Photo: Larry Johnson

1. Don’t… pronounce it Mel-born

Nothing screams tourist more than being the only one in a city of 4 million people pronouncing it incorrectly.

Do… pronounce it Mel-buhn (or Mel-behn) and learn the local lingo

When we refer to footy we’re talking about Australian Rules Football (AFL), and despite a growing interest, no one really cares too much for soccer or rugby here.

We tend to get around in our thongs, too; no one wears “jandles” or “flip-flops” in this city.

2. Don’t… dress for the weather

Disregard the seasonal forecast, because you may experience one of the hottest days on record, only to receive a month’s rainfall the next. Then, you’ll be hammered by hailstones the size of small fruits.

Do… dress for EVERY type of weather

Pack some factor-50 sunscreen, an umbrella, and your windproof jacket. And layer, layer, layer. Don’t forget to bitch and moan about the weather too. Striking up a chat with an exasperated “Can you believe the weather we’re having?” will set you in good stead with the locals.

3. Don’t… buy into the Melbourne vs. Sydney debate

Melbourne isn’t a city of touristy sights comparable to Sydney, but it is regularly ranked among the “world’s most livable cities.” For me, Melbourne is not a city to see; it’s a city to do.

Photo: avlxyz

During summer, one of my favorite things to do is pack a picnic and a bottle of wine, and head to the Royal Botanical Gardens. Here you can catch an outdoor play or pull up a beanbag at the Moonlight cinema.

Also, check out the twilight openings at the Queen Victoria Market to shop and sample international dishes, or join the locals and kick back with a barbecue and beer on the banks of the Yarra River.

Do… take Melbourne’s side if you have to

OK, if you must spark some inter-city rivalry, tell people that you think the “locals are friendlier” and that Melbourne is much more “cultured” than Sydney. We love hearing this, and it could earn you a free drink.

4. Don’t… expect to go surfing

Ah, bless those surfers heading to Melbourne for the Aussie lifestyle of “sun and surf” — sorry, but our waves are tiny!

Photo: Paleontour

Do… go windsurfing or kiteboarding instead

Melbourne’s calm bays provide ideal conditions for windsurfing at Brighton, Elwood, and Sandringham.

Or try kiteboarding on St. Kilda’s West Beach. A lesson will set you back $100 for an hour.

5. Don’t… take the City Circle Tram

Although it’s free and a great way to get around the city, the speaker static, tram bells, and people transiting through city chaos makes it all a bit tricky to hear the audio guide.

Do… take a FREE guided walking tour

Melbourne’s grid design makes it easy to explore by foot. A local volunteer that speaks your language can provide you with a free walking orientation of the city.

Or if you prefer to see the city solo, download a self-guided walk and look out for the City Ambassadors in red t-shirts if you need directions or advice.

Dave’s Pawn Shop / All photos by author

FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS — Kiwis Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement — are self-proclaimed “New Zealand’s fourth most popular folk-parody duo.” They ran a series for two seasons on HBO, which was filmed in New York. I love ‘em. And if you don’t, there’s something wrong with you. Seriously. You should get that checked out.

Speaking of checking things out, there’s this clip from their live act — a “gangster-folk crossover”:

The tour

As I said, the show was set in New York — they were trying to make it in the Big Apple — with locations split between Manhattan and Brooklyn. I can only vouch for the Manhattan locales as I didn’t make it to the Brooklyn ones. But if you’re a fan of the show, and if you’re in New York, I have no choice but to call this a “must-do.”

Bret and Jemaine’s apartment building

To be honest, there really isn’t anything mind-blowing to see. The “sets” are just regular-looking buildings. But nonetheless, it’s still exciting to snap a shot and stand where Bret and Jemaine performed their comedy genius. The whole tour should take you about 20 minutes. That’s about 19 minutes longer than their “New Zealand Town” bus tour.

1. Bret and Jemaine’s apartment

First, make your way to Manhattan’s Chinatown. Their apartment is smack dead in the middle of several nearby subway stations:

• Brooklyn Bridge – City Hall (4,5,6 trains)
• Canal Street (J,M,Z trains)
• East Broadway (F train)
• Grand Street (B,D trains)

Then find your way to 28 Henry Street. Stand on the sidewalk across the street and gawk in awe. You’re looking at the spot where their obsessive fan (and lone member of the fan club), Mel, stalked them, waiting to pounce as they left their flat.

2. New Zealand Consulate

About half a mile east at 232 East Broadway Street, you’ll find the rather nondescript building that doubled as the New Zealand consulate.

New Zealand consulate

You’ll recall this is where Bret and Jemaine’s band manager, Murray, worked as Deputy Cultural Attaché. It’s also where they held their band meetings and where you’d spot hilarious promotional posters for NZ with slogans like “New Zealand: It’s next to Australia” and “New Zealand: Ewe should come.”

3. Dave’s Pawn Shop

Right around the corner from the NZ consulate, at 10 Montgomery Street, is where you’ll see where Devjeet “Dave” Mohumbhai worked, in the family pawn shop, Mohumbhai & Son. It pretty much looks exactly like it did in the show, and they even have a small piece of paper on the window showing that, yes indeed, this is the place you’re looking for.

A – Bret & Jemaine’s apartment / B – NZ consulate / X – Dave’s Pawn Shop

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Check out these 10 On-Location Movie Sets Around the World.

Or how about a more spiritual post about a comedian: Squeegee Your Third Eye with Bill Hicks.

Photo: Claudio.Núñez

1. Providencia

Providencia is a good place to start a Santiago visit. It’s safe for tourists who stick out like a sore thumb — yes, unfortunately that probably includes you.

This is mainly an upscale community with many restaurants and places to shop. I highly recommend sampling Chile’s buffet pizza at Insaciables, located at Hernando De Aguirre #148.

The waiters walk around with trays of pizzas, just waiting for you to say you’d like another. As soon as your plate is empty, a server is filling it with a new variety: fugazza, ham and olives, even one with corn. All feature a thin crust and flavorful tomato sauce.

Dessert is chocolate, manjar, and coconut mini-pizzas. Score!

Beyond the pizza obsession, when I’m in Providencia I like to catch a show at Teatro Oriente or take a dance class at David and Yasna’s Dance Academy.

There’s also a good English bookstore, Libreria Inglesa, located at Avenida Pedro de Valdivia #47 — good for a break from the castellano.

And to pick up some clothes, try Avenida 11 de Septiembre. There are plenty of shops, including the larger department stores Falabella and Paris and a small mall called Drugstore, on nearby Avenida Providencia.

Photo: Gustavo Minas

2. Bellavista

For nightlife, it’s Bellavista. Start with dinner at Como Agua Para Chocolate or the Peruvian restaurant Barandiaran, located in Patio Bellavista.

After a fortifying meal, your bar and club options are plentiful. For something a bit different, try Kitemate, the Rapa Nuian (natives of Easter Island) bar located at Constitucion 256, where they sometimes put on dance performances while you sip your trago.

During the day, you can take a tour of Cerro San Cristobal, the zoo, or Pablo Neruda’s house — La Chascona — at Fernando Márquez de la Plata 0192.

3. Ñuñoa

Ñuñoa is a quiet neighborhood and promises a mellower evening out.

If you’re looking for quality Italian food, and that secret that all the locals know about but the tourists don’t, try Golfo di Napoli. It’s easy to miss if you’re not paying attention, because from the street, the restaurant appears to be no more than a door. Walk in and down the red hallway which opens up into a small, two-room restaurant with Italian waiters, wine, and food. Anything on the menu is delicious.

Check it out at Avenida Irarrazaval 2423.

Photo: patasflacas

4. Lastarria

Located on Jose Victorino Lastarria Street, Lastarria is a neighborhood of cobblestone streets and European architecture. The MAVI (Museum of Visual Arts) at Jose Victorino Lastarria 307 features compelling pieces worth your time and money.

Also stop by Café Ona, Café Utopia, and Patagonia. Start with lunch at Café Ona at an outdoor table. Then head to Café Utopia for happy hour and a long list of mixed drinks. For dinner, walk across the street to Patagonia, order a wine, and sample from the gourmet menu.

5. Barrio Brasil

Along Avenida Brasil and surrounding Plaza Brasil, there are a bunch of cheaper bars and restaurants. At Huerfanos 1954, near the plaza, they serve what I consider to be the best empanadas in the city.

Barrio Brasil is also a popular place to grab a drink during happy hour, and many locals frequent Blondie Snack Bar at Avenida Brasil 171, a bar that plays ‘80s music.

For healthy catering, check out Emporio Raices, a vegan store located at Maturana 302.

Photo: Dave_B_

6. Parque Bustamante

Parque Bustamante, between metro stations Baquedano and Parque Bustamante, is my favorite area. The tree-lined park with wading pool and a meandering trail is my refuge from the big city.

There’s a little gym called Bio Accion near Baquedano, which offers relatively cheap month-to-month memberships and a long list of classes for those on an extended stay.

Café Literaria, an open-air café on the first floor of a library, is a good place to relax. It’s located in the middle of the park and has plenty of couches, chairs, and tables, along with free WiFi and plugs for your computer.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Intrigued by Chile but not convinced yet? Read about 7 Reasons to Learn Spanish in Chile, and check out the country’s 8 Natural Wonders.

Photo: Phillie Casablanca

1. Samba schools throughout the year

Carnival isn’t the only time to experience the spectacle and beat of Rio’s samba schools. As soon as Carnival finishes many of these schools will start rehearsals for the following year.

Photo: plasmastik

These practice performances can be seen for cheap and will become more and more elaborate the closer it gets to Carnival, with full-dress rehearsals in the months just prior.

I’ve seen performances in October that were as professional as anything I’ve seen in the Sambadrome during Carnival. Details can be found at the Rio Carnival site.

2. The Maze

Favela Tavares Basto is like no other in Rio — peaceful with constant police protection. There are no drugs and violence is very rare. It attracts artists and creative types wanting to enjoy the city’s vibrancy while staying away from the tourist enclaves and the edgy atmosphere of many of the other favelas.

Tavares Basto lies on top of a hill next to Botafogo/Catete where The Maze — a guesthouse/club — takes center stage. The best way to enjoy it is on Jazz Night — first Friday of every month. If nothing else, the views from the terrace, where you can see Christ, Sugarloaf, and Copacabana beach, are worth the trip up.

3. Ice cream

Ice cream can be bought on almost every corner in Rio de Janeiro, where flavours like mango, passionfruit, and açai are as common to buy as fruit juice or a sandwich. There are parlours that offer more inventive flavours too, and some even offer home delivery.

Photo: James Byrum

One of my favourites is Mil Frutas, with shops in Ipanema, Leblon, and down the road from the Botanical Gardens. Their flavours — like white chocolate with jabuticaba or cupuaçu and combining amazonian fruits — are wild. I still dream about the Orange Ginger Delight I had on my last visit.

Keep an eye open for the frozen yoghurt stores like Yogoberry. They are extremely popular in Rio and also have a tonne of flavours to choose from. Plus, even the non-fat ones seem to taste great.

4. Rio’s Surf Bus / Rio’s surf beaches

I can’t decide which is the biggest secret, Rio’s Surf Bus or it’s amazing surf beaches. Either way, these two easily go hand in hand as something that any surfer — beginner or pro — as well as any fan of beaches should know about. Those who are thinking of heading down the coast to Ubatuba or Lopez Mendez should have a look at some of the options in Rio beforehand.

The Surf Bus, which is specially designed to transport surfboards, runs three times a day from Rio’s city centre to its more western beaches, with another three return buses to bring you back. It’s in this direction that you will find some of the most consistent beaches on this whole coastline.

Photo: leszekwasilewski

The first notable beach after Ipanema (with its Arpoador surf spot the most popular in the city) is Barra da Tijuca, a 12km stretch of sand perfect for beginner and expert surfers (and kitesurfers). Next is Recreio, an untouched beach, perfect even for those with no interest in surfing. This is followed by two more beaches: Macumba and Prainha.

All four of these are great for surf, and they offer an alternative from the beaches normally associated with Rio thanks to their tropical landscape.

The hostel Rio Surf n Stay recently opened near Macumba beach, in a perfect spot for anyone wishing to learn to surf in Rio or have easy access to the beach.

5. Plano B

A good first Friday night in Rio is the Lapa street party. However, if you’re like me and are looking for something a bit different, there’s another scene in Lapa.

Photo: ground.zero

Plano B is one of the few places in Rio to have international DJs that bring a mixture of electronica, techno, and dub every week. Beers can be bought from the fridge inside or at any of the bars in Lapa.

There’s always a crowd of indie-types both inside and outside the shop (Plano B is a record store during the day) and even on the quieter weekday nights they show films. If you’re a skin-flint like me or want to do something outside of the mainstream this is the place to be.

6. Rock climbing

Rio is one of the best places in the world for rock climbing. I’ve met many a French climber who agrees. There are two options: urban climbing around the city, or proper rock climbing in Tijuca Forest. But it’s for the urban climbing that Rio gets its status.

The big city climb is Sugarloaf, one of the major attractions of Rio. It’s a great opportunity to climb close to your hostel and enjoy the views of Copacabana, Ipanema, and Flamengo’s beaches, especially great around sunset when the nightlife begins to buzz and lights illuminating the beaches stretch for miles.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

If you’d like to see a different perspective on Rio, check out Hang Gliding Over Rio de Janeiro.

Matador Nights has Carnival covered. In planning your trip for the famous festival, don’t miss 8 Essential Tips for Carnival in Rio. Or, for a taste of Carnival in other cities, Julie Schwietert has some great photos in Brazilian Carnaval: Going Beyond Rio.

Photo: Author

I’m quite willing to go along with my friend’s idea to visit some sculptures buried in the depths of a southern Swedish forest, but as I stub my toe against the thick root of a tree and fall headfirst into the damp earth, I have to question what kind of artist would decide this is a good place for a project.

But then again, other people’s opinions don’t seem to be of much concern to artist Lars Vilks.

The Artist

Vilks is better known for his ability to produce art offensive enough that it earns him death threats and a bounty of $100,000 on his head than for creating sculptures from salvaged materials in a Swedish nature reserve.

A former art professor, he submitted three drawings to a 2007 exhibition on the theme “The Dog in Art.” Vilks’ pieces depicted the prophet Muhammad as a roundabout dog — a form of street art popular in Sweden at the time.

The drawings provoked accusations of blasphemy, debates about free speech, a burning of the Swedish flag in Lahore, and threats of murder.

But before he became embroiled in international controversy, Lars Vilks was just an eccentric artist who, in 1996, had declared the founding of a micronation in southern Sweden’s Kullaberg Nature Reserve.

Photo: Author

The Micronation

In 1980, Vilks built two art pieces in the reserve in Skåne. He made Nimis from 75 tons of driftwood and Arx from stone. The local council discovered them two years later and, saying that building within a nature reserve was illegal, demanded their removal.

After losing appeals against the decision, Vilks retaliated by declaring the square kilometer of land where the sculptures were located to be the newly founded independent nation of Ladonia.

While no one actually lives in Ladonia, there are 14,000 Ladonian citizens. You can become one too just by filling out an application — nobility costs extra.

Ladonia has its own ministry, royal family, flag, currency, postal service, and two national anthems. It’s all done a little tongue-in-cheek, but, when 3,000 Pakistanis applied for immigrant status in 2002, asking Vilks for the address of Ladonia’s embassy, it became apparent that not everyone was in on the joke.

Finding Ladonia

Our own journey to Ladonia takes us through the seaside resort of Mölle and little town of Arild, whose residents’ almost foreign-sounding Swedish dialect seem like preparation for our departure from the nation. We pull up by a lonely maypole in the Kullaberg reserve and begin the trek.

Since Ladonia is not officially recognized, it doesn’t appear on maps. The only way to navigate through the woods is by following yellow arrows painted on the trees.

True to form, these haphazard signs are misleading — perhaps intentionally. The first one we see has 1.2 km painted underneath, so we’re frustrated when, after walking for at least 15 minutes, we come across the next arrow and it says 1.1 km.

It carries on like this, and we suppress thoughts of giving up by saying we should’ve expected this; this place doesn’t really exist anyway.

A little longer and it begins to feel like a hike. The arrows point us up hills, over rocks, and through clusters of thick, inflexible branches. The climb is becoming slippery in my flip-flops — I hadn’t dressed for the walk. The sun is still strong, even in the early evening, and I feel my shirt start to dampen with sweat. We keep climbing.

Photo: Author

A Nation of Art

And then there it is. Stretched out in front of us is a tunnel made of wooden pieces. It dips down and stretches as far as the seafront, where the centerpiece stands at the shore — the great sculptures of Nimis.

We walk through the piece, tottering unsteadily over thick sticks nailed together to form the labyrinthine walkway. Rogue nails that have worked their way out of the wood point at my feet — bare now to make walking easier — so I try to keep my eyes turned down.

But I can’t help but look around at this place — Ladonia, this empty, fantastical nation.

The tunnel spits us out by the shore, and it’s just the two of us — just two inhabitants of an entire nation. We each choose a rock to sit quietly on; the only sound is the waves lapping the rocky beach. My breath settles and I feel the peace that comes with the absence of anything anchoring me to a tangible place.

There’s something impossible about sitting here in a conceptual country, under a sun that still burns late in the evening, having walked through a nation that is an art piece, that is not even supposed to exist. I am neither here nor there.

Photo: Erik D

I don’t know how much time has passed, but in the distance I can hear voices. Sweden is encroaching on Ladonia. Taking this as our cue, we start the walk back.

We pass the new arrivals on our way. For now, this nation belongs to them.

If You Go

Ladonia is in a nature reserve between two small resort towns, Arild and Mölle. Both offer several hotel choices if you wish to spend the night.

Mölle is off the coastal highway 111, and the nearest airport is Ängelholm, approximately 19 kilometers (12 miles) away. Mölle is 35 kilometers (22 miles) northwest of Helsingborg and around a two-hour drive north of either Copenhagen or Malmö.

Mölle Harbor / Photo: Author

If you don’t have a car, you can take a train to Helsingborg from Copenhagen or Malmö, then a bus to Höganäs and then to Mölle.

From Mölle, it’s 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) to the Kullaberg Nature Reserve. The path to Nimis begins at Himmelstorps Hembygdsgård — a preserved 19th-century farmhouse inside the reserve.

Follow yellow arrows and “N”s painted on tree trunks and fences. The walk will take around 30 minutes — depending on how lost you get — starting off easy and becoming tougher and steeper.

Community Connection

For more controversial destinations, read about 5 Compelling Reasons To Visit Banned Countries.

All photos by Dave Shultz

“Did you drink a lot of tequila last night?” The man checking my harness asks. I’m about to zipline into a cave cenote and I’m giddy with anticipation.

“The mosquitos here,” he continues, “they love the tequila.” I’m spotted like a leopard and doing my best impersonation of a person who doesn’t want to rub her entire body with a cactus.

I’m on a press trip and it’s my first time in Riviera Maya. I’m falling fast for this coastal town.

Also, I did drink a lot of tequila last night.

What Are Cenotes?

Scattered all over the Yucatan Peninsula, the cenotes are underground, fresh water pools formed by the complete or partial collapse of cave roofs. Many tap into larger cave and river systems that go on for miles, some not yet fully mapped.

The Mayans used to believe cenotes were gateways into the afterlife and made offerings and performed rituals in these natural structures. Remnants of the ancient Mayan presence can be found in and around many cenotes. Our guide led us to one pool in which the base stones of an ancient Mayan steam house once stood. A cave painting decorated the wall to our right and bats nestled in the ceilings ahead. It was beautiful.

Here in the Riviera Maya, Mexican land owners are opening up their properties to the public and allowing visitors entrance to the cenotes. Aware of the potentially harmful impact from sharing this natural inheritance with so many people, property owners only permit the use of biodegradable sunscreen and eco-friendly bug spray in an effort to keep this type of natural tourism sustainable.

When I was there, the cenotes still appeared pristine, the walls and the water not yet looking weathered by human traffic.

Where to Find Them

Many places that have cenotes also offer a range of companion activities. At Hidden Worlds, our group sky-cycled through the Mayan jungle to a large cenote where we donned life vests and went snorkeling in the cave’s river. The cool, underground water served as a welcome contrast to the hot sun and pointy jungle leaves.

At ATV Explorer Jungle Tours, we rode through the vegetation to swim a small cenote before heading back on the dusty road.

Some of the more expansive cave networks have been developed into giant adventure parks like Xplor, where visitors can participate in a variety of activities, though the half-hour underground river swim was easily my personal highlight. Floating on my back, I watched knobby and pointy stalactite formations gradually scroll down my line of sight as I slowly kicked my feet.

A quick click-through of the Riviera Maya tourism website pulls up plenty of places and services involving cenotes, though I tend to find the volume of such a list overwhelming. Xel-ha, Xcaret, and Xplor are the big-name, big-property adventure parks in the area anyhow and to be honest, it’s hard for me to say whether I liked those or the smaller operations better.

