Halong Bay, Vietnam. One of My Fave Trips Ever

Ah, my sorely neglected blog. Sadly, during the pandemic, I didn’t do much traveling and kept my eating to a small number of local restaurants in West Palm Beach, Florida. But finally, I have an exciting and relevant update for my PassportDelicious.com audience. Given my love of travel and all the pent-up travel demand coming out of COVID, late last year, I became a Virtuoso travel advisor. I wanted to let you know more about Virtuoso and what I can do for you when it comes to travel.

What is Virtuoso?
Virtuoso is a worldwide network of travel agencies with specializations in luxury and experiential travel. Importantly, bookings made through Virtuoso advisors come with value-added perks for no additional cost to you! Here are some of the benefits…

• Daily breakfast for 2 guests per room
• Room upgrade (subject to availability)
• Early check-in (subject to availability)
• Late checkout (subject to availability)
• A special Virtuoso amenity (typically a $100 property credit or other amenity valued at a minimum of $100, like a massage or resort credit)

The catalog of Virtuoso hotels includes name-brand chains like Conrad, Four Seasons, Hilton, Mandarin Oriental, Marriott, Rosewood, Peninsula, Ritz Carlton, Shangri-La, St. Regis, Viceroy, and Waldorf.

Booking Virtuoso rates with me is a lot like stacking benefits! Because a Virtuoso hotel rate still goes through the hotel’s booking system, you can still earn hotel points, elite night credits, and even enjoy hotel elite benefits when booking through me. But you just get a little something extra. Doesn’t that sound awesome?

OK, But What’s the Difference between Virtuoso and Amex Platinum Hotel Benefits?
I’ve gotten this question from a few friends recently and the simple answer is…it depends. For example, I’m working with an old friend on a trip to Vietnam. At first, she just assumed that she would get perks at all the hotels through Amex Platinum so she didn’t need me. I confirmed that 3 out of 5 of the hotels she selected for her trip did not offer any Amex Platinum benefits. By booking these hotels through me, she got spa credits, hotel credits, and free champagne! Score!

What Else Can You Do, Krista?
I have access to vetted and specially selected travel partners all over the world to help plan your perfect trip. For example, if you want to spend 10 days in Thailand, I will put together an amazing itinerary for you where all you have to do is show up. Want to self-drive Iceland but not entirely by yourself? I can set you up with an amazing self-drive itinerary with all your hotels and tours included. With my itineraries, all the transfers, hotels, and tours will be bundled together for one price. I can also do cruises (ocean and river) and any sort of tour pretty much anywhere. If you want to rent a yacht or charter a jet or reserve all 80 cabins on an AmaWaterways river cruise, I can do that for you too.

Yeah, But Does Anyone Use a Travel Advisor These Days?
Given how busy I am at the moment, the simple answer is YES.

I can save you a lot of time in researching places you don’t know and I can create an entirely seamless itinerary for you where all you have to do is show up. And of course, as a Virtuoso advisor, I can elevate your entire trip.

Here’s a personal story about the value of a travel advisor. In 2017, I decided to spend 10 days bouncing around the Cyclades in Greece. (This is the part of Greece where Mykonos and Santorini are located.) I tried to do it myself but quickly got flummoxed by the ferry schedules and the sizes of each island. I knew that there was probably a better way to organize my trip. So I gave my request to a travel advisor, who helped me see more of the Cyclades in 10 days than I ever would have seen on my own. (I visited Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Antiparos, and Koufonisia.) Also, every time I got off a ferry, there was a guy with my name on a sign and all I had to do was follow him. It was fantastic. And now, with my connections, I can organize the same thing for you.

What Can’t You Do, Krista?
Sometimes, people will ask me if I can beat a hotel price. To be completely transparent with you, I usually can’t. What I can do though is get you something extra (like a welcome amenity or an onboard credit or an upgrade). So if you’re price shopping, I hope you understand that I’m probably not your girl!

The other thing I don’t really do is flights. Flights are hard work and, well, if I book your flight for you, I don’t actually get paid for that – unless I charge you a booking fee — so that’s no fun. One exception to this is when booking flights for cruises. If you’re taking a cruise, it can be quite convenient to book the flight through the cruise line, so I will help you do that. (Plus, the cruise lines usually have enough buying power to get you a small discount!)

Lastly, I can’t help you with points bookings, either for hotels or airlines. The rules for using points are complex and it’s never as easy as you think it will be. Trust me. I’ve been trying to play the points and miles game for years.

So How Should I Use You, Krista?
At the simplest level, use me for free hotel breakfasts and welcome amenities when booking hotels!! But also consider me if you and 10 of your closest friends want to bounce around Croatia or Thailand for a week or two. I love working on vacation itineraries in Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. I can pretty much do the entire world of course but Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia are really my bag.

Next Steps
If you’re planning a trip, let’s do a 30-minute free consultation. I can suggest some ideas during our call and tell you how I can help you. Drop me a note if you’d like to chat. The call is entirely free!

The post On Becoming a Travel Advisor first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

And I’m not alone either. According to a recent Guardian article, OpenTable recently reported that reservations for one have increased across the UK by 160% since 2014.

Now after 10+ years in London and many trips in between during my four years in exile in Chicago, I’ve racked up quite a few solo dinners. Here are my favorite restaurants for solo dining in London. They are grouped by cuisine but no more than that. Read the entire list as these are all places that I equally love, depending on my mood, my budget, and how willing I am to travel.

(If you work for the PR firm for one or more of these restaurants, I’d love some images of the bar seating. Please feel free to email me at kristainlondon at gmail dot com.)

Spanish

Barrafina Coal Drops Yard

Barrafina (All Branches)

Barrafina is an amazing tapas chain with a small number of locations spread out across Central London. They are all extremely friendly AND delicious to boot. They do not take reservations so showing up  with a large group at peak times is not advised. Get in early and ask your server for his/her recommendations. You’ll want to be strategic about your order because some dishes are more meant for sharing. Your server will never steer you wrong at Barrafina! Excellent changing specials menu and great wines too!

Iberica (All Branches)

Iberica is a very reliable Spanish tapas chain with beautiful decor. I sorta want whoever designed Iberica Farringdon to come over and design my house. I’ve spent many an evening at the bar at the Iberica Farringdon, slowly working my way through the menu and enjoying their very good value wines by the glass. Make sure you ask to see the bar menu in addition to the regular menu…the bar menu has all the small snacks which are perfect when you are not super hungry.

Seafood

The Bar at J Sheekey

J. Sheekey

If you’re looking for a clubby old-world feel, J. Sheekey is it. If you’re also the type of person who can down a dozen oysters in one seating, this is definitely the place for you! J. Sheekey is very seafood focused. The bar area is compact but the perfect place to down some Champagne while you’re enjoying some of London’s best crustaceans. Somehow the bar manages to always feel lively and fun for me, even at the quietest of times. I usually drop in here after a heavy afternoon of shopping in Covent Garden.

Bentley’s

If you can’t get into J. Sheekey for oysters and champagne, head on over to Bentley’s  for more of the same.  They’ll shuck the oysters right in front of you — they claim to open more oysters per day than any other London restaurant. This is one of London’s older establishments as well…Bentley’s has been around for over 100 years. I like the overall feel of Bentley’s and the location, right off Piccadilly Circus, really can’t be beat.

Wright Brothers Spitalfields

Wright Brothers

Wright Brothers Spitalfields was my go-to place on the weekends in London — never too crowded and great, friendly service. Wright Brothers has a number of locations around London but while I really love the long bar at the Spitalfields branch of Wright Brothers, Kelly from A Pair of Passports recently recommended the downstairs bar at the South Kensington location to me. She says, “With delicious seafood and a romantic setting, Wright Brothers is easily our favorite spot for a date night in London. Their newest location, at Battersea Power Station, offers the option to dine at the marble counter, perfect for anyone who enjoys watching the chefs work. At first glance, this riverside location seems more casual than the other Wright Brothers locations, but it doesn’t take long to recognize that it has the same wonderful, romantic ambiance as all the others.

Wright Brothers offers a relatively small permanent menu; however, there are also creative daily specials to consider. The chain specialize in seafood but they usually have a few non-fish options on the menu as well — thus worth a visit no matter what your meal preferences are. Our personal favorite thing to order? Oysters. All of them are wonderful, but we recommend trying at least one of the dressed oysters. On our most recent visit, the Tempura dressed oysters completely blew us away!”

Italian

Padella London

Padella

Padella is a fun little Italian place right by Borough market. There’s a bar right in the middle where you can enjoy wine on tap (!!!) and any of Padella’s fab pastas. Service is very efficient…I always feel like when I go to Padella, I’m in and out in less than 30 minutes! Padella is definitely not fast food, but rather, their pastas are extremely fresh  and made on site daily. Historically there have also been huge queues at popular times so definitely plan ahead for this one.

Bocca di Lupo

If you’re in Central London and fancy a quick meal pre- or post-theatre bowl of pasta, Bocca di Lupo is a great option. The seasonal menu changes daily. The dining room here is always buzzing — you might actually want to make a reservation before heading over. This is a great option if you want to hang out in Soho before or after or have theatre tickets close by.

Lina Stores Restaurant

Lina Stores Restaurant

For years, Lina Stores has offered delicious pasta and deli products to the hungriest of Londoners through their shop in London’s Soho. Now they have their own restaurant — Lina Stores Restaurant —  with counter seating for those of us who don’t want to bring the pasta home and cook it ourselves! Note the shop is on Brewer Street and the restaurant is on Greek Street. Prices are particularly nice for Central London. This is a great option for a casual but central night out.

Bancone

Bancone is like all bar dining all the time so it’s great for a solo bowl of pasta. Service is friendly and efficient. You might want to make a reservation though because last time I dropped in for a late Saturday lunch the place was packed and there was a wait for counter space. This is a fun, lively place and if you’re lucky, they’ll be making pasta fresh in the window while you’re there.

American

Spuntino

It’s hard to decide exactly where to put Spuntino but they call themselves Italian-American comfort food but I think they’re more American than anything else. I LOVE Spuntino — it’s a great place for a quick snack if you’re around Soho and Piccadilly Circus. It can sometimes feel more like a bar than a restaurant but the menu has plenty of great options.  Get the truffled egg toast!

Japanese

The bar at Roka Charlotte Street

Roka

I like Roka especially because for a change, we’re in super comfortable regular chairs as solo diners — no bar stools! Roka has great Japanese barbecue — I love the set up at Roka Charlotte Street because you get to watch all the barbecue action while it happens. Great cocktails and overall vibe too. This is a great place to go on your own if you’re looking for something a bit buzzy. Best to make a reservation.

Bone Daddies Soho

Bone Daddies

Do you like ramen? Do you like rock and roll? Then Bone Daddies is the place for you! Multiple locations with communal and bar seating but I am fond of the original Soho location. Cool staff, cool food, cool tunes. Don’t be afraid to wear the bib.  You won’t be alone. You’ll have a fun time here at a reasonable price. Bone Daddies is a super casual, come as you are kind of place.

Koya Bar Soho

Koya Bar is a great little place for udon and small dishes of fantastic Japanese food. It’s a super small place — maybe the smallest restaurant out of those on my list. They don’t take reservations so don’t show up with eight of your closest friends. Koya is best enjoyed with one friend or maybe two or of course — as a solo diner. Note they have multiple locations but I’m not sure if all have bar seating. Soho definitely does!

Thai

Kiln

Kiln makes me hungry just thinking about it. It’s a great spot for northern Thai food and what I love is that you can watch them cooking nearly everything from your seat at the bar. The counter seating is walk-in only and there is often a wait so go early or go late! I’m not sure how I can do justice to the food in writing — it’s spectacular.

Israeli

The bar at The Palomar. Photo by Helen Cathcart, @helencathcart

The Palomar

The Palomar is just plain FUN. It’s like they are all doing their best to make sure you have a great time, even if you’re alone at the bar. They used to do this pot of Yemeni bread which was amazing. I don’t see it on the menu now but instead, you can have the Handmade Pittas Josperized with love?? You know what…just get anything they tell you to get. They know what they are doing and you will have fun and eat delicious food and maybe get a little happy drunk in the process.

Hot Dogs (I’m Serious.)

Bubbledogs

Do you like hot dogs? Do you like champagne? If yes to both questions, then Bubbledogs is the place for you!! This place is entertainingly random and the communal seating makes it great for a solo diner. Because if you are going to drink alone, drink Champagne! And uh, have some hot dogs too.

Modern British

The Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs

OK, so no hot dogs here at the Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs but what you will find is an excellent tasting menu and great counter seating. If you are looking to splurge a bit — the tasting menu is £150 — this is a great option for a solo diner. Two Michelin Stars to boot! And my favorite thing…that open kitchen. The seating here is particularly comfy.

The Ivy

The Ivy in Covent Garden has a wonderful central dining bar that does not require reservations. If you want to hang out with the beautiful people and enjoy some great modern British cuisine (think Shepherd’s Pie and fish and chips), this is a great option. Although they don’t take reservations, The Ivy is very popular at nearly all times of the week so I recommend that you get there early or late to secure a spot.

Summary of The Best Solo Dining in London

Those are some of my favorite restaurants for solo dining in London. What are yours? Tell me in the comments! (And as I note above, if you are the PR for one ore more of these restaurants, I’d love to add photos of the bar seating so please send any photos to kristainlondon at gmail dot com.)

You Might Also Enjoy These Posts

• My Favorite London Restaurants
• How to Save Money on Restaurants in London
• The Best London Souvenirs
• The Best Non-Touristy Things to Do in London

The post The Best Solo Dining in London first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

Our Nour el Nil boat, The Malouka. She looks smaller than she is!

Interested in exploring Egypt? I am now a Virtuoso travel advisor! Reach out to me via my travel agency website, antidotetravel.com. I’d love to help you with your trip!

Ages ago, before I left London in September, I made a list of places I wanted to go.

Egypt was on the list.

I had done some research (OK a lot of research) on Nile cruises and I kept coming back to one: Nour el Nil. I’ll be honest — it was the red and white sails and the crystal chandeliers that got me. Sigh. Doing it for the ‘gram.

I didn’t think anyone would want to go with me to Egypt. You know…because everyone thinks it’s unsafe. I had done my own research though and I felt comfortable going. Although I didn’t necessarily want to go alone.

Luckily for me, within *minutes* of e-mailing my friends Karen and Bob about Nour el Nil, they’d said yes and we had a date and we were going to Egypt! It was kinda crazy actually how quickly it all came together. (Karen and Bob are the owners of The Frost House, a mid-century modern home in Indiana that is totally worth following on Instagram.)

I wish all travel plans with friends were this easy.

Nour el Nil is a dahabiya, a smaller sailing barge for about 40 people as opposed to the baby cruise ships for 200 that make their way down the Nile. Historically, dahabiyas were the vessels that took tourists up and down the Nile for years until the invention of the steam engine.

I feel like selecting Nour el Nil for our cruise down the Nile is one of the best decisions I have ever made. Confirmed for me shortly before we set sail when Pilar Guzman, former Editor and Chief of Conde Nast Traveler, wrote about her trip on Nour el Nil and how fabulous it was.

She was right. cruising down the Nile with Nour el Nil was also one of the best vacations I have ever had. The pace was totally my pace. One big thing a day. Maybe two. Max three. Great food. Great wine — Le Baron Egyptian sparkling wine is really very good — and great conversation. A little walking but nothing too strenuous or time consuming.

