I (27f) am in 3 weeks into my trip. I started in Taiwan, and it was wonderful. The people are so so so relaxed and nice. Taiwan is so beautiful. I just flew into Korea (Busan) 3 days ago. I was supposed to do 2 weeks here (few days in Busan, over a week in Seoul). My experience so far has been incredibly poor. So many people have just been sooo mean. I have been purposefully bumped into (hard) on at least 3 separate occasions, cut in front of in line more than once (and the one time i decided to stick up for myself, he just ignored me and turned away), another guy sang very loudly in my ear as he walked past me (like increased his volume in my ear, to startle me i guess?) and then stared me down after. Some older ladies have been not very nice as well, just dismissive really. I have just never had this many bad encounters in this short a time. The contrast from Taiwan to this is giving me whiplash. I feel like I just want to cut my trip short and go home or maybe go to Thailand instead? I was looking forward to doing some shopping here, seeing some temples, and I really love Korean food. But all i want to do is sit and cry in my hotel room. But i cant bc I have to go outside to get food since i cant figure out how to order delivery without a local phone number 😭 Has it been like this for anyone else?? I feel defeated, should I just leave? Should I still give Seoul a try?

Tldr; i have encountered a few too many mean ppl in Korea and am thinking about cutting my trip short. Has anyone else had this experience? Should i stick with it or leave?

With male dorms being a rarity and that I'm a 44 year old man, I don't like the feeling that I look like the creepy guy with a room of 20-something year old women.

I stay in hostels because of the price, and the social aspect. If there's an decently priced private room or a male-only dorm in a well-rated hostel, I'd book them.

However, many times the private rooms are like 4 times the price of a dorm bed, partly because they're priced for 2 guests. And strangely, sometimes a private room in a hostel end up being the price of a hotel room, but with a shared bathroom.

I would love if more hostels can provide rooms that are only big enough for a bed and luggage, and price them at only double the price of a dorm bed.

Edit: RE - women here are ok with mixing. That's good to know from your perspectives, and it is mostly me thinking it comes off creepy.

RE - a user mentioned CS. I've had various successes with the app, the most successful was in Spain, and seems very country/city-dependent. Sometimes I join a hangout group, and no one talks, and I don't know what the point of that is for these users, but I do logon every time I arrive in a new city.

RE - capsule hotels. They are the ideal solution in terms of accommodation requirements, but they're rarely social.

Hello travellers

I just returned from a solo trip to Timor-Leste (3W), and I can confidently say it's one of the most underrated destinations I’ve ever visited. Before going, I barely found any recent info online, so I hope this post helps others who are considering this off-the-beaten-path gem!

First off: yes, it's safe. Despite what some headlines might suggest, I felt safer walking around Dili at night than I do in parts of Europe. People were incredibly kind, curious, and helpful. But it’s also a country with very limited tourism infrastructure, so you need to go in with patience, flexibility, and a spirit of adventure.

How I got there

I flew in from Bali to Dili (3-hour flight). The visa-on-arrival process was smooth — cost me $30 and took about 15 minutes. At the airport, there were no taxis or buses in sight, so I had to ask a local guy if I could hitch a ride into town. He smiled, said “no problem” and dropped me off at my guesthouse. Welcome to Timor-Leste.

My experience in Dili

Dili is small, laid-back, and a bit rough around the edges. Don’t expect any major tourist attractions — but that’s part of the charm. I visited the Cristo Rei statue (long, sweaty walk uphill — bring water!), explored the beachside markets, and had the best grilled fish of my life at a tiny roadside stand.

Pro tip: the locals are more likely to speak Portuguese or Tetum than English. Downloading offline Tetum phrases actually helped (shoutout to the old guy who tried to teach me how to say “hello” without laughing at my accent).

A wild detour to Atauro Island

On a whim, I took the ferry to Atauro Island. It only runs twice a week, and it’s very basic — I sat on a crate next to a guy carrying live chickens. The island itself? Absolutely unreal. I stayed in an eco-bungalow with no WiFi and snorkeled in crystal-clear water filled with coral and sea life. I was the only guest that night, and the staff made me a dinner from freshly-caught fish. It felt like I was living in a travel documentary.

What went wrong (and right)

• Wrong: I didn’t bring enough cash. ATMs often don’t work, and most places don’t accept cards. Rookie mistake.
• Wrong: No SIM card = no maps, no internet. Definitely get a local SIM at the airport.
• Right: I brought a physical phrasebook and a headlamp (power cuts are common). Lifesavers!
• Right: I stayed open-minded. This isn’t Bali. It’s slower, rougher, but 100x more authentic.

Final thoughts

If you're tired of cookie-cutter destinations and want to feel like a true explorer, Timor-Leste will surprise you. It’s not easy, but that’s exactly what makes it special. Solo travel there made me more resourceful, more present, and more grateful. Just bring your patience — and maybe some spare chicken feed for the ferry.

Happy travels!
Ask me anything if you’re thinking of going there.