There are thousands of cenotes dotted all over the Yucatan. My recommendation would be to see at least one big adventure park and one smaller one, as they each have their merits. Xplor, while very “packaged” in feeling, is never intensely crowded — they limit the number of people in the park to 1500 throughout the year. My river swim there was mostly isolated, with only the occasional meeting of another swimmer.

Essentially, wherever the cenotes are is where I want to be, and lucky for me, they are all over Riviera Maya.

Community Connection

You can read more about Riviera Maya on associate editor Candice Walsh’s MatadorTravel blog, in which she describes cenotes as “cool and creepy and exciting all at the same time.”

We’ve also listed Riviera Maya as a Top 10 Dive Destination.

Photo: Mario Carvajal

San Cipriano

This small town is known mainly for the very unique form of transportation you have to take to get there. It’s unreachable by any road, and the rail lines that used to connect it with the rest of the world have fallen into disrepair. The locals decided to take matters into their own hands and created a whole new type of transportation.

They connected dirt bikes to wooden platforms with wheels, then removed the back tire of the bike and attached the whole contraption to the railroad tracks. The result is a motorbike rail cart known as a brujita.

The novelty of the ride was enough to draw me to San Cipriano, but on arrival there were plenty of activities to keep me occupied.

Things to do

Hikes: Hire a local guide (guide being a surly teenager wielding a machete) and visit an untouched waterfall hidden about a 1.5-hour walk into the jungle. Price of a guide varies by the size of your group.

Tubing the Rio San Cipriano: Rent a tube in town ($2-$3 per day), then hike up until you decide on a good launching point. From there float down over mini-rapids and stop on sandbars to sunbathe and swim.

Photo: Mario Carvajal

Getting there

From Calí take any bus towards Buenaventura. Ask for San Cipriano (it’s about a 2.5-hour ride) and they’ll drop you off at a Temple of Doom-esque bridge. Cross the bridge and on the other side your brujita awaits.

Where to stay

Casa David is decently priced at around $5/night with a friendly local staff.

Tierradentro

San Augustín is famous for its tombs; neighboring Tierradentro possesses the same tombs without the hordes of tourists. The area is hard to reach, so the landscape and warm people haven’t been spoilt by tourism.

The tombs were constructed between 1200 and 1400 AD by the Tierradentro people. They’re modeled after the homes of the time and vary from simplistic to intricately decorated depending on the social class of the deceased.

Photo: inyucho

Things to do

Hike to the tombs: The 78 open tombs are spread out over the surrounding hills. Some are easily reached by a light hike — others, like the Aguacate (Avocado), require a more uphill effort, but the tomb at the top is worth it and the hike itself is gorgeous.

When you enter the park they will provide you with a map.

Getting there

From Popayán take one of the 5 daily buses toward Inzá. My bus was dilapidated and my journey harrowing. The accepted transit time is 3-4 hours but it might take up to 6.

Ask for Tierradentro and you’ll be dropped off at a crossroads. Walk 15 minutes up the road to the tiny town of El Parque, which has accommodation. You can continue another 15 minutes (uphill) to San Andrés, which has more amenities.

Where to stay

Hospedaje Lucerna: Located right next to the park. The rooms cost about $5/night and are pretty basic but clean. The slightly senile owner is warm and friendly and will repeatedly ask you the same questions.

Hospedaje la Portada: A more upscale option in San Andrés. Has private bathrooms and is adjacent to the excellent restaurant of the same name.

Photo: yonolatengo

Sapzurro

Sapzurro, just minutes from the border with Panama, has deserted white-sand beaches.

Up until recently the place was a “no go” due to guerrilla activity. Things have calmed down, but it’s still pretty unknown due to the epic, but worthwhile, journey to get there.

Things to do

Lie on the beach: The town has an amazing beach on its little harbor, or you can hike over the border to Panama (about 15 minutes and no border crossing) and test out the sea there.

Visit the waterfall: Ask a local and they will direct you to the path. About 10 minutes into the jungle there’s a small waterfall good for a dip.

Hike to neighboring Capurgana: The next town over has more facilities, so you’ll probably have to go at some point. The hike (about 1 hour) takes you through jungle with panoramic views of Sapzurro Bay.

Getting there

The easiest way is from Medellín but, as aforementioned, it’s a trek. First you take a 12-hour bus to the port city of Turbo. Take only day buses because the road is unsafe at night.

Photo: yonolatengo

You’ll then have to spend the night in Turbo because the boats to Sapzurro leave at 8 AM. Queue up early to buy your ticket as they will sell out. The boat ride is along beautiful coastline and takes an hour and a half.

Places to stay

Los Chilenos: THE place to stay in Sapzurro. The owner, “Chile,” is one of the friendliest and most unique people I’ve met on my travels, and his staff is made up of colorful characters as well. The cook is amazing and you can easily eat there every night.

It’s across a dirt path from the sea and has a chill-out hammock area. The rooms are basic bungalows with mosquito nets over the beds. The price is about $7.50 but can vary if you have a big group and good haggling skills.

Community Connection

Learn more about the country at Matador’s Colombia Focus Page.

Photo: Milton CJ

1. Pick up a city bike

You can find the bikes, distinctly dark blue and heavy, scattered at various bike racks throughout the city, such as at the central Nørreport train and Metro station.

They take a 20-crown deposit, which you get back when you return it. Just remember your hand signals.

2. Visit Copenhagen’s museums

Many have free entrance on one day of the week:

Thorvaldsen’s Museum, a labyrinth of original models of the Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen’s pieces, is free on Wednesdays. The Ny Carlsberg Glyptoteket is free on Sundays and is worth checking out for an art and artifacts mix, not to mention some quality people-watching. The National Museum, located in the city center and close to both scenic canals and the Parliament building (Christiansborg Slot), is always free.

3. See free music at a café

Lots of cafés have free live music on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. At Café Retro and Café Zusammen — both nonprofit joints — you’ll find local folk and rock acts, as well as cheap drinks and comfortable atmospheres.

Photo: Stig Nygaard

Chances are high you’ll meet people who will actually talk to you and help you destroy any preconceptions you might have about “Nordic coldness.”

Or check out Christiania, Copenhagen’s open-minded “free town,” where you can peruse music and art venues, cafés, and mingle with locals and passers-through alike. Don’t take pictures on Pusher Street, but besides that, just about anything goes.

4. Feed the swans

Get some cheap bread from a grocery store like Netto and feed the swans on the lakes that mark the center of Copenhagen, located between the pristine City Center and funkier Nørrebro.

In Nørrebro there are a variety of cool cafés, like the Laundromat Café, an expat-friendly place that serves brunch while people do their laundry. Vintage and thrift stores and the coolest street art in town are nearby.

It’s possible to dumpster-dive the bread from one of the city’s numerous bakeries, or just ask them for leftovers right before they close — maybe you’ll end up with a pastry, too.

5. Collect free postcards

Many cafés and bars give these out. Pick some up and write to your faraway friends — or just doodle.

This is a fantastic activity for downtime between all those drinks that the various bars doubtlessly entail.

Photo: Stig Nygaard

6. Picnic in a park

Get some beer, an ice cream, or a box of strawberries from a market and park yourself on a bench in any of the city’s plentiful squares and parks to people-watch and, if you’re lucky, soak up some sun. You won’t be the only one doing so.

Kongens Have, the King’s Garden, with its wide, tree-and-flower-lined paths, greenhouse, and broad lawns, is popular and pleasant. It’s also where Rosenborg Castle is located.

7. Hit the Nørrebrogade flea market

On Saturday mornings, it runs the length of the yellow wall along Assistens Kirkegård in the center of Nørrebro. On the other side of the street are kebab shops, ethnic markets, and bars like Drone and Understellet in various states of hip disrepair.

Although it’s a cemetery (and Søren Kierkegaard’s eternal resting place), Assistens Kirkegård is gorgeous and a great place for taking a walk or just hanging out any day of the week.

Photo: @boetter

8. Experience Danish hygge

This loosely translates as “coziness,” but is generally used to indicate all things nice and comfortable.

Find it, along with a cheap vegetarian dinner, at the “people’s kitchens” (or soup kitchens) at Folkets Hus (The People’s House) on Mondays at 6:30 PM (and brunch on Sundays at noon) and Overdrevet – formerly the Youth House – on Thursdays at 7:00 PM.

Both are great options where you can get a meal and meet some people for a small donation. These places also host cafés, parties, film nights, yoga classes, and other happenings.

9. Try the beach

To get to the beach, hop on the Metro (line M2 towards Lufthavnen, the airport) and get off at Amager Strand, a 5-minute walk from an actual sandy beach.

Or do as many locals do and spend an afternoon (or a day) at Havnebadet, or the Harbour Baths, at Islands Brygge, a swimming area on the south harbor complete with an enclosed pool and diving platform.

In the warmer months, the entire dock turns into a swimming, sunbathing, and beer-drinking scene. Bring friends.

Photo: JC i Núria

10. Take a canal tour

It might be kitschy (and cost a whopping 60 crowns, or ~$11US), but even the Copenhageners do it, preferably with a beer in the afternoon. (If you haven’t guessed by now, drinking in public is legal — and extremely normal — in Copenhagen.)

As the city is based on a network of canals, it really is the best way to see everything. When the weather is decent, you can sit on deck and watch Copenhagen float by.

Community Connection

Read more about the city over at Matador Abroad in A Day in the Life of An Expat in Copenhagen, Denmark.

All photos by author

SHOPPING IS SUCH a tourist draw that many specialized tours have emerged. They offer door-to-door transport service, the promise of “insider” finds, and help with haggling.

At first glance, managing Shanghai on your own does seem difficult. Faced with streets full of motorbikes, people, and construction cranes, the convenience of a tour bus is attractive. But with excursions averaging $100 per person, I say no thanks.

Navigating solo through Shanghai is not as stressful as it looks. What’s more, you can discover uncommon shops and score better deals moving at your own pace.

Here are my suggestions for great shopping experiences — all are accessible by walking or using the subway from the city’s star attraction, the Bund. Lace up a pair of comfortable shoes and let’s get going.

Nanjing Road

If only for the spectacle of observing the world’s busiest street with 1 million daily visitors, go to Nanjing Road.

Here you will find luxury boutiques, athletic goods, trendy clothing, shoes, jewelry, silk, and electronics. There are also public areas for regular artistic and cultural events. The evening I visited, a saxophonist serenaded a crowd of hundreds from the second-story window box of a grand colonial hotel.

Prices on Nanjing Road will be high, but there’s no better place to feel Shanghai’s energy. It’s about half a mile from the Bund.

Old Quarter

Visitors who want a glimpse of 16th-century Shanghai should visit the Old Quarter next to Yu Yuan Garden. The maze of dusty emporiums features antiques, silk embroidery, indigenous handicrafts, teapots, and even Cultural Revolution memorabilia.

Get lost in the motley side streets and observe enduring street art traditions. There are old-fashioned Chinese picture shows and sugar artists creating edible art in dragon and fish shapes.

Haggling is expected here.

Directions: From the Bund it’s about half a mile. Walk south on the Bund and turn right on Jingling Dong Lu.

French Concession

Established in 1849 as a French settlement, this district has European Art Deco architecture and tree-lined boulevards. Fashionable clothing, Tibetan art galleries, home accents, jade, jewelry, carpets, and porcelain can all be found here. Visit one of the custom tailors on Maoming Street for a new suit or Qi Pao Street for a traditional silk dress.

Many of the stores on Huaihai Zhong Lu are government-run, so prices are fixed and lower than expected.

Directions: Distance from the Bund is about three miles. For subway access, walk to Nanjing Road and take Nanjing Road East Stop Subway Line 1. Get off at South Shanxi Nan Lu.

Xintiandi

1920s and modern day Shanghai intersect in this upscale entertainment and dining complex. The buildings were formerly a posh residential area. Today Xintiandi retains the original antique stone tiles and walls, while housing fine art galleries, bookstores, boutiques with artisan jewelry and fashionable clothing, and international cafes.

In addition to elegant stores, there is a small museum displaying the lifestyle of Shanghainese residents from a century ago. To rest my feet, I head over to the TMSK Café, where all the furniture and fixtures are made from colored glass.

Prices will be high in this glitzy area, but it offers an unrivaled glimpse at emerging Chinese affluence.

Directions: Distance from the Bund is about 2.5 miles. For subway access, walk to Nanjing Road, and take Nanjing Road East Stop Subway Line 1. Get off at Huangpi Road South.

Street Hawkers

The last memorable shopping experience is not a district, but a roving landmark. That is, the ubiquitous Shanghai street hawker. They peddle everything from watches to designer handbags to electronics.

Although you have to be careful not to get cheated, the interaction can be a lively offbeat experience. The hawkers are often quick witted, telling unusual stories or rattling off funny insights about your home country. Sometimes there’s a clandestine nature to the event like sneaking down an alley to privately survey the goods.

Other times, you’ll be awed by the deftness with which the hawkers manage their massive loads on bicycles. In any case, negotiate hard, count your change, and — to clarify — no, that’s not a real Rolex.

More Tips for Shopping in Shanghai

1. Use a walking map available from your hotel or a guidebook. Street signs are conveniently written in both Chinese and English.
2. Expect to walk through construction and congested intersections at times.
3. Hail a taxi if you get lost. They are readily available and prices are fair.
4. Always attempt to haggle over price and pay no more than a quarter to half of the asking price.
5. Realize that sometimes no matter how hard you try, you just won’t be able to strike a deal.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

If you’ll be traveling around China, don’t miss our China Focus Page for more resources.

Photo: Lyndi&Jason

“THE ONLY BEAUTIFUL thing about the Pacific Highway is it’s name,” a Dutch guy told me in our hostel when I explained our planned route. “There is another way to Byron Bay, though.”

Into the Blue Mountains

It takes about two hours to reach Leura, Katoomba, and Blackheath — the main bases for exploring the Blue Mountains — via the Great Western Highway. Leura’s streets are lined with coffee shops, wine bars, tourist shops, and restaurants. Cafe Josephan might just have the best scones you’ve ever tasted.

Photo: DoNotLick

However, to really experience the Blue Mountains, you should leave the main roads and villages. Govett’s Leap, near Blackheath, is a popular look out point. From here you have cliff-edge views of Bridal Veil Falls cascading down the bowl, disappearing into the green below.

Cross the Hawkesbury River

From the Blue Mountains, head north to Wiseman’s Ferry — the historic point for crossing the Hawkesbury River. It was from here that Australia was first explored to the north, and it’s now the gateway to the Yengo National Park, the largest in New South Wales.

Although no bridge exists, free ferry service across the river is available. Once north of the Hawksebury, the Settler’s Arms in St. Albans makes for a good rest stop and a refreshment. The walls of this 170 year-old pub are covered with pictures of the village’s ancestors, smiling gamely from cricket pitches and village fetes.

Photo: dormousie

St. Albans is on the Great North Road that follows the original convict road, parts of which can still be seen. The next town is 40 kms north down a dirt road.

Some alone time

“You English would call it a country lane,” the Dutchman said, grinning as he explained the route to us. “Bit long for a country lane though!”

The bumpy drive is worth it for the Kodak moments and that unfamiliar, yet welcoming feeling of complete isolation; we didn’t pass another car. Kangaroos escape the searing heat under distant trees and horses graze, moving from one paddock to another.

The road twists and climbs through the forest, lined by tiny waterfalls on one side and sheer drops on the other before rejoining the wide pastures of the valley floor. The gum trees are apparently full of koalas, but since they sleep eighteen hours a day, they can be a challenge to spot.

The Hunter Valley

The road eventually leads into the Hunter Valley, one of Australia’s best-known wine regions. Viticulture in the area wasn’t set up to make outstanding wines, merely to provide a tourist attraction for holidaying Sydneysiders. Then they discovered they could make some of the world’s best Semillion.

Tyrrell’s in Glenbawn and Polbolkin and the Warraroong Estate in Lovedale showcase some of the area’s finest.

Photo: Lyndi&Jason

For somewhere to sleep, there is free camping and amenities within stumbling distance of the wineries in Broke.

Tamworth and the big guitar

Next stop on the New England Highway is the country music capital of Australia: Tamworth. An annual festival is held here in mid-January when the celebrities of the country music scene gather in what is otherwise a backwater town.

A ten-meter guitar guards the entrance. Paradise Tourist Park is the closest camping area to the centre and nicely positioned on the river, but one night is enough to explore the town unless it’s festival season.

After Tamworth, Armidale is next up, which is the starting point of the Waterfall Way, along which you can turn off every few kilometers to take one in.

TIP: Make sure you’re fully fueled up before driving Waterfall Way as petrol is scarce. Also, try not to drive at dusk and nighttime; this is kangaroo territory.

Time warp in Nimbin

Photo: Johan Larsson

Lonely Planet says, “A visit to Nimbin is highly recommended.” The pun was lost on me until we got to the town.

60’s hippies have been seemingly immortalised here — everything’s dreadlocks, campervans, and marijuana.

On the map it looked the same as all the other dusty villages we had passed through, its name in small font on the thin line of a country road. In reality, it’s bright, colourful, and teeming with people smiling sedately through clouds of smoke.

One more stop before Byron Bay

From Nimbin, it’s only one hour to Mt. Warning, Australia’s most easterly mountain and the final calling point on the way to Byron Bay. The 5km, 4-hour trek to the summit is usually started at 3 AM to give you sunrise views. After the descent, it’s only 45 minutes to your destination.

Useful links

Car/Campervan rentals

Wicked Campers
Travellers Autobarn
Hippie Campervans

Car sales

Travellers Car Market
The Gumtree

*Hostel noticeboards are also great resources!

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Don’t forget the soundtrack: Greatest.Roadtrip.Soundtrack.Ever

If you have a favourite roadtrip movie scene, why not post it here? The 5 Best Roadtrip Scenes of All Time.

Photo: author

1. Sip Chablis at La Belle Hortense

Le Marais, the ramshackle, historical neighborhood on the right bank of the Seine, is rapidly being gentrified. But it still maintains some of its bohemian vibe.

La Belle Hortense, a ‘literary bar’ named after a nineteenth-century romantic novel, is a quiet place to chill in the afternoon, sitting on squishy sofas in the back with a café and browsing the wide range of books. You can also look over the latest art or photography exhibition on the walls.

In the evenings, peruse the wine list and take a seat at the zinc bar or one of the rickety little tables; often there will be a book signing, poetry reading, or lecture going on (albeit usually in French).

Where: 31 Rue Vieille du Temple, Metro Hotel de Ville or Saint-Paul.
When: 5 PM – 2 AM.
What: Check cafeine.com for events and exhibitions.

2. Drift around the Marais and Quartier Latin

Just up the road from La Belle Hortense is Bookbinders Design, where stationery fetishists will appreciate the expensive and beautiful Swiss notebooks. Surely the pearls of wisdom you’ll be scribbling deserve nothing less than this thick, creamy paper and subtly-coloured canvas bindings.

Photo: osbornb

Round the corner, on the Place des Vosges, is the writer Victor Hugo’s house, now transformed into a museum of his life and work.

Across the river on the traditionally intellectual Left Bank, Zola, Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Voltaire, and Malraux all sleep eternally at the Pantheon.

East of the Boulevard St. Michel’s tourist traps are some mellow bars where you can journal moodily in a corner or discuss philosophy and politics.

Where: 53 Rue Vieille du Temple.

3. Crash on a couch at Shakespeare & Co

The first incarnation of Shakespeare & Co was opened in 1919 by Sylvia Beach, one of the bohemian set of foreign authors and artists who frequented Paris.

Visitors included Hemingway, Ezra Pound, and Gertrude Stein, and Beach helped publish the first version of James Joyce’s Ulysses, as well as stocking ‘obscene’ titles such as Lady Chatterley’s Lover which were banned in Britain and the USA.

WWII put an end to Beach’s shop, but in 1951 American George Whitman started up his own store which became ‘Shakespeare & Co’ on Beach’s death. At the time of writing Whitman, aged 96, still lives in the medieval building that houses the shop, and the business is run by his daughter — also called Sylvia.

Photo: author

She’s started a successful festival which takes place in June of alternate years, and there are weekly readings and book launches in the shop.

George himself was awarded the Officier des Arts et Lettres medal by the French Minister of Culture in 2006 — despite once having described his shop as “a socialist utopia masquerading as a bookstore.”

Shakespeare & Co has long welcomed itinerant writers and travellers, known as tumbleweeds, who exchange their work for a place to sleep — sometimes just a sofa amongst the books. Over the years, visitors have included Allen Ginsburg, William Burroughs, and Henry Miller, and the shop’s iconic status has earned it cameo roles in movies including Before Sunset, Julie & Julia, and even Highlander.

Where: 37 rue de la Bûcherie on the Left Bank of the Seine.

4. Browse for budget books

The area around Rue de la Huchette, heading away from the river past Shakespeare & Co, is home to many secondhand bookshops. If you have no baggage limit to worry about, check out the bouquinistes, the green boxes along the bank of the Seine, from which books and prints — some tacky, others pornographic, many strange and unusual — are sold.