Perfect really.

Itinerary on Nour el Nil

We did so much but yet so little on Nour el Nil. If you, like me, like to know what is going on at all times of the day, you will struggle a bit unless you are good at talking to people and getting the information you need. There is no printed agenda for the day pushed under your door every evening. There is no white board with the day’s plan in the common area. There is just your boat manager (maybe) telling everyone at breakfast (maybe) what is going to happen next and then (maybe) at lunch he’ll (maybe) tell you again. If you want more information, you will have to ask for it! I apparently became very good at this because the rest of the passengers on Malouka — our boat — would often come to me for information. “Krista, what are we doing next? You always know what’s going on!” “Well, I talked to Sawy (our boat manager) and he says…”

Hah. It was funny.

I don’t want to give away too much because who knows what will happen on your cruise, but beyond lazing around and reading 1.5 books and eating a lot of delicious food and drinking a lot of Egyptian sparking wine, here’s what happened on our tour at a very high level:

My Room at Al Moudira in Luxor

Monday: We were picked up from the absolutely stunning Al Moudira Hotel on the West Bank of Luxor in the morning and driven around 1.5 hours to Esna, where the Nour el Nil boats depart from. Once we were in Esna, our driver and the team from Nour el Nil moved our luggage to the boats and we went off with two guides to visit The Temple of Khnum.

It was a really hot day and the temple was blissfully cool. There was a lot of restoration work going on in and around the temple — watching the workers was actually pretty interesting as they passed items up and down a steep hill at the back of the temple.

Some of the columns still boasted their original colors which was amazing.

After a quick gauntlet through the market in front of the temple where everyone wanted to sell us something, we headed over to the Nour el Nil boats. There was a small moment of panic in that our luggage seemed to have been distributed haphazardly among the boats but eventually we found everything.

We quickly dropped our bags off in our cute all white rooms and went off to explore the rest of the Malouka.

The library on the boat was quite beautiful but we never really spent any time here! We spent all our time on deck.

Soon the sails were up and we were on our way, cruising down the Nile. We had a wonderful lunch on board and then visited a local village later in the afternoon. For some reason, I didn’t take many pictures in the village but that’s okay because that means it will be more of a surprise for you!

Tuesday: On Tuesday, we had the option of going for an early morning walk in the local countryside and watching the camels at work in the fields. A lot of people chose to sleep in instead but I had a great time doing this. I loved watching all the animals and the people. (The trails were a bit muddy though so as I mention below, proper footwear is essential!)

Once the camels were loaded up with sugarcane, we followed them to the sugarcane barge which was in the process of being filled.

The barge was a beehive of activity so early in the morning. It was a bit of organized chaos!

We spent a while chatting with the guests on the other Nour el Nil dahabiyas along with our crews and watching the activity before heading back on board for breakfast.

Inside El Kab

Later in the morning once everyone was awake and fed, we took a meandering walk to El Kab and toured a few of the tombs. We were some of the only tourists there — it was amazing. The engravings are truly magnificent and in pretty excellent condition considering  some parts of El Kab are from 3000 BC!

Temple of Edfu

After a leisurely lunch and some more cruising, we headed to the Temple of Edfu, one of the most well-preserved Egyptian temples. It was truly stunning. All in all, this was a really action-packed day. I was actually worried that every day would be like this — I like a bit more downtime — but as it turned out, I had nothing to fear.

Nour el Nil Sailing

Wednesday: Wednesday was apparently a pretty chill day because I did not take a lot of pictures of anything but water and boats. I think we went for a walk in the morning because I also took some pictures of plants. I skipped the main evening walk once they said it would be about two hours long and just planned on chilling on the boat with a few others. But then Captain Hamdi took us on his own personalized tour of our docking area for the evening, cracking us up with all his jokes along the way. I think it was nice to have such a chill day like this after the previous day’s activities.

Thursday: On Thursday morning, we got the official version of the tour of the tombs above that Captain Hamdi took us on the night before. It wasn’t half as entertaining — Captain Hamdi is a ham — but it was still informative and interesting.

Later in the day, we stopped at a local village for some tea and shisha. Afterwards, a bunch of guests went swimming in the Nile but I decided to stay on the boat and just watch everyone go swimming. (The current is pretty fast and by all reports, in late March, the water was COLD.)

The light on the Nile is truly fabulous and we enjoyed another beautiful sunset, sad that we only had two more evenings on the boat together. What I found amazing is that everything went so quickly but yet so slowly. How is that possible??

Friday: On Friday, we visited Kom Ombo, also known as the Crocodile Temple.

It is seriously amazing to me that these structures are still standing over two thousand years later.
After a quick tour of the Crocodile Museum — lots of mummified crocodiles at all stages of life — and some more sailing, we docked for the evening. After a lovely farewell dinner and saying goodbye to everyone, we packed our bags and went to sleep on the Malouka for the very last time. (Unless that is I can find some people to go with me for a second trip!)

Lobby of The Old Cataract

Saturday: After an early breakfast on Saturday morning, we left the boat around 9 am. Nour el Nil arranged our transfer to The Sofitel Old Cataract where we spent a few hours drinking coffee and taking picture while we waited for our flight back to Cairo. In hindsight, I wish we had stayed a night at The Old Cataract.  OR if that wasn’t feasible, I wish we had taken an earlier flight to Cairo. We lost a few hours here. It was a very relaxing few hours though — we were too templed out to see anything else in Aswan at this point.

OK, now that you know about the itinerary, here are a few more logistical and operational things you should know about Nour el Nil.

My Room on The Malouka. With Towel/Pillow Elephant!

Rooms on Our Nour el Nil Dahabiya, Malouka

The rooms on our dahabiya were very simple. They are nicely decorated but they are fairly basic. To be fair, the photos online on Nour el Nil’s website show them at their very very best. I thought the bed was super comfortable — big cozy duvet and great high mattress — but some on our boat people found the mattress too hard. If anything, I think I could have done with nicer pillows. (Note that the bed in my room was “matrimonial” — i.e., two twin beds pushed together. I know this can really annoy some Americans but it doesn’t bother me.) The bathroom is actually a decent size for a boat and there are a lot of mirrors — something I think most hotel rooms lack! If I lived on this boat, I would probably re-tile and re-grout the bathroom. In general, I didn’t spend any time in my room except at night and one short nap I took one afternoon so you should be fine. But if you are looking for The Ritz, this isn’t it. And if you’re used to US cruise ships with their evening turn down service, this isn’t it either. One thing about the hot water — there was one morning where I took a shower later that everyone else on the boat and didn’t have the hottest shower because of it. The rest of the cruise was totally fine but I made it a point from then on to take showers at times when I guessed there would be plenty of hot water.

The Amazing Falafel Lunch

Food & Drinks on Nour el Nil

I loved loved loved the food on our cruise — my review of the food is overwhelmingly postive! On the Malouka, we had Chef Hashem who was in the Army for many years. I thought his food was excellent. The Egyptian fish and chips was a fun highlight, as was the falafel lunch we enjoyed on the low seating one afternoon. I thought the food was really healthy — lots of vegetables and salads if you wanted them. Plenty of meat for the meat lovers. The lamb moussaka one evening was particularly good.

I think I mentioned earlier (maybe like three times already?) my love of the Egyptian sparkling wine on Nour el Nil, Le Baron. We later encountered it in other hotels in Cairo so you can look forward to it on your trip to Egypt. On the boat, although wine and beer are available, the crew is limited in what mixed drinks they can provide. Consider bringing a few bottles of duty free booze with you. One of our fellow travelers brought some Scotch whisky that was particular popular one evening. And one afternoon, the crew made us cocktails out of the random assorted alcohol that our fellow passengers had brought along. We christened one Brazilian caipirinha-style beverage “The Malouka” after our boat. I came back from my nap one afternoon to find everyone drinking fresh Bloody Marys made with real tomato juice. The crew has access to plenty of fresh fruit and herbs so honestly, as the sun starts to set, get creative with your cocktail making!

Note that there are surprise snacks! But you have to know to ask for them. We were huge fans of the popcorn as well as the peanuts from Esna — once we discovered they existed. You can also get cheese and olives. I was so surprised one day when I saw one of our British passengers stretched out like a pasha, eating from a plate of cheddar!! I was like “Where did you get the dairy products???”

There was one vegan on our cruise and she was well-catered for. At breakfast each morning, she got huge platters of amazingly fresh looking fruit. I sorta wonder in hindsight if I could have asked for anything more interesting for breakfast. I stuck with a cheese omelette most days and it was very good. A few passengers became huge fans of the “Spanish omelette” — really just an omelette with peppers and onions. In short, you won’t go hungry at breakfast but don’t hesitate to ask for something you want. Thinking back, I probably would have asked for my own big fruit platter with my breakfast and shared it with the table. The OJ at breakfast is particularly delicious. And the coffee is really good too — just make sure you let the French press sit for a while before you push it down. I’m all about the French press but it seemed to be new to some of our fellow American travelers.

Weather & Packing for Your Nour el Nil Cruise

It will be very cool in the evening!! You may be surprised by this. I packed a lot of summer dresses that I never wore because after 5 pm, I needed layers. I lived in two hoodies I picked up at the last minute at Uniqlo before leaving London and two long dresses I bought from Boden.

I brought a pair of old New Balance sneakers and in hindsight, I wish I had brought some sturdy high-top sneakers or hiking boots like these modern Forsake hiking boots. The crew will take you for walks most days and it can be either a bit muddy or sandy or both. My socks were always totally dirty inside and out by the time I got back to the boat BUT the crew actually cleaned them for me!!??? (I don’t believe laundry service is provided generally but apparently they will clean your socks if you leave them in your shoes!) The crew will also clean your shoes. Amazing.

Definitely bring a good hat because you will out in the sun a lot while you are touring around. I recommend a roll up hat like this one so it’s easy to pack. Sunscreen is also a must.

You will have some downtime most days after lunch and before dinner. Bring a few books or your Kindle. I spent a lot of time on deck, just reading and watching the Nile go by. It was lovely. I want to do it again.

One last thing — you may want to bring small gifts for locals you encounter. We learned for example that some locals like pens…apparently they are a bit expensive in Egypt? I also wish I had brought some sort of American candy for the kids we encountered.

Service on Our Nour el Nil Cruise

I thought service on the boat was excellent. One afternoon, I admired the kohl on Alberto’s eyes and he offered to apply some for me the next day. (Apparently Chef Hashem is the kohl expert. He can also give you a haircut if you need one.) Everyone on the Malouka was very sweet and attentive. Maybe because I had been traveling for six months by the time I got to Egypt, but I asked everyone’s names and by Day 2, I knew most of the crew. This is a very simple thing that I suggest you do…getting to know the crew makes the cruise so much more enjoyable and interesting. Captain Hamdi was particularly fun to get to know…such a positive, happy person. The world needs more Captain Humpty Dumptys! (His nickname.)

Money on the Boat

Bring a lot of cash. You’ll want to tip at least 100 euros for each person in a cabin per Nour el Nil’s recommendation. I tipped a bit more because I thought the service was excellent and I’m American and it’s hard for me not to tip. And then you’ll need to pay your bar bill. Karen, Bob and I split many of our drinks but we uh still drank a lot of Egyptian sparkling wine which was 500 Egyptian pounds a bottle in early 2019. In hindsight, I wish I had brought about $500 USD in Egyptian pounds with me so I didn’t have to run to the cash machine to pay my bill at the end. On the night before the end of the cruise, I asked for an approximation of how much I owed. Then many of us went to the cash machine in Kom Ombo. (Lots of people piled into the back of a covered pickup truck but I shared a tuk-tuk with one of the guys from my boat along with someone from Nour el Nil.) The ATM at the last cruise stop at the Crocodile temple in Kom Ombo is about a 10 to 15 minute bumpy drive from where the boats dock. The cool thing is that you actually get to see a town along the Nile but it’s still sort of a pain of a ride. (Although maybe the view from the back of the pick-up truck isn’t as good as the one from the tuk-tuk.) When we went to the ATM, the queue was pretty long and one of the two ATMs ran out of cash. It was basically an hour that I would have rather spent on the boat!

The ATMs by the dock at the Temple of Edfu are MUCH more convenient so get money from there if you need to a few days earlier. It’s a very very short horse & buggy of ride or taxi ride from the dock. We had our driver take me to the cash machine on the way back from the temple. So tip #1: Get money in Cairo or Luxor.  Tip #2: Get money in Esna. Tip #3: Get money at one of the cash machines by the dock at the Temple of Edfu. Tip #4: Try to avoid waiting until Kom Ombo to get money.

Note you might be limited in how many Egyptian pounds you can take out. (3000?) But just try again and it may let you take out the same amount a second time. (That’s what a few people on the Malouka said worked for them.)

I’ve just told you to bring a lot of cash but here’s the thing…there’s no safe in the room on Nour el Nil. There was a nightstand drawer in my room that I could lock but it was fairly basic. I trusted the crew implicitly but you may want to consider a money belt or Pacsafe. Most passengers just left their stuff in their rooms but I tended to carry my passport and wallet with me everywhere because that’s just how I am.

Other Amenities on our Nou el Nil Cruise

Note that we traveled in a group of four Nour el Nil dhabiyas. There was a shop on one of the boats with really beautiful jewelry and clothing — another reason to bring more cash — and there was also the option of getting a massage. I wish these things had been better advertised because we didn’t figure this out til the 2nd to last night on the cruise.

Nour el Nil: My Ultimate Review

Nour el Nil is a wonderful, wonderful way to experience The Nile — again my review of Nour el Nil and our dahabiya experience is overwhelmingly positive. We passed a lot of the bigger boats (or well, they passed us) and we felt very very lucky to be having such an intimate experience on our dahabiya. You will too.  You should go!

Interested in exploring Egypt? I am now a Virtuoso travel advisor! Reach out to me via my travel agency website, antidotetravel.com. I’d love to help you with your trip!

The post Nour El Nil: My Dahabiya Nile Cruise Review first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

Centara Ras Fushi Maldives Pool

As the end of my temporary life on the road grows close — I think I have about two months left if that — I’ve been thinking a lot of deep thoughts. Very deep thoughts. Have I learned anything? Do I do anything differently? Should I do anything differently? And why, when I have so many amazing places I could write about (Chengdu! Xi’an!!), do I just want to write about what’s been going on in my head? It’s always the type of blog post I’ve preferred writing so…here you go…some stuff I’ve been thinking about these last few months…

(Read more about why I left London in September here.)

Always Wear a Bathing Cap If…

Let’s start with the mundane but important. IF you color your hair and go swimming in a swimming pool, you are really really dumb because now you’ll have to color your hair again. Chlorine undoes hair dye. I did not realize this until this year. I know. I’m dumb. Getting my hair colored in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Chiang Mai was actually pretty fun, but I think I will get one of these for future swims.

Scene of the Crime: The Train from Suzhou to Yichang

Buy a Bike Lock for Train Trips

If you travel on long-distance trains in China (or anywhere really), lock your bag to the overhead rack. Or else someone is going to grab your bag and rustle through it. Like what happened on my train to Suzhou to Yichang when I stopped a robbery. Seriously. (Experts recommend a bike lock like this one.)

