Officially know as El Chaco, this town lies at the north-end of the Paracas Peninsula, a national wildlife reserve. The big draw is the abundance of sea-mammals and birds surrounding the Islas Ballestas, fondly dubbed as ‘the poor man’s Galapagos’. But besides the islands there is also the Peninsula itself to explore..

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what to do in Arequipa: the colonial gem of Peru

Arequipa, often dubbed ‘the white city’ is the colonial pride of Peru. The second-largest city in the country combines beautiful colonial buildings with all modern amenities of a large urban dwelling. It is situated about 2300 meters above sea-level making it the perfect place to acclimatise to the altitude before visiting Cusco, Machu Picchu or Puno which are all a lot higher up. And with the Colca Canyon, El Misti and Chachani on its doorstep, there is really no reason to skip this beautiful colonial gem. The question that remains is, what to do in Arequipa? 

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Why I hated the beautiful Uros Islands

As a child I once saw a Discovery-documentary from Jacques Cousteau where he explained about the weird frilled frogs that live in lake Titicaca. Ever since visiting this lake has been high on my list. On the shores of lake Titicaca lies Puno, the second most visited town in Peru. People flock here to see the floating Uros islands. Yes they are undeniably beautiful. Yes they are unlike any other islands you have ever seen. But man did I hate visiting them.  Continue reading “Why I hated the beautiful Uros Islands”

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How to visit Machu Picchu: all options explained

Visiting Machu Picchu can be done in all sorts of ways. A day-trip, a multiple-day trek following the old Inca-trail or the tougher but more interesting trek climbing the Salkantay mountain, opt for a high-adrenaline jungle tour including zip-lining, rafting and mountain biking or lazy it out taking the train and bus. This article is meant to give you a better understanding of what these options entail, so if Machu Picchu is on your itinerary, you better read on!

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Huacachina: the desert oasis in the middle of the Peruvian desert

One of the most surreal places I have ever spend the night is Huacachina, a small oasis in the middle of the desert. A blue greenish lagoon lined with palm-trees is surrounded by a few dozen structures. Rising above their roofs are the most massive sand-dunes you have ever seen. It gets even better: you can actually surf down these dunes on an old snowboard! Immensely beautiful, utterly bizarre and only a few hours drive from Peru’s capital Lima: welcome to Huacachina.

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Vietnam itinerary: Vietnam in 2 weeks

So you want to see Vietnam, only have two weeks and worry whether it will be enough. Worry no more! Based on my own travels, I have made the perfect itinerary. It allows you to see the best of the country without feeling rushed or spending way too much money on organized trips or airplane-tickets. Doing all of Vietnam in 2 weeks means making choices on what to visit and what to skip. If you follow this itinerary, you are sure to make the right ones.

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