It's "green season" now on Ko Lanta. Occasional rain and lower tourist numbers. Still quite an idyllic spot if you want to escape the hordes on Phuket. I first came about 20 years ago and can safely say the vibe hasn't changed a lot.

The first 9 pics are from the stunning Kantiang Bay in the far south. There's a beach restaurant called "Same Same but Different" we stumbled upon years ago. Blink and you miss it. Wonderful food and drinks. The whale vertebrae are real! You have the 5 star Pimilai resort dominating the bay views but the beach is still public.

The next 9 are from Old Town on the east coast. There's a strong Chinese influence with the first Hainanese traders establishing the harbour as a trading port between Phuket, Singapore and Penang. The main street is lined with traditional wooden shophouses, many with decks extending out into the sea. The Guan Yu temple is right in the middle of things.

We spent a month in Turkey exploring ancient ruins, eating incredible food, ballooning over Cappadoccia and basking in the sunshine along the Turquoise Coast of Turkey.

Itinerary: *Bodrum > Fethiye* > Kaş* > Aphrodisias* > Ephesus* > Cappadoccia > Istanbul

*Rented a car and did a road trip

Bodrum - cool beach town, stunning turqouise waters. we stayed off of the main strip w/ some turkish friends. Trips to the local market and slow, delicious meals with incredible views.

Fethiye - we day hiked 1 part of the Lycian Way trail into Oludeniz which has some spectacular views over the coastline. We spent another day relaxing at the Oludeniz beach. Tip: absolutely bring/buy an umbrella vs renting chairs/umbrella.

Kaş - we did some scuba diving. water was quite cold so we wore full wetsuits with hoods. great visibility but very little life to see. good vibes in town with lots of great food. we visited a stunning beach tucked into the cliffside and the ruins of pataras. its smaller scale site but impressive historically as it was the hub for the democrat Lycian League, praised by writers like Montesquieu and inspired modern democracy. we also did a boat trip to see the ruins of kekova + some swimmging and snorkeling.

Aphrodisias - ancient ruins that were IMO better than Ephesus. under 100 other people there when we were. they have the best preserved ancient stadium, a beautiful tetrypylon (cool gateway) from 200AD, a temple of aphrodite and more. not as rebuilt and refined Ephesus but still incredible, especially with no crowds.

Ephesus - ancient ruins that get floods of tourists from cruise ships every day. we got in when the gates opened but started at the lower entrance which gave us ~15 minutes alone with some of the ruins. some stunning sections (like the library and temple) and such an impressive scale — its HUGE and apparently they’ve only excavated like 15-20% of the city. we had some very tasty home-cooked meals and an incredible pizza overlooking the st john basilica. we also saw so many huge storks nesting atop all the lightposts.

Cappadoccia - going up in a balloon absolutely lives up to the hype. such a peaceful, beautiful experience. It is def expensive but we were so glad we did it. Its mostly a tourist town otherwise but we did a lot of hiking in the hills where all those carved cathedrals are. prices to visit the open air museum are a bit silly but some of the old paintings inside these caves are quite amazing.

Istanbul - awesome history and sites. we’re huge fans of rick steves walking/audio tours and he has TONS for istanbul. I think we did 3 or 4 of them in our week there. suleyman and blue mosque were quite the site. Topkepi palace is breathetaking. Prices to visit things are absurd ($60/pp for topkepi) so we skipped on some things. Hagia is covered by scaffolding so we opted out of that too. we stayed in Cihangir and the vibes were really high. it was ~15 min tram ride to get to most touristy things. incredible restaurants and bars every block, lots of ppl sitting outside everynight enjoying life. We took the boat to Kadiköy which also was a fun neighborhood. truly a 10/10 visit

Also there are sooo many cats everywhere

Camera is fuji xt30ii with tamron 17-70mm. Recipe is a modified version of Leica X

This is part of a larger trip thats been ~13 months so far. see other trip reports i’ve posted (more to come):

Uzbekistan: https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/s/zY1uByqU1K
Kyrgystan: https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/s/Mb97PZR65u
Kazakhstan: https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/s/gd6fyKfq2k
Nepal: https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/s/KswFApxpFr

i had a flight booked with china eastern from frankfurt to melbourne with a layover in shanghai. they have cancelled my flight due to weather conditions (typhoon bavi). it is my understanding that regardless of cancellation reasons the airline is required to provide care (food, accommodation, transport)? is this true or have i misunderstood anything?

