While in Montenegro in 2017, I was lucky to meet a lovely gal from England at a hostel. We hit it off and stayed friends throughout the years, and fortunately we discovered we would both be in Asia at the same time! We decided to meet up in Singapore before heading to to Borneo together.
CITY: Singapore
HOW LONG: 3 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
My friend Louisa and I booked a 3 night stay at the Bohemian Chic hostel, but when we arrived, then said they had a better room at their sister hostel, Chic Capsules. From my research I didn’t find that the options for hostels in Singapore were all that great. None seemed all the social, but luckily because I was with Louisa, I didn’t have to stress too much about finding a hostel that I could easily make friends. The hostel had free breakfast and a capsule bed setup, which was quite a treat. The room was completely dark, but each bed had a personal light and curtains. It meant anyone could sleep whenever they wanted, which was great for me because I ended up being quite sick while in Singapore. I think at one point I slept 16 hours in a 24 hour period. The two sister hostels are a 2 min walk from each other and are located in the Chinatown area of Singapore.
WHERE TO EAT:
OK honestly, given that I was so sick the whole time in Singapore, I barely ate anything besides some plain crackers. However, I was craving an Impossible burger the whole time I was abroad, and Singapore is one of the few places outside the US can get it, so we headed to The Marmalade Pantry, which is adorable. Great for a girls lunch!
Found the Impossible Burger in Singapore!
We also went to Privé in Clarke Quay. It was very cute and also had a great truffle Impossible Burger. All I could handle was a chamomile tea though 😦
Lastly, we joined a family friend of Louisa’s at nice Italian restaurant called Original Sin. I had some delicious bread and cheese, a rare treat in South East Asia.
WHAT TO DO:
Louisa and I explored the Botanical Gardens (slowly) one afternoon, which is quite beautiful.
The highlight in Singapore was having a drink at the top of the Marina Bay Sands hotel (like in Crazy Rich Asians) at Cé La Vi. Such cool views. After our drink we walked around the Supertree Grove nearby.
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
I wasn’t able to explore much or eat much because I was so sick, but Singapore was still quite delightful. I can see why people are enchanted by this sprawling metropolitan city in the middle of Southeast Asia.
I spent 3.5 weeks exploring around Bali and a few other islands nearby. After 3 months of non-stop adventuring in NZ & AUS, I was very excited to do a whole lot of nothing in Bali to rest and recuperate. Who said traveling wasn’t hard?! Luckily for me, Bali was filled with time spent with my sister, friends from NZ, and new friends. I also got by open water scuba certification! There were good things about Bali and not so great things, but more about that later.
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I met my sister at the Bali Airport and we took a taxi to our hostel in Canggu, called The Farm Hostel. Because my sister was visiting on her “holiday,” we decided to splurge on a nice hostel and The Farm is known as one of the more popular spots in Canggu. However, we regretted it. While in general it was a nice spot, the place was filled with a bunch of influencer types who were on a 3 week holiday/vacation so we didn’t really connect with many of them (as much as we tend to do with other backpackers). We thought we might extend a night once we got there, but we fairly immediately decided to move on to Ubud. The facilities were nice but it was fairly loud at random times. The breakfast was not that filling. The pool was enjoyable, but we didn’t love the people around so we were happy to continue onward.
The Farm Hostel
WHERE TO EAT:
Rise and Shine Cafe– My favorite brunch spot in Bali 🙂 I went a total of 3 times here. Can highly recommend the french toast, the breakfast sandwich and the pancake rolls as well as any of the smoothies.
Fish Bone Local– While waiting for the surf lesson, Ellie and I stopped here for a drink and it was such a nice, airy, casual vibe.
WHAT TO DO:
Ellie, my sister, was a bit jet lagged and I had hit a bit of a wall from the non-stop adventure of NZ/AUS so we slept in and got brunch both days. The highlight for us was a surf lesson down at Canggu Beach, though. We organized it through the hostel, but check out Airbnb Experiences for other options.
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
Canggu didn’t impress us all that much. We found it difficult to walk around due to the small streets and crazy drivers and motorbikes. It was fairly crowded with people and we didn’t meet anyone we really connected with. However, stay tuned to my opinion on Canggu after coming back a second time.
CITY: Ubud
HOW LONG: 5 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
My sister and I headed to Ubud after Canggu, and following the less than fun experience at the hostel, we decided to splurge on a hotel. We loved our stay at Bebek Tepi Sawah hotel. It was a small hotel with about 8- 10 rooms, two restaurants (one just for hotel guests) and a spa. The bed was so comfy, the room was spacious and the bathroom was dreamy with a bath and outdoor shower. The staff were so kind and helpful. The only downside was it was a bit far from the main bit of “downtown” Ubud. I wish it was more in walking distance, however, the hotel offers a shuttle that will take you down to two different spots in town as well as pick you up. Overall great place to stay.
The grounds at our hotelPrivate Dinner
WHERE TO EAT:
L’ Osteria– This was a more upscale Italian restaurant near the Monkey Forest. I had a very yummy pizza and pasta that my sister and I split. Ambiance here was so lovely.
Suka Espresso– Had a delicious burger (hard to come by in Bali) and a milkshake! Also, just a cute place to hang around in.
WHAT TO DO:
The main activity Ellie and I did was an “instagram” tour around the area. We booked through Airbnb Experiences (just search from experiences in Ubud and tons of options will come up). While I normally don’t love doing things like this, it was a fairly economical and efficient way to see some sites around the area. We visited the Water Palace, Gate of Heaven, waterfalls, a Swing and some rice fields. It felt a little silly to be amongst the heavy stream of tourists doing the exact same thing, but like I said, it was an efficient way to see a lot in one day. And of course we got some fun pictures 🙂
Gate of HeavenGate of HeavenWaterfallsNestWater PalaceSwings
Ubud is known for the Monkey Forest in the city center. You can spend 1-2 hours walking around the many groups of monkey’s (over 700 monkey’s in total) living here. This was a fun afternoon activity. Just be careful with your belongings as they are famously known to pickpocket whatever they can get their hands on.
Baby Monkey
Other than that tour and the Monkey Forest, Ellie and I put some serious spa time in. We got multiple massages over our 5 days, a facial, a hair treatment and a body scrub. All for less than one massage would cost at a hotel in the States 🙂
We also had dinner with Sabrina, who was getting her Yoga Teacher Training nearby. This is the 7th country Sabrina and I have been to together 🙂
Excuse the Humidity induced hairstyle 🙂
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
Ubud was a nice little break from the go, go, go travel I had been doing. It was nice to relax, see some monkey’s and hang with Ellie. Definitely don’t skip Ubud while in Bali.
CITY: Gili T
HOW LONG: 5 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at three different spots in Gili T:
Broken Compass– This was a cute, homey hostel on Gili T. It’s fairly small so it’s easy to get to know the people staying there. There are activities most nights and a pool so again it’s fairly easy to be social. I spent 2 days here before switching to Gili Castle because I got a discount there through the dive shop I was getting certified through. Would definitely stay here again (and I wish I had stayed here the whole time…. you’ll see why below).
Gili Castle– This is a party hostel, which is already strike one for me (lol). I am really not into party hostels as I usually don’t find too many people I connect with and I don’t drink a ton so normally I don’t seek out party hostels. However, given the discount I decided to be “responsible” and take advantage of cheap accommodation. Boy did I regret that! Let’s just say that after not being able to sleep for 5 hours, I woke up at 4am covered in BED BUG BITES. SO let’s just say there is no reason to stay here.
Marygio Resort– After the bed bug debacle, I decided to move to a hotel. This was a beautiful little oasis. Not it’s not a 5 star hotel, but for $40 a night, I was thrilled to have a king bed, a private bathroom and a pool to dip in.
My little Oasis
WHERE TO EAT:
Casa Vintage Living– My favorite smoothie bowl spot on Gili T. It’s off the main street, which means it’s not as crowded and it’s affordable. They also have a location on the west side of the island for prime sunset watching.
Gili Bliss– This is on Gili Air, the smallest of the Gili islands. We ate here while on the snorkeling day trip. It was such a cute spot and as per usual I got a delicious smoothie bowl.