5. Look wistful by your hero’s grave

Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise is chock-full of the famous dead.

Photo: ricardo.martins

Probably most celebrated for the tanked Doors fans who come to worship at Jim Morrison’s tomb, the cemetery contains the more bookish graves of philosopher Peter Abelard (of the legendary doomed love affair with Heloise), Nobel literature laureate Miguel Angel Asturias, great names of French letters such as Colette, Proust, Moliere, de Musset, and La Fontaine, the ‘inseparable’ Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas, and the exiled Oscar Wilde.

Abelard, La Fontaine, and Moliere were all moved there after their deaths, in an early nineteenth-century effort to make the ‘out of town’ location fashionable. Much less well known is the Cimetiere des Batignolles (Metro Porte de Clichy) where the poet Paul Verlaine and surrealist Andre Breton are buried.

Other literary figures such as de Beauvoir, Beckett, Baudelaire, Maupassant, and Sartre all reside in the Cimetiere de Montparnasse in the south of the city.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

If you’re planning a trip to Paris, don’t miss our Paris Focus Page, where you can find all the resources you need, including How to Move to Paris With No Money and What NOT to Do in Paris.

Photo: Mr. Usaji

THE WILD LIFESTYLE of South Beach can get awfully expensive for travelers: pricey accommodation, costly meals, and, for the drinkers, overpriced cocktails.

Read on to learn how to save your hard-earned cash.

Accommodations

You can avoid overpaying by staying in areas that cater to locals. The South Beach experience is the same, but without the $200+ daily expenses.

As a general rule, stay away from places on Lincoln Road or Ocean Drive as this is prime real estate and is reflected in the prices. Instead, aim for Washington Avenue, Alton Road, and small side streets that offer reasonable alternatives mere blocks from the glitz and glamour.

Here are a few cheap options for around $30/night:

Photo: wyntuition

South Beach Hostel – Features like a free breakfast, movie theater, full kitchen, laundry, Internet, and airport shuttle provide a hotel-like experience without the expense.

Perhaps most important is the fully equipped bar complete with pool table, TVs, an ATM, and outdoor seating. The bar opens from either 8 AM or 4 PM (depending on activities in the South Beach area), to 5 AM every day and has 2-for-1 drinks and $1.50 happy hour beers.

Jazz Hostel – Only two blocks from the beach, this lively hostel radiates a party vibe.

Surrounding the hostel entrance is an outdoor area with tables for socializing and cookouts. Wi-fi Internet, breakfast, luggage storage, and air conditioning are all included.

Clay Hotel – This centrally located building at the beginning of Española Way is a great base for exploring South Beach.

Only two blocks from Lincoln Road, Ocean Drive, and the beaches, there are two options for budget travelers: a hotel from $70-160/room (two to four people) or the hostel at around $25/person.

Photo: tacker

Restaurants are only feet away and are much less expensive than their Lincoln Road counterparts. Check out the hotel’s excellent budget traveler guide.

Eating

Restaurants in South Beach are generally divided into two types: those for locals and those for tourists. Most of the latter include a 15-18% gratuity on the final bill, while the former generally do not. Be careful not to double tip!

$4 breakfasts are common along Ocean Drive. While a great bargain, verify the cost of extras like coffee and juice before being seated. These may have inflated prices, resulting in a $4 breakfast costing $15-$20.

The locations below offer great food and drink at reasonable prices:

Big Pink – With pink delivery VW bugs and a pink corner building, you cannot miss this upscale diner for locals. The prices may not scream budget, but the portions are huge.

Most of the dishes can be shared, making the pricing more than reasonable. And the economical breakfast menu is available all day.

8oz Burger Bar – This sports bar and burger joint, open from 11:30 AM to 5 AM daily, has an authentic local atmosphere. So local that the owner’s cell phone number is on the menu.

The drink menu is extensive, ranging from the $20 all-you-can-drink Bloody Mary Bar on Sunday, to $1 beers after midnight all week. The Suds and Sliders meal is a filling bargain with 4 burger sliders (beef, turkey, lamb, and short rib) and four 5oz (150ml) beers for $20.

Guru – The Lunch Express option at this northern Indian restaurant provides a hearty gourmet meal at a low price.

Photo: adamnsinger

Based on the thali-style of buffet eating, diners choose two or more dishes (all under $5) and get free basmati rice, salad, papadam, and raita.

Clarke’s – This place may be a splurge for extreme budget travelers but I think the food and atmosphere are well worth it.

Their $25 lobster dinner on Wednesdays includes a 1 1/2 lb. (750g) lobster, potato salad, corn on the cob, and cole slaw. Other food options include typical pub fare like fish and chips or chicken pot pie.

Meridian Food Market and Cafe

Where: 812 6th St, Miami Beach, (305) 673-8509
When: 7 AM to 11 PM, daily.

This Latin supermarket, located on a quiet corner at 6th street and Meridian (close to major South Beach roads), is the mother lode of food and beverage bargains.

The takeout area serves main dishes like pork ribs, flank steak, and baked chicken for $8 or less, with specials reaching $5 dollars. Ready-made Cubano sandwiches are $2.99, and the Medianoche only $1.99.

One pound of fresh-cut pineapple or papaya is $2 while breakfast pastries are $1.75 or less. Latin fried foods are also a great option with ham croquettes and beef or ham-and-cheese turnovers ranging from 50 cents to $1.59. Beverage options are extensive with 32oz malt liquor and beer at $2, or decent wines at $7 dollars a bottle.

Photo: grahamwoodruff

Nightlife

For inexpensive nightlife, look for happy hour bargains. Ask around a bit. Many happy hours are, in fact, over several hours, lasting well into your night.

Transportation

I recommend two main modes of transportation in South Beach for the budget traveler: walking or local buses.

Everything from the World Erotic Art Museum to people watching on Ocean Drive are always a few blocks away. For slightly longer trips, the South Beach Local bus reaches SOBE from end to end. The bus is a bargain at 25 cents and runs from 8 AM to 1 AM daily.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Like cheap and free? Here are 10 Cheap (or Free) iPhone Apps for Travelers. You might also be interested in How to Travel Like Royalty on a Backpacker Budget.

If you’re wondering how cheaping out might affect the locals, check out When Does Budget Travel Become Exploitation?

Photo: fazen

Fly into Palermo

The highlights of Sicily’s coast take about a week to tour. Start by flying into Palermo, Sicily’s capital and largest city. You can rent a car at the airport and make Palermo your launching point for a day trip to Erice.

Palermo’s big and messy, but its tightly packed churches, squares, and palaces make it fun to just wander (which is something you’ll want to do on foot, not by car, as the streets are a nutty jumble of pick-up sticks).

Photo: Gianni D.

There’s Teatro Massimo, one of the largest opera houses in Europe and the on-location setting for the final scenes in The Godfather: Part III.

The narrow walls of Palermo’s Catacombe dei Cappuccini are lined with some 8,000 mummies, dressed in well-preserved clothes.

Also, check out the Vucciria, a large market with fresh seafood in one of Palermo’s oldest neighborhoods, La Kalsa, which served as the Arab citadel when they captured Sicily in 831 A.D.

Erice

From Palermo, drive west an hour and a half to Trapani, where you’ll ride the gondola to Erice.

This town is all Middle Ages: stone walls, narrow streets, castles on the cliff overlooking the sea. The streets are still paved with smooth stones laid in ancient times. From the edge of the city you can see much of the northern coast of the island.

Apart from the architecture and the views, there are plenty of gelato shops in Erice.

Photo: _yamaneko

Cefalu

Cefalu’s got the charm that its sprawling neighbor, Palermo, lacks. It sits on the Tyrrhenian Sea at the base of steep brown cliffs.

The drive from Palermo to Cefalu takes about an hour and gives a few good vistas of the town and its focal point, the cathedral.

Cefalu’s small beach is packed in summer, so if that’s when you’re there it might be best to spend your day like a local: lounging at a restaurant or café in the shadows of the cathedral’s towers.

Siracusa

Drive across the island (about 3 hours from Palermo) to another city with an ancient past, Siracusa. Founded by Corinthians, Siracusa was a powerful city-state.

The best evidence of Siracusa’s history is in the old district of Ortigia and its ruins of the Temple of Apollo — a few humble columns in the middle of a modern square.

The Duomo, built around the Greek temple to Athena, dominates Ortigia. Inside, you can see the temple’s original 12 columns absorbed by the newer church walls.

From there, head through the wide Piazza Archimede with its baroque fountain centerpiece and catch a cab to Neopolis, an archeological park with a well-preserved Greek theater. Plan ahead to catch a play.

Photo: giopuo

Taormina

Taormina, a resort town on multi-tiered cliffs overlooking the Ionian Sea, is an hour and a half from Siracusa. This is where you can get a tour to Mt. Etna, and at night the volcano’s glowing lava is easily visible.

Taormina has plenty of pedestrian streets with shops and restaurants (which get very crowded, so go early in the day). There’s also the ancient ruins of the Teatro Greco, and you can climb the long staircase to the top of the mountain overlooking the town.

The beaches below are accessible via an aerial tramway, the funivia, which runs every 15 minutes.

Drive to nearby Catania (an hour from Taormina) to drop off your rental car and fly home.

More tips

Be prepared for fast, impatient drivers and for tolls on the autostrada, the equivalent of a U.S. interstate. You could also take the slower local roads that sometimes parallel the autostrada, but you may not always have a choice.

Traffic and parking are less ferocious than on the mainland, but still give yourself extra time when arriving at your destinations.

Photo: Daveness_98

Get a map from either the Automobile Club d’Italia or the Italian Touring Club before setting out.

Most major car rental companies operate in Sicily and you can shop around for the best rates on Expedia, Travelocity, and Orbitz.

There’s a charge for dropping off the rental car at a different airport, but depending on gas prices and currency conversion rates, it could be around the same price of driving back to Palermo. Plus, you’re saving yourself a couple hours by leaving from a closer airport (Catania).

For more information on the rules of the road in Italy, check InItaly.com.

Community Connection

Matador member Traveleze has more info on the island in her blog post Sicily or how to survive when travelling The Godfather’s land and experience the best of it.

Also, Matador’s Joshywashington has Notes on Trespassing as Travel in Taormina, Sicily.

Photo: Benoît Derrier

SWEDEN HAS ABBA, its blondes, IKEA, and a reputation for being ridiculously expensive. Living in Stockholm my whole life, most of it either broke or saving for travel, I’ve learned how to get the best out of the city without eating dog food. Here’s my advice:

Live on a boat

Accommodation can really jack up the cost of a visit — your best bet is to hit up an old (or very new) friend who can put you up. Most people in Stockholm actually live alone and would be happy to host you. Or, learn how to couchsurf.

If that doesn’t work out, head to the boat. This well-known ship/guesthouse, af Chapman, has a sweet location and charges 230 SEK (~$30US) per bed, per night. Yeah, that’s unfortunately on the cheap side for Stockholm.

Photo: viZZZual.com

Buy beer at Systembolaget

Alcohol is another big-ticket item (unless you’re coming from Germany and can import everything you plan to consume). You can save a lot by buying at one of the nationally run Systembolaget liquor stores instead of at a restaurant or pub.

According to old peasant rules, store hours are limited to 10am-6/7pm on weekdays and 10am-3pm on Saturdays. Stock up when you’re there.

Swedes are big on pre-partying, since a glass of wine in a club is the same price as a good bottle in the store (~70 SEK). You can drink in most parks, and most Stockholmers do. They also like to play kubb, a confusing traditional and extremely popular game where you throw pieces of wood at other pieces of wood. Join them.

Windowshop IKEA

Really, this is something people do. There’s a Swedish saying that no one gets out of IKEA without a pack of tea lights. Challenge yourself to prove them wrong.

Just don’t go on weekends — especially not a weekend right after payday (the 25th of the month). The crowds are terrible. Catch the free bus on a weekday instead.

One thing it’s okay to spend on is the budget-priced Swedish meatballs in the cafeteria.

Catch the lunch special

Most restaurants in Stockholm offer one of these, a multi-course meal with bread, salad, drink, and coffee for 65-95 SEK (~$9-$13US). You can shop around for the cheapest one, or this might be a good chance to eat in a fancy place for half the evening price.

My favorites are the casual ThaiBoat and more formal Källhagens värdshus.

Photo: Let Ideas Compete

Walk Södermalm

The heights of the south island (Södermalm) are a good place for a walk. There’s no charge to go up Katarinahissen, and close by, Mosebacke Terrace has views over the whole city.

You can buy drinks here, but remember tip #2: shop the liquor stores and save. Skinnarviksberget is a nice spot for a nip when the sun starts to set.

Scout for free museums

Last year, the government tried out a program of free museum admissions, but they’ve recently rolled this back. But even though most places charge for entry, they should also have a day or a few hours every week when it’s free.

Pick the museums you want to visit, then Google them and find out when they’re gratis. Note: the Vasa Museum is worth paying for.

Don’t miss Gamla stan (Old Town)

There can be crowds in summer, and three-quarters of the people around you won’t be speaking Swedish. But Gamla stan is popular for a reason.

Photo: dr_tr

The city has done a great job of preserving a very 16th-century vibe in the Old Town.

Cafes have their original dwarf-height doors and dark stone chamber rooms, and some building exteriors have canon balls embedded in them from one historical attack or another.

Sneak away from the main streets, into the little alleyways, for more elbow room. Brända tomten (the burned yard) is my favorite spot here.

Explore the archipelago

An ironic pride of Stockholmers: it’s easy to escape the city.

There are thousands of little islands populated with red wooden houses surrounding Stockholm. You can get there in just an hour by boat, with tickets costing about 75 SEK. Go for the day and pack a lunch or go for the night and pack a tent.

It’s worth pointing out here that the exchange rate has been varying from under 6 SEK to a dollar (U.S.), up to over 11 SEK to a dollar during the last couple of years. Check the current rate before booking a trip.

Community Connection

Emmy is Matador’s destination expert on Stockholm. Visit her profile to connect. Anna Brones, expert on Sweden, is another good resource. Check out her Sweden by the Numbers.

For more budget advice in the region, Trips has Online Travel Resources: Scandinavia for Free.

Photo: unusualimage

THE WORST, most disgusting hotel I’ve ever had the misfortune of visiting.

That’s how one member describes TripAdvisor’s #1 dirtiest hotel in Europe, located in Blackpool, England. Other visitors agree, reporting dodgy wiring, a dumbwaiter-like elevator, filthy bedspreads, and windows too dirt-smudged to see through.

This and more comes from the site’s recently posted list of the 2010 Top Dirtiest Hotels in Europe. Eight of the 10 are in England. Ouch.

Britain’s tourism industry responded quickly, claiming that reviews on TripAdvisor (and other sites like hostelbookers, hostelworld, hostelz, bug, activehotels, and travelpod) can be posted by people with ulterior motives, who may or may not have stayed at the hotel.

They’ve got room for argument, given last summer’s scandal following TripAdvisor’s announcement that some of their hotel reviews could be fraudulent (including positive plants by staff as well as negative plants by competitors). So who is the researching traveler to believe?

It comes down to qualified trust, of course.

These sites help us make a decision based on information from complete strangers. I might not trust one faceless stranger advising me against a hotel, but when legions of them join up to reach a consensus, it’s hard not to pay attention.

Photo: liz.novak

My personal hostel-review website barometer is set at about 7 out of 10. If 70% of the people that went didn’t hate a hotel, I probably won’t either. Of course, if I can find a hostel or hotel that reaches the 80th percentile or higher on these websites, I’m happier still.

I may not be able to trust implicitly the reaction of every traveler to a hotel, but taking a little (possibly jaded) advice has suited me fine. And, if respondents say there were bedbugs…well, then even if there weren’t, I’d still rather stay someplace else. But that’s just me. Maybe you find Holiday Inn’s plans to hire Employees to Warm up Your Hotel Bed by Rolling Around in It equally disgusting.

It’s not only England.

There are dirty hotels everywhere. If you’ve got your own review barometer set up, check out TripAdvisor’s lists of the filthiest crash pads in the U.S., Canada, and all of Asia.

Smart travelers will do their research, and unsmart ones will lick their wounds, which may be caused by sharp objects, insects, shower falls, or any of a variety of other unidentified unsafe conditions, imagined or real.

Community Connection

Forget cleanliness. How about weird? There’s Igloos, Castles, Sewage Pipes, and Survival Pods: The World’s 10 Weirdest Hotels, and the followup, More Bizarre Hotels Around the World.

From there, venture on to Hamster Hotel a Playground for the Sexually Subversive?

Photo: gregor.schlatte

YOU’LL PROBABLY START from one of two open-air bus stations, both of which lie outside Bab al-Amud, better known as Damascus Gate, the most imposing exit from the Old City of Jerusalem. If you’re planning independent travel, start by heading up Salah ed-Din Street to the Educational Bookshop for a copy of ATG’s Palestine & the Palestinians.

Organised tours

The nascent West Bank tourist sector means even short-stayers can get a taste of Palestinian life and culture. Several operators, including the Alternative Tourism Group (ATG) and Tours In English, run daytrips to Bethlehem and Hebron.

These combine visits to the 60-year-old refugee camps, which are still home to thousands of Palestinians, with ancient sites like the Church of the Nativity (actually several churches stuck together, where various Christian denominations run turf wars over the birthplace of Jesus) and the Ibrahimi Mosque/Synagogue (where Old Testament figures such as Abraham, Isaac, and Sarah are buried).

Day tours are a good way to explore the West Bank. They guarantee you an English-speaking guide, information on what cultural niceties to observe, and an interpreter for the checkpoints you may have to pass through.

Bab al-Amud / Photo: hoyasmeg

Independent travel

To get a deeper view of Palestinian life and culture, however, it’s worth hopping one of the green or blue buses heading out from the twin stations of East Jerusalem.

Most of the blue buses from Sultan Suleiman Street (across the road and to your right as you walk out of Bab al-Amud) go to the south of the West Bank. This includes Bethlehem and its neighbouring city of Beit Sahour — the “Place of the Watchers,” those shepherds who “watched by night” in the Christmas carol.

Bethlehem and beyond

As well as Bible sites, Bethlehem is home to archaeological remains like Herodion, a hilltop palace built by King Herod, and cultural venues like Dar Annadwa, which hosts craft exhibitions and music ranging from traditional oud to DAM, a big name in Palestinian hiphop.

Photo: clarejim

Bethlehem has plenty of mid-range hotels aimed at pilgrims, such as the Paradise (refurbished after a fire in 2001), but is thin at the budget end, although the Star (022743249) is reasonable and has wifi.

Beit Sahour has cheaper options at the Arab Women’s Union, homestays arranged through ATG, or the guesthouse at the Bustan Qaraqaa (“Tortoise Garden”) permaculture project. Bustan Qaraqaa and the Arab Women’s Union also offer volunteering opportunities.

Beyond Bethlehem is Hebron, a fascinating but deeply troubled city which is best visited with an organised tour, unless you’re planning to stick around as a human rights observer or medical or media volunteer.

Farther east, in the desert leading to the Dead Sea, is Jericho. Getting here is a two-leg journey; by bus from East Jerusalem to the Palestinian town of Azariya, and a second shared taxi from here to Jericho.

A day tour from Jerusalem or Bethlehem is a good enough option, unless you really want to take your time exploring the ancient sites in the oldest city on Earth. For overnighters, Hisham’s Palace (022322414) is the cheapest hotel.

Ramallah

Back at Bab al-Amud, green buses leave from the second bus station, on Nablus Road (head out of Damascus Gate, across the road, and a hundred yards up the hill). These go to the administrative capital of the West Bank, Ramallah, and from there to Nablus.

Ramallah, with its NGO and diplomatic community, is the West Bank’s most cosmopolitan city. Like Bethlehem, substantial Christian and international populations mean you’ll see plenty of women without headscarves.

In both cities some hotels and restaurants serve alcohol — expensive imported spirits, jet-fuel raki, and Taybeh, the excellent German-style brew from a village outside Ramallah.

Photo: Joi

The family of dedicated beer-lovers who make it even hold Oktoberfests every autumn.

Ramallah is the place for Palestinian high culture, with theatre, exhibitions, cinema, and music at the Sakakini Centre.

President Arafat’s tomb is also worth visiting — as much to hear wistful stories of home from the ferocious-looking guards as for the sleek mausoleum and flags snapping in the hilltop wind.

Unless you’re volunteering or taking classes at Bir Zeit University, there’s not much reason to stick around, but if you do the Wehdeh is probably the cheapest and most amiable place to stay.

Just off Manara Square in central Ramallah is the dismal bus station. Here, bored drivers compete to see how many teabags they can stick to the ceiling. Occasionally they also allow a shuffling, frustrated crowd to load up with shopping and suitcases for the journey to Nablus.