Keep Your Personal Belongings Close

Related to the above but totally different…Don’t ever put your backpack with your laptop and valuable shit in the back of a taxi. I’ve had more than one situation where for oddly strange reasons that still are unclear to me, my taxi to or from an airport has had to pull over for seemingly arbitrary checks where the entire world turns out to investigate the trunk of the car. Worse still, there have been so many times where my drivers have decided to get gas while I’m in the car and this always seems to involve some sort of opening of the trunk. Keep your good stuff with you. Not in the trunk.

Distracted Driving is Everywhere

If you are hiring a driver or guide for the day, you might want to make a point of asking the travel agency for a few things upfront and being very very clear about them: you don’t want anyone one who is very tired and no one who is going to check their phone constantly while they drive. My closest brushes with death have all occurred in the last eight months, as drivers have nodded off and/or been distracted by their phones. (Just happened AGAIN in Belgrade on Monday. For the love of god. I practically had to hit the guy.) Would you report something like this? Especially in a low income country where it could cost someone their job?? This is the thing I wrestle with.

Instant Noodles FTW

Instant noodles are amazing. The world needs more instant noodles. I’ve made so many meals out of instant noodles these last few months. They are perfect solo dinner food. Buy some fresh broccoli and cut it up and instant noodles are even better. Instant noodles are cheap and delicious. High in sodium yes but delicious. And so many varieties! They are my new favorite breakfast.

Plastic on the Beach in Koh Lanta

There is Too Much Plastic in the World

Everywhere guys. Everywhere. There’s so much plastic. I can’t even put this into words. In Koh Lanta Thailand, where I started my trip back in September, I would take walks on the beach every morning — when it wasn’t pouring rain (don’t visit Thailand during monsoon season) — and I was devastated by the amount of plastic that appeared on the beach each morning. (Despite the numerous resources devoted to cleaning up the mess daily.) Oceans everywhere are full of plastic. Beaches everywhere are full of plastic. We need to get rid of plastic. Struggling with where to start? First step: Get rid of your shower gels. Switch back to old school soap that comes in a paper wrapper. And definitely stop drinking bottled water and buy a Lifestraw instead.

F*ck ATM Fees

The global banking system is messed up. I know I’m stupid for not having a US Schwab checking account with no international ATM fees but hey changing banks has high switching costs. (This is how they get you!) I don’t even want to know how much I’ve paid in ATM fees over the last eight months. Too much. ATM fees are stupid. I KNOW it doesn’t cost $10 for me to get money out of my US bank account from the airport in Macau. Is there a petition I can sign here about ATM fees? Can I become an anti-ATM fee influencer? Help a gal out.

The Only Way to Get Instagram Followers is To Buy Them

Speaking of influencers…I’ve hashtagged the shit out of all my Instagram photos over the last eight months — 30 hashtags on most pics which is the max — with very meager results. (Give us a follow love will ya?) This says a few things to me: 1. My photos are shit. (Not denying that.) 2. No one is following anyone on Instagram via hashtags these days 3. The people that have many many followers on Instagram were either early adopters OR have purchased Instagram followers. (Maybe both.) Real authentic growth is not easy. Unless you become famous (rare) or post a gazillion times a day (who has this much time unless you hire a virtual assistant) or play follow/unfollow (again who has this much time) or join one of those crazy Facebook groups where you all agree to comment on each other’s photos which to me is just like…stupid.

Everyone Loves Bieber

Despacito is still everywhere. I have heard Despacito within 24 hours of arriving in every country I’ve been to in the last eight months. I still sing it. I think it’s a good song. (Dude the video has over 6 BILLION views on Youtube! And it’s not even the version with Bieber.)

Da Nang Beach, known as China Beach to Americans during the Vietnam War

We are So So Doomed to Repeat Everything

We all need to know our history better. In Da Nang, Vietnam, the kind young man waiting on me was university educated but knew nothing about the French occupation of Vietnam. (“I only know about the American war,” he said, as we were discussing Bahn Mi. And just in case any Americans are perplexed by that statement — he means the Vietnam war, not the US Civil War.) In Taiwan, while I was enjoying my beef noodle breakfast, an older woman approached my breakfast table and demanded — demanded — my answer: “Do you think Taiwan should be a part of China?” I really just wanted to eat my beef noodles but I listened because I was woefully uninformed about Taiwan’s past. (The BBC has a good brief but imperfect explanation. ) In Belgrade, I tried to unsuccessfully explain to my bartender why the U.S. Confederate flag was not something to be proud of and he should get rid of it. (“But musicians use it,” he kept arguing.) During this same trip, one Belgrade tour guide told me very clearly and specifically, “Kosovo is Serbian.” She reminded me so much of the Albanians who had told me with the same certainty just last year, “Kosovo is Albanian.”

My breakfast fruit plate in Unawatuna, Sri Lanka

Eat All the Fruit

Enough about politics. Let’s talk about food. In my opinion, we — and I say this meaning Americans and Brits — don’t appreciate fresh fruit enough. Some of my sweetest moments have been when someone has presented me with a plate of fresh cut fruit for breakfast or for a snack. Fresh oranges and fresh strawberries — there’s nothing better. Especially with a squirt of lime. Also, dates are underrated as are most dried fruits. Nuts are also underrated. Eat all the international nuts. (A sad moment, in Egypt. When we complimented the crunchy peanuts from Esna — a higher roast, apparently. “You know who used to have the best nuts?” our guide asked. “The Syrians. They really had a way with nuts.”)

Elephants are Amazing

I have such a newfound respect for the elephant. They are so smart! They have memories! They know stuff. I thought this recent news story was a perfect example of elephants knowing what is up.

F*ck the Patriarchy

Arrrggghhhh. Many parts of the world are run completely by men. Except in Vietnam and China — they feel refreshingly equal — and perhaps Thailand although I have so many questions about sex workers in Thailand. Bali? Mostly men except in spas.  The Maldives? All men. Sri Lanka? All men. Egypt? All men.  It kinda kills me that economies are reducing their capacity for a whole shitload of stuff by so much by keeping women in the home — today, in 2019. 2019! Make the pie bigger people!!! Get a bigger table! Get a bigger table with more chairs!!!

There are Racists Out There

I don’t want to even tell you these stories but you know when you’re on your own and have to talk to strangers a lot, 90% of strangers are totally cool but 10% of them are f*cking racists. You want to know why Brexit happened? Why Trump happened? Because there are racists out there. Travel is good because it forces us to talk to other people and understand how they see the world. And let me tell you — some people have a pretty messed up view of the world and/or think the world owes them an awful lot.

The World is Full of Disappointing Croissants

Trying to buffer the racist thing so let’s talk about…CROISSANTS! There are so so many disappointing breakfast buffet croissants everywhere in the world. Why???? Why??? Don’t even offer a croissant if you can’t do it properly. I can’t wait to go to Paris next week and have some real croissants.

Potable Water is a Gift

The ability to drink water straight from the tap is a gift. Appreciate it. Every day. It might not always be there. I am happy to write this from Belgrade where people look at you funny when you ask if you can drink the tap water. “Why of course you can,” they answer. Little do they know. When I explained to my Chinese teacher in Shanghai that I thought it was odd that the water in the world’s most populous country wasn’t potable, she looked at me like I was the crazy one. “No of course not. You should always boil it,” she said.

Tampon Display in Suzhou China

Tampons are Also a Gift

So many pads in the world, so few tampons. I would die if I had to wear pads all the time. In China, they actually put tampons on DISPLAY to help people understand what they are. In other countries — I’m looking at you Egypt — it’s nearly impossible to find tampons. Do you know what I was looking forward to about Serbia? I had a feeling I’d be able to easily buy o.b. tampons. (The best.) I was right and man have I stocked up. (o.b. are even hard to find in the UK. I used to import mine from Germany via Amazon.)

People are Beautiful

I mean, if there’s anything that will convince you of the existence of some sort of higher being, it’s the beauty of people all around the world. I love how both Vietnamese and Egyptian young men take the same care with their hair — closely shaved sides and all the gel at the top — from so many miles apart. In Laos one night at the bar before dinner, my server was so distractedly sexy that I actually announced to my friend Jen in full earshot of the man…”Um he’s so distractingly sexy.” In the Maldives, on a day trip to an all-inclusive resort, I met a group of young Malaysian girls away on a girls’ weekend — stunningly butterfly-like in their pastel colored floor length ensembles and hijabs during the day, returning to the boat in the evening like slick Bond girls in their full-length snorkel gear and head coverings. The Maldivan and Bangladeshi boat crews — themselves also distractingly sexy — were entranced.

The World is Also Full of Disappointing Pillows

When you go to bed tonight, ask yourself if you like your pillow. If you could be cozier. More comfortable. When was the last time you replaced your pillow? If it was more than two years ago, buy new pillows!!! I have been so dismayed by the quality of pillows I’ve encountered around the world. I think I’m going to start a new index — the #hotelpillowindex — and start rating hotel pillows and become a hotel pillow influencer. Because so many hotel pillows are so so disappointing. And part of me blames this on our own shitty pillows at home. So go buy yourself some new pillows. You deserve them. Your head deserves them. And they are not expensive. Like $25 each. Buy these if nothing else.

Conclusion

Not sure I can top ending on shitty croissants, tampons and pillows. But this is what I’ve been thinking about these last few months. What have you been thinking about?? Tell me.

The post 19 Lessons I’ve Learned from Traveling these Last Seven Months first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

Maafushi Island: A Budget Trip to the Maldives!

I wasn’t originally planning on visiting The Maldives while I was traveling through Southeast Asia, but once I realized that it’s only a one hour fifteen minute flight from Colombo, Sri Lanka, I thought “Hey, why not?”

But then I started looking at prices and WOW. The Maldives is NOT cheap. Even the Holiday Inn wanted $500 per night. (Plus tax!) Plus $200+ for the speedboat to and from the airport. I think we all know that hotel food is not inexpensive so after running the numbers, I figured that a place like the Holiday Inn was easily going to cost me $750 a night unless I packed my own food and I wasn’t sure Colombo was the right place to pick up instant noodles.

Was a budget trip to the Maldives possible? Could I do a Maldives vacation for cheap? I used Booking.com and plugged in my parameter of uh less than $100 a night and within a max 90 minute speedboat ride of the airport. (A seaplane transfer can easily add $600 to your stay.)

I noticed that most hotels that fit my $100 per night/airport proximity criteria were clustered on Maafushi, a small island about an hour away from Maldvies airport.

Interesting.

Digging deeper, it seemed like there were lots of things to like about Maafushi island…the price was right, the distance was right, there were multiple restaurant options, and it looked like day trips were easy to book.

Sold. Maafushi it was.

My Room at The Triton Beach Resort & Spa

Where to Stay on Maafushi

I started looking at hotels on Maafushi with my $100 budget per night all in (including taxes and breakfast) and found Triton Beach Resort & Spa, which had positive reviews and a good location, although it wasn’t on the beach itself. Later, I would learn that it’s hard to have a bad location on Maafushi! The island is pretty small. Of course, water views are great but at any point, you’re like a max 3 minute walk to the water so I figured I’d be fine. I like the Triton Beach. The staff were very helpful and friendly and the rooms were spotless. The food is not really super-gourmet but as I note below, I tried two other places on the island and the food was all pretty similar. (Get ready for a lot of fish curry.) The hotel has a ton of day trips to offer and is really good about suggesting which trips might be the best fit for you.  My only gripes with the Triton was that the bed was a little on the hard side and it was hard to eat breakfast without an audience. Surely they see a lot of Western tourists eating but the mostly young male staff seemed overly fascinated by me!

In short, I thought the Triton Beach & Spa was a great choice for a budget trip to the Maldives. (And note that I’m conscious that $100 is not “budget” by any stretch but I found it hard to find anything decent that was much cheaper and this was a last minute booking.)

If you’re looking for something a bit more upmarket in Maafushi, check out the Liyela Retreat Maldives hotel. It has a really gorgeous design, a boutique-y feel, and amazing food.

Likewise, if you really want something cheaper on Maafushi, check out the Venturo Maldvies It has comfortable rooms, friendly service, and is very quiet.

What to Do on Maafushi Island

The main activities on Maafushi revolve around the water and the beach. There are a ton of snorkeling trips and day trips to different resorts.  Here are a few things I to do on Maafushi that I can recommend:

Go to The Beach!

I thought the beach on Maafushi was pretty beautiful. Clear turquoise water. There is some dead coral in parts but if you walk the entire length of Bikini Beach and follow the crowds, you’ll figure out how to avoid the coral. If you’ve never encountered dead coral before, it can be quite painful to walk on. If you’ve got about 12 inches of water, I actually recommend trying to doggie paddle over it. (Please don’t ever ever ever walk on live coral.)

Go Line Fishing at Sunset

I loved this compact sunset cruise and fishing expedition. We spent about 2 hours trolling the waters around Maafushi, trying to find fish. I caught four white snapper! It was really fun but it was interesting to see how most people who had never fished before got really disappointed so quickly and easily. They expected to just throw their fishing line into the water and catch something immediately. Fishing doesn’t work that way!! I found that things picked up for everyone on the boat once the sun set. One gal even caught a barracuda! (Which was thrown back, along with a parrot fish.) We kept the white snapper and red snapper that everyone caught and headed back to the Triton Beach, where the chef prepared everything for us and we had a simple meal of grilled fish, rice, and salad. In March of 2019, this tour cost $50 USD which I thought was pretty cheap considering the value we got out of it. A sunset cruise, bottled water, and dinner!

Visit Andaaran Prestige Vadoo

If you are cheap like me and want to experience The Maldives the luxury way but don’t want to spend $500+ a night, you can stay on Maafushi island and get a day pass to one of the resorts. I visited Andaaran Prestige Vadoo one day for $125 and had a nice time. We arrived at the resort at 8:30 am and then the boat came back to get us around 5:45 pm. There’s not much to do at the Andaaran Prestige Vadoo besides going swimming and snorkeling, using the pool, indulging in their limited lunch buffet and afternoon tea, and drinking fruity cocktails (yes, with alcohol), but it’s still a nice day out. This resort is very quiet — each luxury bungalow has its own private plunge pool so I get the sense that most guests don’t really leave their rooms all day.  As such, I had the main pool practically to myself for the entire day…occasionally, one of the other 19 day trippers would come join me but they tended to stick more with snorkeling and drinking. Big warning though: my general sense from the Andaaran Prestige Vadoo is that they are not too keen on day trippers. They do a lot to keep you entirely separate from the main guests — there’s an entirely separate dining area for day trippers for example. And a separate bar for your all-inclusive alcohol package for the day. The other weird thing about this resort is that it faces a huge building site…apparently right across from the Andaaran, they are building a dining and entertainment complex. In March 2019, a day pass to the Andaaran Vadoo cost $125 including the boat trip. Ah one tip before I forget…when we went to lunch, there was only water and tea and coffee to drink. If you wanted a beer or wine or anything with alcohol, you had to walk back to the other side of the island was where the bar is. So one suggestion for you if you do the day pass at Andaaran Prestige Vandoo: make sure you get your drinks from the bar before you walk over for lunch!