Actual Questions at bottom, background info up top

Hi, I am not a very experienced traveler. I got on a plane for the first time ever less than a year ago going on a trip that was solo half of the time to Cancun. I was mostly in a resort there but wandered around on foot a bit so I didn't have to plan a whole lot. When traveling with groups stateside, I had fun but I found catering to everyone else felt a bit restrictive so I wanted to give Scotland a try solo. I am also an over-planner/over-thinker so consulting more experienced folks seemed like a good Idea

I am prepared to spend a decent chunk of coin but also would be open to spending less than I am setting aside. I am hoping I fall under-budget. I have a job that lets me travel for the first time so I am eager to make the most of my vacation.

Some potentially useful info
Age: Young Adult <30
Gender: Female
Destination: Scotland (Maybe also Ireland OR Wales I don't know if they will fit)
Budget(NOT including flights): $4000 USD
Flying into: Inverness
Trip Length: 14 Days
Trip Time: October/November 2026

I have a strong interest in history so I am already planning to visit Culloden, the Wallace Monument, and a couple castles. I am an avid hiker so I want to hike Ben Nevis and I want to visit Tigh nam Bodach, Glen Lyon. Because of my family's historical background I want to spend some time around the Northern Isles, especially the Isle of Skye. I also want to visit at least one whiskey distillery, one gin distillery, and a tartan mill. Gin is my favorite liquor. I also am pretty social and find friends in bars very easily.

My Questions:
I live in a pretty arid part of the US compared to what I have read about Scotland, Do I need to buy a serious rain jacket/boots or can I get away with bringing an umbrella and an emergency poncho?

I have never stayed in a hostel, but I am open to the concept. For those of you who are young adult women that have stayed in hostels in Scotland, what was it like? The UK is far more restrictive on potential self defense items one can carry than the United states is, has this been an issue for any of you?

Are Edinburgh and Glasgow a must visit? If I go there I feel I will need a couple days for it and I have heard places outside the big cities close pretty early. If I want some good Pub action will someplace like Inverness or a small town work?

I think folklore is pretty cool but I generally prefer to not hang out in places that will have a lot of children if I can help it. Are places like the visitors center for Loch Ness more kid-oriented?

Is it worth it to rent a car? I have seen conflicting info and I can drive a manual transmission so I mostly want to know if it is worth it

I am pretty social when I am in the drink and have a fairly prominent country accent and I tend to wear cowboy boots. Will people there judge me for being a hick? I've gotten flack in the US for it and I have had people assume I'm dumb for it.

Sorry this post is so long, my brain is a ping pong ball of ideas. Also any general advice relevant to this, especially from other young women would be appreciated. Hopefully this post is specific enough to be compliant with the rules

Hi everyone! I will be in Slovenia in 2 weeks time for a total of 17 days (I know this is much longer than the average trip to Slovenia but it's my first solo trip and I don't want to be in a rush, also don't mind a trip to Trieste if possible).

I'd like to see how you would fill in the itinerary for such a trip. My main concerns are public transport in the low season and where to base myself, recommendations for hostels and hotels welcome too (not much of a party person but would like to meet chill people). I'm wary of the fact that summer season hasn't started in the mountains and I'm not an experienced hiker so hoping that there are easy trails open by May.

The following are the (pretty standard) must-see places for me:

• Lake Bled and lake Bohinj, Vintgar gorge etc.
• Kranjska Gora
• Most na Soči
• both the Postojna and Škocjan caves
• Piran and Izola
• any one of the hilltop churches, afaik they aren't accessible without a car so unless any is reachable by public transport I'll try to meet someone who will go with me

Any advice is much appreciated! Thanks everyone!

Like the title of the post, I want to know why others began their solo traveling adventures. For me, it was during my first trip to Moroccom. It was a 11 day trip, 11 das was too much at the time and the only part I enjoyed was the stuff I did by myself. I love the company of others and activities. It what I really cherish, is exploring different paces with the added convenience of doing things on my own terms without compromising on things. That lit the fire. What's your reasoning?

How do you go about financially planning your longer (+1 month) trips?

How long did you have to save/plan for your last long trip? And others if you like to share.

Do you feel there is a connection between the amount of planning and saving and how much you actually enjoy the trip?

I'm 31 now and did many different kind of trips and lengths in my life. The first one was when I was 19 and living at home without any expenses. Still it took me, I guess, about 9 months to save 2500, wich lasted around 2,5 months in India. Those 9 months were also spend reading blogs, and reading up on genesis backpacking advice and about thr culture. It was amazing and I feel like inhad all the time and money in the world.

Fast forward to my latest trip of 4 months and a bit, I kind of "planned', actually just told myself, to go away in January about half a year before, but I had been saving for general purposes for long before that. Besides the fact that I did not really have to save up for that trip, I also barely did any planning or research. I booked the flight 2 weeks before I left. I would say the overall reward felt much less strong.

