Practical travel tips and advice
TipsThe ATMs that don't exist, the malaria meds you can't skip, and the Portuguese phrases that will save your trip. Everything I wish I'd known before my first visit.
TipsFrom the 1,350 fortress steps to the cruise ship schedule that dictates your entire day — the practical stuff the Instagram posts don't mention.
TipsThe balloon ride isn't guaranteed. Not all cave hotels are actual caves. And the underground cities close earlier than you think. Here's what I learned the hard way.
TipsSkip the overpriced swing photos, avoid the Monkey Forest at noon, and learn which warungs the locals actually eat at. Hard-won advice from multiple Ubud visits.
TipsThe shuttle is mandatory, Angels Landing needs a lottery permit, and flash floods are real. Here's everything you need to sort out before you arrive at Zion.
TipsFrom the Grand Palace 'closed today' scam to the best 40-baht street food stall, here's everything I wish I'd known before my first Bangkok trip.
TipsI learned most of these the hard way at -27°C. Including the one about phone batteries, the one about reindeer on roads, and the one about booking glass igloos.
TipsFrom beating the ferry chaos to surviving the Full Moon Party with your phone and dignity intact — the practical tips that separate a great Koh Phangan trip from a rough one.
TipsFrom why you should shop in Windhoek to the exact time the rhinos appear at Okaukuejo, these are the tips that separate a good Etosha trip from a great one.
TipsDon't pump your own gas, skip Voodoo Doughnut, and why your umbrella marks you as an outsider — 17 lessons from repeated Portland visits.
TipsFrom the car rental you definitely need to the Spam you'll definitely eat — a first-timer's essential tips for Japan's tropical archipelago.
TipsI showed up without registering, wore the wrong clothes to the Matrimandir, and tried to use cash at a place that doesn't use money. Learn from my mistakes.