Nablus

Nablus is something special, but it’s a tough city to visit. Years of military incursions have made some people suspicious of strangers, and the iron ring of checkpoints which close the city at intervals has crushed the economy.

Kanafe / Photo: Tracy Hunter

But here you can experience the world’s best kanafe (a hot sweet made of stretchy cheese covered with crispy vermicelli and doused in syrup) at the Al Aqsa bakery.

Visit a sixteenth-century factory to watch soap being made from local olive oil, as men from the same families have done for half a millennium.

Deep in the souk — a real souk which sells blankets, cheap shoes, vegetables, and spices, not souvenirs and postcards — is the herbalist’s shop, full of strange concoctions brewed by a lonely expert who studied in Southampton, England.

In the al-Shifa Hammam, you can be scrubbed and massaged in the last working Turkish bath in Palestine (just check which days are for men and women — no mixed bathing here!).

And with your privileged international passport, cross the checkpoint onto Mount Gerizim and meet some of the few hundred remaining members of the Samaritan community.

Photo: pablo72

The only hotel in central Nablus is the Yasmeen, which has a restaurant serving local families in the early evening and menfolk smoking nargilas and drinking coffee late into the night. It also has wifi and staff fluent in various languages, but the rooms can be bitter in winter.

Nablus is more conservative than Bethlehem or Ramallah; you won’t find alcohol and most women wear hijab. But observe some basic etiquette — dressing modestly (men and women) and wielding some survival Arabic — and people are supremely warm and welcoming. Palestinians take hospitality seriously, and in a traditional city like Nablus the shopkeeper offering you tea and a chair isn’t just trying to sell souvenirs.

In a place where people feel completely misunderstood and rejected by the international community, many Palestinians want nothing more than to tell you their stories.

Community Connection

For a related discussion, click over to How To Travel To Dangerous Places at Matador Abroad.

Photo: tkohli

THE ROAD FROM Manali (Himachal Pradesh) to Leh (Ladakh), cutting through the Indian Himalayas, is one of the world’s highest motorable roads. The classic method of travel is on a Royal Enfield motorbike.

The Enfield, an originally British bike still manufactured in the Enfield Factory in the Indian city of Chennai, is the perfect vehicle for this route: it’s a dinosaur, but it knows how to handle the rough spots.

High-Altitude Biking

Most of the 475km is at an altitude of 3,000m or higher and includes mountain passes that top out at 5,000+.

Photo: salil_del

The road usually opens for traffic in May or June and closes for the winter around October, depending on snowfall.

Conditions can be extremely dicey: glacial-melt floods and landslides are common, and the Himalayan weather is unpredictable.

This trip is not for beginners. Fatal accidents involving bikers occur every year and local medical care is wanting.

Where to Break

It takes most bikers 2-3 days to cover the 475km distance. There are five main passes between Manali and Leh, with the highest being Tanglang La at 5,328m — last one before your final destination.

The first pass, Rohtang La, is busy with Indian daytrippers heading up to see the snow, but from there on out traffic consists mainly of Indian army vehicles and cargo trucks.

A good place for your first overnight is Keylong, a small town at just over 3,000m that’ll let you acclimatise in preparation for the higher passes.

Tents at Sarchu / Photo: Jace

Keylong offers a choice of guesthouse and hotels — anywhere else and you’re looking at a tent camp.

There are several tent dhabas (good for a cheap meal) on the road to Leh and many of them have a few beds. The high-altitude tent camps in Sarchu are where most choose to stop for the second night.

There are “luxury tent camps” that offer two-bed tents with toilets, along with cheaper tents made of old parachutes that come with dubious mattresses and no toilets or washing facilities.

The distance between Sarchu and Leh can be covered in one long day of driving, and the scenery on this route is stunning. After Sarchu the Gata Loops ascend in a series of 21 hairpin curves up to Lachalung La, followed by a surreal ride through the canyons in the Gorges of Pang.

A drive across the high-altitude Morey Plateau precedes a long climb to Tanglang La, and then the steep descent to Leh.

Acute Mountain Sickness

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS; also known as altitude sickness) is a serious risk on this route.

Photo: anirbanbiswas_c8

There’s no way to predict who will suffer from AMS and how bad it’ll get, but most of those prone to AMS will start to feel it at around 3,000-3,500m.

Symptoms can include headaches, sleeplessness, breathlessness, loss of appetite, and a dry irritating cough, and if ignored, AMS can be fatal. The only way to prevent it is to ascend slowly and take time to acclimatise. If symptoms are severe, immediate descent is recommended.

The problem on this route is that after Baralacha La, at 4,950m and not even halfway to Leh, the road doesn’t descend below 4,000m until after Tanglang La, the last pass. The night in Sarchu, at around 4,200m, is usually the most challenging.

What to Bring

Pack light, but bring waterproof and warm clothes and a good sleeping bag for the night in Sarchu. Helmets and protective gear are not compulsory in this part of India but are highly recommended.

Snacks are good, since the average tent dhaba menu includes mainly dhal, rice, and omelets or Maggi noodles. Bring sunglasses and apply high SPF sunscreen to prevent sunburns when on the bike.

Photo: Eddie C

Don’t forget the petrol — after Manali the last pump is in the village of Tandi, 365km from Leh. It’s essential to carry spare petrol (or find an XL tank with a capacity of around 25 liters) as motorbikes consume more petrol at high altitudes.

It’s also necessary to be able to fix basic bike problems. Although the Enfield is a great choice for Ladakh’s awful roads, they break down often and require a lot of care, and there are no mechanics on this route. Spare parts you might need include an inner tube, a spark plug, a throttle, clutch, and front brake cable, and a spare bulb for the headlight.

If the bike breaks down and you can’t fix it, you’ll have to find a truck driver willing to transport it to Leh, and this is an expensive option.

Community Connection

A more general guide to two-wheeled motorized travel can be found in Easy Riding: How to Travel by Motorcycle and Escape the Crowds. Also, check out Photo Essay: Cambodia by Motorbike.

Photo: maessive

I CAME ACROSS a handy 60-second guide to the Dominican Republic over at The Guardian’s travel section.

It’s got just enough info to introduce you to this small Caribbean island nation — a great destination to escape brutal winter temps. Here are some quick facts:

• “It’s the most diverse of Caribbean nations, with high alpine wilderness, tropical rainforest, savanna, desert and mangrove swamps, as well as the white-sand beaches.”
• “Not to be confused with the little-developed Caribbean island of Dominica, population 73,000.”
• If you decide you want something different, the nation of Haiti shares the island.

Lonely Planet offers a more in-depth look, with visa details, maps, and guides on where to work, study, or just relax.

Of course, once you’re done studying up on the cut-and-dry data, Matador can help you fill in the gaps. Our destination expert on the DR, smalldogonthego, was featured recently here at Trips and is your go-to resource if you have questions.

She’s already gotten us started on the culinary side of things with her Matador community blog post My 10 favorite things to eat in the Dominican Republic.

Photo: Mercedes.. Life as I picture it

From there, make sure to check out Matador member Ted Kerns‘ account of Swimming with Humpback Whales off the DR coast.

And then there’s Kindred Project, one of hundreds of Matador member organizations, which runs 3-4 week immersion programs,

in which participants live and volunteer internationally with the purpose of strengthening bonds to immigrant/ethnic communities closer to home in the U.S.

One of their 2009 programs took participants to the Dominican Republic.

Community Connection

In case all of the above isn’t enough, the DR also made our list of 16 Places to Stretch Your Honeymoon Dollar.

Photo: Bitterroot

[Editor's note: This post is sponsored by our friends and partners at VisitMT.com, the State of Montana's official travel site.]

Starter tips:

• Rent a car from an airport vendor.
• Lodging and activities described are frequently offered in time- and money-saving packages. Check out the links for current deals.
• Always make reservations where possible.

Day 1

Fly into Bozeman and plan to spend the night. Unique lodging suggestions:

• The Gallatin Gateway Inn: Built in the 1920s, this hotel was the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul railroads’ luxury stopover in the Rocky Mountain West. Accommodations include three resident ghosts — the most renowned being the “bridegroom,” who is known to firmly grasp the waist of brides descending the curved staircase into the great room. Rooms start at $135.


Photo: laurascudder

• Howlers Inn Bed and Breakfast: Set on 42 acres in Bridger Canyon, this B&B doubles as a wolf sanctuary. Mountain and wolf views. Rooms start at $105.

If you have time before nightfall:

• Soak or get the full spa treatment at Bozeman Hot Springs. Access to the nine pools is $8.50 for adults, kids range $4-$7.50.
• Go for a cross-country ski or snowshoe in Hyalite Canyon. Rent your gear and get the scoop on conditions at Chalet Sports, 108 W. Main St.
• Visit the Museum of the Rockies and find out whose footsteps you followed to Montana at the dinosaur exhibit. Admission: Adults $10, children $7.

Dinner:

• Finer dining or stellar inland sushi — check out Looie’s Down Under.
• Lighter, more casual fare, with lots of fun flavor — try Over the Tapas.
• Locally focused eats in a historic setting with great wine — that’s Plonk.
• The Bacchus Pub has tasty Irish fare and a lively atmosphere (complete with hand-carved Gods of Merriment staring at you from all directions).

Day 2

Get up and have breakfast at the Nova Café, a local favorite with awesome omelets, pancakes, and artwork.

Photo: exquisitur

Drive to Yellowstone National Park via Livingston and Gardiner. Watch weather surge and shift over the Absaroka Mountains along the way. Once arrived:

• Take a snow coach interpretive tour through the park, and witness one of the most intense struggles for survival anywhere on the planet–bison wintering in Yellowstone
• Get dropped off at one of many groomed cross-country ski trails (or grab a guide).
• Stay cozy in the snow coach and cross deep snowfields, where no cars can travel. Watch Old Faithful spew — a totally different experience in winter.

Numerous tours depart from Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, starting at $55 for adults, $27.50 for children.

Recap your adventures while soaking in the Boiling River, where thermally heated water pours over black slick rock and hits the Gardiner River.

When hungry: the Mammoth Hotel Dining Room, located at former Fort Yellowstone, overlooks the other-worldliness of limestone terraces and caldera steam. Meals range from $10-$30. Reservations required.

Spend the night at: Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, where lodging starts at $85.

Or make the short drive to your next destination: Chico Hot Springs Resort and Spa, with numerous lodging options to accommodate a quiet couple or rowdy family, starting at $49.

Individual cabins sit on the edge of the property with unobstructed views of wide meadows and big mountains. For proximity to the food and the soak, stay in the main lodge, where floorboards creek and a fire burns steadily in the soapstone fireplace.

Photo: exquisitur

Day 3

Traverse the landscape with the dogs of Absaroka Dog Sled Treks, starting at $110 per person, depending on length and intensity.

Take the full day Denali trek and you’ll find yourself deep in the mountains with spectacular views of Paradise Valley.

Return to Chico for a good long soak, then a well-earned meal in their rustic dining room.

Day 4

Hit the breakfast buffet on your way out. Drive back through Bozeman and south to Big Sky.

Allow two hours for the trip, as the latter half will be spent traveling through Gallatin Canyon along the Gallatin River.

Take your time. Road conditions are unpredictable.

Just before turning onto the access road to Big Sky, pick up some sandwiches to go from Bugaboo Café. Then:

• Take a cross-country ski or snowshoe on Lone Mountain Ranch’s 85km trail system ($15-$20).
• Spend a half-day skiing ($69) at Big Sky Resort on 11,166ft Lone Mountain.

Both options provide sweet views and good options for all skill levels.

For an exceptional meal on your last night in Montana:

• The sleigh ride dinner at Lone Mountain Ranch; guests pile into a horse-drawn sleigh and are shuttled to the North Fork cabin for a dinner cooked on a wood-fired stove, and entertainment provided by local musicians ($85).
• The Montana Dinner Yurt; guests are transported to a remote yurt on the flanks of Lone Mountain — via snowcat — for sledding and a bonfire preceding a gourmet meal ($79).

Photo: travelinknu

Lodging:

Big Sky has plenty of accommodations. Prices vary and lodging/ski packages are common.

Lone Mountain Ranch and The Huntley Lodge (at the ski resort) are convenient options, depending on your preference.

Day 5

Depending on where you crashed, there are various breakfast options — these three cafes are recommended: Sun Dog (in Mountain Village), Huckleberry (in the meadow), and Bugaboo (in the canyon). After eating:

• If it’s a sunny day, take a ride to the summit of Lone Mountain in the tram for a view clear to the Grand Tetons.
• Get a ticket for the Zip line, for one last big chill before you head home.
• If you’re feeling especially mellow, watch skiers and boarders in the terrain park, or take a stroll through the mountain mall.

It’s a short drive back to Bozeman and home…though we won’t blame you for lingering.

Community Connection

Check out all of Matador’s resources on the Big Sky State at our Montana Focus page.

Photo: mawel

[Editor's note: This article was originally published at the author's website, GlobalGrasshopper.]

Best for Atmosphere

The Cologne Christmas market is actually six markets in one town, the largest four being right outside the Gothic cathedral. The markets are a huge event and they regularly attract around two million visitors.

Photo: Jeremy Burgin

The half-timber stalls, temporary ice rink, floating market, and Medieval Christmas market outside the Chocolate museum are where to aim most of your attention.

Nobody does a Christmas market quite like Germany. Besides Cologne, Nuremberg, Dresden, and Munich are also considered some of the most beautiful and atmospheric.

Cologne Christmas market: 27th November – 23rd December 2009

Good value and popular hotels in Cologne: Azimut Hotel City Center, Hotel Lyskirchen, Hotel Domstern.

Best for Children

Fairytales and folklore are the main emphasis at the Prague Christmas markets. The organisers go the extra mile in creating a winter wonderland setting. There’s even a nativity style petting zoo, a very large and extremely well lit Christmas tree, dancing and singing concerts, and horse carriage rides.

Prague Christmas Market: 28th November 2009 – 1st January 2010

Good value and popular hotels in Prague: Arcadia Residence, Park Inn Hotel, Hotel Julian.

Photo: Gribiche

Best for Budget

The Christmas market in Bratislava, Slovakia, is a traditional and less commercial budget option for travelers. You can get locally crafted gifts, winter clothing, and ceramics, plus much more.

Watch live entertainment as you scoff bread with dripping and onion and potato pancakes filled with goose liver (or just fruit-filled pancakes and apple pies).

Bratislava Christmas Market: 1st November 2009 – 1st January 2010

Good value and popular hotels in Bratislava: Hotel Arcus, Hotel Antares, Ibis Bratislava Centrum.

Photo: chris friese

Most Unique Shopping Experience

Taking place in a cave under the city, the Christmas market in Valkenburg, Holland, is not your typical shopping experience. Wander the candle-lit labyrinth of passageways and caverns for gifts and decorations. Make sure to also pay attention to the mural carvings and sculptures.

Valkenburg Christmas Market: 28th November – 14th December 2009

Good value and popular hotels in Valkenburg: Hotel LeTo, Hotel Atlanta, Schaepkens van St Fijt Hotel.

Best for Chocolate Lovers

Chocolate addicts will want to visit the Christmas fair in Brussels, Belgium, which goes off on the Place Sainte Catherine. Besides high quality Belgian chocolates, expect local snacks like steamed snails, oysters, gingerbread, and forest mushrooms on toast.

Photo: magnusfranklin

Brussels Christmas Market: 27th November 2009 – 3rd January 2010

Good value and popular hotels in Brussels: NH Stephanie, Hotel a la Grande Cloche, Four Points by Sheraton.

Coolest Christmas Market

Barcelona is often considered one of the coolest European cities and Christmastime is no exception. The weather is still warm enough to walk comfortably around the city at night and the lively street artists on La Rambla make for a festive atmosphere.

The Santa Lucia market is located near the cathedral in the Gothic quarter in Barcelona, and is where you can buy local crafts, unusual gifts (including Caganer — a Catalan “pooping” statue) and the traditional Spanish Christmas sweet turron.

If you plan your stay around December 28th, you’ll get to witness the Spanish version of April Fool’s Day when the streets are filled with artists and music.

Photo: Vassil Tzvetanov

Santa Lucia Christmas Market: 1st – 24th December or 28th December 2009 for “Holy Innocents’ Day”

Good value and popular hotels in Barcelona: Condado Hotel, Hotel Praktik Rambla, Catalonia Port.

Best all rounder

The “Christkindlmärkte” in Vienna, Austria, is over 700 years old. As well as the usual concerts and nativity displays there’s also a live advent calendar display and a Children’s Christmas Workshop in the City Hall.

The atmospheric streets, town square, and surrounding park are filled with the aromas of candied fruits, cotton candy, Christmas punch, and roasted chestnuts. Surely the perfect way to get you in the Christmas mood?

Vienna Christmas Market: 14th November – 24th December 2009

Good value and popular hotels in Vienna: Hotel Rathaus Wein & Design Wien, Bella Vienna City Hotel, Starlight Suiten Am Salzgries.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Looking for more things to do this winter? Here are some cool ideas:

Snowed In: 5 Winter Travel Movies that Beat Reality TV Marathons

8 Winter Adventures to Get Kids Excited About the Outdoors

10 Tips for Safe and Comfortable Winter Hiking

Photo: Rob Hogeslag

In the 1990s, the Balkans were rife with ethnic conflict, but the days of Milosevic are done and the new republics are quickly moving forward, with lesser-known sites ready to take on Dubrovnik’s Old Town and Slovenia’s Lake Bled.

Sarajevo

In case you weren’t clear, the war’s over. Travelers are now trickling back into one of Europe’s most unique cities.

With a history of occupation by the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires, Sarajevo is a mix of Islamic and Central European culture. It conjures two cities — Istanbul and Vienna — sitting side by side. Muslim, Catholic, Orthodox, and Jewish places of worship share a single city block.

Photo: mblomqvist

You don’t need to visit a museum to get a sense of the recent war’s impact. Buildings and sidewalks are still blemished with bullet wounds.

Concrete indentations filled with red wax — known as Sarajevo Roses — signify that someone was killed there and are not to be stepped on.

Remnants of the former National Library still stand, boarded up and closed off to visitors. Plaques and bouquets memorializing victims are prominently displayed in places like the infamous Markale Market, the bombing of which led to the NATO intervention.

Even the bright yellow Holiday Inn holds significance. Originally built for the 1984 Winter Olympics, it was the home base of journalists covering the war, and some battles were even fought inside the building.

Sarajevo is also the site of an older tragic event — the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, which triggered World War I. The spot where Gavrilo Princip fired the fateful shots is marked by a plaque next to the Latin Bridge.

Mostar

Like Sarajevo, this city was heavily hit by the Bosnian War between 1992 and 1995. Its most famous landmark is Stari Most (Old Bridge) linking the city’s two ethnic communities: Bosnian Muslims and Catholic Croats.

Originally built by the Ottoman Turks in 1566, the bridge was destroyed in ‘93 despite efforts by residents to save it. A new bridge was constructed with international aid in 2004 and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Photo: Rob Hogeslag

During the spring and summer, you might catch members of the Mostar Diving Club jumping from the bridge into the Neretva River below.

Spend some time wandering the Ottoman Quarter of Kujundziluk, named for the craft of copper smithing. As you walk past the artist studios, cafes, and shops, you may hear copper smiths hard at work.

Along the eastern side are mosques and Turkish houses dating to the 16th and 17th centuries. The city’s most famous is the Karadzozbegova Mosque, designed in 1557 by Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan. It has been rebuilt since the war. For a view of the city, climb up the minaret of the Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque.

* Tip: Travelers should take note that the train service from Sarajevo to Mostar is infrequent and runs at inconvenient times.

Belgrade

For the most part, Belgrade is not very attractive, but give them a break; the city has endured 44 razings by invaders. They deserve a little leeway.

Start with a visit to the Kalemegdan Fortress, located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube Rivers. 115 battles have been fought at this site in its 2,300-year history. The Upper Citadel now serves as a park, where locals like to relax and enjoy lunch.

Shopping, strolling, or people watching can be enjoyed on the pedestrian promenade Knez Mihajlova while you sip a coffee.

For lunch, head to the ? restaurant, named as a result of a dispute between a previous owner and the clergy of the nearby Orthodox Cathedral.

The Nikola Tesla Museum is dedicated to the discoverer of alternating current and contains Tesla’s personal effects and models of his inventions. Engineering students from the University of Belgrade are on hand to demonstrate the inventions.

The bohemian quarter, known as Skadarlija, is good for dinner, with restaurants serving Serbian and Italian food. If you’re lucky you might get some live Serbian music. This neighborhood of cobblestone streets, shops, and art galleries was home to many writers and actors in the early 20th century.

* Tip: It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the Cyrillic alphabet before arriving. While guidebooks and tourist maps list all street names in Latin letters, the streets themselves are usually marked in Cyrillic script — although this may soon change.

Novi Sad

If you can’t make it to Belgrade, Novi Sad is a sedate alternative to the capital.