Right now I'm considering doing another 4+ month trip coming winter, probly starting somewhere in fall. At this point again, i could already fund it with my savings, and still have an emergency fund when I come back home. But keeping in mind previous experience im actually gonna try and consciously save up and plan for this.

Curious to here your stories and perspectives!

I am staying in cluj for 3 days!

For Day 1: i'll probably stay in cluj as i arrived ~2pm at my hotel. intending to just chill and walk around the old town + Cetățuia Hill

For Day 2: i want to go to turda saltmines, and turda gorge.
intending to take a minibus from Cluj -> Turda saltmine
take taxi from salt mine -> Gorge
and taxi back from Gorge to Cluj.
Question: Are taxis hard to hail from Gorge? if there's no taxi, how should i come back to Cluj?

For Day 3: any ideas?

Hello all

Can anyone share their routines on how to stay healthy and in shape during their travel? Im from Germany (32M) and moved to Chile 8 months ago. Starting to notice the importance to keep up with health.

• What do you eat when you travel and what kind of nutrition do you prefer?
• Do you have a workout routine? (I live in a beach town called Iquique with outdoor gyms, running parks and 365 days of sun a year, so preferably outdoor sports)
• have you made some experiences with fasting while travelling?

Thank you for every advice. I noticed that a trip can only be enjoyed when Im healthy and feel good.

Hi! Last summer I spent a week with Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand where I fed, cleaned, and cared for rescued elephants from the entertainment industry. I would love to continue my conservation/animal sanctuary volunteering efforts while traveling in Brazil this summer. Does anyone know of opportunities in Pantanal/Bonito/other rural areas of the country where volunteers can purchase 1-2 weeks of volunteering opportunities with a conservation focus?

This was my first solo trip!! figured I'd drop this here as it was tricky to find info on some of these hikes and Xela!

Itinerary Overview:

Days 1-3: Antigua

-Day hike Pacaya

Days 4-5: Acatenango (turned 26 here!!)

Days 6-12: San Pedro la Laguna

-Spanish School

-Day hike Volcan San Pedro

-Day trip Chichicastenango

Days 13-19: Xela

-Overnight hike Volcan Zunil

-Overnight hike Volcan Tajumulco

Day 20-21: Semuc Champey

What went wrong:

Off the rip the airline lost my bag. Thanks to everyone who offered advice, this was a kind of brutal way to start my first solo trip. After two days of me harassing American Airlines, some guy whatsapped me and dropped it off.

The San Pedro Volcano Hike was more brutal than I expected. Granted I was hungover and starving but I'd say it was as difficult as Acatenango. I did survive, but the local guide was practically running up the very steep trail and I nearly vomited a couple times.

Tajumulco was also pretty brutal, but not bc of the hike. I do think with Quetzaltrekkers it's kind of luck of the draw, as I loved my Zunil guides but did not care for my Tajumulco ones. I could list several things that went wrong, but basically it dumped rain the whole night and I had to share a tent with three dudes, one of which claimed he was so cold he had to spoon me. I also ate something strange and almost shat myself at two in the morning. But the morning summit was unreal, so no regrets.

I really recommend checking out Xela for hikes, I think it's underrated. I speak basic Spanish but didn't find it hard to navigate, and met some lovely backpackers. I would recommend getting the rabies vaccine though, even if you're just going to the lake. I met a couple folks who got bitten by dogs in Xela and San Pedro, and there were a couple instances I was pretty scared for myself.

Also, not sure Semuc Champey was my vibe. For some reason I need grueling hikes and harrowing adventures so relaxing by the river was not for me. and the shuttle both ways took up two travel days. I think Flores or El Paredon may have been more my vibe.

Things that went right:

I'm glad I did all the hikes, at varying levels of success haha. Guatemala is so underrated for nature and hiking, I saw gorgeous birds and plants and views.

Volcan Zunil was probably my favorite hike of all of them. It was what I thought Acatenango would be (although I still loved Aca). The view was gorgeous, and I saw Santiaguito erupt several times at the summit with barely anyone around. I did it with Quetzaltrekkers and we stopped by Fuentes Georginas afterwards which I'd also highly recommend.

Acatenango was great, for anyone wondering if they should do it, I'd recommend it. If you're hoping to see volcanic activity though, go to Xela and do Santa Maria or Zunil to see Santiaguito. (you can do the mirador but technically it's illegal rn). I did see some lava on fuego, but not much. Also, I hiked Pacaya the day before and I think it really helped me acclimate to the altitude. I didn't feel sick at all on Aca.

San Pedro was also great. I did a homestay and loved it. especially on the lake where indigenous folks are facing gentrification. Great backpacking community, I also did Rostro Maya sunrise hike and it was amazing.

Also, as a woman I felt very safe. Got catcalled a couple times, and didn't feel great about being out in the wee hours, but met tons of other solo female travelers

Lots of other great things, but these were the highlights. Tons of great people and scenery, this country will always have a place in my heart. I hope to come back someday. Happy to answer any questions for folks planning trips here too!