Regina Pizzeria– If you are craving an affordable pizza, look no further.
Gili Teak– a great spot to watch the sunset on the western side of the island.
Coffee and Thyme– ate here a few times for lunch and dinner. Smoothie bowls galore. Are you surprised?
Honeyst– This was a special dessert spot that combines ice cream, mango and honey. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but wow do they know how to play with flavors. Stop here in the heat of the afternoon for a cold treat or after dinner.
Banyan Tree– another great cafe on the beach with a fun, colorful menu.
The many delicious meals of Bali! Can you tell I like smoothie bowls?
WHAT TO DO:
Scuba diving- There is a lot of great diving in the area and I took advantage and got my open water certification here! Highly recommend Gili Divers. I had a blast here.
Snorkeling- I booked a day trip snorkeling around the 3 islands, which was great. I saw the Gili Meno underwater statues, turtles and plenty of fish. It was about $8usd so quite cheap and booked it through Broken Compass, the hostel I was staying at.
Ride a bike or walk over to the western part of the island for sunset. The sunsets are legendary and there are tons of cute bars set up for this very purpose.
Sunset with some American friends I met
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
Gili T was a blast. I loved that there were no cars and you can just walk/bike around the island. A perfect mix of relaxing + adventuring with the incredible scuba diving/snorkeling available. While the bed bugs put a hamper in things, it didn’t stop me from loving my time here in Gili T.
CITY: Nusa Penida
HOW LONG: 3 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
Nuansa Penida hostel was literally named one of the best hostels to visit in 2020 by hostelworld so if you find yourself on Nusa Penida this is the place to stay. Two beautiful pools. Super comfy beds. Met great people. Small restaurant onsite. Curtains on the bed. Lockers in the room. Nice bathroom. Would definitely stay here again.
Nuansa Penida HostelMy friend’s B&B
WHERE TO EAT:
Sunny Cafe– This was my favorite food on the island. Every dish was delicious!
Secret Cafe– Very instagrammable spot, and while the food was good, it wasn’t the best I’ve ever had. Worth a stop though!
WHAT TO DO:
Through Nuansa hostel, we did a tour of Broken Beach, Angel’s Billabong, and Kelingking Beach. I didn’t feel the tour was worth the time/money with the excepting of Kelingking Beach. I would highly recommend battling the crowds to visit this spot.
Kelingking BeachBroken Beach
We also tried to snorkel with manta rays, but unfortunately they weren’t anywhere to be seen the day we went 😦
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
While Nusa Penida is definitely beautiful and less touristy than other spots around Bali, the lack of infrastructure showed. The roads were treacherous and difficult to navigate. No way to get around besides hiring a driver unless you were brave enough to battle to narrow, windy, bumpy roads. It was difficult to get food at night unless you wanted to eat at your accommodation each night (which I felt got old). There were power outages each day I was there (once at night while I was in the pool, which turned out magical because the stars were insane). All in all, Nusa Penida was not my favorite, but if you have the time, it’s not a bad spot to hang for a few days if you know what you are getting into.
CITY: Uluwatu
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
This was not my normal backpacker spot, but when a friend I met in NZ (Sophie) invited me to join her here, I was excited to treat myself. Sal’s Secret Spot was a magical little gem (Thanks Sophie for finding this!). The room was so, so cute. The bathroom was outside (like many bathrooms in Bali) and I loved showering under the blue sky. Living up to it’s name, there were many nooks and cranny’s to cuddle up with a book or to lie in the sun. Also, the breakfast was so yummy. Anyway, if you have the money to splurge, you can’t go wrong with staying here.
Dreamyso cute
WHERE TO EAT:
Casa Asia– This was nicer place to eat for dinner. Fairly extensive Italian menu with something for everyone. We also had one of their delicious desserts. Highly recommend this restaurant for a nicer meal or a date night.
Drifter Cafe– This was a cute little cafe attached to a surf shop. Good breakfast and snack food.
Sophie!
WHAT TO DO:
It rained while Sophie and I were here so we mostly took advantage of the nice hotel we were at and spent our time reading and getting massages. This also meant we didn’t get to go to one of the many famous cliff side bars for sunset.
While we didn’t go surfing, Uluwatu is known for it’s beaches and surfing so that’s another fun thing to do while in town.
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
Uluwatu was nice break from the frenetic cities in Bali and I enjoyed the down time with Sophie. There was no pressure to go see or do anything so we focused on massages and good food. If you have the time to get down to Uluwatu, it is worth it.
CITY: Canggu
HOW LONG: 4 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
The second time around in Canggu went much better. This was helped by the fact that I was with 4 of my favorite people from my NZ travels. Also, I had been in Bali for 2.5 weeks at this point so felt much more comfortable and relaxed. Anyway, we stayed at a MUCH better hostel called the Palms. It’s a fairly new hostel so it was affordable for such a nice hostel. Honestly I think it’s comparable to The Farm, maybe even better. The bed’s were luxurious. There were curtains and lockers and nice bathrooms. The pool was great and had some nice bean bags and chaise lounges to hang around on. Also, it’s right near Rise and Shine as well as Crate Cafe. Definitely highly recommend staying here while in Canggu.
WHERE TO EAT:
Crate Cafe– This is a well known cafe in Canggu, known for beautiful menu items for a very reasonable price. While the line can be long, it’s definitely worth the wait.
Rise & Shine Cafe
Penny Lane– The most beautiful, instagrammable, adorable restaurant in Bali. I loved it here. Definitely not local food, but delicious, delicious food. Lots of truffle options so you know I am happy.
I mean it’s beautiful!
WHAT TO DO:
We spent most of our time by the pool but did manage to venture out to hang at another pool at a beach club 🙂 La Brisa had a few pools, beach front beds and a delicious menu for food and drinks. Not a bad spot to land for a few hours to watch sunset.
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
Canggu was much better this time around. I was more relaxed and less burnt out (although plenty sun burnt 🙂 ). It was nice to not make any decisions and just go along with whatever the group wanted. Using Gojek (which I hadn’t gotten the hang of the first time around) made life way easier. If I ever go back to Bali, I would head straight to Canggu for the food alone.
CITY: Seminyak
HOW LONG: 4 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
Because I met up with three friends I made in NZ, we decided to get a villa for the group of us instead of staying at a hostel. Bali is made for this so it seemed like the right move. It’s fairly affordable if you have a group of people so it was a no brainer. We booked through Airbnb, so check out the many villas available on the site.
WHERE TO EAT:
Warung Nia– This place was such a joy to dine at. So much so that we had dinner here three nights in a row! Get ready for the best hospitality, delicious local food for local (ish) prices, and a fun atmosphere with live music.
Kynd Community – Good brunch food + but definitely more known for being Instagrammable.
Gelato Shack– It’s hard to come by good gelato in Southeast Asia, but Gelato Shack delivers!
Wacko Burger– This is a fun burger restaurant with yummy milkshakes and fries. Also pizzas, because why not?
Can’t resist
WHAT TO DO:
Because we had a villa to ourselves, we enjoyed sleeping in and lounging the day away at our private pool. We managed to drag ourselves out by heading to a private surf lesson for the group that we booked through Airbnb Experiences. There are a ton of options so just read the reviews and book away!
We are pro’s!
On our last day we spent a day at Potato Head, a well known beach club, where we met up with two more of our friends from the NZ trip. We enjoyed the swim up bar in the pool and some poolside snacks before watching sunset in the pool. Can you tell Seminyak has been pool time heavy?
NZ Reunion
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
Seminyak was more chaotic and built up than anywhere else in Bali. I couldn’t describe it as cute, quaint or relaxing. However, by staying at a villa, we were able to create our own relaxing zen zone to enjoy.