Photo: headsclouds

Serbia’s second-largest city and the one-time home of Albert Einstein was the target of NATO bombs in ‘99. Remains of bridges destroyed in the campaign still sit in the Danube river.

The Petrovaradin Fortress, which has never been taken by an enemy, sits on the eastern bank of the Danube. You can walk along its walls for a view of the river and the town, and the former stables now serve as local artist studios.

The EXIT music festival in July takes place at Petrovaradin, featuring international performers in rock, blues, heavy metal, reggae, hip hop, and techno.

Budva

As the world’s newest nation, gaining independence from Serbia in 2006, Montenegro almost feels like virgin travel territory.

Budva, one of the oldest towns on the Adriatic, is the country’s top destination, with beaches and a small old town with cafes, shops, and churches. The nightlife along the promenade bumps into the morning.

The old-town area is Venetian in style, a result of Venetian rule from the 1400s to 1700s. The town was destroyed by an earthquake in 1979, but rebuilding was completed in 1987.

Kotor

A 30-minute drive from Budva is Kotor, with another medieval old town, this one alongside Europe’s southernmost fjord. Like Budva, the town is full of churches, restaurants, clubs, and bars, making for a lively and noisy nightlife, but with less of the feel of a resort town.

* Tip: Prepare yourself for huge crowds if you go in summer — more than 30,000 people come for the Bokeljska Noć, or Summer Carnival.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Heading to Europe? Don’t hesitant to pose your logistical questions to our destination experts on the continent.

Three guides. Filcar (the easiest to use), and a large and small Guia “T” – The large one details routes outside the city limits.

One reason for this is the fact that buses here are a system of collective, independent lines (hence they are called colectivos), and while there is no unified system, some things are standard and there are several published guides that can help you make sense of the city in a whole new way.

The more common guide is the Guia “T”. Don’t laugh at my quotation marks. They are a part of the title, and no, I don’t know what the “T” stands for. It is so commonly used that your friends will tell you that their house is in 3-c-4 of the guia. This is the guia they mean.

The one I have found more useful despite its sideways orientation of north is the Filcar Guide.

Each guide contains 3 sections. The first is the map of the city with its corresponding pages and a list of the streets and which addresses fall on which sections of the map.

The second part is the map itself, spread over 34 and 29 pages respectively with the facing page detailing which buses pass through the corresponding square on the map.

Fig 1. From page 7 of the Filcar guide. City map on the left and corresponding squares that detail the buses that pass through the area on the right.

Fig 2. From page 23 of the Filcar guide. City map on the left and corresponding squares that detail the buses that pass through the area on the right.

The final section is the listing of the bus routes, which streets they follow, and in the case of the Guia “T” a picture of the bus you can expect, and in the case of Filcar (and the reason I love it so) the street addresses the bus passes en route (which makes it much easier to figure out where to catch and get off the bus).

Fig. 3 The author’s paranoid technique that enables her
never to be seen looking at a map or guia.

The route from the 1900 block of Mompox to
the 2800 block of Remedios. Start at the bottom.

As of this publishing date, the most a bus trip will cost you inside Capital Federal is $1.25. You must use change (monedas) on most bus lines and it is in high demand and short supply. Hoard your change as if it were porn in the 1980s and lie to store clerks about having it as if they were your mom.

The length of your trip will define your fare. Very short trips are 1.10 (uno diez) while most trips are 1.20 (uno veinte) and long trips are 1.25 (uno veinte cinco). If you’re shy and don’t want to speak too much, just say 1.25. If you say 1.10, the driver will ask you where you’re going and if you’re bashful you could end up tongue tied and unable to answer. 1.25 never elicits a question.

For this tutorial, I’m taking you from the afflicted sounding Calle Mompox to its cure, Calle Remedios.

The first thing you must do is to locate the address where you are and the address where you’re going in your guide.

Then look in the squares that correspond and see if there are any buses that go through both points. If not, seek in the surrounding squares. (Figs. 1 and 2)

For this trip I’ve chosen Colectivo (bus) 133.

I’m paranoid and neurotic about being seen as a tourist. When going into parts unknown I will often write the bus route on a small piece of paper. (Fig. 3) Instead of dragging my guia out in front of everyone, I refer surreptitiously to my paper to reassure myself that the bus is going where I expect it to and that I know when to get off. I follow the addresses and street names through the windows of the bus. I also detail walking routes that take me to my intended destination.

Once you’ve got your route planned, you can go find your bus stop. You must find a stop with the corresponding number listed on a sign.* Make sure you’re headed in the right direction. Many streets are one way and the bus follows differing return routes accordingly, but in the case that it’s a two way street, check if the addresses are going up or down on your side of the street.

If there are multiple routes of the same number check the sign in the front window of the bus to be sure you have the right one. If you don’t know, ask the driver if the bus passes the intersection where you plan to get off. If you’ve followed my paranoid example, you should nervously be clutching a sweaty piece of paper you can refer to while asking.

Keep your eyes peeled for the bus. When you see it, raise your hand to let the driver know you want to get on. Get a seat if you can. If you’re female, you’ll get priority in many situations. Give up your seat for old people and pregnant women. Hang on for dear life if you’re standing. Drivers brake abruptly.

Web Help: If you prefer a computer screen to the written page, you can find bus routes on the site www.xcolectivo.com.ar, and you can use www.comoviajo.com to help you plan your routes. But if you’re out and about and don’t have a computer handy, nothing beats a guia. Just duck into a cafe and order a cup of coffee and get planning.

Extra Tip: A friend of mine puts a post-it note inside her guia on which she reproduces the colectivos in the squares surrounding her home. This way, she can move the post-it to the page of where she is or where she wants to go to more easily plan her route. She can also quickly refer to it while doing things around the city and see if there’s a sign for a bus that gets her home in the vicinity.

*If you walk the route and don’t see a sign, ask anyone working at a convenience store (kiosco), a cop, or a guy running a diario (newspaper stand) — or ask people standing and waiting for no apparent reason where there is no sign if they are waiting for the bus you want. Usually stops are marked, but sometimes they aren’t and you can walk for blocks only to maddeningly see the driver then stop at blocks you ignorantly walked past.

Community Connection

Matador’s also got bussers covered in NYC and London.

How do you take the bus in your city?

All photos by author

Any roadtripper planning to travel across Australia’s south between the states of Western Australia (WA) and South Australia (SA) will have to cross the Nullarbor. With a name literally meaning “no trees” (nullus arbor), it’s an apt description of the nearly 1700km featureless stretch along the Eyre Highway, between Norseman in WA and Port Augusta in SA.

It’s one of the world’s most unique roads as it includes the longest straightaway on the planet, 146.6km of curve-less tarmac.

The open road

For a large portion of the traverse you’ll drive by stark, rugged, low-lying bush that dominates in all directions, the only interruption being the odd gum tree struggling for survival.

Despite the harshness of the Nullarbor landscape, it’s home to a surprising amount of fauna. Humorous road signs illustrate warnings for kangaroos, emus, wombats, and camels.

Yes, camels. The Nullarbor is the last place left on Earth that has truly wild camels — up to 100,000 — abandoned after their use in building inland railroads long ago by people who figured they would eventually die off.

Driving the Nullarbor

If you’re in a hurry, the drive can be completed in as little as two (long) days, but it’s much more reasonable to spread it over three.

May as well start your road trip fresh: assuming a west-to-east route, your first free shower is at the CalTex gas station in Norseman. There are more showers along the way, but they come at a cost — around $1 for five minutes.

A good distance to cover on day 1 takes you from Norseman to a free rest area 26km east of Madura where you can get some sleep. It’s a popular stop complete with fire pits and bathrooms.

Southern Right whale breaching

Early on day 2 you’ll cross the border into SA, where scenic attractions begin to present themselves. Signed turnoffs lead to the Bunda Cliffs, a series of jagged rock walls dropping into the ocean. Note that only two of the nine can be accessed these days due to erosion.

Make a pit stop at the famous Nullarbor Roadhouse, where dingoes will beg you to feed them your leftovers (please don’t). Only 14km after that, turn off toward the Head of Bight (entry: $12).

Every May to October, this inlet serves as one of only three breeding grounds for Southern Right Whales.

During the peak, in August/September, visitors can see up to 60 mothers and their calves surfacing as close as 20 meters offshore.

From here, drivers who’ve had enough of the heat and flies can continue to the final free rest area 36km west of Ceduna — the unofficial end of the Nullarbor.

Post-Nullarbor

After completing the drive from west to east, most travelers head on to Adelaide, another 700+ kilometers from Ceduna. The coastal road of the Eyre Peninsula is the scenic route and it also offers a chance to swim with — or just observe — sea lions at Baird Bay and Point Labatt, and to sample world-class oysters at Coffin Bay.

Typical roadhouse scene

Another option for wildlife viewing is the town of Port Lincoln, one of the few places in the world that’s set up for dives with Great Whites.

If you’ve gone the other way (east to west), you can head north to Kalgoorlie or south to Esperance after passing through Norseman. Esperance is a small coastal settlement that has arguably the most beautiful coastline in Australia, which can be seen on their 34km Great Ocean Drive (not to be confused with Victoria’s Great Ocean Road).

Kalgoorlie is gold mine country and has the feeling of a frontier town in Middle America in the early 1800s, only with modern comforts.

7 more tips for crossing the Nullarbor

1. Watch out for scattered road kill along the way and stop driving at dusk when temperatures drop and kangaroos and other animals make their way onto the road.

2. There are plenty of rest areas that double as free campgrounds for those living out of their vehicle. A copy of Camps Australia (a key resource for any roadtripper), outlines all of them. Most roadhouses offer paying accommodation for people unable (or unwilling) to sleep in their car.

110 km/h across the treeless plain

3. Keep in mind, the price of goods goes up as much as the selection plummets, so stock up before setting off.

4. Gasoline can be 20% more expensive than in the cities and the longest stretch without a station is 190km.

5. Take plenty of water — at least 30 liters — in case you break down. Staying hydrated in the heat and doing tasks like washing dishes takes up a lot more than you’d expect.

6. Save your cash for any emergency road trouble — establishments along the way usually accept credit cards.

7. If heading from WA to SA, fresh produce and plants must be consumed or disposed of before Ceduna. Going the opposite way, the checkpoint is in Eucla (and only honey is prohibited).

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

This surreal drive is sure to bring surreal moments. Make sure to add yours to the discussion at Brave New Traveler’s article, What Is Your Most Surreal Travel Experience?

Can parts of the Nullarbor fit into our Photo Essay: The Most Alien Landscapes on Earth?

Photo: Alastair Rae

Piazza San Marco

One of the world’s greatest open spaces. While it’s also a honey pot for swarms of day-trippers and other visitors, the Piazza is vast and backpackers coexist peacefully with the well-heeled tourists who enjoy overpriced drinks and orchestral music at the café tables.

Photo: Kent Mercurio

The only trouble is the kamikaze pigeons. Some Venetians claim that pigeons outnumber the tourists. Certainly there are plenty of them. And they fly with abundant ammo.

Tip: Pigeon victims suggest letting the poop dry before brushing it off; this may work on clothing, but it’s less effective when a balding scalp or your vintage Carrera shades have been targeted.

Basilica di San Marco

St. Mark’s Basilica is both a house of worship and a monument to kleptomania. It was built to house the bones of St. Mark, whose remains had been stolen from Egypt by Venetian merchants; and the building is filled with sculptures, religious objects, and other booty hauled back from Constantinople and other faraway places during the Crusades.

The cathedral’s five-domed exterior is a riot of Byzantine architecture. The interior is equally spectacular, with gold mosaics that come to life from 11:30am to 12:30pm, when the church is illuminated.

Grand Canal

The Grand Canal is the main aquatic thoroughfare in central Venice. The S-shaped waterway follows an ancient riverbed from the Tronchetto parking island all the way to Piazza San Marco.

The best way to see the canal is by riding the No.1 waterbus from the railroad station in the direction of San Marco — preferably in the evening, when the palazzi along the canal are floodlit or illuminated from within.

As the vaporetto waterbus zigzags between stops on both sides of the canal during its 40-minute journey to San Zaccaria, you’ll pass under three bridges and see dozens of palaces built between the 12th and 18th centuries.

Bridges

Another perspective from which to see Venice is offered by the bridges that cross its canals: the Ponte degli Scalzi, the Rialto Bridge, and the gorgeous wooden Ponte dell’Accademia.

Photo: llamnudds

Go to the top of any of these, find a place at the railing, and watch the constant stream of waterbuses, barges, water taxis, police boats, ambulances, and gondolas pass by below.

The Rialto is the one everyone wants to see. It’s been the main pedestrian crossing between the two banks of the Grand Canal since 1591.

The shopping arcade that runs up the center and over the top of the bridge was built for a structural purpose: the rows of covered arches help stiffen it, allowing 24 feet of clearance for boats — including the galleys that existed in the 16th century, when the bridge was built.

Gondola Ferry

If you’d like to ride a gondola but aren’t willing to spend €100 or more for the privilege, you can cross canals in a traghetto gondola ferry for pocket change — the best transportation bargain in Venice.

Rialto Marketplace

The Rialto Food Markets are working markets where Venetians do their grocery shopping six days a week. There are two markets north of the Rialto Bridge in San Polo.

Photo: David Sifry

The Erberia sells fruit and vegetables. By noon, most of the action is over, so arrive early for shopping and discreet photo shoots. Just beyond this, fishmongers at the Pescheria sell fish, octopus, squid, clams, and other aquatic edibles.

Before bellying up to the crushed-ice trough to take a snapshot, remember that the person you’re elbowing out of the way may be a chef trying to buy the sardines or cuttlefish you’ll be eating for dinner.

The Jewish Ghetto

Venice’s Ghetto was the first segregated Jewish community in Europe. It has several interesting characteristics, like the low-ceilinged, multistory apartment buildings built to accommodate a dense Jewish population, and the upstairs synagogues that served Jews of different nationalities.

Venice’s Jewish population fell sharply during WWII, but it has grown in recent years because of an influx of Messianic Jews from the United States. So if you see men in black hats and side curls, there’s a good chance they’re from Brooklyn.

Calli, Canali, and Campielli

To experience the “real Venice” (and no, it isn’t completely gone), head into the side streets away from the major thoroughfares and the big squares.

Photo: Kieran Lynam

You’ll find an endless succession of pedestrian streets, canals, backstreets, alleys, covered porticos, bridges, campi (small squares), and surprises — like the squero, or gondola workshop, near the San Trovaso Church.

Just as important, you’ll see how Venetians live. Today, only about 62,000 people reside in the historic center (compared to the 180,000 in the heyday of the Venetian Republic), but they still hang out in neighborhood bars, shop from local vendors, and hang their laundry from clotheslines above the street.

Churches

Besides St. Mark’s, the largest of the no-admission churches is another basilica: Santa Maria della Salute, which is near the mouth of the Grand Canal and the Dogana, Venice’s old customs house.

The massive eight-sided building sits on more than 100,000 wooden pilings. It was completed in 1681 as a “thank you” gift to God and the Virgin Mary for allowing the plague to kill only one third of the city’s residents. Salute means “health.”

Further Info

Check out the links below for more details on visiting Venice:

Venice Public Transport ACTV
City of Venice Website
Biennale di Venezia
Venicepocket Magazine
Venice Tourist Portal
Official gondola site

Community Connection

If free is the right price for you, you’ll certainly want to check out the Top 10 Free Things to Do in Paris, our Budget Guide to New York City, and the Top 10 Free Things to Do in Europe.

Photo: Deivis

When to Go

Iceland is cold (though not as cold as you’d expect — temps don’t often drop much below 30F/-1C) and dark in the winter. Summers are warm…er, reaching highs of around 70F/21C in midsummer, when the days stretch into night and the sun barely sets.

Of course, this is when everyone wants to visit, and when prices for flights and hotels are the highest. Come in late fall or early spring instead to take advantage of rock-bottom hotel prices and cheap flights. The savings on airfare alone can reach 50%.

Getting There

Icelandair only operates out of a few U.S. airports, so your best bet is to book tickets to your departure point separately if you don’t live in a hub city.

Photo: sillygwailo

A more roundabout option is to score cheap tickets to a European city and connect from there to Reykjavik on Iceland Express, the country’s low-cost carrier. Tickets from cities like Copenhagen can be as low as $100 round trip.

Taxis from the airport to downtown Reykjavik run as high as $100 one way. A cheaper option is the Flybus, which costs around $17 and drops passengers at the BSI Bus Terminal, a 5-minute walk from the city center.

Make It a Short Stay, or a Combo Trip

It’s a simple equation — spend less time in the country and you’ll spend less money. You can get a good taste in a few days, and because Iceland is just over 5 hours from New York, you won’t feel compelled to stay longer to justify the lengthy plane ride.

You can also combine a trip to Iceland with a few more days in another European city. Icelandair offers free stopovers in Reykjavik on your way between Europe and the U.S.

Drive Yourself

There’s no need to hire an expensive driver or shell out for tours to see the major sites around Reykjavik. Rent a car for around $70/day and set out to explore the Golden Circle yourself.

Photo: exfordy

You’ll drive through Thingvellir National Park and an awesome landscape, dotted with rifts where two tectonic plates are moving apart. The gurgling Geysir no longer erupts, but nearby Strokkur still puts on a reliable show. The thundering Gullfoss waterfall is also nearby.

Along the way you can stop to make friends with the short, stocky (don’t call them ponies), and incredibly inquisitive Icelandic horses.

If you plan on venturing further out, costs are going to add up. Many portions of the Ring Road that circles Iceland are unpaved and you’ll need to spring for a 4WD vehicle with extra insurance.

Don’t need a car for the whole trip? Arrange to pick it up and drop it off at different locations, which most companies will allow you to do for free or for a very small fee.

Self-Cater and Save on Dining

Dining in Reykjavik is expensive — save by staying in accommodations with a kitchenette so you can cook for yourself.

For cheap eats, try one of the famous Icelandic hot dogs, addictive tubes of grilled lamb meat topped with mustard, ketchup, gravy, remoulade, and onions, which cost under $3.

Photo: sillygwailo

Get your seafood fix at Icelandic Fish and Chips, an organic bistro with a rotating selection of freshly caught, battered and baked fish.

Tapas Barinn may sound like it specializes in Spanish cuisine, and while it does serve some traditional tapas dishes like patatas bravas and calamari, it also offers the Icelandic specialties of smoked puffin and grilled whale. Since portions are small (like the prices) you can try some of the more unusual local fare without fearing you’ll waste money.

Don’t Blow Your Booze Budget

Being on a tight budget doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the famous Rúntur, the all-night weekend pub crawl on Laugavegur Street in Reykjavik. Just do as the locals do and start your imbibing at home.

Stock up on booze at the airport duty free when you arrive and save as much as 60% off prices in the local liquor store. Arriving at the club well-tipsy avoids the need to buy rounds of $6-$8 beers.

Get Your Lopapeysa from a Granny

Distinctive handmade sweaters called lopapeysas are the quintessential Icelandic souvenir, but they’re expensive at up to $200 each.

Breeze past the souvenir shops on Laugavegur Street and head for the Kolaportid weekend flea market. Here you’ll find little Icelandic grannies selling hand-knitted sweaters for less than half the going tourist rate.

Do-It-Yourself Northern Lights Tours

Plenty of companies will offer to take you out for a viewing of the Northern Lights.

Photo: DE-VE

The trouble is, cloud cover can make the phenomenon difficult to see even during the prime season, so there’s no guarantee.

Instead of shelling out for the chance to stare up at a cloudy night sky, keep an eye on the Northern Lights forecast. When conditions are right, drive your rental car back out to Thingvellir National Park for your own private show.

On the best nights you won’t even have to do that — they’ll be visible from downtown Reykjavik.

Save on Your Soak

While soaking in the Blue Lagoon is an unforgettable experience, it’s also kind of pricey at around $35 a session. Visit one of Reykjavik’s many public swimming pools instead. They’re open year round and heated from thermal spring water.

Get Money Back

Any foreigner who spends more than 4000 kronur ($31.50USD, as of Aug. 7) in a store should pick up a form that entitles them to 15% of the purchase price back as a tax refund. Keep the forms, fill them out, and collect the refund at the Tax-Free stand at the international airport. Ka-ching!

Community Connection

Iceland also happens to feature in 10 Countries Where You Can Enjoy Hot Springs and James Bond, 007: Secret (Travel) Agent.

For an armchair tour of this amazing island, check out Photo Essay: Iceland’s Fire and Ice.

Photo: advertisingelyse

If the Mall of America — a place that brags of 20,000 parking spots and a dedicated drop-off/pick-up area for motor coaches — doesn’t turn your crank, here are 8 different ways to spend your time.

Lake Calhoun / Photo: twodolla

1. Head to the lakes

Why go to an indoor water park when you’re in the city of lakes? Take your pick of several among the Chain of Lakes.

The largest is Lake Calhoun, a favorite of young people looking to lay on the beaches, bike, roller blade, or jog along the trails that encircle it. Get on the water for some canoeing, kayaking, and windsurfing.