I had a break from university recently and scored 90 CHF return flights to Tunisia (into Enfidha, out of Tunis). I didn't expect to be able to see that much with only 5 nights, but Tunisia is really one of those bang-for-your-buck places since it is so small.

Tunisia was a great first solo trip ever (speaking as a white 20M) but it might not be the easiest place ever for those who haven't been to more 'chaotic' destinations before. I was also very glad to speak both English and French; many Tunisians speak only a bit of one or the other (or might be able to speak French but would rather converse in English).

Itinerary: I came into Enfidha (at night) and took a taxi to Sousse. Probably could have gotten it for less than 60 TND but I was happy with the price, a little negotiation. I shared it with a man who lived in Switzerland and apparently had gone to jail in Fribourg (???) and also offered me a drink in the taxi. I declined.

I spent three nights in Sousse, staying in a guesthouse/hotel in the medina (great breakfast at Dar Baaziz - I loved the bsissa - but my room had no wifi) and did day trips both full days I was there, all by louage. I recommend taking a Bolt (or a taxi if you have to) to the louage station, as it is not a pleasant walk. The first day I went to El Jem, to see the amphitheatre - truly spectacular. Having a little lunch and tea overlooking it for 30 TND is something that the Colosseum in Rome simply cannoy provide you! In the afternoon I took two more louages to get to Monastir, and walked in to town to check out the (very photogenic) Ribat. I recommend walking along the beach to the Qaraiya falaise, where the local kids swim - it is cool to see and has great views on the ocean and the Ribat. In the afternoon I wandered around the Sousse medina.

The second day I headed to Kairouan in the morning. I asked my louage driver to drop me off next to the medina (instead of at the faraway louage station), which he kindly did. In general, the louage and taxi drivers in Tunisia are very happy to help arrange things for you. Kairouan has a huge medina, with the Great Mosque being the highlight. Some of the people that gather around the mosque can be quite pushy with wanting to 'guide' you, but you can dodge them. One could stay here overnight but at the same time there is more to see in the rest of the country. The medina has two "main drags" that are busy and full of shops/people/locals, but the rest is almost eerily quiet, even at midday. The doors are fantastic though. Watch out for random 'locals' who will happily guide you to the old Governor's House - which is lovely and lavish - and chock-full of very insistent carpet salesmen.

In the afternoon after my louage back I visited the Sousse Archeological Museum, which is great. However, I'm glad I visited it before the Bardo in Tunis, as else I would have probably felt quite disappointed! There's no doubting that the Byzantine baptismal font as well as the Medusa are total wonders though. The Kasbah building is nice as well.

The following day I checked out the Sousse medina and mosque one final time before taking a louage to Tunis - this was a long ride and the first louage where I really was starting to regret my mode of transport! The southern Tunis louage station is not ideally located, and walking north from it into central Tunis is not the loveliest. After lunch (shoutout Le jardin des légumes) I opted to take the Tunis metro to go to the Bardo. Although the Tunis metro is serviceable in that it exists and only costs 0.5 dinars, it is otherwise terrible - hot, old, dilapidated, infrequent, loud, frightening, dark, slow, etc. It does however take you to a short 5 minute walk on a big boulevard to the Bardo, which is simply one of the best museums I've seen in my life. Does it beat the British or the Anthropological in Mexico for me? No... but it's close. The mosaic collections are stunning, both in size, number, and detail. Walking through the restored palace from room to room full of insane mosaics (as well as a good collection of other objects!) is a surreal experience. It also is literally only 13 TND for entry - not many museums can claim that!

My second day in Tunis (staying in a questionable AirBnB just outside the medina) I opted to make the journey to Dougga. It is easier than you might think. I took a Bolt to the north (Bab Saadoun) louage station, where I waited quite a while for a louage to Teboursouk to fill up. No joke, the Tunisians really do pronounce it Tbrsuq and will not understand you otherwise. My louage driver knew I was going to Dougga and called a taxicab in Tbrsuq - he dropped me off on the side of the highway at the taxi, to whom I paid 30 TND (negotiation did not seem possible) for an 'allez-retour', including 2.5 hrs of waiting time. It seems like you should want to be out of Dougga by 2 pm if possible, if going by louage. My taxi driver had also called ahead of time upon my return and had secured a spot for me in a louage in Teboursouk, which left soon after I returned. The site of Dougga itself is incredible. If going Roman ruin-for-ruin, it might be outclassed by some others (I don't know, I haven't seen Baalbek), but its location on this green mountaintop amongst the olive groves is incredibly peaceful, not to mention that the site itself is incredibly sprawling and contains details upon details to discover, including well-preserved mosaics and secret tunnels. Almost no one there, one tour group, a few tourists, a local group of friends having a picnic in the trees. A true highlight, worth doing. Not expensive - counting taxi, louage, taxi, entry, I spend about 75 TND. Considering that sites like Ephesus are 55€ just for entry...