Visit Centara Ras Fushi

My hotel laughed when I booked a second resort day pass. They were very concerned that I wasn’t booking any snorkeling packages. I can snorkel for about 5 minutes before I get bored so resort packages it was. I really enjoyed my day here because it was really social. The hotel has a swim up bar where all the guests tend to congregate so I had a chance to talk to some fellow Remainers along with a few Aussies and Americans (who all agreed that the UK should remain in the European Union btw). The staff were really friendly and helpful and the buffet lunch (included in the price of the day pass) was fantastic and large. This day pass was a little more expensive than the Andaaran Prestige — $140 compared to $125 — but I would gladly do it again. The Centara Ras Fushi is just a really good time.  Also, the snorkeling equipment here is totally free where at the Andaaran Prestige, you had to put in a $30 deposit. I don’t think I would ever stay at Centara Ras Fushi — even if I had the cash — it too is facing a building site and I’m not flying halfway around the world and spending $500 a night plus tax and meals  to stare at a construction site. But for a cheap way to experience a luxury resort in the Maldives, you really can’t go wrong with a Centarar Ras Fushi day pass!!

Eat Out in Maafushi

Because I didn’t want to take out a lot of cash in Maafushi — you can’t convert it back to anything! — I kept my dinners to my hotel, its sister property Stingray Beach, and one beachfront restaurant on the north side of the island whose name escapes me and I can’t find on Google Maps.  (It may have been the Arena Hotel Restaurant.) You can tell that the restaurants are trying to cater to tourists from China, India, Russia and Western Europe as most menus I looked at had Chinese and Indian sections, then your standard Club Sandwich/Pizza/Hamburger section, and then a few more Russian dishes like borscht. I ate A LOT of fish curry in the Maldives during my six days on the island. When I wasn’t eating fish curry — which is also frequently served for breakfast by the way — I kept to the Chinese side of the menu which was mainly noodle-based. In general, I found the food on Maafushi island refreshingly cheap.

Alcohol on Maafushi Island: Visit a Maafushi Bar Boat

There are three bar boats moored off Maafushi where alcohol is available in the evening. I didn’t visit them because I felt weird drinking alone and I sorta didn’t like the idea of taking a boat to a boat only to risk finding out that I was the only person there. I did try to meet up with some day trippers I met at Andaaran Prestige but they didn’t want to go to the boats until around 11 pm and that was too late for me. (Kids!) From the scoop I got from other tourists on Maafushi, as you’re looking out to see, the boat on the left is the more local boat with cheap drinks and a DJ. (Although I think “local” here refers mainly to the workers on the island who come from all over and aren’t necessarily Muslim.) The middle boat was supposedly a bit more upscale, and the boat on the right served both dinner and drinks. I thought this was all very interesting because the other blog posts I read did not refer to three boats — they made it seem like there was only one bar boat. I am not sure if the three boats is a new thing or what. Regardless, the good news is that even though Maafushi is a dry island, you can get booze if you want relatively easily by taking a very very short boat ride to one of the party boats.

Visit Male from Maafushi Island

One regret I have is not visiting Male from Maafushi. There are a few half-day tours that you can book like this one, which has a good rating. Apparently Male has one of the highest population densities in the world.  It would have been nice to learn more about the history of the Maldives and visit some local markets and interesting places.

Leaving Maafushi after My Budget Trip to the Maldives

Drawbacks to Maafushi Island

Of course, after I booked my budget trip to the Maldives, I learned a few things about Maafushi that you might want to keep in mind. Just giving these to you all upfront to help you make your decision about Maafushi.

• This is not a luxury island. It seems like most hotels are three-star hotels. Maybe one or two four-star hotels. Maafushi is definitely targeted at people like me who wanted to organize a budget trip to the Maldives.

• There is A LOT of construction on the island. My hotel was surrounded on all sides by new hotel projects. I imagine by next year, Maafushi will be an entirely different place. (The beachfront hotel that you see in this photo — the completed one — is the Kaani Grand. It would be nice to have one of those seafront rooms!)
• Maldivan currency is non-convertible! So anything you take out of the bank, you have to spend on the island.  In these situations, I’ve learned to use any remaining money to pay down my hotel bill before using my credit card for the rest of the balance. On a private island, this wouldn’t be an issue because you charge everything to your room, but on Maafushi, you will likely eat out and buy drinks and snacks from vendors, so you’ll need some cash. In hindsight, I wish I had brought US dollars for this. (Dollars seem to be very widely accepted.) Note that in general, I found prices on food and drinks on Maafushi to be very budget-friendly. Most meals cost me less than $10 USD.)
• There is no alcohol ON Maafushi. This is considered a local island and because the Maldives is a Muslim country, it’s impossible to get alcohol outside of the resorts which are all located on “private islands.”  There are “Booze Boats” moored off Maafushi though so you can still get drinks in the evenings.
• There is no pork on Maafushi again because it’s a local island and Muslim country. You’ll have to ready yourself for chicken sausages and beef bacon. This didn’t bother me but I could tell a few people were not pleased with their breakfast and really wanted more traditional Western food.
• Because this is a local island, you are relegated to one “Bikini Beach” area that is surrounded by foliage. It’s pretty large and you could actually argue that it’s two beaches and not one because there’s a rock jetty in the middle of it. I didn’t have a problem with this but just keep in mind that you can’t just go swimming wherever you want. You have to use the beaches for tourists. Related to this, you should dress somewhat conservatively when you are not in the main tourist area. I saw plenty of tourists flouting this however which really bothered me. I think some people had a “You’re not going to tell me how to dress” attitude where I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being respectful of a local culture. I was very surprised by how many people were walking around in short-shorts and tank tops when most hotels seem to ask tourists not to do this.

• Maafushi is home to a prison! Personally, I found this pretty interesting but just something to think about.
• Maafushi is pretty much exactly an hour away from the airport by speedboat. You are dependent on the schedule of the island hotel boats to get to/from the airport unless you want to pay a lot extra for a private transfer. It seemed to me that some of the hotels joined up to arrange transfers for guests as on my way to Maafushi, I was on an Arena Hotel boat. On the way back, I was on a iComm boat. The timings worked out pretty well for me…I probably only had to wait at the airport for about an hour for my outbound boat, and for my trip back to the airport, my hotel gave me a 2 pm checkout to help me out with my 2:30 pm airport boat. I just want to point out here that unlike most luxury resorts that arrange private transfers, with Maafushi, you are relying on group transfers unless you specifically pay for private.

Travel Insurance for The Maldives & Maafushi Island

If you’re planning a budget trip to the Maldives, you should definitely get travel insurance. You will be getting in and out of a lot of boats and most likely participating in a lot of water activities. You might want to make sure you are covered for air evacuation given the size of Maafushi and the lack of a large hospital. A budget trip to the Maldives can become pretty expensive without travel insurance!

What to Pack for The Maldives

Thinking about my time on Maafushi, here’s what I recommend packing:

A Turkish towel for the beach: Your hotel will likely give you a towel but it’s nice to have a Turkish towel too because it’s an easy-to-pack beach blanket. You can get loungers on the beach but you will have to pay.

Waterproof cell phone case: If you plan on swimming and want to bring your cell phone alone, buy one of these waterproof cell phone cases.

Waterproof camera: Because you’ll be doing so much snorkeling in the Maldives, get one of these underwater cameras for all the cool stuff you see!

Summary of My Budget Trip to the Maldives

I thought Maafushi was a great little island. and pretty cheap for the Maldives, all things considered. If anything, I wanted it to be more local and I wanted to interact with locals more. The island keeps you pretty isolated with all the tourists. I think Maafushi is going to change rapidly in the next 12 months as more and more hotels pop up so if you’ve ever wanted to go to The Maldives, I think now might be the time. I hope the island’s infrastructure can keep up and things only get better!

Pin It for Later!

The post My Budget Trip to The Maldives: Visiting Maafushi Island first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

Hoi An Street Scene

After my month in China, I knew I needed to spend a month somewhere less expensive. I love Vietnam so it was a pretty easy choice. How much do I love Vietnam? Words cannot express. The food! The food…it is amazing. I could eat Vietnamese food every day for the rest of my life and die happy. I think it’s all the garlic and rice vinegar and fish sauce? Not sure but I love it all. Also, the people! Everywhere I went in Vietnam, people were so happy to see me. (And have me write a TripAdvisor review…)

Vietnam is a great destination — it has something for everyone. There are big cities like Ho Chi Minh/Saigon, UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Hoi An, and beaches likes Nha Trang and Da Nang and Phu Quoc. And it’s all distinctly affordable if you stay away from the big luxury hotels. You should visit! And soon! Here’s how I used my time and spent my money.

One Week by the Beach in Nha Trang

My Room at the Hotel Aaron in Nha Trang. Photo from the Hotel Website.

After a month of go-go-go in China, I just wanted to hang out on a beach somewhere. So Nha Trang it was. I flew from Xi’An to Guangzhou where I spent a wonderful few hours in the amazing Guangzhou airport lounge thanks to my Priority Pass membership — and then onward to Nha Trang. In Nha Trang, I stayed at the Aaron Hotel, which is pretty close to the beach and main shopping mall. While not luxurious by any stretch, it was nice and clean and the staff were super sweet and friendly. There was also a small rooftop pool which was nice. I liked this hotel for the price and the staff (they hugged me goodbye) and the location. Also, the speedy WiFi! (Another thing I love about Vietnam.) The hotel probably isn’t for everyone, but if you are on a budget, it’s a great pick. Also, I loved the more Vietnamese-style breakfast, served in the cramped little dining room. It made me feel like we were all in this together. Hah. This is a solid 3 star hotel.

Nha Trang Beach

In Nha Trang, I went for a long walk on the beachfront path each morning — I like the beach in Nha Trang a lot. There are lots of loungers to rent where people will bring you fresh coconuts.

Delicious Seafood Noodles in Nha Trang

There’s a lot of seafood in Nha Trang and I ate a lot of it. I also drank a lot of Vietnamese coffees in a few of the beachfront cafes, got a few massages, and bought some random stuff like instant Vietnamese coffee (G7 and it’s AMAZING). Nha Trang is an interesting place in that it’s one of the few direct flights to Southeast Asia from Russia so I had to keep reminding restaurant staff that I was “Amerikanski” and ask for the English language menu instead of the Russian menu. Also, I found that what I really wanted was the menu for the Chinese tourists because that’s where they keep the good stuff. (The Russian menu has borscht on it. English menu is all fish and chips. The Chinese menu is full of fresh vegetables. Morning Glory all day every day! Maybe there was a Vietnamese menu too but when I would ask for the local menu, they’d hand me the one in Chinese so I went with it.)

One thing about Nha Trang that I didn’t like…construction. The streets are pretty hazardous because there are new hotels going up everywhere. And there are no sidewalks. So central Nha Trang is not the most fun place to walk around. Add pouring rain for most of my stay and well…

Total cost of my stay including transfers: An amazing $325.76!! Dude, I need to spend more time in Nha Trang. We all do!

One Week with UNESCO Charm in Hoi An

The Silk Luxury Hotel in Hoi An

After Nha Trang, I flew to Da Nang for Hoi An. (Hoi An is a 30 minute to one hour drive from Da Nang airport, depending on traffic.) In Hoi An, I stayed at the Silk Luxury Hotel, conveniently located right outside the old town. It is a very nice hotel with a nice (but cramped) swimming pool and an uninviting gym. (The pool is fine once you’re in it. It’s just the seating that’s cramped.) It’s a pretty affordable hotel through for the quality and the service levels. This was a 4 star hotel. Everyone knew my name by Day 2 and was just super friendly and charming. And honestly, the location is perfect if you want to visit the Old Town frequently…just a five minute walk, really.

The Hoi An Old Town

In Hoi An, I went for long walks through the Old Town every morning during the traffic free hours between 9 and 11, but I started to love getting there just a bit earlier to hang out at some of the corner “cafes” (little red stools on the street really) drinking Vietnamese coffee with everyone before we all headed off to work.

The Hoi An River at Night with Lanterns

In the evenings, I would return to the old town around sunset and watch as colorful lanterns floated slowly down the river. (Seriously!) During my afternoons, I worked for the most part but I also found time to get some clothing made which was a super interesting process. (The right fabrics and necklines are everything.)

Words cannot fully express how much I love Hoi An. I really want to go back!! You should go. Go go go.

Total cost of my Hoi An stay including transfers, a few meals, and laundry service: $557.47

5 Nights by The Beach (Again) in Da Nang

My Room at the Paris Deli Hotel

After Hoi An, my hotel drove me up the road to Da Nang where I stayed at the Paris Deli hotel which was not bad but not my favorite place either. (Small rooms.) The hotel probably considers itself 4 star but I’d put it more in the 3 star category given the rooms.

Da Nang Beach from the Rooftop Pool of the Paris Deli

The Paris Deli is close to the beach so surprise — I spent my mornings taking long walks along the beach. The beach in Da Nang is really vast…it goes on forever. I didn’t do much in Da Nang unfortunately because of work but I know a lot of people think it’s great so  maybe one day I will go back to figure it all out. (I tried to hire a driver to get me to that golden hands bridge in the mountains that you see everywhere on the internet but it was ridiculously expensive for one person and going on a tour meant an 8 hour commitment and spending 8 hours on a tour bus is not my idea of fun.)

Total cost of my stay in Da Nang including transfers and a few meals and drinks: $499.89 In general, I kinda feel this was a bit pricey and meh for what I got. Just on a per night basis, I got much more for my money at the Silk Luxury hotel in Hoi An which was a much nicer hotel. If I go back to Da Nang, I’ll stay somewhere else. And actually, I’d stay closer to the river than to the beach. The river seems to be where all the action is.

One Week in Crazy Busy Hanoi

I spent time in Hanoi back in 2014 and I swear to God I was the only tourist there. It was really weird. I walked around that lake in town and saw no one except the people cutting the grass. Honestly, watch my video above from 2014 and notice the absence of tourists. (I took a golf cart ride around town back in 2014.)

5 years later and man how things have changed. (I should have taken another video.) Hanoi is overrun with tourists and now the old town is full of tourist tat. It’s not a bad thing — economic growth through tourism is a good thing — but it’s just different.

My Room at Hotel Marvelous

In Hanoi, I stayed at the Hanoi Marvelous, a nice centrally located hotel with lovely, lovely staff. Rooms were a bit dark — in the old quarter, the buildings are narrow and long so there aren’t many windows — but you couldn’t ask for nicer people. Each time I left the hotel by car, they all came out and waved me goodbye! I was more of a tourist in Hanoi than I was in Da Nang, taking a food tour and a history tour and generally just exploring a bit more to make up for my pretty uneventful five days in Da Nang The hotel calls itself a 4 star hotel but I’d probably put it more in the 3 star category. This was a fine stay but I’d be tempted to try somewhere else next time.

Total cost of my stay in Hanoi: $728.76 including transfers, tours, and a few meals at the hotel.

2 Nights in Beautiful Halong Bay

Halong Bay

From Hanoi, I headed out to Halong Bay.

My Room on My Orchid Cruise of Halong Bay

After a lot of research, I decided on Orchid Cruises. They are billed as 5 star but they are more like 3.5 to 4 stars. Everything has potential but it’s just not there yet. It’s one of the nicest cruise ships on Halong Bay so I definitely recommend that you check it out but it just didn’t have that luxurious feel that I was after. (My Yangtze River cruise on the other hand was much more five star.) I think I will write more about this cruise in a later post so stay tuned.