2. Go for a bike ride

Biking is easy in this relatively flat city, and many streets have designated cycling lanes. The most scenic routes will take you over and along the Mississippi River.

Ride down Minnehaha Avenue to get to Minnehaha Falls Park, home of the waterfall that inspired Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “The Song of Hiawatha.”

James J. Hill House / Photo: puroticorico

3. Stroll along Summit Avenue

Garrison Keillor once remarked:

The difference between Minneapolis and St. Paul is the difference between pumpernickel and Wonder Bread.

St. Paul — the state capital — may not have the cultural venues of its more cosmopolitan neighbor, but perhaps Keillor missed the grand stately houses that line Summit Ave. Three residences of note are the Governor’s mansion, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s birthplace, and the James J. Hill House.

4. Go to the theater

The Twin Cities’ theater scene may not compare with Broadway, but Minneapolis’s landmark Guthrie Theater puts on high-quality classic and original productions. If you’re in town this fall, a national engagement of Little House on the Prairie will begin at the Ordway Theatre in St. Paul, with Melissa Gilbert playing Ma.

5. Eat

The Twin Cities aren’t strictly meat-and-potatoes territory and, these days, ethnic food isn’t limited to lutefisk. Although an overwhelmingly white metropolis less than 20 years ago, recent immigration from Southeast Asia, East Africa, and Latin America has added an international array of cuisines to the city’s food scene.

Cafe Latte / Photo: tboard

A global smorgasboard of eating options is available at the Midtown Global Market and along Eat Street, between Grant and 29th Streets.

For more upscale dining and nightlife, head to the Warehouse District near downtown, where your options include a number of sushi joints, an organic cafe, and Pizza Luce, considered to have the best pizza in town. Dessert lovers shouldn’t miss the decadent cakes at Cafe Latte on Grand Ave. in St. Paul.

6. Shop on Grand Avenue

OK, so you will probably break down and need your shopping fix. Grand Ave. in St. Paul is home to numerous independent shops and boutiques, as well as some chain stores.

7. Visit an art gallery or museum

Minneapolis is home to several impressive art collections.

Photo: A.M. Kuchling

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts features one of the most extensive collections of world art in the Midwest, while the Walker Art Center is considered one of the top modern art museums in the country. Across the street from the latter is the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, where you will find Claes Oldenburg’s Spoonbridge and Cherry.

If history is more your thing, the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul is home to changing exhibits about the state’s past. Science geeks will enjoy the Science Museum of Minnesota, which overlooks the Mississippi River and has an exhibit dedicated to it.

8. Attend a fair

State and county fairs are a Minnesota tradition. Each summer, Minnesota’s counties hold their own fairs. The main event is the Minnesota State Fair, which is running from August 27 to September 7 this year.

Known as the “Minnesota State Get-Together,” it’s the event where Minnesotans gather to celebrate their agricultural heritage and show off livestock, like a scene straight out of Charlotte’s Web. Disregard any healthy eating habits you may be following — standard Minnesotan fair food is deep fried and comes on a stick.

Community Connection

If you’re looking to combine a trip to the Minnesota State Fair with a visit to another Midwest city, make sure to check out Chicago on a Budget.

The Kimberley / Photo: Flemming Bo Jensen

Most travelers that come to Australia only stick to the east: Melbourne, Sydney, the Gold Coast, Brisbane. If you want to experience the real Australia, head 4000 kilometers west to the most isolated places on the continent.

Western Australia is five times the area of Texas, but is home to just 2.2 million people. That’s a lot of room to move. So hire a 4WD, pick up a cheap Ford wagon, or climb aboard one of the hop-on-hop-off buses running up and down the coast.

Working south to north, here are 10 spots you should hit:

1. Esperance

This windy coastal town is home to some of the whitest beaches in the world. The surrounding national parks offer miles of coastline to explore on foot or by 4WD. At this isolated former whaling outpost, the Indian and Southern Oceans crash with each other. The numerous uninhabited islands just offshore make a fine place to play pirates. Or just go fishing.

Photo: robertpaulyoung

2. Margaret River

Likened to Byron Bay (but with less hippies) the natural appeal of “Margs” soon led to its gentrification. But even the weekend influx of lawyers in Saabs can’t detract from the region’s charm. Minutes from town, old growth karri forests hide countless vineyards which consistently produce world-class wines, especially sauvignon blancs and cab savs.

On the coast, try your hand at finding some roaring surfbreaks, hidden away down dirt tracks. If time is not on your side, Margaret’s Main Break offers some of the most accessible — and biggest — waves around.

3. Fremantle

This port city underwent a major facelift prior to the 1987 America’s Cup, but more than two decades later, “Freo” retains much of its Mediterranean magic. Grab an espresso on The Strip and you could be in any European seaside town — if you can ignore the teenagers in their V8s lapping the boulevard, that is.

Check out the famous markets or immerse yourself in Australian culture and watch local footy team, the Dockers.

Photo: Flemming Bo Jensen

4. Perth

Set on the banks of the sparkling Swan River, Western Australia’s capital is pleasant and offers a fine base to launch your adventures from. Groovy enclaves such as Subiaco and Leederville offer cool shops, cafes, and bars, while the beaches just 15 minutes from the city are as good as you’ll find anywhere.

Leighton, Cottesloe, and Scarborough have the shimmering sands and blue-green Indian Ocean to match any tropical island.

Kings Park is the spot to wander among towering lemon gums while looking down on the sprawling Swan.

5. Rottnest

Just a ferry ride from Perth but worlds apart. Cars are banned so hop on your bike and hit the bays for snorkeling, fishing, surfing, or lazing about. Befriend a quokka — the famous wallabies (like a pint-sized kangaroo) found all over. Dutch explorers mistook the little buggers for rats, hence the name ‘Rat’s Nest.’

Camp or stay in self-contained bungalows and don’t miss the Quokka Arms — the island’s only pub with views of the city back across Cockburn Sound.

6. Kalbarri

Steep river canyons wind their way to the coast near this quiet crayfishing town where the sheer cliffs provide a perfect vantage point for whale and dolphin watching. Fish the rivermouth, visit Finlay’s fish barbecue, or try to sneak in a few waves with the locals at one of the world’s heaviest left-hand reef ledges.

Photo: rggoldie

7. Monkey Mia

Ever wanted to pet a dolphin? Here’s your chance. Generations of dolphins have been visiting this remote beach since the 1960s when a local fisherman began feeding them each day. The calm, crystal waters of Shark Bay make great conditions to spot these gentles creatures cruising the shallows, and Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort on the beachfront has accommodations to suit every budget.

8. Ningaloo

Ningaloo is the jewel of the North West. Stretching for more than 250km along the coast, it’s one of the largest fringing reefs in the world and the most accessible, coming to within 100 meters of the coast at certain points. From Coral Bay, through North West Cape, to Exmouth, the reef offers incredible fishing, snorkeling, surfing, and diving in warm water all year round.

Step off the beach into turquoise waters to see turtles, whale sharks, manta rays, and more.

9. Broome

Camels on Cable Beach / Photo: Flemming Bo Jensen

Now you’re entering the tropics proper. Long a favourite of backpackers and those fleeing the winter chill, this town is lazy and sun-drenched. Nobody hurries — they’re all on ‘Broometime.’

Do some nude sunbathing or just enjoy the sunset view at the famous Cable Beach, down a mango beer at Matso’s microbrewery, visit a pearl farm…there’s plenty to do.

North of town, the aboriginal-run Kooljaman camp at Cape Leveque is worth the drive. Palm-frond huts and 5-star safari tents overlook a typically stunning West Oz beachscape.

10. The Kimberley

Photo: Flemming Bo Jensen

The last frontier of the West, this is where things get wild. 4WD vehicles are essential for exploring this ancient land of hidden waterfalls, ochre cliffs, and indigenous rock art. Derby marks the start of the Gibb River Road: 600km of bone-jarring track through the heart of the rugged north. If you make it through, be sure to pop into El Questro, a million-acre former cattle ranch, now turned wilderness park.

With extra time, worthwhile detours are the national parks of Karijini and Millstream-Chichester in Western Austrlalia’s Pilbara region. Closer to Perth, the Pinnacles — a spooky landscape of petrified trees in the desert — also warrants your consideration.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Interested in visiting Down Under but aren’t sure how you can pull it off financially? Check out Matador’s Contest Alert: Win a Trip to Australia.

For a broader look on what there is to see and do in this part of the world, click over to 15 Things You Can’t Miss in Australia and Top 10 Places to Study in New Zealand and Australia.

Photo: Larsz / Feature photo: Mike Willis

1. Spearfish Canyon National Scenic Byway

This is a fantastic drive in any season, where you’ll find granite walls specked with Black Hills spruce and aspen, tumbling waterfalls, and rolling creeks cascading over rocky beds.

The hike to Roughlock Falls is the perfect way to connect with nature. In the fall months the reds, oranges, and yellows of the trees, combined with the deep canyon walls and surging falls, provide plenty of visual and aural stimulation.

Photo: allygirl520

2. Deadwood

This restored gold-mining town is a national historic landmark, with architecture dating from the late nineteenth century. Gambling is legal here, so if you enjoy the slots, or just like bantering with witty bartenders, head to one of the numerous casinos.

If history is what you’re after, Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are buried at the Mount Moriah Cemetery. The Adam’s House Museum provides an educational perspective on Deadwood and the Black Hills.

There are also some great events in town. My favorite, the Deadwood Jam in mid-September, is an eclectic music festival showcasing blues, country, rock ‘n’ roll, and reggae. You can line up lawn chairs at the outdoor venue, crack open some drinks, and enjoy the local company.

3. Mount Rushmore

Visiting Mount Rushmore renews my patriotic spirit no matter how many times I’ve seen it. National pride swells as your eyes wander over the 60ft carvings by Gutzon Borglum and his 400 helpers. The nightly lighting ceremony, accompanied by patriotic music, is a reminder to be thankful for the privileges we enjoy as Americans.

4. Keystone

Two miles from Mount Rushmore, Keystone is an entertaining stop. Dip into the shops and restaurants, fly down the alpine slide, or watch a wood carver transform a tree stump into a proud bald eagle or bulky bison. You can also ride a tram, pan for gold, relax on the verandas, and visit the Presidential Wax Museum.

Big Time Pizza in the Roosevelt Inn has the best pies in the region. Ask for my favorite, the Super Supreme.

5. Hill City

This hospitable town has a quaint Main Street lined with art galleries and shops full of gifts and antiques. Hill City is also home to the 1880 steam train, which winds it’s way from here to Keystone.

Near Rapid City — the gateway to the Black Hills — visit the Circle B Ranch for an authentic western experience. Eat a proper cowboy meal, bob your head to twangy country music, watch a gun fight, and go horseback riding. The Flying T Chuckwagon Supper & Show or the Fort Hays Chuckwagon Supper & Show can also satisfy the little cowboy in you.

6. Crazy Horse Memorial

My fellow chiefs and I would like the white man to know that the red man has great heroes, also.

- Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear to Korczak Ziolkowski

Photo: Jennifer L. Sovanski

These words set in motion the building of the Crazy Horse Memorial, 17 miles from Mount Rushmore. The head alone is planned to exceed the size of the presidents’ heads by over 20 feet.

Although Mr. Ziolkowski was twice offered $10 million from the U.S. government to fund the project, he declined it on the principle that his broader educational vision would be compromised by federal involvement.

Mr. Ziolkowski died in 1982 but his wife, Ruth, and most of their 10 children have continued the work.

7. Harney Peak

Hiking to the top of Harney Peak — the highest point east of the Rocky Mountains at 7,244 feet — is well worth the sweat. On my first attempt I was unable to make it to the top, despite encouragement from hikers coming down.

However, I vowed to make it the next time — and I did. On a clear day, you have panoramic views of South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Montana from the fire lookout tower.

On the way down, this time it was I who encouraged others to keep going.

8. Needles Highway

Located in Custer State Park, the Needles Highway is a road worth traveling for views of the 20-40ft granite spires reaching to the sky, backdropped by thick forest. Drive carefully — the single-lane tunnel is a little harrowing.

9. Caves

There are eight caves to tour in the Black Hills, two being part of national parks and six owned privately. Inside one of the largest cave systems in the world, you can expect to see unique calcite crystals, arranged in a honeycomb-like pattern, embedded in the limestone walls.

As the temperatures in the caves stay consistently in the 50s F, they’re great for cooling off when it’s too hot up top.

Photo: IndigoValley

10. Custer State Park

At 71,000 acres, Custer State Park is a great place for wildlife viewing. You can spot hordes of buffalo grazing on the green grass from Wildlife Loop Road.

Every time I see them, I’m amazed by their size and presence and am reminded of their connection to the Lakota Nation, who relied on buffalo for survival.

I giggle at the wild burros in the park, who stick their snouts into car windows looking for food. Mountain goats, antelope, bighorn sheep, deer, elk, and wild turkeys are other animals you might be able to glimpse during a visit.

Looking for some relaxation? The lakes here are the perfect prescription for stress. Swim or fish, or simply wade around for some therapeutic calming.

More information

Make sure you visit the South Dakota Tourism website for more on the area’s history, events, and things to do.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

If you’re looking for more great itineraries and ideas in the States, check out Gateway to Pristine America: 12 Towns on the Edge of Spectacular Wilderness and Bike Touring Montana: Classic Big Sky Rides.

Why not save some money while you’re at it? Have a read of 8 Ways to Save Money on a U.S. Cross-Country Road Trip.

Photo: Wonderlane

An hour’s drive through the desert from either La Paz or Los Cabos will bring you to the wonderfully strange Pacific coast town of Todos Santos.

Imagine a Marin County artists’ colony crossed with a sleepy Mexican pueblo. Throw in a handful of baby-boomer tourists and a literal oasis of palm trees and cool blue water surrounded on three sides by desert and on one by the Pacific.

On a dark desert highway…

The main attraction in Todos Santos is — and has been since 1947 — the Hotel California.

Photo: author

While this particular hotel didn’t actually inspire the Eagles’ song, it’s easy to see why that myth has been so persistent: the “dark desert highway” that leads you there, the candlelit alcoves, the funky combination of modern art and Mexican handicrafts, the mysterious air of the old building.

You can almost believe it’s a hallucination, or a song.

It’s worth the splurge to spend a night or more in one of the comfortable, colorful rooms (each one’s different), especially if you’re traveling with your sweetie.

Either way, drop by for a shot (or a margarita) of the Hotel California’s award-winning tequila in the hotel bar, La Coronela — or check out the stars (and wild modern art) from the outdoor dining room as you sip.

More digs

For the backpacker’s budget, Todos Santos and the nearby town of Pescadero offer relatively few, but extremely cool, accommodations.

In Pescadero, Jaime’s Surf Camp gives you the option of camping-style palapas or more private casitas — AND a BYOB swim-up bar. Also get deals on surfboard and boogie board rentals, as well as a shuttle to the beach. Pizza and beer (and reggae night on Wednesdays) are within easy walking distance.

In Todos Santos, try La Sirena — again, rentals for ocean sports and basic but comfy casitas with a shared kitchen at reasonable prices.

Photo: kumar303

Run by American expat and turtle warrior Francesca and her Mexican partner (and their two bicultural kiddos), you’ll get friendly advice on how to best spend your time in Baja, including tips on hikes, wildlife viewing, great food, and of course all things turtle-related.

Or, you can always go for the classic surf vacation option of camping on the beach — for free.

Away from the surf and sand

If you tire of the beach, the Todos Santos museum is free, and a weird, disorganized, and oddly fascinating jumble of local history (including haunting photos of Todos Santos’ founding families), reproductions of Frida Kahlo paintings, the work of local artists, and artifacts from the indigenous groups that once inhabited the area.

Photo: Tokyo Tanenhaus

While Baja doesn’t have much to offer in the way of local handicrafts (most of the ones you’ll see for sale are from Oaxaca and Tlaxcala), it has local artists in abundance.

You could easily spend an entire afternoon browsing the galleries, and if you take a look at one of the local papers or magazines, there’s a good chance you’ll find an opening, reading, or at least a yoga class to attend.

Ask around for directions to the oasis when the heat gets to be too much. Swimming under towering palm trees, plucking a convenient mango when you get hungry — the whole trip might just be worth it, right there.

Community Connection

Destinations

Community Connection to Mexico

But…Is Traveling to Mexico Dangerous? Read Julie Schwietert’s take and decide for yourself.

Matador contributor Misty Tosh knows Baja well. Make sure to give her piece on The Ultimate Baja Escape a read.

Many community blogs have also been written on the region.

There are plenty of opportunities to give back in Baja. For starters, click over to First Person Dispatch: Caring for Orphaned Kids in Mexico and Saving Turtles in Baja California Sur, Mexico.

Photo above and feature photo: Gret@Lorenz

Tasty Cuisine

Rabat and Fez are the best places for serious culinary explorations. While Rabat is the most modern and comfortable Moroccan city, Fez is traditional and fascinating. Both offer perfect moods for culinary adventures and both have attracted some of the best chefs in the country.

Some might argue that Marrakech is also a great culinary destination — and I wouldn’t disagree — but what’s happening in Rabat and Fez goes beyond catering to tourists and is directed at locals as well.

Here are some unique Moroccan culinary experiences worth seeking out:

White truffles

Photo: Gret@Lorenz

You can find these for sale along the road from Rabat to Meknes.

Artfully stacked on overturned buckets, they’re sold near oak trees growing in a special soil that stimulates the symbiotic relationship between the truffle and the oak roots.

Argan oil

A specialty of Morocco. It’s a toasty, nutty oil, traditionally derived from a complex process: the undigested pits of the Argan fruit, after being eaten by tree-climbing goats, are picked from the animals’ dung, then cleaned and toasted.

Next, the pits are ground or pressed and the oil is bottled for culinary uses or further processed for cosmetic creams and ointments.

But worry not, today the oil is produced in a more sanitary way. Its taste is a cross between peanut oil and freshly mashed green olives — an absolutely delicious way to dress a salad.

Saffron

Taliouine — south of Marrakech — offers a unique twist to the more commonly available Spanish and Iranian saffrons. The saffron of Taliouine has its own flavor due to southern Morocco’s soil makeup.

Wine

The Meknes Valley yields the finest Moroccan wine, which has come a long way. While wine grapes have been grown here since Roman times, in the past twenty years the industry has begun to make certain vintages that wine lovers the world over would gladly add to their cellars.

Photo: dominikgolenia

A particular favorite of mine is Château Roslane Premier Cru from A.O.C. Les Coteaux de l’Atlas.

Escargot

Steamed and ladled cups of brothy escargot are a fun snack that you will most likely see on the street at night.

People gather around the snail seller’s cart and sip and nibble on these hot little striped-shell delicacies.

Sacred Experiences

The biggest challenge to travel in Morocco is that non-Muslim visitors are not allowed into mosques and shrines, with the Hassan II mosque in Casablanca being the exception.

Yet, the natural beauty of Morocco more than makes up for this and possesses what my Moroccan friend Saadia would call “the Big Waloo” — the Big Nothing — as in total, pure divine presence.

From ocean vista to mountain pass to the Big Waloo of the rosy-orange desert dunes of the south, the natural world’s sacred is open to all. You can take your pick following your own preferences.

For ocean-lovers, explore the Atlantic coast from Asilah to Essaouira.

Photo: Rosino

If you’re into mountains, anywhere in the interior — from north to south — gives way to great views whose only sign of human habitation comes from the shepherds and their brown-faced sheep, black goats, and sturdy donkeys.

Those who hear the desert’s call should head south to Merzouga and ride on a camel trek into the dunes.

For a rare chance at experiencing Moroccan sacred traditions as a local, come to Fez in June and July for The Fes Festival of World Sacred Music, when sacred spaces otherwise closed to visitors open their doors throughout the city.

Another similar music festival unfolds annually in Essaouira in June: The Gnaoua and World Music Festival.

Romantic Locales

Asilah and Essaouira command a romantic air, with their oceanside settings and well-established art scenes. These are also two cities with an open, international mood that makes them relaxing.

Asilah is smaller and a bit more intimate, while Essaouira has more expansive possibilities. Both have the dramatic backdrop of fortified old towns against the great watery blue of the Atlantic.

Rabat is Morocco’s most mellow and cosmopolitan city, one that invites visitor interaction with the locals. Numerous cafes offer comfortable places for men and women to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee.

Photo: Vibragiel

Seaside Rabat’s medieval neighborhood, the walled medina, is a welcoming place to walk, shop, and talk to artisans carving or painting wood or working silver and gold.

Finally, the Roman ruins of Volubilis, the Roman provincial capital of this part of Africa (and known in Arabic as Walili), is worth a mention.

Its romantic appeal lies in the beautiful Meknes Valley that surrounds it, and in the ancient stones and mosaics of the old city.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Other guides in the Eat, Pray, Love series can be found on Portugal and Spain.