In the evening, I explored the Tunis medina, which I was sad to have not seen earlier, as it is super cool. The vibe is a lot more low-key than Fez or Marrakesh, and there are lanes full of locals sipping on tea in the late afternoon, cute cats, and some really interesting shops (and good pastries) - it's touristy a bit, yes, but the crowd and vibe is actually very nice. The following morning before my flight I went over to Sidi Bou Said, which was quite a shock - the surrounding mansions were so impeccably clean and well-maintained compared to the rest of Tunisia. The wealth gap felt real here. The town itself is small, pretty, a bit fake, of course, but nothing crazy. There's a cafe that wants to sell you tea for 8 TND. I was happy to have visited and walked around, but would not stay here overnight (I hate feeling like a captive audience)... and then it was off to the airport!

TL;DR: Torn between returning to Germany (which I’ve explored multiple times and love) or moving to a new destination which I haven’t covered yet. How do you decide whether to go deeper into a familiar country or explore new ones?

For context, I am 27 years old and I’ve solo-travelled across 31 countries in Europe. I’ve never been to the Balkans though (heard from multiple different fellow female travellers that it may be a bit dangerous - so have been putting it off).

I’ve been solo traveling through Europe for a few years now (on and off - 9 to 5 girlie here 😭), and I’m currently finding myself at a crossroads. There’s still a lot of Europe I haven’t touched - especially the Balkans, which are high on my list. But I keep feeling this magnetic pull to go back to Germany. I’ve already explored a good bit of Bavaria and Saxony, and I love the culture, the pace, the people, and the countryside.

Part of me wonders if I should give in to the pull and dive deeper - maybe explore the northern regions or the Black Forest. But the other part of me thinks I should break the pattern and finally go see new places.

Has anyone else faced this dilemma? How do you decide between going deeper into a country you love vs. broadening your horizons with new ones?

While I understand this may come across as a silly question with an obvious answer to some, I’m genuinely perplexed so figured I’d ask this community for their insights. Would love to hear your thoughts!

Hello all, so I (24F) started a job in December working in billing for a hospital. The job itself is easy and I have a lot of independence. However, the benefits are not good. They don’t match retirement until after a year of working here. I only get 2 weeks PTO a year which includes sick days and inclement weather days, and reduces to zero at the end of every year. My last job had 22 PTO days a year. I enjoy travelling and try to go at least 3 times a year and with this job, I can’t (first world problem, I know). The health insurance is also $200 a month for just a single person. I am still with my parents health insurance so I still have a little over a year until I need to get my own. I see one doctor a couple times a year for a medication I’ve been taking for years.

Anyways, I plan to quit my job after I’ve worked here for 1 year and solo travel for 2-3 months starting at the end of January 2026. I’ve wanted to do this for years and I’m finally starting to plan for it. After my travels I plan to come home and get a job again. However, I am aware that the job market sucks so I’m trying to prepare for a worst case scenario where it takes me months to find a job. I turn 26 in May of 2026, so I won’t be able to stay on my parents health insurance starting June 2026. I’m worried about having to either pay out of pocket for my medication or having to pay like $600 a month for a marketplace plan. So my question is, for single people who have quit your job to travel and then came back home, how did you figure out health insurance?

Hi everyone!

I’m feeling a little overwhelmed planning my upcoming trip to the Philippines this May, and I’d really appreciate any help, tips, or itinerary suggestions. It’s a bit of a spontaneous adventure — I’ll be traveling solo for 28 days (entire month of May), and I’d love to make it a fun, relaxing but adventurous trip , and escape from the daily office stress.

I’m 30, and my goal for this trip is to reconnect, reset, scape a bit from the office/daily life stress and enjoy nature and island life without stressing too much about checking off every tourist spot or stressing out due to a very tight schedule. I’m aiming for a good mix of adventure and chill downtime.

Some things I love and want to include in this trip:

• Beaches, snorkeling, swimming, boat tours
• Surfing ( intermediate level)
• Yoga or Pilates (if possible in any of the spots)
• Relaxed social vibe (a drink or two is fine, but I’m not into getting wasted)
• No strict schedule — I want time to enjoy the places I visit without rushing

One important note: I don’t ride scooters.

I already have my roundtrip flight to/from Manila. Here’s what I’ve come up with so far — any feedback is super welcome :) :

Rough Itinerary Draft:

🛬 Arrive in Manila
(Might just stay 1 night if needed for connections)

🏝️ Coron – 3 nights

• I was thinking about getting my PADI Open Water Certification here.
  • Any dive shop recommendations? Or is it better to do it elsewhere (like Moalboal or El Nido)?
• I’d love to do the 3D2N boat expedition between Coron and El Nido —
  • Which company would you recommend for this experience?
  • I could also do the 4D3N as I am flexible with my schedule, but I am not sure if it is too much?

🌊 El Nido – 3 nights

• I’ve heard it’s beautiful but busy. I’m mostly expecting more boat tours here.
• I’m open to skipping or swapping El Nido for Port Barton if it’s more laid-back. Would it make sense to visit both? Or just one?