Overall thoughts on Bali
What made Bali so special for me was the many familiar faces I got to see while here. Bali itself I don’t think will ever make it on the list of my favorite places in the world. In fact, I don’t think I’ll ever be back. I wish I had gone to Lombok and Flores. Bali felt like a contrived construction of a place. Poverty intermingled with wannabe influencers and any shot the instagrammers posted didn’t ever show the trash on the ground or the stray dogs roaming around. Or the shacks locals lived in. I don’t know. Maybe I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind, but rarely did anything feel authentic. Also, I never thought I would come to appreciate sidewalks as much as I did here. It was frustrating not being able to just walk around and explore an area. Instead, the lack of sidewalks and narrow roads that barely fit one car let alone two way traffic forced us to always have a destination in mind when leaving our accommodation. However, I did have some great massages, explore new parts of our earth through scuba diving, and had some amazing smoothie bowls so not all was negative 🙂
Time for the classic East Coast of Australia backpacking trip. You can rent a camper van or you can get a Greyhound pass, which is what I did. I bought a Whimmit pass, which allowed me unlimited travel for 30 days for $399 AUD. I spent 6 weeks heading up the coast, starting in Melbourne and finishing in Cairns.
CITY: Melbourne
HOW LONG: 5 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
United Backpackers– I preferred this hostel but it was the more expensive. It had free pancakes for breakfast with maple syrup. The bathrooms were really nice and updated. The rooms were a bit dark and smelly but that’s common for 10 bed dorms in the middle of a heat wave. The WiFi was excellent and there was a nice, small, comfy bar downstairs. Kitchen was large and easy to cook in. Location was great as there are lots of great bars and restaurants nearby. Also, it’s very close to some parks and I enjoyed going for a run right from the hostel. If you have the money, this is a great spot.
Nomads All Nations – I switched hostels my last night so that I was closer to the greyhound station. This hostel was much cheaper but it showed. The kitchen wasn’t as nice and the bedroom, while bigger, was fairly run down. Also the location (other than being close to the bus station) wasn’t nearly as convenient.
Where to Eat:
Famish’d– This is a great build your own salad place for a healthy meal.
Captain Melville– We went here after the walking tour and tried Chicken Parma for the first time. It was delicious! It also had a nice open air seating area in the back.
Section 8 – This is a fun outdoor bar in Melbourne, down a graffiti filled alley.
Weirdoughs – Ready to try some plant-based cookie dough? Here’s your chance! This was a delicious, fun treat.
Metro burgers– This is on the cutest little walking street, full of restaurants! Got a delicious burger here.
Doughnut Time– Never can go wrong with cute doughnuts.
What to do:
I arrived in Melbourne fairly exhausted from Queenstown and was little burnt out from all the activities, so I spent my time in Melbourne quite leisurely. I would sleep in, go for a run, then take a book to one of the many parks and read. This is my kinda day. Because I was burnt out from busses and day trips, I didn’t go the Great Ocean Road, but this is one of the top things to do in Melbourne!
I did do a free walking tour which I would definitely recommend doing. Just ask your hostel for details.
My favorite thing I did was head to St. Kilda and see all the penguins at dusk. The sunset was beautiful and then we headed to the end of the pier to see the penguins start to come out. Don’t skip this while in Melbourne.
Overall Thoughts:
Melbourne was definitely a cool city with a European vibe to it. There was a great food and bar scene. If I were to pick a city in Australia to live this would definitely be it!
Hanging in a park
One of the many alleys
CITY: Sydney
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at Mad Monkey on Broadway in Sydney. It’s a smaller hostel but it meant you got to know people fairly easily. WiFi worked great. The kitchen was painfully small which made it difficult to want to cook (I didn’t cook at all here) but there was a GREAT free breakfast! Know having stayed at wake up in Byron Bay, I would stay at Wake Up in Sydney if I ever went again.
The Rocks Cafe– This was a yummy restaurant with a pub vibe near the Harbor Bridge and the Opera House.
Harry’s– This restaurant is a must while Bondi! Delicious brunch food.
What to do:
Unfortunately while I was in Sydney the smoke was pretty bad from the many fires in the region. This limited what I could do as often the smoke was too bad to be outside. I wasn’t able to go to the Blue Mountains, which is supposed to be incredible. However, the two days that I was able to get outside I managed to see the Harbor Bridge, Opera House, Royal Botanical Gardens, and I walked the Coogee to Bondi trail, which was the highlight of my time in Sydney! Highly recommend doing this in the morning and getting brunch/lunch in Bondi after you finish (maybe at Harry’s)!
Botanical Gardens
Botanical Gardens
Coogee to Bondi Walk
Opera House
Harbor Bridge
Overall Thoughts:
I don’t feel like I got the best impression of Sydney given the smoke, but it was a nice, big city (similar to a major city in the US). Definitely no culture shock here 🙂 That being said if you are visiting Australia, Sydney is a must.
CITY: Yamba
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at the YHA in Yamba and it was pretty great. There aren’t too many options here so for sure stay here. Location is in the middle of town and about a 1 min walk from the greyhound bus stop which is very convenient. Kitchen is slightly small, but does the job. WiFi was only available at the bottom floor where the reception and restaurant are located so no WiFi in the common areas or the dorm rooms. There was a great rooftop areas to eat and hangout as well as a great tv/Netflix area. Would definitely stay here again.
Where to Eat:
Drift is the only restaurant I ate as in Yamba and they were great! They were friendly and kindly teased me about my build my own pizza (my pizza’s involve no tomato sauce and pear when I can). Worth a stop if you are ever here.
What to do:
Yamba is not your most popular stop along the East Coast backpacker route, but it should be. It’s a small, more local town with three beautiful beaches with great surfing! It’s a place to stop and chill for a couple of days in between Sydney and Byron, more high energy stops.
The pathway out into the ocean
Overall Thoughts:
I really enjoyed Yamba! I wish I could have stayed one more night here. It was very relaxing and low-key, which is needed periodically.
CITY: Byron Bay
HOW LONG: 4 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at Wake Up in Byron Bay and it was fabulous. The rooms had air conditioning which is key during the summer months. The kitchen is spacious with plenty of burners. They have free towels, bikes and surf boards you can use. My favorite part was the free yoga and boot camps at 9am. Such a treat after being on the road with minimal exercise for a few months. It’s right next to the beach, but it’s about a 20 min walk along the beach to town. They also have a shuttle that runs about every 30 min into town and vice versa. They also have a great courtyard to hang out in the shade. Sometimes they have activities in the evenings here (such as free wine and cheese night). Overall cannot recommend this place enough!
Where to Eat:
The Corner Store– The açai bowl here was not great, but it’s a great spot in the middle of town for a cup of coffee or a pastry.
The General Store– This is my favorite spot in Australia! I love, love, love their smoothie bowls. Also, the cafe just has such a cool vibe. You know when I take a photo of the water station, they are doing something right.
THE WATER STATION!
Betty’s– This is a cute, small burger chain in Australia that is decorated in a way that Instagram influencers can only dream up. The burgers are delicious and cheap. The fries do their thing and the desserts are such a treat! I actually went to Betty’s in Melbourne, Byron Bay, and Noosa (basically whenever I came across it).
Delicious, kinda like In-N-Out
In the Pink– Yummy gelato on a hot day. Get a cup instead of a cone as otherwise it will dripping down your arm immediately.
What to do:
Byron Bay is known for it’s surfing so take a lesson while here.
Sunrise at the lighthouse is another popular thing to do! It’s the most eastern part of Australia so you see the first sunrise of the continent 🙂
My favorite thing to do was lie on the grass in front of the main beach and enjoy the often live music being played all around. The people watching and tanning is prime (just be careful of the crazy, Australian sun so put on plenty of sunscreen.
Overall Thoughts:
This was my favorite stop along the East Coast. I know people think it’s touristy, but hello, we are tourists and there is a reason so many people come here. The sun shined every day I was here and I loved the restaurant scene. The hostel also made this stop so great for me as I made some really good friends here (who I would end up traveling much of the east coast with ) and I LOVED the free yoga and bootcamp every morning.
CITY: Brisbane
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at the YHA in Brisbane. Kitchen was fabulous. Rooms were small and dark. Lockers were available to store belongings in the room. I wouldn’t stay here again as I found it difficult to meet people as a solo traveler. There was a rooftop bar and a tv room, but both were hard to meet people at.