Three more articles that will satiate your food, spirit, and love needs are The World’s Best Cities for Late Night Food, How to Respectfully Visit Holy Places Around the World, and The Romantic’s Cheap Guide to Southern France.

Photo: Lola Akinmade

Let’s face it: Peru hasn’t done much to make Machu Picchu a budget travel destination.

You’ll drop at least a few hundred on a trek along the Inca Trail. Longer routes can run up to four digits a person, if you book with an agency that actually pays their guides and porters well and cares something for the environment.

Or you have the train. For a seat in the lowest class (Backpacker), British-owned PeruRail charges $50 for the three-hour one-way journey from Poroy (Cuzco). If this is sold out—as it often is in the high season—you’ll need to upgrade to Vistadome class for $70.

And that’s just the transportation. Once you get to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Town), you’ll be faced with inflated hostel rates and food prices. And finally, the unavoidable 124 soles (~$40) for entry to the site itself.

Photo: foxtwo

All told, you’re looking at around $200/person as a minimum.

Fortunately, within the last couple years a new option has popped up, one that hasn’t yet made it into most guidebooks: Machu Picchu by car.

By avoiding the overpriced train, this route cuts transportation costs by two thirds.

All-inclusive tours are actually a pretty good deal, while diehard budget travelers can go independently to save even more.

The Tour

This relatively new tour is offered by most agencies clustered around the Plaza de Armas and other tourist areas in Cuzco. Just look for the telltale sign: “Machu Picchu by car.” One online agent even seems to specialize in it.

A good pricing rule to remember: the farther from the plaza you wander, the cheaper the prices you’ll find.

I got mine from an agent on Cuesta San Blas (just below the boutique hotel Casa San Blas) for $115.

All-inclusive is the standard:

* hotel pick-up
* bus or van transport to the hydroelectric station outside Santa Teresa
* tickets for the 45-minute train ride from there to Aguas Calientes
* a night’s accommodation in town
* two full meals plus snacks
* entrance to Machu Picchu
* a two-hour guided tour of the site

Lunch on the last day isn’t provided. Neither are tickets for the shuttle bus from Aguas Calientes to the ruins ($7 one way; many people walk).

Even better, for an additional $10 per person you can add an extra night to the tour. This is highly recommended. The standard 2-day/1-night schedule only allows you five hours at the ruins (6am–11am). Stay another night and you’ll get the entire day at the site.

Not only does this give you the opportunity to spend more time climbing Wayna Picchu, visiting the Inca Bridge, and exploring other remote corners of the ruins, but it also enables you to outlast the thick fog that sometimes blows up in the morning.

Destinations

Community Connection to Peru

Tour rates higher than those listed above indicate one of two things:
1. You’ll be staying in more luxurious accommodations in Aguas Calientes and your guide will likely speak more intelligible English, or
2. You’re getting ripped off.

Remember, it pays to haggle and shop around.

One final note: as with most budget travel, you’re sacrificing comfort for cost. The bus ride takes 6 hours, the last 2–3 on dirt roads with some rough spots and a couple cliffside sections that’ll make you regret nabbing the window seat.

If prone to motion sickness, pick up a few Gravol tablets at any pharmacy before heading out.

Go Independent

“More savings!” you say.

Most agencies will happily book you the van ride only, for around 85 soles (~$30) round trip, leaving you to figure out the rest on your own.

If you go this route, here’s how to make sure you stick to the savings:

* Don’t take the $8 train from the hydroelectric station to Aguas Calientes. You can easily walk the tracks in an hour and a half (many people do this).

* If possible, bring all your own food. There are no cheap “local haunts” in Aguas Calientes, and most restaurants will tack a “local tax” ranging anywhere from 10 to 20+ percent onto your bill.

* Camp! Instead of blowing $20 or more on a forgettable hostel bed, pitch a tent ($5 per tent, per night) at the little riverside campground just south of the Puente Ruinas bridges. It’s a 15-minute walk from town, but there’s a little store with necessities on-site.

Plus, you have a great view of Machu Picchu up the mountain (no one back in town does), and you’re in a better position to begin the hour-long climb up the Inca stairs in the early morning to snag a front spot in the entrance line.

The polished Manuel Chávez Ballón Site Museum is also nearby (though unfortunately they’ve started charging admission; 21 soles/11 for students).

Remember that you’ll need to buy your entrance ticket to Machu Picchu at the INC office in Aguas Calientes, as they’re not sold at the site itself.

Follow these tips and you could be looking at a grand total of $80 for your Machu Picchu experience.

Community Connection

Some people are against visiting Machu Picchu, no matter how cheap they can do it. Read why in 9 Places to Experience Now Before They Literally Vanish.

The latest edition of Lonely Planet: Peru was published too long ago to have info on the Machu Picchu by car tour. On that note, check out Trips’ 9 Ways to Outdo the Guidebooks in Peru.

Plenty of Matador community blogs cover Machu Picchu, Cuzco, and the surrounding region. Find out what local Peruvian farmers think of PeruRail’s train service in Struck by Strike in Peru. Matador member jgbrandt shares A Short Video on Lima, Cuzco, and the Sacred Valley, and you can also read 5 Things You Should Know about the Typical Sacred Valley Tour out of Cuzco.

Photo above: Señor Codo, Feature photo: Robert S. Donovan

Down, but not out.

After the Great Fire of 1871 leveled it, Chicago took the opportunity to reinvent itself, setting off a campaign of reconstruction that saw the city welcome some of the biggest names in architecture to the Midwest. Over the decades that followed, Chicago became a proving ground for innovative new designs and techniques.

Today, downtown Chicago is one of the world’s great open-air museums, showcasing masterworks by luminaries like Frank Lloyd Wright and Mies van der Rohe. In a city famous for its buildings, these are some of the best:

1. Sears Tower

Photo: Señor Codo

Wacker Dr. & Jackson Blvd.
Oct-April: Daily, 10am-8pm
May-Sept: Daily, 10am-10pm

Despite the controversy over its upcoming name change, the Western Hemisphere’s tallest building remains as impressive as ever.

When it was completed in 1973, the 1,450-foot Sears Tower was the world’s tallest building, a title it would hold until the Petronas Towers surpassed it in 1998. With its blocky, glass-and-steel aesthetic, the office building continues to be one of Chicago’s most recognizable symbols.

The main attractions for visitors are the 99th- and 103rd-floor skydecks, which look out over Lake Michigan and four different states; visibility tops 50 miles on clear days. Admission is $12.95 for a full-price adult ticket.

2. Rookery Building

Photo: swanksalot

209 S. Lasalle St.
Mon-Fri: 9am-8pm
Sat: 9am-4pm

Named for the giant flocks of pigeons that once roosted onsite, the Rookery is really two buildings in one.

Viewed from the street, the red marble and Romanesque adornments of the Rookery’s facade are echoes of the grandeur of the 19th century.

Inside, the vaulted ceiling and bold geometric metalwork of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed lobby are pure Prairie School.

While the Rookery is privately owned, the lobby is open to the public during business hours.

3. Chicago Board of Trade

141 W. Jackson Blvd.
Mon-Fri: 8am-4:30pm

Looming over the LaSalle St. “canyon,” this Art Deco-era skyscraper has a way with the imagination. The tower is a favorite destination of moviemakers, most recently gracing screens as the backdrop for a high-speed showdown between Batman and the Joker in The Dark Knight.

When it’s not hosting superheroes, the building is home to the less thrilling but equally important Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The visitor’s center, located in the lobby, offers information and exhibits on the history of the building and its tenants.

Photo: mcclouds

4. Chicago Cultural Center

Washington St. and Michigan Ave.
Monday-Thursday: 8am-7pm
Friday: 8am-6pm
Saturday: 9am-6pm
Sunday: 10am-6pm

Photo: rpongsaj

Dedicated in 1897 as Chicago’s first public library, the Chicago Cultural Center’s scholarly opulence more than fits in on Michigan Avenue.

On an architectural level, the Beaux Arts-influenced design is as ornate as they come, complete with grand, red-carpeted staircases, Romanesque arches, and the largest Tiffany glass dome in the world, measuring 38 feet across.

In addition to its intrinsic attraction, the center is one of Chicago’s most visited museums and features an eclectic array of art exhibits, live music, and dance performances.

Admission is free.

5. Illinois Institute of Technology – Bronzeville Campus

3201 S. State St.

Spread over ten city blocks in Chicago’s Douglas neighborhood, IIT’s main campus contains the world’s largest concentration of buildings designed by Modernist pioneer Mies van der Rohe, who served as director of the university’s architectural school for nearly two decades.

More recent additions include the Rem Koolhaas-designed McCormick Tribune Campus Center, a slinky, futuristic structure built under and around the elevated train tracks. The campus is easily accessible by public transportation via the Green Line’s Bronzeville stop.

Community Connection:

Intrigued? Admit it — architecture’s interesting. To further your knowledge, why not visit these Top 10 Places to Study Architecture?

Want to network with some Chicagoans? jshugs and jrblues are just two members of the Matador community that currently call the Windy City home.

Photo above: MKBrock, Feature photo: H. Michael Karshis

The Down Low

Geographical definitions of the Delta vary, and you can find quality live blues from Memphis and Oxford south to Vicksburg and Jackson, but the core of the scene is the triangle formed by Clarksdale, Greenwood, and Greenville.

Photo: Bob Jagendorf

If you’re searching for live blues in this triangle, your first stop absolutely must be Cat Head. (I know, I know. I said there’s no “right” way. But trust me on this one.)

Located in downtown Clarksdale, Cat Head is a music store, folk art gallery, recording label, and more. There’s no one more well-informed about the Delta’s regular blues festivals, showcases, nightly juke joint performances, old-timers, or up-and-coming artists than the folks here. Period.

Call ahead, check out the extensive resources on their website, email a question, or simply walk in and ask what’s on the go.

While you’re at it, think about doing some shopping: these guys know their stuff, and will give you tailored recommendations to add some legit Delta blues to your collection, beyond those Greatest Hits albums from Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf.

When I visited Cat Head, I ran down a list of my dad’s favorite big-name blues artists, and asked them to recommend someone similar, but someone he’d never discover anywhere else.

The result? Super Chikan. Here he is, live in Clarksdale:

The Venues

As any purist will tell you, the old Delta juke joints ain’t what they used to be. But there are still a few spots to hear live blues on a nightly basis.

Here are a few reliable options:

Photo: stevebott

Ground Zero:
Best known as “Morgan Freeman’s juke joint,” and located next door to the Delta Blues Museum in downtown Clarksdale, the Ground Zero Blues Club naturally attracts a few more visitors than some.

But it also attracts talent, so don’t sniff at it just ’cause it’s only seven years young and owned by a celebrity.

Po’ Monkey’s:
Widely considered one of the last legit Delta juke joints, Po’ Monkey’s is located in tiny Merigold, outside Clarksdale. It’s as old school as they come, offering live blues just one night a week in an aging shack surrounded by cotton fields. Atmospheric, much?

Walnut Street Blues Bar:
Further afield, in Greenville, is the Walnut Street Blues Bar — also known as the Walnut Street Blues Club or the Walnut Street Bait Shop. (Have you guessed yet? It’s on Walnut Street.) Good blues and good food, and the ownership is active in some of the festivals and area blues preservation efforts that go on.

The History

Sure, you probably know that Robert Johnson is said to have sold his soul to the devil at the infamous crossroads in Clarksdale. But what else do you know about the people that created the blues, and the places that created them?

Several area museums are happy to tell all:

Photo: Waka Jawaka

Delta Blues Museum:
In downtown Clarksdale, this is the place most folks end up. It’s got an array of Delta blues memorabilia, and is probably best known for the reconstructed shack that Muddy Waters grew up in.

The music selection in the gift shop is disappointing, though — head to Cat Head up the block for your shopping.

Rock’n'Roll & Blues Heritage Museum: Another Clarksdale institution, this one is dedicated to more than just the blues — it also touches on rock, soul, gospel, funk, and how they all fit together.

Opening hours are limited: check the website or call ahead.

Highway 61 Blues Museum:
If you’re headed down to Greenville from Clarksdale, you’ll pass through quiet Leland just after you exit Highway 61 heading west. The folks here are heavily involved in festivals and live shows, keeping the music alive outside the museum, too.

B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center:
This brand-new museum, in King’s hometown of Indianola, is a new breed of tourist attraction in the Delta — the $14-million facility is a state-of-the-art homage to one of the greatest of the Delta blues masters.

The Tunes

Be sure to check out the accompanying article, “Highway Blues: Essential Tunes for a Delta Road Trip.”

Community Connection:

For more on the Delta, check out Travelling Riverside Blues, or read personal blogs from Matador members who’ve recently made the pilgrimage themselves: try New Orleans to Memphis: Searching for the Soul of the Delta or Seen & Heard.

Also, don’t miss Worth the Trip: Bluesfest in Ottawa.

Photo: McPig

The vineyards and golden sun of Portugal rival any scene from southern France and the south Pacific. Its diversity ranges from turquoise surf, to grilled sardines and cold beer, to an inland hike with vistas that gaze upon endless vineyards.

Eat: Grilled fish, fresh cheese, and wine

Photo: *madalena-pestana*

Creative and traditional cooking isn’t hard to find in Portugal. Locally grown and produced specialties can be discovered in the form of soups, grilled meats, fresh fish, sheep’s milk cheese, unique wines, pastries, and fruit from the Azores and Madeira islands.

The best way to sample the cuisine is to situate yourself for a while in Lisbon. In the neighborhoods of Alfama, Chiado, and Barrio Alto, you’ll find a mix of traditional and modern dishes that use the same locally grown, fresh ingredients.

After your immersion in the capital, pick a region based on the food and wine you liked the best.

Were you savoring garlic soup? Or enjoying that quintessential Portuguese dish of pork and clams with a full-bodied Alentejo wine? Then head southeast into the Alentejo and graze your way from the coast to the Spanish border.

Destinations

Community Connection to Portugal

Did you find yourself enamored most with leafy green soups, caldos verdes, and that white, crisp Vinho Verde? Then make your way north to the Minho and hike amidst the vineyards, reveling in the hearty stews at their source.

Maybe it was the freshly grilled fish and lemon wedge that grabbed your attention. If you discovered how well wines from nearby Palmela, Setúbal, Colares, and Carcavelos went with the urban cuisine, then continue in Lisbon and nearby Cascais.

Alternatively, good coastal routes travel north to O Porto or south toward Sagres and Tavira, stocked with perfectly grilled sea fare at workers’ cafes and seaside eateries.

Pray: Spiritual upliftment

The shrine of Our Lady of Fatima is one of the most famous holy sites in Portugal. Of course, there are others equally powerful and no less important. Here are a few:

Though Gothic and Romanesque churches in Lisbon were destroyed during the earthquake of 1755, many beautiful and soulful places of prayer survive all across Portugal. Two particularly lovely churches can be found in the villages of Rates and in Rio Mau, both near Póvoa de Varzim north of O Porto.

Photo: author

Braga is considered the nation’s religious heart due to the historic role the church played there. It’s home to the major shrine Bom Jesus do Monte.

A hike in the north-central Serra da Estrêla Natural Park, stretching from east of Coimbra to the Spanish border, offers profound landscapes that move the spirit.

The Caminho Português, the pilgrimage road through Portugal to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, is the historic pilgrims’ road. They made their way northward to O Porto and then onward to Baiona and Vigo before veering inland to Santiago.

The healing sulfuric springs of Caldas da Rainha, north of Lisbon and south of Nazaré, are near the coast. Though its fame peaked in the 15th and later centuries, it likely has a more ancient history of healing and veneration.

Love: From vineyards to castles to beaches

Photo: Teosaurio

The land that gave us fado — that lyrical and emotionally charged Portuguese blues — is full of romantic spots.

The Minho River’s sinewy passage, creating the northern border between Portugal and Spain, goes from remote mountain passes — where wolves still roam — to the Atlantic, passing through unique wine country along the way.

Photo: Fr Antunes

Lisbon boasts many elevated lookout points. At sunset, scan over the Tejo River, where one can sip wine at a café table or stroll through the Alfama listening to lone musicians while little bistros beckon passersby with their fragrant smells.

In Sintra, visit the fairytale hilltop estates and the green, rolling parks and forests with their inviting footpaths.

Southern Tavira is a small and friendly fishing town with beautiful coastlines, beaches, and explorable little islands accessible by row boat.

Evora’s wall-enclosed 14th-century town offers a medieval mood as well as ancient, well-preserved Roman ruins, in the heart of cork, olive, and wine country.

You can find a medieval hilltop castle in Leiria, as well as pine forests planted by Portugal’s romantic poet king, Dom Dinis, who ruled during the late 13th and early 14th centuries.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Beebe is also the author of Eat, Pray, Love in Spain — the first in this series.

For more lesser known spots in Portugal, have a read of Claudio Silva’s article Beyond Lisbon and Algarve. If you’ve packed your surfboard, Rhys Stacker can tell you where to find some excellent Portuguese surf.

Photo above: NeilsPhotography, Feature photo: juanete

Psychedelic desert: the Southwest Circuit

You’re in the middle of Bolivian nowhere.

In front of you is a shallow bowled depression, its center carpeted in a bright green lake filled with flamingos. Over your shoulder rise twin volcanic peaks, capped with ice. Just beyond the next ridge stretches a snow-white salt flat, rippling with heat from the midday sun…

Few travelers to Bolivia miss the “Southwest Circuit.” The Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat, is its star attraction. Standing in the center of its 4,000-square-mile expanse, horizons vanish, leaving nothing but blinding white below and rich, unblemished blue above.

Those lucky enough to visit during the wet summer, when the entire plain is covered in an inches-thick pool of water that reflects the cloudy sky, can convince themselves their Land Cruiser has taken flight.

But the salar fills only one day of the circuit tour. The rest are spent tearing through some of the most inhospitable desert terrain on the planet.

Brilliantly colored chemical lakes, peak after peak of snowy volcanoes, and Andean wildlife (llamas, alpacas, vicuñas, flamingos, and ostrich, for starters) all compete with the salar for your camera’s memory card megabytes.

Photo: zaturno

I doubt anyone regrets the trip—that said, all tours are not created equal.

The salar and deserts of Los Lípez see more visitors every year. Caravans of jeeps depart daily from the town of Uyuni, the traditional starting point. After four days stuck in the middle of the globular tourist amoeba, many are left asking, “Is there a better way to do this?”

The answer is yes.

Turn the tables: start in Tupiza

Your best option for escaping the crowds is to traverse the circuit in reverse. Make the town of Tupiza your point of origin, with a tour that loops through the sights and ends in Uyuni.

Photo: zaturno

In addition to having the Lípez to yourself, you’ll be saving the best for last. Why knock out the salar on the first day, as the typical Uyuni tours do? They also require a long, backtracking drive on the last day.

By ditching the masses, you’ll avoid the sketchier agencies operating out of Uyuni. Companies there pop up and disappear again without notice, making it close to impossible to get reliable recommendations.

For the most part, Tupiza-based agencies are more established. They have a smaller customer base, and therefore more to prove.

Regardless of who you go with, your tour from Tupiza will look something like this:

Day 1

Bust out of town around 9am and drive till sunset through canyon-cut, cactus-covered terrain. Though lacking “big-name” sights, the day exposes you to the desolation of Los Lípez and gives you a glimpse of what life is like for the few communities living here. Other jeeps = scarce to nonexistent.

Day 2

The mountainous, llama-filled desert continues, transforming mile by mile into the surreal vistas that make it onto the postcards. Once you enter Eduardo Avaroa National Wildlife Refuge, it’s on: colored lakes, hot springs, flamingo flocks, geysers, crazy rock formations, and painted volcanoes.

At some point, you’ll hit Laguna Verde and Volcán Licancabur in the country’s southwest corner. From here, you can tack on an extra day and climb the 19,400 ft (5900 m) Licancabur or other peaks. It’s also possible to hop over the border, connecting to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile.

Photo: wili_hybrid

Day 3

After two days of solitude, the Land Cruisers start to multiply around the eerily red Laguna Colorada. Pulling up at the sculpted rocks that surround Árbol de Piedra, only to find them covered with sunburned, North-Faced climbers, comes as quite a shock.

More lakes await, and the end of the day will bring you to the edge of the salar itself.

Day 4

Photo: hillsieboy

This is really a long half day. Wake before dawn to catch the sunrise on the salt.

A visit to the cactus-infested Isla del Pescado is followed by a group photo shoot in the middle of the salar, where the lack of distance perspective makes all kinds of crazy camera illusions possible.

After checking out a hotel made entirely of salt and a stop at a tourist market, you should pull into Uyuni around 1pm.

Practicalities

Tupiza is roughly 11 hours by train from Oruro, and a handful more from La Paz. Hop the train if you can; the buses running the route are old and drafty. Breakdowns are common.

Solo travelers and couples should schedule at least one extra day in Tupiza — longer in the low season — to find a group to hook up with. Standard tours won’t leave with fewer than four passengers; five or six means less legroom but bigger savings.