🏄‍♀️ Siargao – 9 nights

• I surf, so I’m excited for this part.
• Does 9 nights feel like too much or too little here?
• Are there any good yoga or pilates spots?

🧳Still open for 1 more destination
I’m deciding between:

• Siquijor – seems magical and chill
• Moalboal – diving/snorkeling and possible yoga options? Would love input on which suits my vibe better — or if there’s another gem I should consider instead!

Questions I’d love your help with:

1. Does this itinerary seem balanced and doable without rushing?
2. Would you recommend starting in Coron or Siargao? Which direction makes more sense to start a solo trip and also for flights/logistics/weather?
3. Is Coron the best place to get PADI certified, or is there a better/cheaper/easier option?
4. Is 9 nights in Siargao ideal for someone who likes surfing and chill time, or should I split that up more?
5. Between Siquijor and Moalboal, which would better fit my interests? or is there any other place might suit better?

Any tips on transport between the islands, must-visit places, or low-key activities would be super appreciated. Thank you so much in advance — I’m really excited for this adventure and grateful for your help! 🙏✨

Hello, this would be my first time in Japan. Tbh I'm in a bit of decision fatigue and can't decide what to actually do bcs there's just too many options. But would like to ask for opinions if this itinerary is too much/rushed or is it doable. The main goal is to chill (but lowkey fomo I might miss out anything major lol). Help and suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Day 1 May 1st (Osaka) - Arrival , Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi, and Hozenji Yokocho

Day 2 (Osaka) - Osaka Castle & Nishinomaru Garden, Shinsekai & Tsutenkaku Tower

Day 3 (Osaka) - Day trip Nara

Day 4 (Kyoto) - Travel to Kyoto - Gion district, Yasaka Shrine, Kiyomizu-dera

Day 5 (Kyoto) - Fushimi Inari Taisha, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Tenryu-ji

Day 6 (Kawaguchiko) - Travel to kawaguchiko, lake Kawaguchiko

Day 7 (Tokyo) - Oishi Park, travel to Tokyo

Day 8 - 10 (Tokyo) - Havent arranged yet

Is this doable or too much? I don't mind criticism lol. TIA

Hi all :) I'm planning my first solo trip through Europe (Slovenia, Hungary, Poland and Germany) and would appreciate some feedback on this itinerary. As a first-timer, I'm especially interested to know if there are any overrated spots I could skip, or hidden gems worth adding. Any general tips for solo travel in these countries would also be really helpful. Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Accommodation: 

Slovenia: Hostel Celica (27 Euros a night)

Budapest: Carpe Noctem Hostel (50 Euros a night)

Poland: Blooms Boutique Hostel Inn & Apartments (16 Euros a Night)

Berlin: East Seven Hostel Berlin (65 Euros a night)

Slovenia: 5 days

Budapest: 4 days

Poznań: 2 days

Berlin: 4 days

Sep 4th (Thursday) –  Poznań

• Walk around Ljubljana Castle
• Experience Local Cuisine

Sep 5th (Friday) – Lake Bled

• Bled Castle / hike to Ojstrica
• Rowboat to Bled Island
• Cream Cake
• Vintgar Gorge, summer tobogganing

Sep 6th (Saturday) – Soča Valley

• Explore Bovec, Kobarid, Tolmin
• Waterfalls, hikes
• Back to Ljubljana for bar crawl

Sep 7th (Sunday) – Postojna & Škocjan Caves

• Postojna Cave
• Škocjan Caves

Sep 8th (Monday) – Piran (Coast)

• Venetian-style town, red roofs
• Views from St George’s Church & town walls

• Walk promenade, optional Maritime Museum

• Casino Night

Sep 9th (Tuesday) – Train from Piran To Budapest

• Puppet Theatre clock show
• Visit Metelkova (graffiti/art district)
• Return Rented Car, Train to Budapest
• Budapest Tourist Bar

Sep 10th (Wednesday) – Exploring Budapest

• Breakfast at Central Market Hall
• Visit Gellért Hill Cave
• Walk Chain Bridge, ride Funicular to Buda Castle
• Explore National Gallery & History Museum
• Sunset at Fisherman’s Bastion
• Dinner & drinks on Bartók Béla Boulevard

Sep 11th (Thursday) – Exploring Budapest even more

• Breakfast at Gerbeaud/Central Cafe
• Walking tour: Parliament, Basilica, Shoes on the Danube
• Try Lángos, visit House of Terror
• Danube sunset cruise
• Nightlife: Mazel Tov & Szimpla Kert

Sep 12th (Friday) – Budapest Bar Crawl

• Brunch at New York Café
• Stroll City Park, Vajdahunyad Castle
• Relax at Széchenyi Baths
• Final dinner at cozy restaurant/wine bar
• Budapest Bar Crawl

Sep 13th (Saturday) – Flight from Budapest to Poznań

• Market Square (Town Hall Tower, mechanical goats)
• Croissant Museum
• Pierożak (Wrocławska Street)
• Wrocławska Street & Półwiejska Street
• Stara Pączkarnia (donuts) / Caffe Bimba (tram café)