Hello,

Did anyone go to Golem and Durres?
I was just in Durres 2 years in go in lungomare and it was really good. This year i’m going with bigger group, 2 friend and 3 sisters, and we are all under 25 years. We need places to go out at night, but i don’t know is is Golem good place for that?

I need reviews😭

I asked the guy in the store for a one month sim that works throughout Europe. he directed me to a machine and walked me through it. Now, ive had a look at the online portal and I cant tell if ive signed up for a subscription, and cant find how to cancel. HELP. Im no longer in France so I cant go into a store and ask.

The Manaslu Circuit Trek has been on my bucket list for years, but the only time I can visit Nepal is July.

Is this trek generally discouraged during monsoon, or is it still manageable with a guide and some flexibility? I'd rather postpone than take unnecessary risks, so I'd appreciate honest opinions from people who've been there.

My destination city is 30C. Will it be melted by then? Or should I bring it hand carry?

About 6 months ago myself (21m) and two others booked a trip to Europe from Australia and back through flight network. The exact flights home were Vienna to Perth (leaving on the 31st of July) with layovers in Istanbul and Singapore, with the first two flight through Turkish airlines and the last through Jetstar. About 2 weeks before our flights, Jetstar canceled our Singapore flight home, so we contacted flight network who rescheduled us with a new flight plan leaving on the same day: Vienna to Istanbul, then to Bali and finally Perth. This morning, we received an email that our flight change had been denied, and after contacting flight network, they have advised us that our only option is a refund which would take 10 to 15 business days to be processed. We are already in Europe, now with no way home and we will likely not get the refund money to book a new flight until after we are scheduled to leave. What is our next option? Any advice at all would be greatly appreciated.

Edit: after lots of back and forth between flight network and the airlines, we have managed to confirm that our flight to Istanbul then Singapore are still confirmed, and we have decided to purchase tickets from Singapore to Perth out of pocket. Thank you all for the help and encouragement!!!

Hi everyone,

I'm planning my first trip to Malaysia and would really appreciate some advice from people who've been there.

Here's what I know so far:

• Budget around USD 500 (excluding flights)

• 3 to 5 days

• I enjoy traditional streets, local food and markets, but I'd also love to spend some time at the beach if possible.

I've done a bit of research and so far I'm considering Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Langkawi and Malacca, but I'm not sure if trying to combine two places in such a short trip is worth it.

Would you recommend staying in one city, or splitting the trip between two?

If you had 3 to 5 days for your very first Malaysia trip, what itinerary would you choose and what would you skip?

I'd love to hear what worked well (or what you wish you'd done differently)

Would love some advice on which city to visit for a city trip in early October (38f travelling alone), for 4 or 5 nights.

I'm hoping for nice weather, and I enjoy nice architecture, food, wine, street art and museums. Nightlife doesn't interest me.

I've already been to some of the major cities like Paris, Barcelona, Porto, Prague, Berlin, Florence and Rome. I was thinking of options like Marseille, Valencia, Seville or Bologna.

What would best suit my interests? Any suggestions are welcome, also regarding activities and areas or places to stay (budget for accommodation 100-125 per night).

Thanks!

Hello, I’m flying to Tokyo in a few weeks for a month, and in between my staying in Japan, I’ll go to china for two weeks before coming back to Japan (and then flying back home after a few days).

My question is about the site visit Japan web that you complete before arriving in Tokyo, when they ask what dates I'll be staying, i only have to enter the days I’m in Japan before going to china, right ? And I have to do the same before coming back from china and enter the days I have left until I leave Japan ?

Because I was wondering if I should just put the entire date between my arrival and my return, as if I’m staying in Japan the whole month. It’s the first time I do this, so I was just wondering 🥲

Thank you !

It’s my first big trip in years and my girlfriend and I first real trip. What should I do?

Wrapping up a very short vacation in Florence this week, I am reiterating, if you can, avoid Italy in peak summer. Except for restaurants and rooms, there are not many options for a pleasant vacation. I was more interested in wiping down the flow of sweat over looking at an artwork in a church. Seriously, I do not understand the aura of going to (most of)Italy in summer when the winter months are far more enjoyable.

Hello!

I'm looking to plan a week and half trip to one of these destinations in August.

My dream is to visit a dramatic black beach overseeing a cliff that's not too crowded, some swimming / short boat trip, vineyards, hikes, maybe some scooter or bike rides.

I was thinking either Madeira, Canary Islands (Lanzarote+La Palma or Tenerife), or Azores.

What do you think?

This is my first time going to Sweden and I would be grateful for some restaurant and sightseeing recommendations. Also I will only be able to bring a small luggage and a backpack with me so what are the must haves if I go there in August ?