Where to Eat:
Corbett and Claude is an upscale pizzeria with a few locations in Brisbane. It was a classy spot with great pizza and selection of alcoholic drinks. This was a fun stop!
What to do:
I spent my time wandering around the city, doing some shopping and eating ice cream 🙂 I highly recommend walking through the South Bank where the lagoon is.
While I didn’t get to the Australia Zoo, this is a great day trip from Brisbane if you have time!
Overall Thoughts:
I liked Brisbane way more than I thought I would. Many people had told me that Brisbane wasn’t worth a stop, but I actually wish I’d had one more day so I could have gone to the zoo!
CITY: Noosa
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at the Flashbackers hostel and it was great! My ten person room had plenty of room and had two en-suite bathrooms and showers. Also, AC worked great. It’s a smaller hostel so it’s fairly easy to meet people. The staff at the front desk were very helpful in planning my time in Noosa. The kitchen was well stocked and easy to cook in. WiFi was good, but not great. It’s a bit of a walk into town but there is a shuttle run by the hostel and a public bus that’s easy to use to get around. Would definitely stay here again.
Where to Eat:
10 Hastings was a great spot for breakfast. Yummy drinks and brunchy food!
There’s a Betty’s Burger here so you know I stopped there for dinner 🙂
Concrete from Betty’s
What to do:
I spent my time in Noosa hiking all over to different beaches. The other highlight is the Fairy Pools. Enjoy the ocean, sand, and sun of Noosa.
Overall Thoughts:
Noosa is pretty laid back and an enjoyable stop along the East Coast. Spend at least 2 days here and you can easily spend longer.
CITY: Rainbow Beach
HOW LONG: 3 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
Pippies was a cute little hostel that was perfect for before and after your Fraser Island trip. They also store your bags while you are away. No lockers in the room, but no one is going to steal your stuff. Kitchen was pretty tough to use so don’t plan to really cook here. Free, small breakfast available in the morning. WiFi was not bad but only really available in the main area. Small pool, but I never saw anyone in it. Cute hammocks and location can’t be beat in this small town. I would stay here again.
Where to Eat:
Arcobaleno on the Beach– This is a nicer Italian restaurant (not a typical backpacker spot). Delicious food and the service was great!
Rainbow Beach Hotel has a great bar/restaurant that seems to be hopping most nights. We had our “afterparty” from Fraser here and it was a great spot for it.
Café Jilarty at Rainbow– This place had a backpacker menu with some great deals so we obviously ate here about 3 times. Delicious chicken parma. It’s a laid-back spot with some reasonably priced meals so no complaints here.
There is not much to do in Rainbow Beach other than it’s a launching spot for a Fraser Island trip. The only place people tend to check out is the Rainbow Steps.
Overall Thoughts:
Rainbow Beach is a sweet, sleepy town that is cute for a night or two before and after your Fraser Island trip, but not much else.
Fraser Island Trip with Pippies
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS
Fraser Island is one of the best adventures to have along the classic Australia East Coast trip. It combines new friends, the largest sand island in the world, crystal clear lakes, champagne pools, driving 4×4’s, camping, and drinking. It is a BLAST. I ended up doing it over Christmas because if you can’t be home for it, might as well be on a island with no service and bunch of new friends. Fortunately for me, one of my best friends from home met me for this part of the trip so I had one familiar face. Also, I had met some people at other parts of the trip who luckily were also doing the same Fraser trip so I had some other friends going into the 3day/2night adventure. From start to finish, this was one of my favorite parts of my time in Australia.
CITY: Airlie Beach
HOW LONG: 6 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at Base/Nomads. It’s a huge property with room to house over 600 people!! There’s a bar located within the property, 2 pools and 2 receptions. The rooms had a bathroom and shower, which was a treat. The AC worked great. The WiFi was horrendous. The kitchen had the necessities. There weren’t any lockers in the rooms to store valuables so make sure you can lock your bag itself. It was hard to sleep some nights due to the bar playing music so loud. I might look at staying elsewhere if I can back to Airlie Beach.
The hostel
Where to Eat:
Village Cafe Restaurant and Bar– Went to breakfast here and it was a nice airy spot. Breakfast was pretty tasty and wifi worked well (sometimes hard to find).
Little Vegas– Delicious burgers and starters. If you are craving a large, tasty burger, look no further.
The Pub– I spent New Years Eve here getting some drinks with a friend. It had a great atmosphere and is a beautiful spot to hang.
The Deck– This is my favorite restaurant in Airlie Beach. I came for breakfast twice and it was great! Also, came for dinner on NYE and had the best sweet potato fries! Don’t miss this restaurant while in Airlie Beach.
What to do:
Airlie Beach, like Rainbow Beach, is a launching off spot for a Whitsunday trip. However, Airlie Beach is much bigger so there are far more restaurants and bars to check out. Also, there is a big lagoon that’s free to use (there isn’t actually a nice beach in town). There are a few hikes nearby, but I didn’t have a car so I couldn’t get to them.
Overall Thoughts:
I liked Airlie Beach, but the Whitsundays is the real star of this area of the East Coast.
Whitsunday Trip on Apollo
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS
Overall Thoughts:
I really enjoyed the sailing trip on the Apollo boat. The food was delicious and while sleeping on a sail boat with 20 other strangers is never going to be the best night sleep you have, it was a good as it could’ve been. The highlights for me were scuba diving for the first time, seeing the sunset from the middle of ocean, and seeing the sandy beaches with the clear water. It was also a blast to meet so many new, fun people and hang for 3 days. Highly recommend taking a sailing trip around the Whitsundays while traveling along the East Coast.
CITY: Magnetic Island
HOW LONG: 3 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
There are two main options for hostels on Magnetic Island: Base and YHA. I stayed at Base because they had a package deal that included the ferry ticket, one breakfast and one dinner. It’s definitely more of a party hostel but if you want to sneak away to bed early, the noise is far enough away to be able to sleep soundly. The pool has chaise lounges, there’s a kitchen and the huts are pretty cute. However, the WiFi was not great and the hostel is a bus ride away from everything. Luckily the bus gets you where you need to go and it’s common to rent a 4×4 at least one day while you’re here. I would probably stay at YHA next time I was here as it houses the koala sanctuary and it’s closer to a town with cute restaurants and beaches.
Where to Eat:
Early Bird– Breakfast is so good here I came twice in two days! Located in Horseshoe Bay, this is a can’t miss on Magnetic.
So much deliciousness!
Mamma Roma– This is a cute Italian restaurant on the other side of the island in Picnic Bay. The pasta was deliocoso!
Dessert with my cute Danish dates 🙂
Scallywags– Great spot for a great breakfast with a great atmosphere.
What to do:
Renting a Barbie Car- Don’t miss out on renting the cute 4 seater pink Barbie cars. This is a great way to independently get around the island. Otherwise you can use the bus, but it doesn’t come as often as you would like.
Forts Walk- This is best place to see Koalas in the wild. We expected to see one or two, but we say about 8 koalas while walking through the 90 min long loop. SO fun!
Wallabies- You can see wallabies in the wild at the rocks at Geoffrey Bay. We saw a few while stopped here at dusk.
Bungalow Bay Koala Village- Located at the YHA, there is a sanctuary where you can see some animals ranging from crocodiles, koalas, and lizards, to snakes and echidnas. Also, as 4:15pm they do a feeding for wild rainbow lorikeets.
Overall Thoughts:
Magnetic Island ended up being a highlight for me. It was so fun driving for the first time in months and having some independence over my schedule for the day. My favorite part was seeing the cute koalas in the wild. I loved my 3 days on this small island.
CITY: Cairns
HOW LONG: 5 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
Global Backpackers is a great place to base yourself while in Cairns. The location is right on the esplanade where the lagoon and water front is. The wifi the best I’ve had anywhere in New Zealand and Australia!!! The hostel is on the newer side and is kept very clean. The air-conditioning works like a charm and the 4th floor has a great kitchen, walk-in freezer with plenty of space for your groceries, and a large tv (set up with Netflix!) with comfy couches. I would highly recommend staying here.
