Backpacking and travel abroad

What is travel?

• Travel means your movement from one location to another location. This movement can be made for different reasons.

What is a journey or voyage?

• A journey means traveling from one place to another, especially when involving a considerable distance
• A voyage means usually a long journey to a foreign or distant place, especially by sea.
• A voyage of discovery means a journey undertaken to discover new places.
• A pilgrimage means a journey to a place with special religious significance and a home-work trip is a fixed route from home to work.

What is long trip abroad?

• A long trip abroad is a trip starting at about three months, with some travelers traveling for six months, a year or even several years.

What is a travel around the world trip?

• A travel around the world trip is a journey with multiple destinations on multiple continents. You travel alone, or with your travel partners, from country to country and continent to continent. A classic world trip calls at every continent or passes through at least every meridian.
• A world trip can be made by any means of transportation and can be short or long in duration.

What is a backpack trip?

• Backpacking generally means traveling low-cost, independent, using local transport and preferably immersing yourself in the local culture and carrying your necessary possessions in a backpac, or al least not in a suitcase.
• Backpacking has evolved to a mainstream form of traveling and is not limited to low cost travel any more
• Backpackers can be of any age, but are typically aged 18 to 25

What is a vacation?

• A vacation is a trip where an individual or a group spends a leisure stay elsewhere for a limited period of time

What is a business trip?

• A business trip or business trip is a trip undertaken from a work situation.

What is a travel around the world trip?

• A travel around the world trip is a journey with multiple destinations on multiple continents. You travel alone, or with your travel partners, from country to country and continent to continent. A classic world trip calls at every continent or passes through at least every meridian.
• A world trip can be made by any means of transportation and can be short or long in duration.

What is a long trip abroad?

• Generally speaking, a long trip is a trip starting at about three months, with some travelers traveling for six months, a year or even several years.

How long does travel around the world take?

• Do you need a year or is a month or four enough? A question that for most travelers is largely determined by employer, school, university, etc. What also comes into play for them is how long you need for a particular region or country.
• Of course, it also depends on your itinerary and budget. In practice, almost no one manages to make a real world trip in one year. Often entire continents have to be skipped in order not to run out of time or money.
• Anyone who wants to make a trip from Australia through Southeast Asia to India and/or China can basically do it in three to five months. You will then be in a country almost as long as most other world travelers who also have other continents on their schedule.
• When you skip expensive countries like Australia, New Zealand, the U.S. and some South American countries, it's a lot more financially attractive to go for a year instead of a few months. After all, your biggest expense, the flight, is already done by then.
• The advantage of going away for a year is that you can totally flip your travel itineraries and stay in one place for a long time more easily without throwing your schedules into too much disarray.
• If you go away for about three months, then a number of other advantages come around the corner, tickets are often cheaper, you have easily saved your travel budget together and with work and studies, it is sometimes just manageable.
• can cost money and take a long time.
  From Nepal you can both enter China (Tibet), and fly to Bangkok (Thailand): so you can always adjust your trip from Kathmandu.
  Obviously, everyone wants to avoid as much as possible having to travel back pieces to continue the route from a point where you have already been. If this starting point turns out to cost you a lot of money (sometimes the case) try to plan it so that on the return trip you can still travel through a new part of a country or region.
  Building Transsiberia Express in is often easier (in terms of visas) and more convenient at the beginning of your trip.
  In general; the more you book in advance, the more expensive it becomes. Students and travelers who travel around during the off-season can often enjoy cheap deals. Just be aware that pre-booked tickets are sometimes valid for a maximum of 6 months or still need to be arranged with additional single tickets locally. In the latter case, of course, you do take the risk that prices may change in the meantime.
• Building in from Latin America to Australia/New Zealand or vice versa can make the trip firmly more expensive.
  Flying from Latin America to Africa or vice versa can also make the trip a lot more expensive. Airport taxes make the total price quite a bit more expensive.
  Overland connections are in principle not part of world tickets, but are included in tickets where the fare depends on the number of miles.

What are favorite destinations during a world trip or long journey of 3 to 4 months?

• Tip: Hippie route (overland to India) - Pan-American highway: Mexico to Panama - round-the-Middle East - simple 'Round-the-World'.
• Top: Round Southeast Asia - South and East Africa or Madagascar - India, Nepal and Tibet, Trans-Siberia and China - round the Andes (Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador)

What are favorite destinations during a world trip or long journey of 6 to 8 months?