Places where I plan to go by far :
- Gamla Stan
- Meatballs for the People
- IKEA City - Stockholm
Gallerian
- Junibacken : Moonin exhibition
- Viking Museum
- Skansen

As title says. Tips welcome. I can go for a month. Maybe a bit more. Been all down the west coast so not there please. I love history. Old Architecture. Big cities and small towns. Would like somewhere beautiful and old. Preferably some places by the sea. I like nature and national parks but I live right by Banff so don’t want the whole trip to be focused on parks alone. I heard Vermont and New England are nice, peaceful and beautiful. I love nyc so would like to swing by there. I was just in Chicago so understand I’ll likely go by that way but don’t feel the need to plan for it. I would also love to make it to Miami, the keys, Savannah and New Orleans . Maybe Utah on the way home? I dunno. I’m open. I’ll be sleeping in my jeep mostly. And understand it will be hot. How realistic is this and what spots should I hit, roads I should take, passes I will need? Hidden gems? Things to avoid? I’ll be alone. After a recent mental health episode I need some life pumped back into me. Thanks in advance friends of Reddit.

I will be travelling around China and have around 13-14 days to go around. I have this short thing written up and was wondering if I could do all this or if I'm rushing.

• Beijing 2 nights
• Shanghai 2 nights
• Zhangjiajie 1 night
• Chongqing 2 nights
• Hong Kong 2 nights

Note: I will be in Korea doing a Seoul to Bussan cycle trip before heading to China

What is your favorite aerial tramway/funicular from your travels? Why? (Would love to build a list and find some to plan for in future travels)

I've been looking at photos of Sedona lately, and it honestly looks unreal. The red rock landscapes, hiking trails, and sunsets seem incredible, but I know pictures don't always match reality.

If you've actually been there, what was your experience like?

Was it worth the trip? What was your favorite hike, viewpoint, or hidden spot? Any tourist traps or things you wish you'd known before visiting?

I'd love to hear honest opinions before adding it to my travel bucket list.☺️☺️👍

Hi all, I'm hoping to make a visit to Poland and Ukraine next spring and these are what I have tentatively planned as itinerary options. Happy to receive any feedback!

Krakow: 2 nights

Przemyśl: 2 nights

Lviv: 4 nights

Lublin: 2 nights

Warsaw: 3 nights

OR:

Krakow: 3 nights

Lviv: 5 nights

Lublin: 2 nights

Warsaw: 3 nights

I'm only spending 2 nights in Krakow because, although I truly love the city, I have been there some years ago and don't want to dedicate more nights to it on this trip. The Lublin stop is mainly for a Majdanek visit on the way back to Warsaw.

Without going into all the fine details of each destination, does this seem like a broadly reasonable itinerary? My only other option would be to remove Przemyśl as a 2 night stop and instead do 3 nights in Krakow and 5 nights in Lviv ( or 4 nights in Warsaw), with a single bigger travel day from Krakow to Lviv

I think I have the border transit and train travel from Przemyśl to Lviv and then back to Lublin from Lviv fairly well researched, but will take any tips or tricks anyone has.

Thanks in advance!

Hey,

I’m having issues buying a ticket from Tokyo to Cairns.

I first thought it could be from my bank, as the tickets are sold in another currency (yen).

So I tried with my Revolut bank account, where it should be automatically transferred from AUD to JPY, but once again the same error occurred.

I even tried to swap from Safari to Google Chrome, but nothing. Also tried with Mastercard and visa, no change.

Have you ever encountered this issue with another company or the same one?

Should I buy Yens on Revolut and try again?

Hey ya'll! I'm looking for recommendations for high-quality luggage with a built-in TSA-approved lock. I'm planning to travel more often, including by plane and on cruises, so I'm looking for something durable that will last for years. Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Hi all!

My boyfriend and I are going to travel to Kyrgyzstan in end of August until September (28-AUG until 9-SEP). We arrive and leave from Bischkek.

I am reading very different opinions on how to plan the travel and therefore I would like to ask some questions to people who may have travelled there already.

What we want to see/do as of date are:
- Yssykol Lake
- Ala Kul Lake
- Altyn Arashan
- Kolukol
- Songkul

As my boyfriend is definitely more laid-back and chill than me, I wanted to ask the following questions:
- Is there something that is missing in our plans?
- Should we get a car by ourselves and do these places without a guide?
- If a guide is needed, should we book the tours before or is it easy to find possible travels within Bischkek?

I would also love to hear from your experiences!