Where to Eat:
Jimmy’s– Delicious burgers and milkshakes! Need I say more….
The Cotton Club– This was a good cheap meal and I had a delicious salad! Always fun finding a good salad while traveling.
The two main activities to do here are exploring the Daintree Rainforest and exploring the Great Barrier Reef.
I chose to do a Cape Tribulation day trip with Uncle Brian’s and it was great! We swam in a local watering hole, walked through the Daintree Rainforest (oldest rainforest in the world), saw spiders, crocodiles, and snakes, and walked around Port Douglas. It was a blast and the tour guides were great!
To explore the Great Barrier Reef, obviously I had to go underwater. I chose to do an introductory scuba dive because I didn’t want to miss out on seeing the Great Barrier Reef before it dies and because I wanted to see if I liked scuba diving enough to get my open water certification. Turns out I’m hooked. Can’t wait to get my license while in Bali 🙂
My other favorite thing to do was go for morning runs along the beach front path. Such a beautiful view while jogging along.
Overall Thoughts:
Cairns is a nice spot to chill as it’s fairly cheap compared to other parts of the East Coast. I loved all the different animals I saw both on land and sea. I also happened to stay in one of my favorite hostels of the trip so far so Cairns definitely has a place in my heart.
It’s been 2.5 years since my gap year in Europe, and after 2 years of working at a startup in Silicon Valley, I decided the travel bug was too strong to ignore so here we are! I am taking off for 8ish months traveling through New Zealand, Australia and Southeast Asia. Luckily it will be warm while in most of these destinations so my clothes skew towards summer clothes and I don’t have to bring as many layers. I absolutely loved my 44L Tortuga backpack that I used on my last 12 month trip, but decided I wanted to challenge myself to take even less on this trip. Given my love for Tortuga, I immediately researched a few of the backpacks from their newest lines and ultimately chose the 35L Women’s Setout. I am thrilled with the size and new shape. It holds a ton of stuff for only 35L. I also bought the corresponding packing cubes because DUH. Lastly, given that this trip is more outdoorsy and adventure focused than the European trip, I knew I wanted to bring a daypack with me as taking my cross body purse (personal item) was not a feasible option for long hikes. Luckily for me, Tortuga thinks of everything! I bought their Setout Packable Daypack. It’s 19L so it’s big enough to hold a water bottle, swimsuit, and a towel, but it’s unstructured so can pack completely flat or in a ball stuff in a corner of my bag. I can’t wait to try it out!
On to the packing list:
Clothes
1 pair of crop Lululemon’s
1 pair of regular length Lululemon’s
1 pair of jean shorts
2 light-weight dresses
5 Cute shirts (4 everyday shirts, 1 going out shirt)
3 sports bras
2 athletic shirts (1 to sleep in)
Nike Booty shorts (to sleep in)
1 pair of running shorts
5 pairs of underwear
5 pairs of socks, 1 pair of compression socks for travel days
one nude bra, one black bralette
2 pairs of shoes (running shoes, Birkenstocks)
Patagonia (for cold airplanes)
1 Swimsuit
Sunglasses
Rain coat
Running band
Electronics
Computer + Charger
iPad
iPhone + Charger
GoPro + Charger
Headphones (Apple)
Headphones (Bose)
Plug adapter
Portable charger
Fitbit + Fitbit charger
Backup hardrive (in case computer is stolen)
Toiletries
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Flosser
Any medication you take
Retainer
Deodorant
Makeup
Eye makeup remover
Face wash
Moisturizer
Razor
Conditioner
Shampoo
Brush
Sunscreen
Chapstick
Ibuprofen
Hair ties and bobby pins
Moleskin
Bandaids
Cough drops
Topical steroid cream for bed bug bites or regular bug bites to help with itchiness
Deet (for Southeast Asia)
Malaria Pills (for Southeast Asia)
Pills for travelers diarrhea (in case)
Miscellaneous
Passport
International Certificate of Vaccination (I needed this to show that I have received the Yellow Fever vaccination)
Credit card with no foreign transaction fees (I prefer the Chase Sapphire Reserve)
Backup credit card with no foreign transaction fees (I am bringing a Chase Hyatt card)
Charles Schwab debit card (they refund all ATM fees anywhere in the world!)
License (as an extra form of ID when I don’t want to take my passport)
Inflatable neck pillow
Extra Passport photos
Thumb drive with all documentation
Handbag (for personal item on planes as well as day-to-day use)
Tortuga Setout Packable Daypack
Travel Towel
Grayl Water Bottle + extra cartridge (Amazing water bottle that filters water so you can drink from anywhere)
Ear Plug
Eye Mask
Lock (for staying in hostels)
Pack of cards
Here is everything spread out on a table!
Everything I am taking!All packed up and ready to go. Pictured: 35L Tortuga Setout Backpack + Purse from Target + airport outfit.
And I’m off!
Ready for the adventure!Super compact, easy to carry, and mobile
My sister and I stayed at two very different locations while in the Bahamas, one a hostel, the other a resort!
The first: BahaSea Backpackers Hostel This place was great! I’ve never stayed at a hostel that was beachfront before 🙂 It’s literally on the water and there are two pools. We stayed in a 10 person all female dorm, which had a en-suite bathroom and lockers under the bunk beds to lock up out stuff. My sister and I had a great time meeting other travelers. We met two lovely German gals who we played cards with each night. Overall this was an awesome hostel and to stay in the Bahamas for $50 per night is nothing to complain about.
BahaSea
View from our room!
Lounging around at the hostel
The second: Grand Hyatt Baha Mar Normally I wouldn’t stay at a resort like this because I would choose being able to travel for longer by staying at hostels, than traveling for shorter, but staying at more luxurious hotels. However, this trip was part of a Christmas gift from my parents, so hello Grand Hyatt! This place is magical. It’s right on Cable Beach, has 7 pools and 20 dining options! My sister and I felt like it was an adult Disneyland. We spent each day getting up to workout at the gym, going to a lovely breakfast, then heading to the pool for some sun, reading time and a drink. It doesn’t get much better. Each day we had fun deciding which pool we would make our home base for the next 6 hours. Our two German friends came to the hotel to spend two days by the pool/beach with us, and it was fun to share the resort with them. If you’re not on a budget, then this is definitely the place to stay in Nassau.
Looking out at Baha Mar
Bahamas
Exploring
Enjoying the pool
Our beautiful German friends
Soaking up the sun
Janni
Exploring the aquariums via the pool
Waterfalls
Supermodel much?
Our last night at sunset
WHERE TO EAT:
While at the hostel, there were two main restaurants in walking distance: News Cafe, which we went to for breakfast twice, and Spritz Restaurant & Bar, which we went to for dinner twice. Both were fine, but nothing to write home about. Spritz had a nice view though, so points for that.
View at Spritz Bar
At the Hyatt, you can’t really go wrong, but our favorites for breakfast were 3 Tides Fish House for their Breakfast Sandwich and Stuffed Brioche French Toast, & The Palms Cafe for their Acai Bowl and Banana Bread French Toast. For lunch/dinner (we would often do linner at around 4:30/5pm) our favorites were Umami Burger for it’s Impossible Burger & The Swimming Pig for their Truffle Pizza, Truffle Fries, and the best Spinach Caesar Salad you have ever had! The food at the Hyatt, while not cheap, was delicious.
Umami Burger
The Palms Cafe
3 Tides Fish House
3 Tides Fish House
3 Tides Fish House
Our favorite spinach salad
Pancakes at The Palms Cafe
WHAT TO DO:
Honestly, if you are in the Bahamas, your plans for what to do should center upon spending time at the beach and at the pool. BUT if you want to leave the relaxation of being by the water, there are many options for you! First, you can go to another island and sit by the water there 🙂 My sister and I did a day trip through Sandy Toes. It was about a 30 min boat ride to another island and once there you can swim with pigs, go snorkeling, or just lay back in a chaise lounge by the turquoise water.
Wind in our hair as we take the boat to Rose Island
Approaching the island
Rose Island!