• Tip: Gringo Trail in South America, hippie route with Southeast Asia included - an average 'Round-the-World'
• Top: Round Southeast Asia with India / China / Myanmar (Burma) - Madagascar and Southeast Africa- Trans-Siberia + China and Southeast Asia

What are favorite destinations during a world trip or long journey of 9 to 12 months around the world?

• Tip: Trans-Siberia / China / Southeast Asia / Australia - the Silk Road
• Top: Round Southeast Asia - India and or China and Australia and/or New Zealand - Africa overland - Tip: hippie route with Southeast Asia and Australia - an extensive 'Round-the-World'

If you just want to do nothing or are looking for some 'fun', these are popular 'hangouts'.

Goa

• In southern India, 17 hours “bus ride” from Bombay.
• Once known as the hangout of the Hippie Trail, today it attracts mostly travelers who come for the trance parties. Many rent shabby shacks for an extended period, making accommodation for a few days scarce. The beaches are scattered and all attract different crowds, except for the cows and traders!

Byron Bay

• On the east coast of Australia, by bus 12 hours north of Sydney.
• Originally a sleepy town where mainly surfers went who came for the 30 km long sandy beach. Due to the hippies, it later became Australia's new age center and today is a place for weary travelers to catch their breath and relax.

Gili Islands

• Indonesia, east of Bali and northwest of Lombok.
• The main reasons to go here are sun, sea, beach and partying. Gili Trawangan in particular is a great place to go if you like partying, diving and snorkeling. If you are looking for peace and quiet and just trying to avoid the tourists, it is better to go to Gili Meno or Gili Air. From the port town of Bangsal, you can get there in 20 to 60 minutes. Besides the “outrigger boats” to the Gili's, you will also find many scammers and annoying cab drivers and captains in Bangsal. To avoid trouble, many people choose the long crossing from Sengiggi, Lombok.

Zanzibar

• Tanzania, by boat from Dar es Salaam.
• Does this need any further explanation? Powdery white beach, fresh fish & cold beers. In the sea you share your hot bath with dolphins (do so responsibly!).
• Stone Town has atmosphere, stunning Arab architecture, you eat delicious food in the park and market. Get lost in the winding, narrow alleys and you never have to leave. Do realize that with Ramadan it is difficult to get a beer and the clubs are closed.

Rurrenabaqu

• Bolivia, a long hard trek by bus from La Paz.
• Chilling in the Bolivian jungle, if you drink as many beers as you see crocodiles, you'll end up drunk in your hammock every night. The perfect starting point for Amazon exploration. Many have trouble getting out of here. Literally, when the rainy season starts and the roads get (even) worse. But why on earth would you even leave your hammock?

Ko Pha Ngan

• Thailand, 15 hours by bus/boat from Bangkok.
• The party island of Thailand where about 5000 people come to party every month during the 'full moon' parties. Nowadays there are also 'half moon', 'quarter moon' and even 'no moon' parties. Come a few days early if you want to be assured of a room.

Dahab

• Egypt, Red Sea, 8 hour buses from Cairo or an hour cab from Sharm.
• No matter where you come from, the waterfront tents with the logs, cushions, rugs and bongs are relaxing for everyone! Unfortunately, the coral has been trampled or destroyed by fishermen over the years and you can't really snorkel there now. Fortunately, there are more and more villages where you can still dive and snorkel.

Alter do Chão

• Brazil, two days of boats from Manaus.
• With the crowds and filth of passenger ships on the Amazon, this is a welcome stopover. Get off the boat in Santarém and take the bus to this delightful town. The biggest attraction are the sandy Amazon beaches that give you a pleasant island feel. People put patio furniture in the water so you can enjoy your beer sitting in the Amazon.

Pokhara

• Nepal, 6 hours of buses west of Kathmandu.
• This lakeside town still attracts many mountaineers just returning or getting ready for the Annapurna. You can canoe, buy climbing gear or just eat brownies in the cafe and watch the mob.

Lhasa

• Tibet, “the roof of the world” at 3595 meters above sea level.
• Lhasa is one of the most remarkable cities in Asia. The Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple, the Tibetan people, breathtaking. Take your time to walk around or just spend a day like the Tibetans around Barkhor Square. Keep in mind the altitude though, take it easy especially the first few days.