Floating 7-11 Halong Bay

In general, I loved cruising Halong Bay. I mainly just sat out on my balcony and read books and enjoyed chatting with the other passengers who were from all over the world. I did a few of the cruise activities but honestly the highlight of each day was the “Floating 7-11s,” basically women in rowboats who would come alongside our cruise ship every evening and attempt to sell us beer, wine, and Pringles. One woman I swore just tried to stare deeply into my eyes for five minutes repeating “Pringllllles….Pringlllles…” It was pretty entertaining.

Total Cost of My Cruise: Ouch. $679.98 (This included all meals and excursions. If I was traveling with someone, it would have been half the price. Cruises are a bad deal for most solo travelers.)

Other Costs Including Those Pesky ATM Fees…

In Vietnam, you can only take small amounts out of ATMs. Most ATMs limited me to $80 a day, but in Hanoi, I was finally able to take out $100! So I recommend that you use no-foreign-transaction fee credit cards wherever credit cards are accepted to avoid ATM fees. Apparently, the ATMs in Saigon are more generous and let you take out more than $100. Beyond the costs I’ve already mentioned above, I spent about $700 in cash in Vietnam which was all on massages, facials, food, drink, tips and ATM fees. (The ATM fees are killing me. Why Krista? Why!!) I also took three flights: one to Vietnam from Xi’An, one from Nha Trang to Da Nang, and one from Da Nang to Hanoi. These cost $675 in total which includes hefty baggage surcharges for my — gasp — 40 kilos in luggage. (Don’t judge. I know you’re judging.)

Regrets…I Have a Few…

I really wish I had visited Sapa but I was worried about Internet access and I had a lot of work to do. 🙁 Next time.

Total Spend in Four Weeks

About $4200 all in, or about $150 a day.  Pretty much what I budgeted for myself going into this whole adventure. Note I am also working from the road so it’s important that I have a desk and high speed internet wherever I stay– hotels are where I live and my work schedule is too unpredictable to rely on internet cafes. In hindsight, I could have picked a cheaper Halong Bay cruise but my thing is that the last place you want to be alone and miserable about your accommodation is on a boat! Also, I had to pay for two people  on the cruise even though I was one person which is kinda sucky. Oh and I forgot to mention…I celebrated Thanksgiving by myself in Hanoi at the Melia Hotel which was hosting a Thanksgiving Buffet (WITHOUT GREENBEANS!!!!). That wasn’t cheap…dinner and one glass of wine was $80…but I didn’t really fancy bun cha for Thanksgiving so I’m glad I did it.

Ah, crucial detail…I booked the Silk Luxury Hotel and the Paris Deli Hotel on Hotels.com, using the non-refundable rate which got me a decent discount. (Sorry, it was ages ago so I don’t remember how much it was but enough that it made sense to do it.) I don’t recommend booking a non-refundable rate like this unless you are sure of your plans but it’s a nice way to save money. Also, Hotels.com gives you 1 night free for every 10 nights booked so that was another reason I did it.

The Verdict

You should go to Vietnam!! It’s amazing!!! And if you do it right, it’s pretty cheap!! You could totally get away with decent two and three star hotels in Vietnam and save a bundle. The food is especially delicious and especially affordable. Go go go go go.

Why I’m Writing about The $$$, Honey

I don’t think people talk about how much stuff costs on the internet enough. Everyone’s like, “Look at my amazing over- water bungalow in the Maldives!” Do you know how much that shi*t costs? I’ll tell you because I just spent the last week looking at resorts in the Maldives. Like $5000 A WEEK. And that’s before you’ve eaten anything! Crazy stuff.

If you haven’t already, check out my posts on my costs in Thailand and China.

Check out Some of My Other Vietnam Posts

• Getting a Visa to Vietnam
• The Best Tours in Saigon
• My Review of the Intercontinental Saigon
• Instagram Fun in Hanoi
• My Review of the Sofitel Hanoi

The post Cost of My Four Weeks in Vietnam first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

There are so many fun things to do in Luang Prabang!

20 Fun Things to do In Luang Prabang, Laos

As soon as I heard that my friends Jen and Leigh were going to be in Luang Prabang for a few days on their year-long trip around the world, I immediately booked my plane ticket to Laos. Firstly, I miss Jen and Leigh. Secondly, last year, I spent a few days in Luang Prabang and quickly fell in love with this sleepy little Laotian town on the banks of the Mekong and Nam Khang rivers. Thirdly, I also uh accidentally left Laos last year with about $150 USD in Laotian kip, which is impossible to change outside of the country. So not only did I have emotional reasons to go back to Luang Prabang, I had a financial incentive to do so as well!

Where to Stay in Luang Prabang

When I traveled to Luang Prabang last year, it was more of a vacation so I stayed in a relatively luxurious hotel (for Laos), The Mekong Riverview. This time around, given that I am on the road for an extended period of time, I took a more budget-like approach and stayed at the friendly Mekong Charm Hotel. I’d recommend both properties for different reasons. The Mekong Riverview was just so COZY…great beds, great linens, lovely furniture and a wonderful restaurant overlooking where the Mekong and Nam Khang rivers come together. The Mekong Charm is right down the street from The Mekong Riverview and is very nice but the beds are harder and there’s a more limited (but still nice) breakfast menu.  There’s also no, uh, white wine. (There is beer in the minibar though.) What’s great about Luang Prabang though is that it is really a fairly small place so for the most part, you can’t go wrong with any decently rated hotel on the peninsula. Luang Prabang is also amazingly walkable, which I love.

Once you are settled in at your hotel, there is no shortage of restaurants and things to do in Luang Prabang. You can easily see everything in Luang Prabang in just two or three days, but if you like the slow pace and want to fit in more massages, I recommend staying five days to really experience everything Luang Prabang has to offer. After my 2nd slow visit, here are some of my recommendations for fun things to do in Luang Prabang:

The view from the top of Mount Phousi in Luang Prabang — One of the first things to do in Luang Prabang!

Climb to the Top of Mount Phousi

Right in the middle of town, you’ll find steps heading up to Mount Phousi. This is a great place to watch the sunset, watch other tourists, or just watch planes land and takeoff from the nearby airport. It gets a little crowded at sunset so just plan accordingly. Perhaps bring some snacks with you to enjoy an impromptu picnic when you get to the top. This is one of those things to do in Luang Prabang as soon as you arrive so you get the lay of the land.

Things to Do in Luang Prabang: Take a Mekong Sunset Cruise

Take a Sunset River Cruise

Long-term readers will know that I am a sucker for a boat cruise. There are a few organized boat cruises in Luang Prabang that take you out onto the Mekong to watch the sunset. Usually one cocktail is included in your cruise. Maybe some small snacks too. You can also organize private boat cruises…there will be no shortage of guys offering you a private one hour boat cruise as you walk along the waterfront on the Mekong side. Last year, I did a full dinner cruise but I think a sunset cruise followed by dinner in town is just as nice. This is one of the more super chill things to do in Luang Prabang. Book a sunset cruise in Luang Prabang.

Check out the Night Market

Every evening, the main drag of Luang Prabang fills up with vendors selling Lao clothing, bags, pillow cases, blankets and other local products. Some of it is pretty cool and some of the vendors have some pretty great stuff. (Try to find the Lao whisky guys if you can.) The market can get a bit crowded at times — the street just isn’t wide enough — but it’s one of those great things to do in Luang Prabang if you are looking for souvenirs. It’s also just a nice walk before or after dinner.

Get Many Massages

There are a few places in town offering traditional Laotian massage. I’ve tried both Hibiscus and Silver Naga and like both although I would say the massage accommodations are pretty basic. You will likely find yourself in a shared room situation akin to Traditional Thai massage. The massages are pretty cheap though so personally, I really can’t complain! (It’s fair to say though that this won’t be a luxury experience. Keep your expectations low.)

Take a Cooking Class

If cooking is your thing, definitely take a cooking class to experience Lao ingredients and typical dishes and learn about Luang Prabang from a local. Make sure you take a class that includes a visit to the Morning Market for more of an insider’s view on the market! Take a cooking class in Luang Pabang.

Visit the Morning Market

If you’re into food but not up for a cooking class, head down to the morning market each morning to see all the local produce. There are also a few places with street food and snacks for sale. This is definitely a working market so be cognizant that people are trying to go about their daily business here and don’t be too obnoxious with your camera. It’s a great place to see real life in a city that is continuously changing given tourism.

Things to Do in Luang Prabang: Visit Wat XIengthong

Visit Wat Xiengthong

There are a number of temples dotted along the Luang Prabang peninsual but Wat Xiengthong is probably one of the bigger ones. For a small entrance fee, you can visit the Wat and wander around the grounds. I took this photo inside one of the temple buildings. If you take a river cruise, there’s a particular good photo opp of the stairs leading up to the temple from the river so definitely be on the lookout for that. Visiting all the temples on the peninsula is one of the top things to do in Luang Prabang and a great way to spend a few hours.

Offer Alms to the Monks

Every morning at 5:30 am, the local monks weave in long straight lines through the streets of Luang Prabang, collecting alms from the local people. It is a beautiful and peaceful procession, although unfortunately, the experience can sometimes be ruined by tourists trying to get the perfect shot. If you can avoid those bozos, this is a really one of the most beautiful things to do in Luang Prabang. Talk to your hotel or guesthouse about how best to prepare for your morning almsgiving. (You should ideally be prepared to give alms.)  Take a morning almsgiving and market tour in Luang Prabang.

Go for a Nice Long Walk and Grab a Coffee

If you are into walking, Luang Prabang is an amazing place for it. The streets are well-paved and even when you can’t walk on the sidewalk, the traffic is pretty light. The architecture is so beautiful and the city is just so so chill. I would do 10,000 steps easily every morning, just doing a lap and a half around the peninsula. There are a few cute coffee shops along the way if you need to keep up your energy. I recommend Saffron and Le Cafe Ben Vat Sen.

Go for a Bike Ride

Much like walking, Luang Prabang is honestly perfect for bike riding. It’s really flat and there isn’t much traffic. Most hotels have free bikes you can use or on the main street in Luang Prabang, there are a few places that rent bicycles. Just make sure to ride WITH traffic, not against it. If your hotel does not rent bikes, head up to the main drag and you’ll find a number of places with day rates for bike rentals. Pick up some snacks and drinks during your ride and have yourself an impromptu picnic along the riverfront and watch the boats go by. (Which I should really include as an individual item on my “Fun Things to Do in Luang Prabang” list.

Fun Things to Do in Luang Prabang: Drink Beer Lao

Try All the Different Types of Beer Lao

Honestly, this should be #1 on the list!! After you’ve gotten your exercise, it’s time to DRINK ALL THE BEER. Beer Lao, the national beer of Laos, comes in many different “flavors” so one of the more fun things to do in Luang Prabang is try to find — and drink — them all. In addition to the original, Gold, and Dark Beer Laos, there’s now a White, Hoppy, and Amber. There’s also a unicorn beer called “LangXang” that I’ve read about but have yet to find. We had a good time in Luang Prabang, trying all the Beer Laos. You will too!

Drink all the Belgian Beer at Maolin Tavern

If you are a bit tired of all the Beer Lao (95% of Laotian beer is Beer Lao), head to the Maolin Tavern on Luang Prabang’s main street for a great selection of Belgian beers and unlimited Lao peanuts. (If you don’t see the big bowl of peanuts on the counter, ask! Sometimes they will even warm them up for you.) Hopefully the Maolin Tavern still has some Belgian beer left because we may have drank it all… The wifi here is also rather good and I saw more than a few people working from here during my stay.

Crossing the bamboo bridges, one of the more petrifying things to do in Luang Prabang

Cross One of The Two Bamboo Bridges (Or Both!)

The first thing I thought when my friends asked me to meet them for dinner on their first night in town was “They’re going to make me cross a bamboo bridge again aren’t they?” I crossed one of the bridges last year all by my lonesome and scared myself senseless. Honestly, you’ll be fine BUT it’s just a little frightening. (And uh this is a good reminder: GET TRAVEL INSURANCE.) Note you will have to pay a small fee to cross each bridge, which pays for the bridge maintenance. Given that these are bamboo bridges, I think we can all agree that a maintenance fee is a good thing.

Bamboo Bridge by the Mekong Riverview: If you cross the bamboo bridge in front of the Mekong Riverview Hotel restaurant, once you get to the other side, go left and walk to the end. You should find a few benches overlooking the Mekong and if you’re lucky, a family will be set up there selling Beer Laos. In general, this is about all there is to do on this side of the bamboo bridge but what’s not to like? Beer with a view! Great stuff. There are also signs for a craft village but it wasn’t much when I last visited in 2019.

Bamboo Bridge by the Saynamkhan Hotel: If you cross this bamboo bridge, you can have dinner at the very lovely Dyen Sabai on the other side. Note the stars up from the bridge are a little steep on the opposite side of the river are a little steep. Dyen Sabai gets pretty crowded in the evenings so you may want to call ahead and make a reservation. The food is great and so is the service.

Learn about Lao History at Garavek

Every night at 6:30, the small Garavek Theatre runs a short production of traditional folktales and legends which together tell the story of Luang Prabang. It’s a very simple set up…an actor, a musician, and a small audience, but if you are looking to learn more about Laos, it’s one of the more cultural things to do in Luang Prabang. Garavek is very conveniently located on the peninsula so there are no shortage of eating and drinking establishments for after your show.

Hang out with the Beautiful People at Utopia

Utopia is a lovely bar with outdoor seating overlooking the Nam Kham river. There are low chairs and tables and lots of bean bag chairs scattered about.  There are even morning yoga classes. It’s a great place to just chill with some snacks and drinks. Personally, I prefer Utopia during the day because it’s a bit more relaxed. Evenings get really crowded with the backpacker and expat crowd and there may be a lot of drinking involved. The menu is a mix of local food and Western food if you’re hungry although we tried a pizza and can’t really recommend them.

Go Bowling at Luang Prabang’s Bowling Alley

I’m not kidding. If you are looking to go bowling OR if it’s 11:30 pm and all the bars in town are closed, ask a tuk tuk driver to take you to the bowling alley. Note that if you go late night, every backpacker in Luang Prabang will probably be there with you. You can also try your hand at archery which makes me a little nervous because alcohol and arrows are a bad combination! I can’t find a website for the bowling alley so check out the TripAdvisor reviews here. This is definitely one of the more random things to do in Luang Prabang but good if you need a late night!

Take a Class at Ock Pop Tock

Ock Pop Tok is a great shop with all sorts of traditional Lao fabrics. They offer occasional classes and will even sometimes organize private classes if you are interested in learning more about their work. At the very least, you should stop by here to buy some souvenirs but if you’re really into fabrics, see if you can do a class. They have classes that range from a half day to three days and they’ll even pick you up by tuk tuk if you need it!

Kuang Si Falls ouside Luang Prabang

Visit Kuang Si Falls

I visited this waterfall last year by myself and LOVED it. So peaceful and beautiful. This year, there were 50x the number of tourists but if you’re up for a short drive, it’s still one of the most lovely things to do in Luang Prabang. I recommend packing a picnic and enjoying it either at the midway point or going all the way up to the top and enjoying your picnic there. If you forget to pack a picnic, there are plenty of vendors selling food and snacks in the parking lot to the waterfall and there’s a restaurant with a nice outdoor terrace at the midway point of the waterfall. I’ve visited the falls through a private tour and on a group tour and I much preferred the private experience…this way, you can spend as much or as little time at the waterfalls as you’d like and you’re not jammed into a van with 12 other people. If you’re looking for one of the best things to do in Luang Prabang, this is it BUT go early!!! Book a private tour to Kuang Si Falls.