Meeting the pigs
What a good boy!
No complaints here
Lounging around
Unbelievable water!
Look at this water!
The private beach
Ellie
The other must-do is to take a walk around the downtown area. Visit Graycliff to see a whimsical street, the chocolate factory, and the cigar factory. After Graycliff, just walk along Bay Street for some window shopping and some ice cream.
Ellie’s new date
The pretty street where Graycliff can be found
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
The Bahamas were the perfect spot to relax, catch up on reading, and sleep in. The water is unbelievable beautiful and we had the best time soaking up the sun. In the weeks leading up to our trip, I had read some travel advisories warning of some safety issues, however, my sister and I never felt unsafe, either at the hotel or when we were walking around in the downtown area. We even took the public busses and taxis, and not once did we have issues. Overall I would highly recommend a trip down the Bahamas!
While you can find tours that are cheaper than booking with Salkantay Trekking, you won’t be sorry to spend the extra money. You get to sleep under the stars in glass domes, in tents, and in a hotel, as opposed to sleeping outside in the cold or on the ground, like other tours. Additionally, you will be served some of the most amazing food by a chef who is dedicated to your tour group (up to 12 people). I can’t recommend booking with this company enough!
WHERE WE STAYED:
The first night was my favorite accommodation. We stayed in glass domes with views of the stars above. Despite the cold outside, the sleeping bags and blankets were more than enough to create a cozy, warm environment inside. The second night we spent in a tent under a thatched roof. Unfortunately it rained a decent amount before and while we were there so the tent was slightly damp, which tainted the experience a bit. However, it was still better than sleeping on the ground- which is what many other tours offer. Our last night we stayed in Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of the mountain which Maccu Picchu is perched upon.
Accommodation Night 1
Accommodation Night 1
Accommodation Night 1
Accommodation Night 2
Accommodation night 3 was a hotel in Aguas Calientes
WHAT WE ATE:
One of the main reasons to chose Salkantay Trekking over the many other tour companies is the food quality. IT IS JUST SO GOOD (and I am a very picky eater). We also had one vegetarian, one one nut allergy, and someone who was gluten-free. Despite all the diets to balance, each meal was a full spread filled with delicious options. A personal chef travels with our group the first 3 days and prepare hot, fresh food for each meal. For the amount of money we spent on the tour, this was an incredible feature. I can’t explain enough how this really made the trip so special.
Night one dinner spot
Lunch spread
Dinner spread
WHAT WE DID:
Each of the four days on the trek was unique. Day 1 was fairly easy. After being picked up around 4am from each our hostels, we drove for a few hours before we stopped for a delicious breakfast at a local restaurant somewhere in the countryside outside of Cusco. After fueling up we walked about 2 hours to the location of our first campsite. Such a magical spot. It would become my favorite spot of the whole trip. After eating lunch, we set off up a mountain up to Humantay Lake. It was surreal walking around the huge valley completed surrounded by nature. This is one of my parts about backpacking- escaping the human world and immersing myself in the natural world. Overall we walked around 7.5 miles (12km) and gained 5,000 feet (1,250m) of elevation.
Where it all began
The group!
The long road ahead
The Incan aqueducts
Base camp for night on1
The hike up to Humantay Lake
Humantay Lake
Humantay Lake
The group at Humantay Lake
Humantay Lake
Humantay Lake
New friend
Day 2 was the hardest day. We would reach our highest elevation (aka no oxygen) and walk the farthest. After an early wakeup call (~5am) we got our day started with a delicious breakfast spread including coca tea. Unfortunately it was drizzling the entire morning, which was when we had the most difficult hiking of the day. The morning would entail a 4 mile hike straight up to the Salkantay Pass. It would be a 3,000 foot elevation gain and would take 3 hours to complete. Despite the mist and rain that we faced, I couldn’t help but not care as the views definitely made up for it. As we left our glass domed campsite nestled in the beautiful valley, we slowly traded green, grassy mountainsides for snow-capped peaks. By the time we reached the pass, snow was all you could see- under my feet and all the mountains surrounding us.
Early morning start with rain
Almost at the summit
We made it!
15,255 feet
After pausing for a snack at the peak, we began our descent to our next campsite. The further we got away from the peak, the warmer it became. Immediately our group began to peel off our many layers, including our rain gear. 3 miles later we stopped for lunch and a quick rest. After lunch, we quickly entered what is known as the “cloud forrest”, the upper part of the Amazon jungle. We finished the last 6 miles in this climate. We were rewarded with many birds and beautiful plants and trees during this part of the trek. Finally we arrived at the Chauflay Village, where we camped for the night. There was wifi and electricity at this camp, so the peak of luxury 🙂
On the other side of the pass
Entering the high jungle
Unbelievable scenery
We were offered two options for day 3: either hike 16.1 miles to Aguas Calientes (the town at the base of Machu Picchu or visit a coffee plantation and natural hot springs and finish with about a 5 mile hike to Aguas Calientes. Naturally I convinced our group to choose the latter. It was interesting to see how coffee was made at a local plantation and it was glorious to sooth our aching muscles in the hot springs. After the morning activities and lunch at the hot springs, we drove a bit towards Aguas Calientes. However, since there are no cars allowed, tourists have two options of getting there: walking or taking the famous train. Given we had already skipped the morning part of the trek, we threw on our hiking gear and began our walk along the train tracks. Luckily it was fairly flat so it wasn’t too tough on our already sore bodies. 3 hours later we arrived in Aguas Calientes. Aguas Calientes is the town where everyone stays the night before they go to Machu Picchu. As I mentioned there are no cars, but the train runs right through town. That night we were put up in a (very basic) hotel room and went to dinner at a local restaurant. Fairly quickly after dinner we rushed home to get into bed because tomorrow would bring an early 4am wake up call in order to be first in line to take the bus up to the entrance of Machu Picchu.
On our way to the coffee plantation
Coffee beans we collected right off the trees
Processing the beans
After roasting the beans
Coffee
Gathering the beans
Roasting the beans
The Hot Springs
Enjoying the rest
Walking along the train tracks
High jungle
Aguas Calientes appears
Day 4: Machu Picchu. You can either hike 90 min up the mountain or take a 45 min bus (and after all the walking we did, we happily voted for the bus). By 4:30am we were standing in line for the bus. Once the busses start running around 5:30am, we were on the second bus up. It is so worth it to be on the first couple of busses up. In the first hour or so, it feels like you have Machu Picchu all to yourself.
We made it
Early morning
Up in the clouds
I spent the rest of the day wandering on my own, taking many breaks to just sit and take it all in. Pictures don’t do it justice- I highly recommend going and seeing it for yourself!
Machu Picchu
So beautiful
My favorite photo
The valley
Machu Picchu from afar
SO CUTE
Can’t handle the cuteness!!!
Obligatory selfie
Many hours later, I met up with the rest of our group and we made our way to the train station. Our magical journey to Machu Picchu had come to an end.
I spent a total of 10 days in Peru, but I wish I could spend a month! Peru is just lovely. Felt completely safe as a solo female traveler. English is fairly widely spoken in the places I went, although I speak Spanish so I would be fine anywhere. Peru definitely is set up for international travelers, which makes it great as a first trip to South America.
CITY: LIMA
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at the Pariwana hostel located in the Miraflores neighborhood of Lima. This is a pretty common area for travelers to stay in and there are tons of hostels to choose from. This hostel has a hot shower, lockers for your bags, and a great (free) breakfast. It was easy to meet people in the dorm rooms as well as upstairs on the roof top hangout spot. Tons of comfy lounge chairs and couches in the shade. Overall I really liked this hostel and would stay here again!
WHERE TO EAT:
Lima has some of the best food… but between my day tours and being jet legged I honestly didn’t eat anywhere noteworthy other than for some churros at Manolo. I had churros with some warm chocolate sauce for dipping. Delicioso! Definitely do your research and find some of the yummy gems in Lima.
The famous churros
WHAT TO DO:
My time in Lima was filled with two main activities: the free walking tour and a day trip to Paracas + Huacachina.