Cape Maclear

• Lake Malawi, Malawi, 5 hours by bus from Blantyre AND 20 km hitchhiking.
• This is a real classic hangout spot for backpackers with cold beer, hammocks and water sports from kayaking to scuba diving.

Bocas del Toro

• Panama, 100$ and an hour flight from Panama City or bus.
• An island group where you can enjoy fun nightlife, stunning underwater world & good food. Rent a canoe and go to Bastimentos, spot birds on Bird Island or borrow a fisherman's dugout canoe and try to stay dry. The diving is brilliant and inexpensive. And, do me a favor and check if the guy with the homemade airplanes is still running down the main street of Bocas.

Dali

• Southwest China, 5 hours of buses northwest of Kunming.
• People say this is the best place in China to take a break from traveling. It is a nice little place where you can treat yourself to cappuccino, pizza and cheap Chinese beer again. Among other things, you can rent bikes or take the bus to one of the local markets in the area. By the way, Dali is also very popular with the Chinese tourist themselves, who you will see passing by in groups, complete with caps and tracking flags!

Vang Vieng

• Northern Laos, 6 hours by bus from Vientiane.
• Drugs is the main reason many travelers come to Vang Vieng. Apart from taking drugs, you can mostly drink a lot there, eat pancakes, watch the TV series Friends and float down the river in a rubber band. If this is not what you are looking for, it is better to skip Vang Vieng.

Lamu

• An island off the coast of Kenya, 7 hours travel north from Mombasa.
• This island is home to Kenya's oldest town, Lamu, which still attracts many travelers. Lamu has a relaxed atmosphere and many travelers fly back and forth over the beautiful beach on their way to or from distant islands. Or rent a dhow (traditional Kenyan sailboat) and set sail.

Jericoacoara

• Brazil, 6-hour buses from Fortaleza.
• Sandy white beaches, as yet no paved roads and for those who do more than create a hangover and sleep it off: super good kitesurfing opportunities. Huge sand dunes and a welcoming vibe complete it.

Where is the best place to go when going to the tropics for the first time?

Top:

• East Coast Malaysia
• Java and Bali
• Northern or southern Thailand
• East Mexico
• Egypt
• Australia

Tip:

• Costa Rica
• Vietnam
• Ecuador
• Sri Lanka

Where's the best place to go if you want to go malaria-free to the tropics with kids?

Top:

• Virtually all of the Caribbean (parts of the Dominican Republic and Haiti have malaria, among others)
• Almost all of Malaysia (mainland and Sabah)
• most of Thailand
• Almost all of South Africa
• Cebu ( Philippines)
• large part of Namibia
• The North East of Australia

Tip:

• Large part of Ecuador
• Large part of Peru
• Large part of Bolivia
• Reunion
• Large part of Mexico
• Large part of Brazil
• Singapore
• Egypt

Where's the best place to go when traveling alone as a woman?

Top:

• Thailand
• Malaysia
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Indonesia
• Singapore

Tip:

• Sri Lanka
• China
• Canada

What are good destinations for those who want to volunteer at a mature age?

• Central and South America: There are various volunteer opportunities in arts & crafts including Guatemala, Mexico, Peru.
• Bolivia: institute for the blind, shelter for street children, children's museum in Sucre, orphanages, schools, health care around Cochabamba, Indian people at Lake Titicaca.
• Bolivia: English at the university in Cochabamba and getting Spanish or Quechua lessons yourself.
• Chile: teaching.
• Ghana: Helping with projects in schools, childcare and health care, journalism-radio; work can range from giving information to helping with education + translation. Projects near Accra, Kumasi, Cap Coast, Takoradi and Koforidua.
• Kenya: volunteering in a Banda (Kenyan village) or public health center.
• Namibia: teaching volunteer in schools or university.
• Senegal: projects around Dakar in the field of human rights, in child care or health care and many in schools, please note that the language is French, so if you do not speak it you can take a course beforehand.
• Sri Lanka: teaching English in small villages across the country to children and adults.
• South Africa: in the Waterberg region you can teach English (but also sports or something else) to children of local farm workers.

What are good destinations for wildlife watching and volunteering with animals?

What are good destinations for a language course during your holiday?

• Language courses abroad: what is it, why should you do it and where is the best place to go?

What are dream destinations that won't break your budget?