Get Some Buffalo Ice Cream at Laos Buffalo Dairy

On your way to (or from) the waterfall, there’s a nice roadside stand serving buffalo ice cream calls Laos Buffalo Dairy, a socially-responsible enterprise consisting of a commercial dairy and production facility to make products such as yogurt, cheese and ice cream for local and overseas customers. If you have time, you can also take a tour of the farm if you’d like.

Give Back at Khaiphaen in Luang Prabang. Photo from Khaiphaen’s Facebook Page.

Enjoy Dinner & Give Back at Khaiphaen

Khaiphaen is a social enterprise restaurant in Luang Prabang. They train marginalized young people to work in the restaurant industry. We had a great meal here and really enjoyed the experience. They are also very kid friendly. You can read more about the organization and the work it does here on their main website.

OK, I think those are all my tips for fun things to do in Luang Prabang! If I think of anything else, I will update this post. If you have any suggestions, please leave a comment below.

Need More Things to Do in Luang Prabang? Take a Tour!

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One of the best things to do in Ao Nang is take a long tail boat ride

The Best Things to Do in Ao Nang, Thailand

If you’re anything like me, you’ve never heard of Ao Nang, Thailand. This small city is down the road from Krabi and serves as a jumping off point for sun seeking day trippers in Southern Thailand. I think people call the entire area Krabi after the airport. But when people saying they are heading to Krabi for a holiday, what they really mean is Ao Nang. Krabi is the city. Ao Nang has most of the boats. (Although you may need to go to Krabi pier for some of your tours.)

Honestly, I can’t really remember what made me book Ao Nang out of all the places in Southern Thailand, but it must have been something that said “cheap” and “fast WiFi.” I also think the fact that it’s got a Muslim population made me think, “Hmmm…probably not that many sexpats then. That’s good.” (Thailand has a sizable Muslim population in the south of the country, as you get get closer to Malaysia.)

I’m going to be honest here…After I arrived in Ao Nang, I wasn’t sure about my decision to stay here. Ao Nang is BUSY. It’s touristy. And my hotel was in the heart of all the busyness, located right off the main drag. But at something like $25 a night, the neat and tidy Whalecome Resort was a bargain. So I stayed. And because everyone at my hotel and in Ao Nang was just so gosh darn nice to me, I stayed some more. Even the tuk tuk drivers were amazingly chill and friendly and HELPFUL. I ended up really really liking Ao Nang. I’d go back in a heartbeat. Here’s what I got up to in town:

Spas in Ao Nang

One of the best things to do in Ao Nang is hit up one of the many spas and massage places. Get it all done while you are here! Massages, facials, scrubs, and manicures and pedicures are all very affordable. I didn’t think you could bargain but during many of my treatments, I saw a number of groups arrange group discounts, specifically. So don’t be afraid to ask! (Although for me, prices are so low, I feel really bad bargaining.)

Ruen Sukothai: I got a manicure, pedicure, facial and massage at this spa and found it to be friendly and clean. The guy that did my nails was amazingly friendly and even put me on the back of his motorbike one evening to take me to his favorite seafood place. (Krua Thara. See below.) The prices here were great and you can book via Facebook, which is handy. (They get very busy in the evenings.) My only complaint is that you don’t get an entirely private room for your treatments, presumably unless you ask. (It’s like a hospital bed situation with a curtain down the middle of the room.) So in the middle of my massage, they pulled a curtain closed and another tourist entered the room. (To be fair, it was pretty dark.) For the price though, it was hard to complain.

Thai Thai Massage at Golden Beach Resort: During one morning walk, I found this massage place facing the beach and resolved to return later that evening. For a very bargain price of 200 Thai baht (September 2018 pricing), you can get a one-hour Thai massage while listening to the waves and the long boats as they make their way back and forth from Railay. I liked this place a lot and it was so cheap, I visited three times in total. It became a running joke between me and the staff, when they would see me out for my morning walk. “See you later!!” To find this place, go down to the Ao Nang beachfront where the big flight of stairs is to the beach. As you are facing the water. turn left and walk straight on the pedestrian-looking path. (There are still a few cars but I think it’s a “local traffic only” situation.) Keep walking until you see the BIG massage platform.

Exercising in Ao Nang

This might not be on the top of your list of things to do in Ao Nang but hey, exercise is always a good thing. Here are two suggestions for keeping fit on your holiday in Ao Nang:

Bull Muay Thai: I sorta fell in love with Muay Thai in Ao Nang. I found Bull Muay Thai online and organized a few private workouts. This is a bare bones boxing gym but sometimes, that’s all you need And for 500,000 baht per session (2018 prices), how could you not? This is an amazing workout. Note that if you take a tuk tuk to Bull Muay Thai, ask the driver to come back and get you because it can be very hard to get a tuk tuk back. (Or get the driver’s phone number so you can call or text them later..)

The Beachfront Path: Ao Nang’s waterfront is pretty walkable so I really recommend a sunrise or sunset walk either directly along the beach or on the promenade  right above the beach.

Restaurants in Ao Nang

You will not go hungry in Ao Nang, that’s for sure. There’s a ton of Thai food but a lot of Indian food and well, most cuisines that you can imagine. Exploring the food of Southern Thailand is, in my mind, one of the best things to do in Ao Nang.

Krua Thara: On one of my first nights in Ao Nang, the guy that did my nails at Ruen Sukothai put me on the back of his motorbike and drove me along the coast to Krua Thara. I was one of the only tourists in the place and enjoyed a load of delicious, fresh Thai oysters. (Served with slices of lime and all sorts of chilis.) If you’re up for a short ride, this is a great choice although it’s distinctly lacking in atmosphere. (Aluminum chairs, fish tanks.) Bonus: Krua Thara drove me  home??? For free?? There was a bit of a language barrier so no idea if this is normal or not but when I asked for a tuk tuk or taxi to go home, they put me in their SUV and drove me back to Ao Nang!

The Last Fisherman: The place I ended up going to most often in Ao Nang was The Last Fisherman, which is right on the water on the end of the beach closer to the monkeys and Railay. I just really liked the kids that worked here and I liked the food a lot too. I had a great Thai omelette one night and a fantastic Massaman curry another night. They were also one of the few places I found that served wine a reasonable price and not in a thimble. I recommend heading here for sunset drinks. (Maybe get a massage from the massage place at the Golden Beach Resort I mention above first and then walk further south to Last Fisherman afterwards.)

Massaman: More than a few restaurant and bar managers recommended Massaman to me so I dropped in once and found the service so friendly and easygoing that I came back a second time. I really only had snacks here so I can’t comment on the full meal service but I felt very comfortable here.

Jenna’s Bistro: One day I just really wanted a salad. So I went to Jenna’s Bistro and had a great chicken Caesar and it was AWESOME. Honestly, it was so great. I was really happy here. Expensive but I needed a change from all Thai food, all the time.

Thailandia: I’m a sucker for atmosphere and this place looked great from the outside…all dark wood and foliage. Inside, the servers were in traditional dress and there was live guitar music. It was ALL tourists as opposed to Krua Thara which had a nice mix. Service at Thailandia was very formal and stiff. The food was okay. Nothing overly bad about it but afterwards, I sorta wished I had taken a motorbike ride along the coast back to Krua Thara.

Jose: This place was right down the hill from my hotel so I stopped in for a light dinner of chicken satay one night. It was nice to be up  a level, looking down on the street, but other than that…meh.

Cooking Class in Ao Nang

While we’re talking about food…whenever I am in Thailand, I can’t get enough of the food. So I love trying to make it myself. If you are like me, then I think one of the best things to do in Ao Nang is to take a cooking class. There are two schools that are located relatively close to downtown Ao Nang that are worth taking a look at. A bit further afield, there’s Krabi Thai Cookery School. And a little closer to Ao Nang, there’s Ao Nang Thai Cookery School. Both schools will include hotel pickups so definitely ask them if they can come get you.

Buy Wine at Mother Marche in Ao Nang

Wine in Ao Nang is either ridiculously expensive or just plain bad. (With the exception of The Last Fisherman on the waterfront who seems to get it right!) So if you are hurting for some wine, there’s a really great and amazing European/American-style grocery store in Ao Nang on the main drag. You’ll need to be wiling to walk 10 minutes up from the beach. It’s called Mother Marche and it is fantastic. It has an amazing wine selection with wines from all over the world. I highly recommend it!

Tours from Ao Nang

One of the top things to do in Ao Nang is to take a boat tour of the surrounding islands. There are so many options!! Before you book anything, make sure you understand the price of a packaged group tour vs the price of doing something just with your group. Also, consider speedboat vs long tail boat. Lastly, consider food…is food included and if so, will you get a basic lunchbox or will there be a fancier buffet involved? Personally, I decided I liked the buffet setups better because there was always more food.

Hong Island Tour. I really loved the islands we visited on this tour and just wish there hadn’t been 35 other tourists with me. Also, at every stop, there are like 12 other speedboat tours. Lading Island was particularly beautiful but also particularly crowded. Hong Island is really swimmable and big enough for everyone and was my overall favorite spot. Book a Hong Island tour. 

All the other speedboat tours during my Four Islands Tour

Four Islands including Koh Poda. Koh Poda is one of those “So near…but so far…” islands. You can see if from Ao Nang but unless you are traveling with others and can rent a long boat for yourselves, there’s no good way to get there. I tried to take the public boat service but they only go when full and no one wanted to go to Ko Poda because the national park fee makes it expensive. The public boats really just go back and forth to Railay all day long. We also visited Railay on this tour to see the “penis grotto,” which was less interesting to me because I had already done that myself when I stayed at Rayavadee. In short, I think if you can only do one boat tour, do the Hong Island tour. Mainly because it’s easy to do Railay on your own so to me, that discounts the value of the Four Islands tour. Book a Four Islands tour. 

Things to Do in Ao Nang: Take a Tuk Tuk to Tubkaek Beach

Tubkaek Beach: After doing the two tours, I decided I wanted to get away from everyone so I got a tuk tuk driver for the day and had him take me all the way to Tubkaek Beach which ended up being much further than I expected. (The ride felt long but it was probably only 30 minutes.) HOWEVER, once I got there, it was perfect. There was NO ONE there and the beach was nice and there was just one restaurant on the beach, attached to the Tubkaek Krabi Boutique Resort hotel. I felt a bit bad making my tuk tuk driver wait for me while I sat on the beach for two hours ad read my book and swam but he seemed totally fine with it. On the way back, he even bought me some fresh watermelon from a roadside stand and a bottle of water. I mean…how much do I love Thailand?

Things to do in Ao Nang: Visit Railay Beach

Railay Beach: Guys, I was so excited to visit Railay Beach after reading so much about it and hearing that it was one of the best things to do in Ao Nang but then I was just…underwhelmed. It’s a working beach like Ao Nang and not very relaxing. (Lots of long tail boats coming and going. Basically, a taxi parking lot) Maybe I was on the wrong end of things (by Rayavadee) but it was’t for me. I just did’t think it was worth the trip. (I mean…compare the beach in this photo to the photos of the other beaches.) Note I also had food poisoning at this point though and was pretty miserable which may have colored my perspective.

Things to Do in Ao Nang: Visit Koh Phi Phi

Koh Phi Phi: There are many different options for getting to Koh Phil Phi but I had a private speedboat transfer because I was going to the Holiday Inn Koh Phi Phi. I really liked the north part of Phi Phi island where the Holiday Inn is. The beach is GREAT. I’ve been to the main part of Phi Phi before with the ferry and it was good but man…the beach at the Holiday Inn was amazing. Note there’s a public ferry that takes you to Tonsai Pier for the public beaches. Book a tour of Phi Phi from Ao Nang.

Summary of Things to Do In Ao Nang Thailand

Maybe you never heard of Ao Nang before you read this post. It’s a fun, affordable place to stay in Thailand with access to a ton of fun tours and outings.  There are so many things to do in Ao Nang! You will not be bored. (And if you do get bored, get a massage!)

Need More Things to do in Ao Nang and Krabi? Take a Tour!

You Might Also Enjoy

• The Perfect 2 Day Bangkok Itinerary
• Things to Do in Chiang Mai, Thailand
• My Tips for a Two Week Detox at Kamalaya Koh Samui
• Cost of My Four Weeks in Thailand

Pin Things to Do in Ao Nang Thailand for Later!

The post 16 of The Best Things to Do in Ao Nang, Thailand first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

A late nomad lunch in Ubud, Bali

Krista’s Tips for Becoming a Digital Nomad

On September 7th, I put the remainder of my things in storage in North London, had a hasty late lunch at — surprise — St. John, and left London for life on the road. How long will I be gone? Most likely through March or so at which point DECISIONS MUST BE MADE. Or should be made. Or will hopefully be made. (You can read more about why I decided on becoming a digital nomad here.)

Maybe.

It’s been four months since I handed my keys to the alarmingly attractive flat inspector (WHY NOW GOD?) but it feels like four weeks. I’m constantly amazed at the end of every day how quickly time has evaporated. I feel so busy but yet as my (often) sorely neglected website asks…what have I been doing?

To be fair, I’ve been working. Working-working. I got bills to pay. The point in becoming a digital nomad is not to embark upon a life of leisure but rather to take advantage of lifestyle arbitrage and reduce my expenses by living in low cost-of-living countries. I am joining the ranks of the Financial Independence (hope to) Retire Early Movement. To give you some idea of what’s been going on…I worked on Christmas Eve. I worked on New Year’s Eve. I worked on New Year’s Day.

I am very rarely never not working.

The prospect of retirement looms large and my nest egg is hungry.

In some ways, these last four months have been everything I have ever wanted. I am surprised sometimes by how easy it all feels. I don’t miss London THAT much, which is what I feared the most. I don’t miss anything really, except for drinking water straight from the tap and the ability to throw toilet paper in the loo, directly. Ah, and the ease of purchasing tampons because if there’s just one small thing we women in Western countries should be thankful for, it’s tampons. (OK okay, I miss my friends and family too!!! Of course I do!!)

At the same time, I’ve made mistakes. Stupid ones. Some of you will laugh at my mistakes in that smug sort of way, not believing that I would be THAT unprepared or that uninformed or that…out of it.

These mistake-y experiences alone have become one of the main lessons of these last four months…

Given so many of our own stupidities, who are we to judge anyone, really?

If I have any one resolution for all of us in 2019 it’s that maybe we should all be…kinder. (Exception: Racists. No one should be kind to racists.)

I meant to write this blog post about becoming a digital nomad after one month on the road. But that wasn’t really enough time. So then it was going to be two months on the road. Then three months. But finally, now on the 4 month anniversary of my new life and becoming a digital nomad, here are my tips for surviving.

Always Have a Backup Connection. In Fact, Have Two Backup Connections. Or Three.

As a digital nomad, the internet is your friend and your enemy. Sometimes, I’ve been amazingly lucky, like in Thailand when my tiny 3 star hotel had a 60 Mbps connection that never wavered. Other times, I’ve been damned. Like I am right now in Ubud, during one of my busiest months, where my hotel internet slows to a crawl in the mornings and evenings when everyone is back at the property. (Thank goodness for Hubud.) So don’t rely on hotel wifi if you need to do intense internet related work or Skype calls. Attach yourself to a coworking office if at all possible. And get a local SIM card. And search out a cafe or restaurant close to your hotel with a decent wifi connection as another backup.