After landing in Lima at 8am, I knew I couldn’t immediately go to sleep even though I was dead-tired from my red-eye from California so I chose to drop my stuff at the hostel, grab a quick bite of the free breakfast and jump on the free waking tour. So glad I did because I met some fun people I ended up spending the rest of the day with.
The main park near my hostel
The park is famous for its many cats
The highlight of my time in Lima was the day trip to Paracas + Huacachina. I was picked up straight from my hostel at around 5:30am and was pleasantly surprised to find there were blankets and comfy chairs awaiting on the bus for us. After a few more pickups we were on our way to Paracas, the small seaside town where you can take a boat out to the Ballestas Islands. Once we arrived, we all climbed onto a large speedboat to head out to the uninhabited islands home to sea lions, penguins, and blue-footed booby. It was fabulous to see so many animals up close from the boat.
Sea Lions
After returning to Paracas and grabbing a bite to eat, we climbed back onto the bus to head to Huacachina, the famed desert oasis in Peru. It’s super cool! I wish I had spent the night here instead of only having a few hours, but alas a two week trip doesn’t allow for this. We had about an hour to walk around before hiking up the sand dunes to get in a dune buggy. We zoomed over the large sand dunes for 10 or 15 minutes before arriving to some large dunes primed for sand boarding. Our group quickly began sliding down headfirst on the the boards! This was only the beginning of the adventure that awaited for me in Peru!
The Oasis
Dunebuggy
Strapped in!
Let’s go!
The desert
The oasis
Ready for some sand boarding
Sunset
Sunset
Huacachina bathed in the sunset
CITY: CUSCO
HOW LONG: 6 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
Given the activities ahead of me in Cusco I did not want to stay in a party hostel. Sleep was key to fully taking advantage of all Cusco had to offer, however I still wanted to be able to meet people. Dragonfly Hostel was the perfect solution. I met tons of great people, but the rooms were fairly quiet. My 8 person room had it’s own bathroom and each bed had an assigned locker that fit my 44L backpack. There was a laundry-mat next to the hostel, which was great after finishing my 4-day trek. Also, the hostel had a kitchen and free breakfast every morning. Overall I would stay here again.
WHERE TO EAT:
For some reason the theme of food in Cusco for me was pizza. I ended up eating pizza three nights out of the five I was there. The first place I ate was Incanto Pizza. It felt like a treat. Peru was so cheap that while this felt like an upscale restaurant, my budget wasn’t compromised. After long day trips (often up at 4am), by the time I was back, picking up a pizza was about all the energy I could expend. Twice I went to the pizza place around the corner from my hostel and picked up a cheese pizza with bacon & no sauce (my favorite). A common option in many Peruvian restaurants is a “Set Menu” where for about ~10 soles (~$3 USD), you can get a starter, main course, dessert and drink. I experienced this at the restaurant directly next to my hostel, but you can find this all over town.
Incanto Pizza!
Despite my lack of creativity, Cusco is filled with amazing, cool, diverse restaurants. Tons of great local Peruvian cuisine as well as a large amount of vegetarian/vegan restaurants.
WHAT TO DO:
To start, Cusco is at a very high elevation so take it easy and drink some Coca tea. Then go explore Cusco! It looked like no other city I had been to. I loved the architecture and all the tiny streets and alleys. Spend at least one day meandering through all the shops and view points as it’s nestled in a little valley.
The main square
View from one of the many hills
Cusco
The main square
The main square
The main square
The old walls
After meeting a British couple in my hostel one late night, I was convinced to join them on a day trip to the Rainbow Mountain (also known as Vinicunca also known as Montaña de Siete Colores). At first I was skeptical since I had read it can be slightly dangerous to go up if it’s muddy and that the colors aren’t as bright as you have seen on Instagram, but I liked Kade and Megan so I decided to join them. I learned on my year abroad that life is more about who you are with than about what you are doing. So the next morning at 4am the three of us sleepily got on the bus and we were on our way. When we arrived to the base of the hike, it doesn’t look that far, however it’s not the distance that’s killer- it’s the elevation. It’s about a 2 hour hike up, but you start at 14,600 feet and end at 16,520 feet. For perspective, basecamp Everest is 17,590 feet. Boy, did I feel the elevation. It was so strange to walk about 10 steps and need to take a break. You can feel your heart beating what feels like 10x faster than normal. However, despite the many breaks, Kade, Megan and I successfully made it to the top. It was definitely worth the early morning and the slight altitude sickness. Just take a look for yourself!
On our way to Rainbow Mountain
My favorite horse
Half way up
Beautiful day
Megan + Kade
Traditional clothing
New friends
We made it!
The main event was my four day trek to Maccu Picchu, but see below for that. However, after my trek I had one more day in Cusco and I spent it at Qoya Spa at the Casa Cartagena Hotel because my muscles were screaming at me! It was an absolutely lovely day. I floated in the spa, breathed deeply in the steam room, and fell half asleep in my 90 min hot stone massage. The massage was ~120 USD and with it came the use of the spa for the entire day so after spending about 6 hours in the facility it felt like a great deal. Also, the hotel is gorgeous and if a day comes where I can afford to stay there, I plan to.
The hotel!
The most picturesque spot I could imagine
Where I lounged half the day
HIKING THE SALKANTAY TRAIL TO MACCU PICCHU
4 days, 3 nights
While you can find tours that are cheaper than booking with Salkantay Trekking, you won’t be sorry to spend the extra money. You get to sleep under the stars in glass domes, in tents, and in a hotel, as opposed to sleeping outside in the cold or on the ground, like other tours. Additionally, you will be served some of the most amazing food by a chef who is dedicated to your tour group (up to 12 people). I can’t recommend booking with this company enough!
WHERE WE STAYED:
The first night was my favorite accommodation. We stayed in glass domes with views of the stars above. Despite the cold outside, the sleeping bags and blankets were more than enough to create a cozy, warm environment inside. The second night we spent in a tent under a thatched roof. Unfortunately it rained a decent amount before and while we were there so the tent was slightly damp, which tainted the experience a bit. However, it was still better than sleeping on the ground- which is what many other tours offer. Our last night we stayed in Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of the mountain which Maccu Picchu is perched upon.
Accommodation Night 1
Accommodation Night 1
Accommodation Night 1
Accommodation Night 2
Accommodation night 3 was a hotel in Aguas Calientes
WHAT WE ATE:
One of the main reasons to chose Salkantay Trekking over the many other tour companies is the food quality. IT IS JUST SO GOOD (and I am a very picky eater). We also had one vegetarian, one one nut allergy, and someone who was gluten-free. Despite all the diets to balance, each meal was a full spread filled with delicious options. A personal chef travels with our group the first 3 days and prepare hot, fresh food for each meal. For the amount of money we spent on the tour, this was an incredible feature. I can’t explain enough how this really made the trip so special.
Night one dinner spot
Lunch spread
Dinner spread
WHAT WE DID:
Each of the four days on the trek was unique. Day 1 was fairly easy. After being picked up around 4am from each our hostels, we drove for a few hours before we stopped for a delicious breakfast at a local restaurant somewhere in the countryside outside of Cusco. After fueling up we walked about 2 hours to the location of our first campsite. Such a magical spot. It would become my favorite spot of the whole trip. After eating lunch, we set off up a mountain up to Humantay Lake. It was surreal walking around the huge valley completed surrounded by nature. This is one of my parts about backpacking- escaping the human world and immersing myself in the natural world. Overall we walked around 7.5 miles (12km) and gained 5,000 feet (1,250m) of elevation.
Where it all began
The group!
The long road ahead
The Incan aqueducts
Base camp for night on1
The hike up to Humantay Lake
Humantay Lake
Humantay Lake
The group at Humantay Lake
Humantay Lake
Humantay Lake
New friend
Day 2 was the hardest day. We would reach our highest elevation (aka no oxygen) and walk the farthest. After an early wakeup call (~5am) we got our day started with a delicious breakfast spread including coca tea. Unfortunately it was drizzling the entire morning, which was when we had the most difficult hiking of the day. The morning would entail a 4 mile hike straight up to the Salkantay Pass. It would be a 3,000 foot elevation gain and would take 3 hours to complete. Despite the mist and rain that we faced, I couldn’t help but not care as the views definitely made up for it. As we left our glass domed campsite nestled in the beautiful valley, we slowly traded green, grassy mountainsides for snow-capped peaks. By the time we reached the pass, snow was all you could see- under my feet and all the mountains surrounding us.