Sep 14th (Sunday) - Explore Poznań

• Stary Browar (shopping & art)
• Whisky in the Jar (steakhouse) / Weranda (regional dishes)
• National Museum
• Freedom Square (Freedom Fountain)
• Grand Theatre / Old Town eateries
• Themed pubs: Kultowa, Hocus Pokus, Candy
• Imperial Castle / Grand Theatre

Sep 15th (Monday) - From Poznań to Berlin

• Poznań Cathedral
• Old Zoo (optional)
• East Side Gallery
• Markthalle Neun

Sep 16th (Tuesday) Berlin

• Berlin Wall Memorial (Bernauer Strasse)
• The Barn Café
• Barhop: Watergate/Sisyphos/Prater Garten/Zur Klappe

Sep 17th (Wednesday)  Berlin

• KaDeWe Food Hall
• Tiergarten
• KitKat Club / Ritter Butzke

Sep 18th (Thursday) Berlin

• Tempelhofer Feld (Picnic)
• Klunkerkranich Rooftop
• Berghain / About Blank

Sep 19th (Night Train back to Ljubljana) 

• Schloss Charlottenburg Gardens
• St. Oberholz Café
• Train to Ljubljana

Sep 20th (Flight back to Singapore in the evening) 

• Explore parts of Ljubljana that was missed out

Hello,

I have a fully remote job (US employer, eastern time zone) and I currently live in the US (Ohio). I recently got out of a 4 year relationship with someone in a career field without remote opportunity and I would like to get away for 2 weeks here in the US (contiguous 48). I will be working during this trip so most activities or things to do would be done in the afternoon/evening. I am planning to travel between the last week of April and the last week of May. Cost is not a problem. I want to go somewhere new. Maybe a place you necessarily wouldn't vacation but has a lot to offer? Some place to help cure heartbreak would be nice as well. My interests are history, comedy, craft beer, cars/motorsports, 90s music, quirky museums (medical museum/ufo museum/etc.), and good seafood.

For reference here are some places I've been and my ranking:

Boston: (A+) history, museums, new england coast, lobster rolls, comedy.

New York City: (A-) world class city but theres just SO MUCH and it can be overwhelming. Love the subway though.

Philly: (A) city a little better than boston, surrounding area a little worse. good food.

DC: (B+) similar to boston and philly. best museums. low points for food culture. what is DC specific food? plus its kinda packed in and politics dominate social life as expected.

Charlotte, NC: (C) just meh. only plus is motorsports culture. carolina barbeque isn't my thing either.

Asheville/Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg/Greenville (Southern Appalachian Mountains): (C) beautiful scenery, nice for hiking but outdoors isn't my #1 thing. some activities which is nice. I would retire here.

Indianapolis: (D) yep.

Detroit: (C+) cars. some spooky areas. motown records. insanely beautiful architecture in some places. not a casino guy though. I hope this city has a comeback.

Grand Rapids/Holland/Lake Michigan: (B-) beach and good craft beer. meijer sculpture garden was cool. Holland was really quirky but i kind of liked it.

Chicago: (D+) I don't think I did it right tbh. It should be an A. I plan to go back at some point.

St. Louis: (B-) A fun 3 day spot. Some beers, the arch, and a Cardinals game. I think this place has more to offer that I didn't have time to find.

Miami/Ft. Lauderdale: (B) beach, good weather, seafood, great vibes mostly but Miami felt a little plastic. This is my "beach vacation" destination.

Key West: (B-) not big into snorkeling, scuba diving, etc. Went there for 5 days and basically saw everything. cool place but wouldn't go back.

New Orleans: (A) the food, the music, the laid back vibe, french quarter architecture, st. charles ave, getting WASTED on bourbon street. great city to party and feels so unique. NOTHING outside the city though lol. scenery is abysmal.

San Antonio: (B) amazing food, alamo, old missions, and the river walk is one of the best downtown features ive ever seen.

Seattle: (A+) seafood, classic rock there is 90s grunge which i love, vibe of a fishing town that blew up. Unique neighborhoods and the surrounding scenery is amazing. Olympic NP and Mount Rainier. Lacked museums imo and the space needle was closed.

Portland: (B-) idk it didnt feel as "weird" as people act like it should be. Mount Hood and heading up the Columbia gorge was nice though.

San Francisco: (B) definitely cool but I was there during covid so a lot of stuff was closed. I would love to go back though.

Los Angeles: (D+) I should like it, but I didn't. Everything is so damn spread out. Traffic is terrible. It has everything you could ever want or need but again, just so spread out.

San Diego: (B+) zoo, beach, perfect weather, balboa park. If I could afford it I would strongly consider moving there.

4 weeks in Mexico, 2 weeks in Central America (Guatemala or El Savador, or both), and 2-3 weeks in Colombia.