Trust me…there are never enough backup connections.

Get Vaccinated. For All The Things

In my rush to leave London, I just didn’t think about this. Stupid, stupid, stupid Krista. Let me tell you…when you are attacked by stray Balinese dogs, don’t ever google “Bali dogs rabies.” And guys, I am not kidding when I say the universe is always trying to tell us things because TODAY while I was on a conference call at my coworking office in Ubud, 30 monkeys started fighting with each other right in front of me and I was trying to be all businesslike and “I’m really going to have to call you back” when ALL I COULD THINK OF WAS RABIES.

So if you are thinking about becoming a digital nomad and working from countries like Thailand, Bali, Vietnam, etc, get vaccinated against all the things before you go.  Like rabies. Get vaccinated against rabies especially.

Mosquitoes are The Enemy

If your plan is to work from tropical locations…get ready. I have been bitten by more mosquitoes in the last four months than I probably ever have in my entire life. And this is with wearing Skin So Soft religiously PLUS mosquito repellent. So pack that “light, loose fitting clothing” that everyone talks about to protect yourself from mosquitoes and be prepared. In Koh Lanta, apparently nearly everyone at my coworking office Kohub in Koh Lanta, Thailand came down with Dengue in July.  Nobody “wants” to come down with Dengue.

Get a No Foreign Transaction Fee Debit Card

If you’re planning on becoming  a digital nomad and living a life on the road, you need to think about money and paying for things. I have both a US and a UK debit card and they both hit me with massive fees every time I take money out. It hurts. Especially in Vietnam where the max you can withdraw in a lot of places is about $90 USD. Get a NTF card and save yourself a few hundred bucks a year.

Hook up Apple Pay to Your No Foreign Transaction Fee Credit Card

This is my new answer to anything that costs over $20 USD so I don’t have to take out cash all the time on my debit card with foreign transaction fees. Now I ask “Do you take Apple Pay?” 50% of the time they will. (It’s the same as taking a credit card really but I feel so much cooler for asking.) They will usually charge 2% or 3% extra but it’s still usually cheaper than the ATM fees which can seriously be 10%.

Make Sure Your Parents Know How to Call You

I have kept my UK number but have cellular data turned off in most locations because of roaming fees. I thought my mother could handle calling me on Facebook. She doesn’t seem to know how to do this. My dad is not on Facebook but is on Skype so I thought we’d be fine there but he is “currently” (we’re going on four months now) locked out of Skype. My parents are old. I should have figured this out more. My brother and oldest cousin are the most tech savvy of the bunch but neither of them seems to want to talk to me. 🙁 I’ll probably get Google Fi BUT that’s still like $5 a day and so that’s a lot of money a year in roaming fees if I expect to be out of the US for 50% of each year. I am open to tips and suggestions here.

Understand that People Just Aren’t Going to Understand Your Life

Hey, I’m not just hanging around in my elephant pants getting massages all day long and being all “Eat Pray Love.”  I AM Donna Summer!!!! All day every day.

I told myself I would go to yoga during this sojourn and I have yet to do any yoga. At all. People keep asking me “Oh, how was Koh Lanta in Thailand???” And I CAN’T TELL YOU BECAUSE ALL I DID WAS WORK 12 HOURS A DAY EVERY DAY. I honestly never saw anything on Koh Lanta besides for my hotel and the wonderful KoHub coworking office. (They need better chairs but the food and staff are ace.) OK, one day I went for a massage on Koh Lanta. It wasn’t very good. And the island’s electricity went out while I was getting my massage. Which was stressful. I mean come on!!!

Guys I don’t even have time to Netflix. I haven’t Netflixed since September.

People don’t see this stuff on Instagram. They just see your pictures and think that you are on a really long vacation and that will bother people for some reason that has nothing to do with you and more to do with the fact that life sucks, no one gets enough vacation time or has enough money, and then we all die. Find people who get that you are not on vacation and that YOU WORK HARD FOR THE MONEY.  (P.S. I don’t own any elephant pants.)

Wear Shower Shoes

I haven’t taken a shower without shower shoes in four months. I am really afraid of foot diseases. This is the challenge with living out of hotels. If you are thinking about becoming a digital nomad, buy shower shoes.

Take Your Vitamins

I’ve been pretty good food wise but I’m out of my controlled circle of Pret a Manger and Itsu (again, don’t judge) where I’m more conscious of nutrition and able to log all my meals in My Fitness Pal. So I’ve tried to be better about taking vitamins. Take your vitamins.

Ditch the Bottled Water

I could seriously drink three to five liters of water a day. This is why I like tap water. But you can’t drink the tap water in Southeast Asia. So you have to buy bottled. Which sucks. Because it’s all plastic. So you have to learn to ask a place if they filter their water and if so if you can get some of it in your water bottle. Now I always plan ahead so I always have water available even if I don’t need it because I don’t want to buy bottled water I don’t need. Top tip? Buy a Lifestraw water bottle, which filters tap water. 

Wear Sunscreen

Like the song says.

Appreciate Local Pharmacists

When in doubt, ask a pharmacist. Since becoming a digital nomad, pharmacists have helped me with a terrible cold in China and a terrible knee infection in Bali. Pharmacists are kind and I kinda feel like they live to answer questions and do their job. Also, as I learned in China, pantomime is amazingly entertaining when describing cold symptoms!! Coughing, holding your throat, holding your forehead. Whenever you have something going on in a foreign country and can’t get to a traveler’s clinic immediately, ask a pharmacist, even if you can’t speak the language. They get you. (And hey, in some countries, you don’t need a prescription for stuff!! Like amoxicillin!)

Realize that Mother Nature is in Charge

I lived through a week-long monsoon on Koh Lanta, wondering if my little bungalow would be lifted from its foundation and if I could get back to the mainland easily. In Bali, there have been days where the heat and humidity have kept me either drenched with sweat and as lazy as the self-employed can be (i.e., not very but somewhat) or (more likely) seeking out the only air conditioned and enclosed restaurant or bar in town. In Vietnam, I prayed and prayed to God on the ride to Hanoi airport…the rain was so heavy that the highway was a pool. And as I write this, my little Balinese bungalow rumbles. Indonesia is always rumbling. Mother Nature is in charge. Realize we are just here for the ride and don’t be upset if the weather upsets your plans.

Buy a Big Phone Charger Block Thingie

One of the most stressful parts of my new life is not knowing where my next charge will come from. I mean, I don’t wake up at home in the morning and go to any one desk in any one office for the next 9 hours and then come home to my home.  If there’s one thing I wish I had purchased, it’s one of these big charger block thingies.

Tell People Where You Are

I’ve been surprised over the last few months by the invitations…people I never knew were on the road, wanting me to join them as long as I’m “in the neighborhood.” I haven’t been able to to take up most invitations…non-refundable hotels, visa timing issues, the need for plane ticket, my 40 kg of luggage, WORK…but it’s nice to know people want to see me. And they wouldn’t know that without social media.

Wear a FitBit

My FitBit hasn’t left my wrist since September. I love it. It tracks my steps (pretty good about the 10,000 steps a day except for over New Year’s when I’ve been both slothy and tied to my lapotop) and my sleep (generally, 7 hours a night although I know I feel best at 7 hours 40 minutes from previous experiments) and my cardio (about 45 minutes a day). My FitBit is like my friend. Sometimes I’m like, “OK, let’s take you out for a walk. I’d like to hit 12,000 today mister.”

BE KIND!!

This is perhaps my biggest observation/takeaway/advice for anyone considering becoming a digital nomad. And it’s just good life advice in general. Be kind to people. Everyone will be better off for it. Even when I am having a bad day, I take a deep breath and think “Be kind. Be kind. Be kind.” And I put a big smile on my face and ask for whatever it is that I want or whatever it is that I want to complain about. It works 80% of the time and my expectations are exceeded. It also, uh, helps everyone in your hotel know your name. Which generally is a good thing

Summary of Becoming a Digital Nomad

Thank you for reading my tips for becoming a digital nomad. I hope you found them helpful. Please let me know if you have any others.  I am always looking to learn!

You Might Also Enjoy

• Becoming a Digital Nomad: Tips from Other Nomads
• Don’t be Scared to Travel Alone
• My Long-Term Travel Packing List

The post On Becoming a #DigitalNomad: Tips, Advice, and Reflections after 4 Months on The Road first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

Somewhere on the Yangtze River

I just wrapped up an amazing four weeks in China and you know what…I easily could have stayed longer. (Um but it’s probably a good idea that I left because keep reading.) I *really” loved China, although to be 100% honest, I really *hated* the Internet situation. (The Great Firewall blocks access to all Google products, Facebook, Instagram, and if you can believe it — SLACK.)

The post I wrote about the cost of my four weeks in Thailand was surprisingly popular so I thought I would summarize the cost of my time in China too. If you missed that Thailand post, here’s the gist: I don’t think people on the Internet in the “lifestyle” space are as transparent about money as they could (should?) be. Everyone’s all “Look at my amazing vacation in the Maldives. You need to visit here! Oh but you’ll need $10,500 for one week.” (Or worse, “Look at my amazing vacation in the Maldives. That I got for free because I’m an “influencer.”)

(Chris Pople and Andy Hayler, who both write about restaurants, are exceptions. They nearly always post the cost of their meals, which I appreciate.)

So partly out of my own curiosity — we are all bad at mental arithmetic — and partly in a way to show what travel costs, I’ve decided to tally up my expenses at the end of each trip. Remember: I have no fixed abode right now so I what I spend on hotels and meals while traveling is essentially my cost of living. (Plus health insurance and my mobile phone plan.) Remember I am not a backpacker but nor am I an uber-luxury traveler. I spend enough to be comfortable and feel safe with a few splurges here and there.

In my Thailand post, I explained that I stayed in 90% three star properties and 10% four- and five-star properties. For China, I stayed in 15% five-star (my Yangtze River Cruise), 75% four-star, and 10% three-star properties. I leaned more towards four-star in China mainly because I knew that English would not be as widely spoken in China as it is in Thailand — Thailand’s tourism industry is much more well-developed — and I was more likely to find English at 4-star hotels. (Presumption: They pay better and part of paying better is that a certain level of English is required.) Could I have survived in 3-star hotels? Most certainly. But in traveling solo, I am my only translator so mostly 4 star it was. Ah and one thing I keep forgetting to mention…I need to work from the road, a lot of times at odd hours. So I’ve learned I’m miserable without silence, a proper desk, and good internet infrastructure. And I’m not young! So hostels and basic-basicness are out. (I’m starting to figure out that a lot of 3-stars don’t come with desks.)

Cost of My Four Weeks in China

OK, here we go…

Picture from Hotel Website

Shanghai: I spent 14 nights at the Fraser Modena Putuo, an apartment hotel right across the street from the Langao Road subway station. I had to get to and from Chinese class every day, so I specifically looked for hotels that were just a few stops away from The Hutong School in Shanghai off of Changshu Road. The Modena Putuo worked out great. I had a little loft apartment, a cheap laundry room (SCORE), and a great gym. I probably didn’t get as much out of the living room or kitchen in the apartment as I expected but I loved my big desk with a view out over Shanghai. The total cost of my stay, including 14 nights, a few breakfasts, and access to the laundry room came to $1048.33 or $74.88 per night. I thought this was an absolutely fantastic value for two weeks in Shanghai, a very expensive city, and the amenities involved. This would be a particularly good choice for two people sharing.

Picture via Hotel Soul’s Website

Suzhou: I then spent three nights in Suzhou, a “small” city outside of Shanghai (population 10 million) known for its beautiful gardens. My original plan was to visit as many water villages as possible — small towns on canals in the surrounding area — but in the end, I only got to one, Tongli. It was lovely! I’ll have to go back to Shanghai and Suzhou to visit more of these little towns. While in Suzhou, I stayed at the three-star Hotel Soul. I did not like it. At all. The hotel was very dark and my hotel room felt dirty. The service was hit and mess as well; I decided not to deal with one specific staff member after a few negative interactions. Reflecting on my stay here, I quickly changed my hotel booking in Chengdu, which was originally for a three-star hotel, and upgraded to four-star. The cost of my three nights at Hotel Soul plus a few meals was $209.34 or $69.78 per night. In comparison to the value I got in Shanghai at the Modena Putuo, this just wasn’t a great pick. (Although breakfast was included which was nice. And they did pack me breakfast for my early and long train ride and pick me up at the train station for free.)

My Cabin on the Century Legend

Yangtze River Cruise on Century Legend: From Suzhou, I took an eight-hour train ride to Yichang (and stopped a robbery…more about that in a later post) and boarded a cruise ship for four nights for a cruise along the Yangtze River. The cruise was FANTASTIC and I cannot recommend The Century Legend enough. (I hope to write a separate post about the experience shortly.) You don’t want to be miserable when you are on a boat by yourself so I definitely spent a bit of money here. The cost of my cruise was $1036 which included all my meals. I then spent an additional $177.16 on tours, laundry, a manicure and pedicure, and a few glasses of wine. So that’s a budget-busting $303.29 per night. I have no regrets. This was awesome. (Watch this video about the Three Gorges Ship Lift! Experiencing this was my favorite part of the cruise.)

Glenview ITC Plaza Chongqing

Chongqing: “Why Chongqing?” you ask? WHY NOT?? Chongqing has spicy food AND panda bears. What is not to like? I called this a vacation from my vacation and did very little while in Chongqing, where I stayed at the Glenview ITC Plaza Hotel, which I liked a lot. I walked around town a bit, went to the gym, and used the fastest Internet I came across during my entire time in China (an amazing 80 Mbps). Amazing breakfast included. (With Chongqing noodles!) Total cost of stay plus two dinners (don’t judge): $230.17 or $115.08 per night.

Fraser Suites Chengdu

Chengdu: In Chengdu, I spent three nights at the Fraser Suites Chengdu and LOVED IT. I had my own washing machine! And the hotel gym was great. In hindsight, I wish I had spent at least one more night in Chengdu. I liked the laid-back vibe, and I never got to the Panda Base or the Giant Buddha. Total cost of my stay with breakfast on two mornings: $413.35 or $137.78 per night. (Remember that after my Suzhou hotel experience, I decided to upgrade my Chengdu experience.)

Eastern House Hotel Xi’An

Xian: In Xian, I spent two nights at the Eastern House Hotel, conveniently located just south of the Drum Tower and the Muslim Quarter. In hindsight, I would have spent one or two more nights in Xian.  I LOVED this hotel; it was the most modern and stylish hotel of my stay in China. Free minibar! Free afternoon tea! Amazing. (Although I was glad I knew some Chinese at this point because their English wasn’t the greatest.) This came to $161 or $80.50 per night, including a glass of wine and breakfast one morning.

Spending Money: During my time in China, I blew through an incredible $1980.77 in cash. Before you totally freak out, Judgy McJudgersons — trust me, I’m freaking out enough as it is — please note that includes getting my hair cut and colored in Shanghai (~$250); all my train and subway tickets (about $300 total); food tours in Shanghai, Chengdu, and Xian (about $400); city tours and drivers in Yichang, Chongqing, and Xian (about $300); meals that I ate out; taxis and airport transfers; and random stuff like shampoo, Vitamin C, and cold medicine and a lot of small stuff that I am probably forgetting. (Plus ATM fees. Yikes.) This comes out to $70.74 a day. Tours are expensive…if I had dropped the tours, I would have spent less. I also opted for first class trains which were slightly (but not ridiculously) more expensive than standard trains.