Early morning start with rain
Almost at the summit
We made it!
15,255 feet
After pausing for a snack at the peak, we began our descent to our next campsite. The further we got away from the peak, the warmer it became. Immediately our group began to peel off our many layers, including our rain gear. 3 miles later we stopped for lunch and a quick rest. After lunch, we quickly entered what is known as the “cloud forrest”, the upper part of the Amazon jungle. We finished the last 6 miles in this climate. We were rewarded with many birds and beautiful plants and trees during this part of the trek. Finally we arrived at the Chauflay Village, where we camped for the night. There was wifi and electricity at this camp, so the peak of luxury 🙂
On the other side of the pass
Entering the high jungle
Unbelievable scenery
We were offered two options for day 3: either hike 16.1 miles to Aguas Calientes (the town at the base of Machu Picchu or visit a coffee plantation and natural hot springs and finish with about a 5 mile hike to Aguas Calientes. Naturally I convinced our group to choose the latter. It was interesting to see how coffee was made at a local plantation and it was glorious to sooth our aching muscles in the hot springs. After the morning activities and lunch at the hot springs, we drove a bit towards Aguas Calientes. However, since there are no cars allowed, tourists have two options of getting there: walking or taking the famous train. Given we had already skipped the morning part of the trek, we threw on our hiking gear and began our walk along the train tracks. Luckily it was fairly flat so it wasn’t too tough on our already sore bodies. 3 hours later we arrived in Aguas Calientes. Aguas Calientes is the town where everyone stays the night before they go to Machu Picchu. As I mentioned there are no cars, but the train runs right through town. That night we were put up in a (very basic) hotel room and went to dinner at a local restaurant. Fairly quickly after dinner we rushed home to get into bed because tomorrow would bring an early 4am wake up call in order to be first in line to take the bus up to the entrance of Machu Picchu.
On our way to the coffee plantation
Coffee beans we collected right off the trees
Processing the beans
After roasting the beans
Coffee
Gathering the beans
Roasting the beans
The Hot Springs
Enjoying the rest
Walking along the train tracks
High jungle
Aguas Calientes appears
Day 4: Machu Picchu. You can either hike 90 min up the mountain or take a 45 min bus (and after all the walking we did, we happily voted for the bus). By 4:30am we were standing in line for the bus. Once the busses start running around 5:30am, we were on the second bus up. It is so worth it to be on the first couple of busses up. In the first hour or so, it feels like you have Machu Picchu all to yourself.
We made it
Early morning
Up in the clouds
I spent the rest of the day wandering on my own, taking many breaks to just sit and take it all in. Pictures don’t do it justice- I highly recommend going and seeing it for yourself!
Machu Picchu
So beautiful
My favorite photo
The valley
Machu Picchu from afar
SO CUTE
Can’t handle the cuteness!!!
Obligatory selfie
Many hours later, I met up with the rest of our group and we made our way to the train station. Our magical journey to Machu Picchu had come to an end.
I stayed at Hostel Miran and it was incredible!! The host, Miran, was an incredibly nice man who was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the region, as he had grown up there and actually lived through and fought in the Bosnian War. I learned so much from him. The hostel had small lockers in each room to store valuables but not big enough to store your whole bag, but I found everyone at the hostel to be very friendly and nice so I wasn’t worried about anyone stealing stuff from my bag. There was free breakfast and often at night Miran would BBQ so there was a free dinner sometimes. They also offered a great tour of the region. Highly recommend this place!!
Where to eat:
This place had free breakfast and sometimes free dinner so I mostly utilized that, BUT the hostel did recommend Hindin Han and I ended up going twice! Once just with Sam, and then once with Sam and three Germans we met on Miran’s tour (more on that in the next section!). Hindin Han was in the middle of the city center overlooking a small stream and was very cheap! Awesome food and alcohol selection.
Accidentally ordered Rakia, which is a rum made in the Balkans. Ranges from 40% alcohol to 90% alcohol. It was quite strong!
SO MUCH FOOD
What to do:
Number one thing you should do is go on Miran’s tour! (even if you don’t stay at his hostel I’m pretty sure you can still go on it!) Miran lived through and fought during the Bosnian War and had some incredible stories for us. The tour took us to an abandoned aircraft hanger utilized during communist occupation in Bosnia, two quaint cities (Blagaj & Pochitelj) and lastly, Kravice waterfalls. Each was uniquely beautiful, but the waterfalls were my favorite because we got to swim!! As we made our way back to Mostar, we were told many stories about the realities of living in Mostar during the Bosnian War. The damage from the war is still very visible in Mostar today.
Entering the abandoned airport hangar
From the inside
Blagaj
Blagaj
Drinking the fresh water
Where two rivers meet
View from the fort of Pochitelj
Up in the old fort
Pochitelj
Kravica Waterfalls
Our new German friend smoked his pipe and read while the rest of us swam in the water 🙂
The aftermath of the Bosnian War
Buildings still in disarray
The other thing that is fun to see while in Mostar is someone jump off the famous Stari Most bridge which is 24 meters (~78 feet) tall! The professional divers will jump once they have collected enough money from tourists 🙂 If you are a tourist, you pay around 20 euros for an hour-long lesson from the professionals and then you can jump! Only around 2,300 people have done it and Miran said they were mostly Aussie or Kiwi.
Someone about to jump!
Overall thoughts:
Mostar was such a pleasant surprise. I honestly had such little knowledge about this region and was thrilled to learn all that I did. Highly recommend visiting this richly historic, beautiful city.
I stayed at Hostel Alessandro Downtown and it was not my favorite, but only because it was very big, which means it is difficult to meet people. The kitchen was only available after breakfast. The common room was too big so people ended up sitting alone at different tables instead of all close together. The rooms were big, but the lockers were a little janky. Some worked and some did so I was a little paranoid that it would be easy to break the locks (luckily no one did). Anyway, I wouldn’t stay here again.
WHERE TO EAT:
I was only in Rome for 2 nights, 1 day so it was quick! I did eat some delicious pasta and pizza, but surprising it is easy to find pasta and pizza 🙂 I did eat some delicious gelato at Venchi!
WHAT TO DO:
Because I only had one day I decided to walk around Rome and see the sights, but not take the time to go inside anything. I know I will be back and hopefully with more money, so it made sense to just visit the outside of all the incredible sites. I started with the Colosseum the first night I arrived because that was the closest to my hostel. I caught it right at sunset and it was incredible!
Perfect timing!
My one full day started with a visit to the Vatican, where I managed to see the Pope speak. What a unique experience.
St. Peter’s Basilica
The Pope!
After meandering through the smallest country in the world I headed to Castel Sant’ Angelo, Piazza Navona, then the Pantheon.
Castel Sant’ Angelo
Piazza Navona
Pantheon
After a quick gelato break I arrived at the Trevi fountain, where I just sat and watched all the tourists get their selfie/boomerang of them throwing a coin in the water! Pretty funny stuff.
Next up was the Spanish steps before heading to the ruins. The ruins were probably my favorite part because it made you think about all the people who came before those of us living today, and how they built an entire city. It’s crazy how much is left standing after all these years!
Spanish Steps
I’m guessing this is kinda old?
Walking around Rome
Streets of Rome
Ruins
More Ruins
EVEN MORE RUINS
Finally after miles and miles of walking I turned back to the hostel to pack up before getting up at 3:45 to catch a flight to Greece!
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
I went in with such low expectations of Rome because I am not into museums or religion… so I wasn’t sure what I would do in Rome, BUT I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed my day exploring the city. However, I wouldn’t say Rome is the best city for solo travelers. Like Paris, I think Rome is better with someone, whether it be a parent, sibling, friend or S.O.
The Pursuit Of Travel