Living in Mexico has played a big role during my 22 years of nonstop travel. On four separate occasions I’ve called Playa del Carmen home, spending anywhere from 4 – 12 months living in this pleasant town. The main appeal is the laid-back vibe, attractive beaches, excellent weather, great food options and diverse population of people from around the world. Another major bonus is the ability to take incredible day trips and weekend getaways. Everything from Mayan ruins, underground ca

  The southeastern Australian state of New South Wales is well known for its national parks, coastal cities, and rugged coastlines. Visitors travel hundreds of miles to explore the Blue Mountains, various surf beaches, and even dozens of wineries within The Hunter Valley region.  As familiar as you might be with the offerings of NSW, discovering group activities can be a little harder. If you’re about to set off on an Australian adventure, here are some not-to-be-missed experiences fo

  Every now and then while traveling, there comes a week when everything magically falls into place, with one remarkable experience after another. Some moments might have been planned, others spontaneous and several completely unexpected, but together, the result is almost hard to believe, in the best way possible. That was my past week, while on a spectacular Las Vegas Grand Canyon road trip. It all began with…   The Las Vegas Experience Despite the 118F (48C) temperatures

The last thing anyone wants to do in the time of COVD-19 is to wait in long queues in a busy office for several hours to submit a paper application form. And that is exactly what you used to have to do if you wanted to convert your foreign driver license into a local one for a stay longer than 90 days in the Philippines.  In response to quarantine restrictions and the temporary closure of some of its physical offices during this time, the Land Transportation Office of the Philippines intro

Oh my. I just watched the sunrise from the highest platform of my super fun cat tower. A few minutes ago, I devoured a plate of white ocean fish mixed with salmon flakes! Can you believe it? Salmon flakes! Seriously, what a wild ride my life has been. And I’m only 4 months old. My name is Matcha, by the way. I’m this little domestic short haired cat from Bali and boy do I have a story to tell! __ The First Day: Hungry and Scared It all began when I was born I guess. It’s a bit fuzzy but I

  New York, New York. What a wonderful and busy city it is. It should be on your bucket list and you have to visit it at least once in a lifetime. It has a little bit of everything to offer both locals and tourists, which is why we are going to share with you some of our best tips and options you should see during your trip.   Lady Liberty, best known as the Statue of Liberty The Statue of Liberty is a part of the city’s skyline. Located on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, the

Mysterious and exotic, full of enigma and charm, Caucasus tours are filled with alluring landscapes and lovely people that are sure to take your breath away. Flanked by the Black Sea to the west and the Caspian Sea to the east, the Caucasus is home to the Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus mountain range, where Mount Elbrus, Europe’s highest peak, rises majestically over Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Predominantly occupied by Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia, the Caucasus

Guest post by long-term traveler Jacqueline Boss It’s easy to be dazzled by the romantic allure of a nomadic, no-roots lifestyle. But as with any path less taken, the way can seem hazier, scarier and more dangerous. I’m here to tell you, as someone who has been paid to travel for 10 years, that it’s not only simple to become a permanent wanderer, but also that you don’t need to be wealthy or retired to do it. There is a vibrant subculture of travelers doing jobs in beautiful places and liv

It’s time…I’m now announcing the Wandering Earl Tours for 2020! Are you ready to join an awesome small group trip that is nothing like a typical tour? These are my laid-back adventures that focus on local interaction, authentic activities, unique itineraries, off-the-beaten path destinations and having an incredible amount of fun along the way! I’ve now been offering these trips for 7 years, with over 350 travelers having joined tours to 22 different countries. And

For those visiting Japan, it’s crucial to find the perfect place to stay. But considering the grueling journey to get there, the perfect place to stay has to be relaxing first and foremost. And there are plenty of places to kick back and relax in Japan. But this famous tourist spot is such an enormous destination that you’ll likely be as overwhelmed as you are entranced by all there is to see. Whether it’s a warm, soothing onsen, a peaceful stroll through an enchanting ga

  After my recent 3 night / 4 day trip into the Chernobyl exclusion zone, it’s time to share some photos. This trip was intense and everywhere I looked there were scattered pieces of a once thriving community, something that does not make for a light experience. If you want to read my impressions and advice about traveling to Chernobyl, please check out my blog post: 4 Day Chernobyl Trip: Impressions, Advice and Photos The below photos include shots from the main abandoned town

I thought it would only be about abandoned buildings. And while we did visit and wander through dozens of schools, cafes, bus stations, hospitals, hotels, boat houses, supermarkets, television shops, summer camps, and a ton of more places, the experience of a Chernobyl trip went far beyond all of that. For 3 nights and 4 days we were in ‘the zone’. It was eye-opening, educational and very raw, all in one. We stayed in an old Soviet hotel in Chernobyl city, the only working town in the excl

Tourist crowds. I’m not a huge fan. I just don’t feel comfortable when the streets are jam-packed, when I need to constantly dodge other people, when I’m faced with lines and groups and little space to call my own. As travel becomes more and more popular and commonplace though, such tourist crowds seem to be the norm all over the world. Walking down the street in many destinations requires a lot of focus in order to avoid bumping into strollers, lost tourists and group le

When heading to the Galapagos, you certainly have some options. You can try and do it alone, basing yourself out of Puerto Ayoro and arranging day trips to other islands. Or you could join a multi-day Galapagos cruise and travel between the islands on a boat. A Galapagos cruise is not a typical cruise. These are not huge ships with thousands of passengers. Most of the boats are of the yacht type, some looking good and others looking like they’ve seen much better days, holding anywhere from

  It really is the best cafe in Lisbon. We figured this out as soon as we stepped inside. The place is relaxed, well-decorated and offers comfy chairs perfectly positioned in front of huge windows overlooking the city below. There’s a great balcony with tables, too. I think the view from this cafe is one of the best views of the city by far. The food and drink here are excellent and cheap. We enjoyed coffee followed by a bottle of vinho verde (12 Euros) and a huge cheese and hom

  If you want to travel the world for a year with your partner and children, here are some things to know about getting it right: Make Sure It’s the Right Decision The reality of long term travel is that it isn’t always fun or easy. While there are plenty of adventures to look forward to, you should also prepare yourself for boredom, disrupted travel plans, poor weather, uncomfortable situations, and more. This is not meant to put you off your gap year. Rather, it is meant to of

  At the heart of walking holidays in Spain lies the Camino de Santiago – Pilgrimage of Compostela – known as the Way of St James in English. This is a network of pilgrim paths dating back to the 9th century, when the remains of the apostle Saint James the Great were discovered, in which different towns and villages across Europe all lead back to Santiago, Spain. Although Camino de Santiago Frances begins in France, these routes all end in Spain. For this reason, Spain has

1. Stay with nomads in the wilds of Kyrgyzstan A horse grazing at Song Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan (Shutterstock) What better way to commune with the incredible landscapes of Kyrgyzstan than by staying in yurts in its alpine heart with YellowWood Adventures. Wanderlust readers’ voted Kyrgyzstan their favourite emerging destination, and you’ll quickly understand why as you explore the area around