India

• ndia has long been known as a cheap country. But what you may not realize is that there is more to India than just Bollywood films, elephant rides and crazy traffic. How about a trip to the North? Go climbing in Ladakh where the mountain peaks are gigantic and the air is cool. Or how about surfing in Port Blair – this is in the middle of Bengal Bay and very cheap. This classic backpacker destination offers plenty of adventure.

Nepal

• The land of Mount Everest and the Sherpa people has long been known to budget travelers. After decades in the spotlight, Nepal still remains one of the best destinations in the world. Trekking is great and the small budget you need for living means your trekking can continue 'until St. Juttemis'. For many experienced travelers, Nepal is one of the top destinations. And what's most amazing is that it doesn't cost a fortune to add Nepal to your top destinations.

Indonesia

• The pristine beaches are still the poster child and you can still experience the same good life as has always been there. If you like surfing or lying on the beach, this is a fun, adventurous destination that is also dirt cheap. As long as you don't go to the resorts where many tourists go, it is not difficult to spend less than 15 euros per day.

Iran

• Forget the propaganda and experience the country that meets all requirements. First of all, it is cheap: for +/- 20 euros per day you can stay in a mid-range hotel and eat your way around. What you won't find is mass tourism. You can see the wonders of the ancient world without encountering all those groups of tourists. In fact, it is a country that loves and deserves visitors. The local people are incredibly friendly towards travelers. In January, go for the ancient Persian midwinter festival of Sadeh where you celebrate the creation of fire. For experienced travelers, but check the safety situation.

Poland

• Eastern Europe was always dirt cheap during the Cold War. Now that there is peace, costs have risen sharply. However, Poland is still cheap: for a daily budget of 15/20 euros you can easily travel through the country. Poland is a country that has often been invaded by other countries, making it now bulletproof. This EU member is doing better and better, so get there quickly before prices are as high as in other countries. Small villages are picturesque and cheap to visit, take the small village of Krasnystaw in the Lubelskie region. This is a veritable wonderland for the cheapskate.

Laos

• Southeast Asia is the promised region for cheap travel. Laos may not have the beaches of Thailand or the fame of Vietnam but it has what it's all about. For only 10 euros per day you get what you need. It leaves you free to go to the pristine river valleys or to the chill micro-villages along the Mekong River. The cheapest way to get there is by boat from Chiang Khong, Thailand. The boat trip costs around 35 cents. The best experiences in life are still free – like the beautiful waterfalls at Tat Sae in Laos.

Sudan

• It's hard to travel to, hard to get into, and hard to understand. Sudan is mainly in the news with negative reports. What people should also know is that the locals are proud to receive guests and that there are beautiful things to see in the country. In the north you can view pyramids and other valuables of the ancient world and you will probably be the only one to see them at that time. Falafel will cost you less than 75 cents and a bed for a night not even 7 euros. However, it will not be a dream destination for everyone. Make sure you are well informed before and during your trip.

Honduras

• If you are looking for a scuba diving destination where you can spend your entire budget on going under, Honduras is the place to be. A place to sleep will cost you about 7 euros per night and meals are available for even less money, so a little money can go a long way. Honduras is located next to the Caribbean Sea, so you have more than enough time to enjoy the golden beaches. The developers haven't invaded Honduras yet, but you better be quick before they do. After snorkeling and kayaking around Roatan's West Beach, you can visit the UNESCO heritage Archaeological Park of Copán.

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Morocco

• "Do you want to buy a carpet? Come over here, my brother has a shop." Yes, Morocco is the country of sales techniques. But you won't need much convincing to go and see it anyway. The country has a rich, distinctive culture and is a great country to see how far your money can go – living costs are around 30 euros per day, but the beaches and markets are free to visit. The more local you become, the cheaper it will be. Traveling between major cities is cheapest by train.

Jordan

• Most people only know one destination in Jordan – Petra. But what a destination to get to know. Made famous by the final installment of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, it is a Middle Eastern must-go. You don't have to be an archaeologist to find bargains: a bed for a night is a paltry 3 euros and a meal costs half that. Jordan is rarely visited in the Middle East and can easily be combined with another cheap country, Egypt. Just remember to bring your fedora and bull whip. The necessary visas are issued at the Wadi Araba and Sheikh Hussein Bridge crossings; be aware that visas cannot be obtained if you apply for them upon arrival at the King Hussein Bridge.

Where can you check the climate or costs

• Best travel time for weather, climate and activities abroad, and the worst time to go!

Destinations and countries

• Destination: The World : all countries and destinations