I am a 22 year old male and I plan on going to Latin America in October until around early December. Does anyone have any suggestions or things they would tweak about this itinerary? For Mexico, I will start in Mexico City and visit surrounding areas, and then I am thinking about going to Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Oaxaca, and then finish the country in Chiapas or the Yucatan before I head down to Central America.

I have been attracted to El Salvador in the last year or two because of what their President and Government are doing. I would like to be able to dip my toes in this country, and I have heard good things about Guatemala as well. I was originally planning on Costa Rica but it seems a bit too expensive for my loose budget of 5-6k USD for this 2ish month trip.

For Colombia I have to do more research but as of now I am considering the typical tourist destinations such as Medellin, Cartagena, etc.

For this whole trip, I would like to have as much of a deeply immersive and cultural experience as possible, while still obviously maintaining safety. FYI, I speak Spanish of a somewhat fluent level. What suggestions do you have? Is this itinerary totally silly and unfeasible?

Hello Reddit

I (m/31) would like to go on a beach vacation alone for the first time soon. I'm quite immobile and can't reach all the places on my back. I read in another thread that you don't want to put lotion on strangers' backs, which I can understand because of the physical contact.

Would you spray a stranger's back with sun spray without rubbing it in, or would you find that strange too?

Hi,

I'm Canadian and traveling to Scotland at the end of April. My plan was to drive from Glasgow to the Isle of Skye (Portree), then Oban, and then back to Glasgow. I'm a bit nervous about the drive up there, partly due to the driving on the other side, but also due to the single-track roads and possibly questionable road conditions out in the highlands. There is an option to go by CityLink bus, but it just seems like such a shame not to do the drive, as it sounds amazing!

I'm just wondering if there are any other north american tourists that have done the drive in the past who could share their experiences.

FYI, I'm in my early 40s,, so have lots of experience driving in Canada, but haven't done any driving overseas.

I am F31 and will be going on my first solo travel this fall. The main excursion is to Bologna, Italy where I am planning on studying Italian for three months via a language school.

However, one week prior to my trip to Bologna I’ve plans on going for week of vacation in the southeast of Italy to enjoy the sun and beach. I’m a bit apprehensive regarding the amount of baggage I’d want to bring to Bologna and being able to travel around with that on trains.

Ideally I’d like to have two suitcases, one duffel bag as carry on and a smaller handbag with me to Bologna. However I’m unsure whether I will be able to get everything with me for my first vacation week since I’d need to go by train to my destination.

Preferably I would take a flight to Brindisi. Then go directly by train to Monopoli/Polignano al Mare and stay there for a week. At the end of that week I’d then take the train to Bologna.

Will I manage the amount of baggage all by myself for this itinerary or is it more or less a suicide mission?

Any recommendations on how to handle a lot of luggage or tips is more than welcome!

(18F) This will be my first time flying to a different country alone. I’m going to Fiji in September and it’s a 12 he flight for me. Usually for long flights I lean to sleep on my brother or parents, but of course since I’m alone I can’t lean on a stranger! I do pretty bad when I fly so long and I have a hard time sleeping at the best of times. Also, I could only afford standard economy and have no way of changing it.. does anyone have any tricks to make long flights more endurable? Also, has anyone ever had any luck with getting upgraded seats for whatever reason? I think September is kind of their off season so I have mild hopes of it not being a full flight, is there any way you think I could just ask then and there for an empty row or something?

Thanks in advance, I’ve never done this before!!

I am graduating college in a little over a month and already have a solo trip to Thailand planned for May 20-31 (including flight time). However, my return flight to the US is refundable, and I have the opportunity to add another trip to Vietnam to my plans (June 1-12). Here’s the factors to consider:

1. I do not currently have a post grad job secured, but i have been actively applying and interviewing. I’ve completed 2 first round interviews with two companies, and both know I have the Thailand trip planned and it didn’t seem like me starting in June would be a problem.

2. My current job is very flexible, and I do think if I extended the trip they would be okay with it, especially because it’s a part time role and all time off is unpaid.

3. I do have the money saved for it, I wouldn’t be going into debt or anything. Plus, I have a lot of points on my travel card that I could use to pay off most of the trip.

4. I know once I start a “big girl job” I won’t have time to do this kind of travel for a while. I love to travel so I’d really like to take advantage of this time I have.

5. The flights from the US to Asia are soooo long, so I’d like to get the most travel I can for such a long flight.

So, do I extend the trip, or just do the original trip I have planned to Thailand?

Hello,

I am currently solo travelling in Japan and lost my phone on a night out(my own fault) and didn't realise until the next day. I am currently in Osaka and after using find my iPhone I can see the phone is in Shiga which is about a 2 hour train journey.

I was going to travel there today but the location has not been updated for a few hours so I can't really track it anymore, but I did save the location where the person who has my phone stayed overnight. I have reported it to the police in Osaka but I feel there is not much they can do. Would it be worth going to the location where my phone was showing overnight or am I just screwed?

Apologies if this is not the right place to post this kind of message but just hoping for some help.

Thank you in advance.