Flight to China: I flew Spring Airlines to Shanghai from Krabi. Although Spring Airlines is a budget airline, I flew on one of the worst days to travel to China — October 6th, the day before China’s National Day. My flight was packed! And it was not cheap. It was $509.10. I could have flown a connecting flight for much cheaper, but it also would have taken hours longer and I think I’ve mentioned my dislike of false economies before. Unfortunately, I did not realize my trip collided with China’s National Day until it was too late.

Chinese School: I took two weeks of Mandarin classes at the Hutong School — three to four hours of Chinese per day! My two weeks cost $775.

Total Cost of My Four Weeks in China

A hugely disappointingly high $6547.22 or $233.83 per day. (My mental math going into this “trip” (lifestyle?) was an assumption that I would spend about $5000 a month on average.) Subtract the Chinese classes and we’re talking $206.15 per day. That being said, I had an AMAZING time in China and except for the Hotel Soul part in Suzhou, the time I got off the bus in the middle of nowhere, and an unfortunate incident on my Yangtze River Cruise, I would do it all over in a heartbeat. I only wish I had stayed longer!!! But I don’t think I could have afforded it.

In all of this, remember I have no fixed abode and am traveling solo and need to feel safe. To repeat my caveat last time: This is all very honest. Maybe I’m being too honest, but transparency is not a bad thing. Everyone has a different travel style and budget and different people make different compromises.

Because I knew China wouldn’t be cheap, I flew to Vietnam immediately afterwards and am staying at what I think are mostly three-star properties for the next four weeks.  (I booked some of them so long ago to take advantage of discounts that I am honestly not sure what I booked anymore.) As an example, my first hotel in Vietnam is $300 USD for an ENTIRE week. I’m also working a lot so there will be less touring around. More to come.

Running Average

Month 1: Thailand: $4760.69

Month 2: China: $6547.22

Monthly Average-to-Date: $5653.96

You Might Also Enjoy

• My Long-Term Travel Packing List
• Essential Shanghai Apps & Advice
• Where to Stay in Shanghai: The Best Hotels & Neighborhoods
• Cost of My Four Weeks in Thailand
• Don’t be Scared to Travel Alone
• Traveling Solo over 40

The post Cost of My Four Weeks in China first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

All My Advice for Shanghai including The Best Shanghai Apps

My Advice for Shanghai & The Best Shanghai Apps

I just finished up two weeks in Shanghai, my second visit ever, and man am I exhausted. Between the sheer number of people, the sheer size of the metro, and the sheer number of restaurants and bars…you will have no shortage of things to do. I learned some good stuff from new friends as I made my way through two weeks of Chinese classes so here is my top advice for Shanghai along with my recommendations for essential Shanghai apps.

My #1 Piece of Advice for Shanghai: Stay in XinTianDi or Jing’An Temple

I’ve written an entirely separate blog post on where to stay in Shanghai. Don’t stay on The Bund. You are too far from public transport. Take a walk or a run on The Bund, sure. But don’t book a hotel around there. You want to be close to stuff! I recommend XinTianDi or Jing’An Temple for max proximity to fun restaurants, bars, and shops. (If you really really really want to stay close to The Bund, stay closer to any of the entrances to the East Nanjing Road metro station.) This is my top advice for Shanghai.

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Express VPN AND NordVPN

To get to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or anything Google-related in Shanghai, you’ll need a VPN. I have been a long-time fan of NordVPN but am glad I invested in ExpressVPN as well for my trip to China. I find that NordVPN works some of the time but not all of the time. I’m having better luck with ExpressVPN. If you are an internet addict, just be prepared for some frustrations in China and make sure you subscribe to a VPN BEFORE your trip, pay for it, and log in on all your devices before you leave the US or elsewhere. Downloading a VPN within China is nearly impossible. They are nearly all blocked. There is always a workaround but you will have to figure out how to contact support for backdoor access. Skip this headache by making sure you are all set before you arrive in China. Also, take screenshots on how to contact support just in case China totally blocks access to everything. Because it’s a constant cat and mouse game with VPNs and the Great Firewall, personally, I recommend having two VPNs. These are essential Shanghai apps!

Get the Taxi App Didi

The number one taxi app in Shanghai is Didi. Download this app before you go so you can easily order taxis whenever you need them. However, note that it can be extremely difficult to get taxis during rush hour. So you may want to consider the Metro instead. Please make sure you set up Didi before you get to Shanghai as you may need to try a number of credit cards before you find one that works. (This Medium article on Didi in China is very helpful.)

Get a Chinese-English Dictionary: Pleco

Pieco is a GREAT English Chinese dictionary app. Of course, you should download Google Translate as well but I find that Pieco is better at definitions and options for saying the same thing in different ways. And you don’t need to worry about the Great Firewall.

Download Explore Metro

One of the most essential Shanghai apps is Explore metro, a great metro map of Shanghai. If you put in your destination, it will plot out the fastest way for you to get there too.

Make Sure You Get WeChat

Most businesses will let you communicate with them via WeChat. Also useful for chatting with any friends (old or new!)  in China. Set this app up before you go so you can add your profile pic and store your friends’ details.

Hungry? Try Sherpa 

If you need a food delivery app in Shanghai, Sherpa is the Chinese version of JustEat or GrubHub although it’s only available in a few cities right now. (Shanghai, Beijing, Suzhou and Hangzhou as of this writing.) They also deliver wine and beer! This app is in English.

Need a Restaurant? Download Bon App

This is a great English-language restaurant guide and one of the most essential Shanghai apps if you need food delivered.

Taking Trains? Download Trip

Trip is a great app for your travel needs in China. So for example, if you need to check the train times for the fast trains from Beijing to Shanghai, Trip has all the info you need. This is definitely one of the best Shanghai apps if you plan on traveling around the country a lot. You can purchase tickets online and international credit cards are accepted but see my next point about getting your train tickets delivered to your hotel so you don’t have to queue at the station.

Book Train Tickets in Advance and Have Them Delivered to Your Hotel

Trying to pick up your train tickets in person at the station can take forever and can also be a stressful experience if the station is crowded and there are long queues. Also, Chinese trains often sell out in advance. So one of my best pieces of advice for Shanghai is to book your train tickets in advance and pay extra to have them delivered to your hotel. The Man in Seat 61 recommended China Highlights so I used them and had a positive experience. My tickets were with me within 48 hours. They also included helpful instructions for how to use the trains.

Forget Google. In China, You Need Bing

If you don’t have a VPN, be ready to do all your internet searches with Microsoft Bing! I can’t believe I’m actually writing this sentence. Because you’ve probably never used Bing as a search engine on a mobile device before, make sure you set it up before you go.

Learn Chinese with Hello Chinese

If you want to learn some basic Chinese, I tried a few different language apps and out of Duolingo, Memrise, and Hello Chinese, I liked Hello Chinese the best. It’s easy to use and fun too. I actually bough a year’s subscription, I’m having so much fun! Learning how to count to 10 in Chinese has been extremely helpful, as has learning how to say things like “beef,” “pork,” and “chicken.”

Google Maps is Dead. Long Live Apple Maps!

Because Google is blocked in China, you will find that Google Maps can be out of date or just plain wrong. I was burned more than a few times when I tried relying on Google Maps. Don’t rely on Shanghai restaurant addresses on Google Maps! Apple Maps is more accurate. I can’t believe people use Apple Maps but….you really need to in Shanghai and elsewhere in China. This is one of my top pieces of advice for Shanghai.

Prepare to Walk a Lot

Just some more general advice for Shanghai: I am very easily doing 12,000 steps a day. Even changing lines on the metro can entail walking thousands of steps. There are plenty of escalators and elevators between lines but changing lines can be intense.

Get a Fitbit

On the above note…Because I totally geeked out on how far I walked and how many flights of stairs I climbed in Shanghai, I highly recommend purchasing a Fitbit and setting up the app on your phone before your trip so you can track your activity!

Arrange Your Schedule to Avoid Rush Hour

My biggest piece of advice for Shanghai? Seriously, 8 am to 9 am and 5:30 pm to 7 pm on the Metro is insane. It can be hard to avoid these times as a tourist so just be ready to squish into the train cars and be a little (lot?) more aggressive than you would be in the US and certainly in the UK. You may want to pay a little more for a centrally located hotel to help avoid the crush. There was one day where I totally couldn’t get to the other side of town for my food tour because the metro was so crowded during the morning rush and I just wasn’t aggressive enough.

Prepare for Social Media Detox

I love Instagram Stories. But Instagram is blocked in China so you have to use a VPN which slows down your already slow internet connection. I can barely watch Instagram Stories. My connectivity just isn’t fast enough. (China internet speeds seem to be capped at about 15 Mbps. A far cry from the 60 Mbps I had in Thailand and the 200 Mbps I had in London.) So just be ready for a little detox.

Get a Local SIM Card

Maybe your home cell provider has a great deal on China but you might find that you get faster internet if you bring a local phone and get a local SIM Card. I paid about $30 USD for 20 GB of data and 300 minutes with China Unicom for a month. (If you know you will be traveling outside of Shanghai, ask for a nationwide plan. Essential!) To get my SIM, I went to Exit 7 of Changshou Road. When you come out the exit, make a left onto Changshou Road. There on the left, there’s a mall called Yaxin Life Square.  In the entrance of the mall, right there in the foyer, there is a mobile phone counter. The logo looks like it says Wow but my hotel sent me there and said they sold China Unicom SIM cards. Getting the SIM card probably took about 20 minutes because they had to register my details. Bring your passport. You don’t have to go here of course but this is just one place I know where you can get a SIM card and it may not be that busy.

Take Taxis! They are Cheap!

On the day that I realized that rush hour in Shanghai was no joke, I had to take a taxi to the other side of town. The ride probably took 45 minutes. It cost 50 yuan, which is about $7.25. You just need to be able to hail a taxi, which seems next to impossible during rush hour. My hotel helped me get a taxi so this worked out.

Carry Tissues and Hand Sanitizer

A lot of public restrooms will not have toilet paper. And you will be on and off the metro so frequently that hand sanitizer is a very good idea.

Don’t Drink the Tap Water

Tap water in Shanghai is not drinkable. Drink bottled water instead. Or buy a Lifestraw water bottle which will filter tap water for you!

Summary of my Advice for Shanghai and My Favorite Shanghai Apps

I hope you’ve found this post with my advice for Shanghai and my favorite Shanghai apps helpful — I learned a lot during my time in Shanghai and can’t wait to go back. Have you been to Shanghai? What’s your advice for Shanghai and what were your favorite Shanghai apps?

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• Goodbye, Shanghai. Plus, What I Learned on My Vacation

Need More Advice for Shanghai? Take a Tour!

The post My Advice for Shanghai including Shanghai Apps first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

West Railay Beach, Thailand

I spent from September 8th to October 6th in Thailand. I thought it would be interesting to summarize the cost of my four weeks in Thailand in case you too are considering a substantial Thai getaway but can’t quite figure out if you can afford it or not. (Also, I don’t think us people on the Internet talk about money enough in a clear and transparent way especially when it comes to food and travel.) To be fair, I am not a backpacker and I’m too old for hostels. I have this thing where I appreciate a good value but I also *really* appreciate fine linens and fine wine. (Don’t we all though?) So the below is exactly a 90% 3-star (25 nights) and 10% four and five star experiences (3 nights) which feels like a reasonable ratio.

Week 1 (7 nights): Long Beach Chalet, Koh Lanta. Jungle bungalow. Including laundry, some meals, and transfer from Krabi Airport: $462.62

Week 2 (7 nights): Long Beach Chalet, Koh Lanta. Direct reservation for beachview bungalow plus laundry, some meals, and transfer to Ao Nang. (10% discount for booking room directly with the hotel.)  $606.46

Week 3 (5 nights): Whalecome Resort Ao Nang. I loved this place. It was very simple, clean, and friendly. $278.61.

Week 3A: Two nights at Holiday Inn Koh Phi Phi. (Actually one night was free on points. Then I had to pay the speedboat transfer there and back plus one night plus food and a private Muay Thai class.): $407.00

Week 3B: One night at Rayavadee Krabi Resort + Food & Beverage because I am a sucker and I had food poisoning and was feeling a little meh and I wanted to see how the 1% live: $500.00

Week 4 (6 nights): Whalecome Resort Ao Nang (same room) + Transfer to Krabi Airport: $292.00

Total on Accommodation & Transfers: $2546.69 or ~$90 USD per night.

Spending Money: $574 which I spent all of. I may have a few baht in the bottom of my purse but not much. This figure is basically all the cash I withdrew from my bank account in September to pay for food and Muay Thai lessons and tours and random stuff like laundry and dry bags plus one charge to my credit card for KoHub, the coworking facility in Koh Lanta. I think ~$20 per day is pretty reasonable for food and entertainment.

Total Cost of My Four Weeks in Thailand as a Digital Nomad: $3060.69 USD.

Money I Didn’t Have to Spend: I upgraded to a sea view bungalow in Koh Lanta for about $150 more total than a jungle bungalow and I really didn’t have to. It was nice though! I also probably could have skipped Rayavadee and the Holiday Inn Koh Phi Phi, saving me about $1000. (That Phi Phi beach tho…) It kinda kills me that these three nights alone cost me $1000. And I had food poisoning for two of the nights! Also, I went with private transfers and I could have saved a lot of money with shared transfers. That being said, shared transfers could have taken double or triple the amount of time as private transfers and if I’ve learned anything in life, I’ve learned that there are certain false economies. (i.e., Trying to save money on a transfer that then costs you five hours instead of 90 minutes is dumb.)

Money I Handled Well: I could have flown all over Thailand, but instead I based myself around Krabi for a month. Two weeks in Koh Lanta and two weeks in Ao Nang. This saved on transportation costs. I also think Ao Nang was a very good value. I mean, personal training/Muay Thai for 550 baht ($17!) per session?? That’s amazing. And while I originally thought Ao Nang was a bit over-touristed, once I got the lay of the land, I really really liked the setup for island hopping and bumming around.

Money I Haven’t Included Here: I did not include my flight or transportation from my (former) flat in London to Heathrow. I should, but it’s not entirely representative of a typical spend because of the way I did it. I bought a one-way business class ticket to Krabi for $1700 USD. Round-trip in economy would have cost $1400 USD but I’ve been in that circle of round-trip ticket hell before and knew that I had no idea if/when I would have needed the return. So I just went with one way and spent it all on business class. Don’t be like Krista. I took an Uber to Paddington and then Heathrow Express (30 day advance purchase) so you can estimate $50 USD for that. So if we factor in the flight, then you can say I spent $4760.69 on these four weeks. But back out those three “splurge” nights and factor in a one-way economy ticket, and you’re probably looking at ~$3000 USD for a month if you ever want to do something similar at a 3-star level and in economy.

In all of this, bear in mind that I no longer have a fixed abode! Also, I’m traveling by myself and need to feel safe.

This is all very honest. Maybe I’m being too honest, but transparency is not a bad thing. Everyone has a different travel style and budget and different people make different compromises.

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The post Cost of My Four Weeks in Thailand first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.