Photo: Naturaleza

Killing time in town isn’t difficult. This is Butch and Sundance country (the outlaws were gunned down in a village less than an hour away), with scenery rivaling the best of the American West.

Horseback riding, canyon hiking, and rock climbing will keep you occupied till your tour leaves.

Operators running out of Tupiza are scarce compared to the hordes of Uyuni-based agencies. Tupiza Tours is one of the originals and has managed to maintain a solid reputation through the years. Yet even with them, it’s essential to double check the contract—triple check if your group is doing anything other than the standard 4-day tour.

Other options include Valle Hermoso and El Grano de Oro Tours.

One last note: it gets cold in the desert. Damn cold. Accommodations are basic and unheated. Bring a sleeping bag or rent one from your company — even in the summer. During the winter, if you’re lucky your guide will give you a hot water bottle each night to stuff into the bottom of your bag. Yeah…daaaamn cold.

Photo: jaytkendall

Community Connection:

Check out today’s companion post, “Summiting Mount Doom in Bolivia,” for further details on climbing Volcán Licancabur.

For more on Bolivia’s spectacular sights, read about photographer Ron Dubin’s assignment in the country in “Big Bolivian Sunsets.”

If you’re looking to mix a little philanthropy with your visit to the country, Matador member org Sustainable Bolivia offers a range of rewarding volunteer opportunities.

Where to stay

Taghazoute is 45 minutes from Agadir’s international airport and home to the famous righthand point breaks of Anchors and Killers that come alive in the winter months.

It’s not the prettiest of towns with its surf ghetto vibe, but it does offer accommodation for all budgets: from small, bare rooms for $10/night to luxury apartments with pools.

Many people choose to stay with one of the numerous surf camps in the area that offer accommodation, meals, and transport to the surf. Prices start at around $300 with surfboard hire and lessons extra.

Get mobile

You can walk to most of the surf breaks around Taghazoute, but the you’ll be sharing the waves with a crowd. Renting a car with a few friends opens up miles of coastline, much of it rarely surfed.

The area around Cap Rihr, 30 minutes north of Taghazoute, has a variety of reefs for experienced surfers.

For a day trip, try Imessouane, a small fishing village home to a long righthander. Or to the south, the former Spanish outpost of Sidi Ifni has a fun beach break in small swells.

The roads between Moroccan towns are mostly good and traffic outside the big cities is relatively light. Just keep an eye out for the occasional mountain goat, donkey, or camel.

And whatever you do, don’t drive at night. Potholes, livestock, and erratic drivers make it a risky proposition.

Post-surf refuel

After a long day of surfing, there’s no better feeling than tucking into fresh and tasty Moroccan cuisine.

The country’s most recognizable dish has to be the tagine, where meat (usually lamb, chicken, or fish) and vegetables are cooked for a couple hours in a clay pot. Follow the locals and eat it with your hands, using big chunks of Moroccan flat bread to mop up the gravy.

Kefta brochettes (spicy minced meat formed over metal skewers) are also a great option and are available from food carts and restaurants.

The seafood in Morocco is fresh and very cheap. For a post-surf snack you can pick up a bag of steamed mussels from a local fisherman for a few dollars or dine in style at Chez Brahim on the beach at Devil’s Rock, where they do wicked fish skewers with fries and salad for $8.

After, enjoy a super-sweet mint tea or, for a less sugary beverage, try the avoca au lait — an avocado milkshake that should taste weird but is strangely delicious.

Night life

Alcohol can be scarce and expensive in Morocco. Taghazoute itself doesn’t have any bars or liquor stores and the closest nightclubs are in Agadir. Apart from the slightly cheesy British Pub (the name says it all) most Agadir nightclubs are attached to luxury hotels and charge practically London or New York prices for entry and drinks.

An alternative is to stock up at a supermarket (look for the Marjane sign) and have a party in your apartment or hostel. Budget about $1 per small can of Flag Speciale beer.

Four great waves

Anchor Point
Named after the now disused anchor factory on the point, this wave ranges from a gentle, peeling longboard wave when small to a world-class righthander breaking up to 15 feet in big swells.

There’s usually a crowd as Anchors is walking distance from Taghazoute, but if you get a good wave here you won’t forget it in a hurry. Entry is from the rocks on the point or around the front at Mysteries Beach.

Boilers
Another righthand point, this wave breaks close to the rocks and leaves little margin for error. Getting in and out of the water is best done beside the submerged ship’s boiler. The wave is a fast, high performance wall with the occasional barrel. Just don’t get stuck behind the section or you may find yourself between a rock and a hard place, literally.

Imessouane
Swells break down a long, perfectly groomed sandbar in the middle of the bay. Surfers from the various surf camps and guesthouses convene en masse to surf it the few hours either side of low tide. Consequently, it can be a busy break with longboarders, shortboarders, wave skis, and stand-up paddle boards (SUPs) all competing for the set waves.

Tamri
After tricky rock jumps, shallow reef bottoms, and urchin dodging, it can make for a nice change to surf a beach break. Tamri Plage, 45 minutes north of Taghazoute, often has fun waves in small, clean swells.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION:

For more waves, give Matador’s surf guides to Vietnam, Hawaii, Portugal, and Argentina a go.

If you’re just starting out, you might want to visit our “Newbie’s Guide to Surfing,” or take a look at the “World’s Best Surf Spots for Beginners.” Experts can head straight for the “Top 10 Most Dangerous Waves in the World.”

Photo courtesy of Travel Montana

There’s a scene in A River Runs Through It where Brad Pitt’s character is up to his waist in the middle of the Blackfoot River and yells over the roar of the rapids:

“What are they biting on?”

This beautiful cinematic moment is a summer one. But fly fishing enthusiasts know a seasonal secret: the best time to fish the iconic waters of Big Sky country is spring. Come late March/early April, winter slides off the spine of the Bitterroots as light and warmth entice Skwala stoneflies and March brown drake mayflies out of their casings.

The serious, pleasurable work of catching fish from the end of an elegant cast is about to start.

Photo: Clydehurst

Why Montana?

Besides all the attention the Norman Maclean memoir and the Robert Redford film rendition garnered, Montana has some of the best fly fishing in the world for very practical reasons: its wild fish populations have been protected since 1963 with the passage of the nation’s first stream preservation legislation.

Rather than simply throwing in stockers from hatcheries to please the masses, biologists and natural resource professionals key to the habitat of native cold water fisheries. This helps protect water quality, stream flows, and healthy stream bank vegetation.

It also ensures wily wildness in the fish at the end of your line, fish that spook when your shadow darkens the shore. In a true angler’s opinion, it’s a much more exciting catch than hooking some lunker just out of the Fish and Game truck.

Photo: bugeaters

Montana has also been ahead of the curve in terms of catch and release policy, encouraging the use of barbless hooks for decades. Better to enjoy the thrill of the “get” rather than the taste of the flesh, putting the fish back in the stream and letting them get bigger, perhaps to be caught another day (or not).

Matching the Hatch

For beginners still sorting out their new Orvis purchases, “matching the hatch” is the process of mimicking the entomological cycle of native insects when selecting your artificial fly.

A hatch in full force is an electric event to witness. Nymphs, the insect equivalent of adolescents, morph from teenagers into winged adults instantaneously. The water surface bubbles and boils with feeding trout. Depending on what species is hatching, the ichthyology can get acrobatic.

The initial urge is to tie on your best rendition of a grown-up fly and get in on the action. But before you wet a line, take a deep breath and observe.

Photo: bugeaters

It may not be the flying forms the fish are after. The way the trout moves is an excellent indicator of what’s being eaten and where. Are fish jumping clear out of the water? Caddis emergers are probably making a quick run for the surface.

Small white fish mouths opening and closing below the water so you can see them? Classic surface feeding on small midges. Tails pointed upward towards you? Nymph feast on the riverbed!

Matching the hatch is more than noticing what’s flying around you. What’s underneath a rock may be what you want to tie on your line any given spring day.

Where to Go Before Memorial Day

When it comes to spectacular trout fisheries the “west is best,” meaning the left portion of Montana is where to focus your efforts in the coming months. This includes southern Montana as well.

Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer and the crowds that come with it, so get your license, dust off the tackle box, and head to these Montana waters before school lets out.

Early April: Right now (and I mean right now) the Skwala stoneflies open the surface action on the Bitterroot and Clark Fork Rivers in NW Montana and Rock Creek in SW Montana.

April through mid-May: March Brown and Grey Drake Mayflies are big versions of the genus and make their debut each spring on the Missouri, Bitterroot and Clark Fork Rivers. It’s the season’s first large mayfly hatch. Mercurial weather usually means fishing pressure is fairly light.

Mother’s Day Mayflies: The Yellowstone River rolls through southern Montana to the border with Wyoming and the United States’ first national park. About the time we celebrate our maternal connections, mayflies pop on the surface of one of North America’s premier trout fisheries.

Community Connection:

Matador loves Montana! Check out Travel Montana, a leading Matador partner and terrific source of support in terms of food, lodging, and those all important fly fishing guides and shops.

This year’s snowmelt is pumping up Montana’s rivers right now for both fishing and paddling. If you’re interested in kayaking or floating some of the classic Big Sky runs, as well as additional information and resources for visiting Montanas’ rivers, check out our guide to Boating the Big Sky.

Photo above: sebastian ceriani, Feature photo: Army.mil

Central Laos does not get many travelers, and the tourism office in the provincial capital of Tha Khaek has done a good job of designing treks that alleviate poverty in isolated villages without disrupting local culture.

Travelers get a chance to experience a beautiful part of rural Laos where the locals take pride in hosting foreign guests – a happy balance that does not always exist in more heavily touristed regions of Southeast Asia.

Basics

The 2-day trek costs about $65 per person for a group of at least 3 people — more for couples or single travelers. This is a fair price, and much of the money goes to local villagers who guide groups through the mountains and cook delicious meals.

Travelers start out in Tha Khaek, a medium-sized town on the Mekong River that’s about halfway between Vientiane and Pakse.

There’s a wonderful guesthouse in Tha Khaek called The Travel Lodge that has a range of inexpensive rooms, a good restaurant, and friendly, competent staff. If you’re on your own, this is also a good place to meet other travelers who can join you on the trek.

Destinations

Community Connection to Laos

Phu Hin Bun NPA

The trek explores the Phu Hin Bun National Protected Area, an isolated region of jagged peaks and clear, turquoise streams that looks like a classical Chinese landscape painting. The sheer mountainsides are refuges for several species of endangered primates, and tigers stalk the deepest parts of the jungle.

The villagers who live in the Phu Hin Bun NPA are largely self-sufficient, growing rice, fruit and vegetables, and raising water buffalo, pigs, chickens, and cows. While many treks in Laos visit ethnic minorities, the villagers here are mostly lowland Lao.

Eat, Walk, Swim

I LOVED the food on this trek. Fresh catfish grilled with garlic over a campfire on the banks of a stream was served alongside sticky rice, mountain vegetables, eggplant, and traditional pastes of herbs and chili.

For dinner we ate water buffalo laap, a Lao dish of minced meat with herbs and spices. Vegetarian options were limited but available.

The walks through the forest were broken up by frequent stops at spectacular swimming holes, including a sacred wellspring of turquoise water called Khoun Kong Leng.

Other highlights included a cave that links two valleys by cutting straight through a mountain, and an old temple where the prayer bell was made from the shell of a 500-pound bomb. This bombshell was a poignant reminder of the massive U.S. bombing campaign of rural Laos — a war that the White House kept secret from both Congress and the American people.

Cultural Respect

Visiting this part of Central Laos is a privilege, and travelers should take care to respect Lao customs. Understand that Lao people are extremely non-confrontational and place a premium on smooth social interactions.

Be gentle, kind, patient, and appreciative. Showing any sign of frustration or anger is extremely rude in Laos, so if you don’t like something it’s better just to smile and, if you must, gently inquire about alternatives. The head guide will speak reasonable English, but speak slowly and try to learn some Lao words. Everyone will be thrilled to hear you make the effort.

Photo: Mat Honan

Community Connection:

Other Matador articles on Laos include travel guides to Champasak and Muang Ngoi Neua, and an excellent article that gives the low-down on a unique two-week itinerary in Northern Laos.

You can also read the uncensored version of my San Francisco Chronicle feature on Luang Prabang, the ancient royal capital of Laos. The Matador version is called “Lusty Luang Prabang.”

One final resource is the excellent website Ecotourism Laos.

If you have other helpful links, questions, or advice for travelers, please leave a comment below. For those without a Matador profile, please take a moment to join the community. You won’t regret it!

1. Mt. Kenya National Park

Home to Africa’s second-highest peak (at just over 17,000 feet), Mt. Kenya National Park is the only place in the world where you can find glaciers on the equator.

Hire a guide and some porters (I climbed with Summit Ventures) and spend 4-7 days exploring one of nature’s most diverse ecosystems. Watch the spectacular sunrise from the peak: on a clear day you can see the peaks of Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru (Africa’s 3rd highest) in neighboring Tanzania.

Buffalo, lions, leopards, giraffes, and elephants are some of the big game to spot.

Photo by Mara 1

2. Hell’s Gate National Park

Hell’s Gate is one of the only parks in Kenya you can walk or bike through. No walls or car doors separate you from the wild here, and I’ll tell you from experience that there’s nothing like riding a bike a few yards from a mama giraffe galloping with her infant in tow.

The park sits on top of a geothermal spring, and if you hike down into Hell’s Gate Gorge you can boil an egg in the steaming pools that seep from the winding sandstone walls. Stay at Fisherman’s Camp on Lake Naivasha (you can rent bikes here) and watch the hippos meander ashore at dusk, feet from where your tent is pitched.

3. Malindi National Marine Park

Snorkel or scuba with tropical fish and dolphins in the Indian Ocean, among shipwrecks and coral reefs. From October to March, hire a dhow for the afternoon (you can haggle it down to 10,000Ksh for up to 10 people) and go for a swim with the whale shark, the world’s largest living fish species.

4. Masai Mara National Reserve

Destinations

Community Connection to Kenya

In spite of the high tourist traffic, the Masai Mara is still well worth the trip. The Kenyan extension of the Serengeti, Masai Mara offers probably the highest concentration and diversity in big game in East Africa.

Visit between July and October and you stand a good chance to see one of the “7 Wonders of the World,” the annual wildebeest migration across the croc- and hippo-infested Mara River — though be warned that tourist traffic is highest this time of year.

The Big Five– lion, buffalo, elephant, leopard, and black rhino– are all found here, as well as thousands of zebra and wildebeest, prime game for the predators of the park.

5. Lake Nakuru National Park

In perhaps the “greatest bird spectacle on earth,” up to 2 million pink flamingos gather in the shallow waters surrounding the lake.

Photo by Lip Kee

The view from Baboon Cliffs is spectacular, though watch out for the cliffs’ namesake– the baboons aren’t shy, and will steal your lunch right out of your hand.

The park is also home to over 400 migratory bird species, as well as one of the world’s largest population of white and black rhinos. You’re virtually guaranteed a close-up view of the prehistoric beasts. If you come in September you can sign up for Cycle with the Rhinos, a bike race through the park.

6. Nairobi National Park

Though driving through the actual park may not yield the same number of big game sightings you’ll find elsewhere, it is the only natural game protection area neighboring a city. You can see lions, elephants, buffalo, and giraffe against the backdrop of Nairobi’s cosmopolitan skyline.

Although not one of Kenya’s best parks in its own right, I’ve listed this park for two main reasons:

• At the Nairobi Education Centre & Animal Orphanage (not to be confused with Sheldrick’s Elephant Orphanage– see #2), the wardens will let you enter the pen of three full-grown orphaned cheetahs. Like giant house cats, the cheetahs will let you hug and pet them while they purr like roaring engines. It’s also not publicized; you have to request, sometimes beg, to be let in.
• The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust rescues elephants orphaned by poachers, and nurses them back to health for re-release into the wild. While they are staying at the Trust, though, you can visit the orphanage and talk with the wardens while the infant and teen elephants bump up against you and play in the mud. Once you’re hooked, you can adopt an elephant for $50 USD and go back for private visits. The Trust also rescues orphaned black rhinos. Watch out for warthogs if you come on foot– they are ubiquitous, and have a nasty temper.

Photo by Paul Mannix

As of 2007 you have to pay the Nairobi National Park entrance fee in order to visit, so it’s best combined with a game drive through the park. The Lang’ata Giraffe Center is also nearby, where you can feed giraffe by hand (or mouth!) from a raised viewing platform.

For more information, including entry fees, visit the Kenya Wildlife Service website.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Are you planning a trip to Africa? Check out Matador’s Africa destination experts here.

1. Singapore

With its sizable Indian and Chinese populations, going vegetarian is easy in Singapore. Hawker centers and food courts throughout the city offer plenty of veggie choices. Or head to colorful Little India for authentic, exclusively vegetarian cuisine at long-established Komala Vilas or chain restaurants Sagar Ratna and Saravana Bhavan.

2. Chiang Mai

The second largest city in Thailand, Chiang Mai is a haven for vegetarians and vegans alike. Open-air eateries within walking distance of the city center abound, and can usually be identified by yellow banners bearing a single Chinese character (‘jay’ or vegetarian).

Try a meatless version of Khao Soi, a northern Thai favorite consisting of egg noodles in a soupy coconut curry sauce, garnished with pickles, shallots, and lime.

Khao Soi / Photo by Jason Hutchens

3. Taipei

Based on Buddhist practices, vegetarian food in Taiwan has developed into a separate cuisine, replete with varieties of chewy “meat” fashioned out of gluten or textured soy protein. Taipei and Taichung, a smaller city in the central part of the island, teem with vegan food stalls and buffet-style restaurants serving everything from stewed “beef” to stir fried “squid.”

4. Kyoto

While Japan is generally not very veg-friendly, you can easily find unique Zen Buddhism-inspired vegetarian cuisine in Kyoto. Called shojin ryori, the multi-course meals are served in or near the city’s many temples, such as Nanzen-ji, Daitoku-ji, and Tenryu-ji.

Local specialties include yuba (tofu skin), fu (wheat gluten), and produce such as eggplant, daikon, and root vegetables. Dishes are meticulously prepared and presented; unfortunately, dinners can be quite pricey.

5. Vancouver

With a sizable organic and sustainable cooking movement, Vancouver is home to a large variety of vegetarian fare and natural food markets. Sample vegan pizza at Jamaican Pizza Jerk, satisfy late night comfort food cravings at The Naam, or take your pick from many ethnic and fusion restaurants around the city.

Photo by Rodefeld.

6. Sydney

From ethnic restaurants to beachside cafes, non-meat options are pretty much de rigueur in this laid-back city. Sydney is also particularly vegan-friendly with Chinese mock meat and vegetarian dim sum restaurants. Favorites include Iku Wholefood and Laurie’s Vegetarian Take Away.

7. London

The veggie dining choices in London are as diverse as its population, offering everything from meatless variations of British favorites, such as sausage and mash and shepherd’s pie, to masala dosa and chickpea tagine.

Exclusively vegetarian restaurants have also cropped up, serving creative fusion fare. Notable eats include Riverside Vegetaria, The Gate, and Manna.

8. San Francisco

With its countercultural traditions and penchant for locally grown foods, the Bay Area has long boasted plenty of veggie-friendly choices. Snack on tofu dogs at a Giants’ game in AT&T Park, check out the vegan ice cream at Maggie Mudd, or splurge on a vegetarian feast at Millennium.

9. Portland, OR

Portland buzzes with an eco-friendly vibe and it’s quickly becoming an herbivore’s dream destination. From downtown food carts to eclectic restaurants and stores, such as Paradox Palace Café, Voo Doo Doughnuts, and Food Fight!, Portland’s got something even hardcore vegans will appreciate.

Photo by ~MVI~.

10. New York City

The vegetarian experience in the city that never sleeps goes beyond ethnic dining. Whether you’re seeking kosher raw foods, gourmet macrobiotic dishes, or vegetarian diner fare, you will find it here. NYC is also home to a number of health food stores, as well as the Natural Gourmet Cookery School, which offers a four-course vegetarian dinner prepared by students each Friday.

11. Mexico City

Purely vegetarian restaurants and health food stores can be found throughout the city, including chains of Super Soya, The Green Corner, and Vegi Market.

Street vendors, hawking fruit (coconut sprinkled with chili and lime), elote (corn), and fresh juices, among other goodies, also ensure that vegetarians eat well in Mexico City.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

If you prefer cooking for yourself on the road, check out Eva Holland’s article, “What Every Backpacker Should Know About Cooking for Themselves.”

Feature photo by Uninen. Photo above by nattu.

An archipelago is an “expanse of water with many scattered islands,” or a cluster of islands, typically found in the open sea. Although generally the result of volcanic activity, archipelagos are also shaped by other forces of nature, including erosion and rising or falling sea tables; as dynamic land masses, archipelagos tend to offer dramatic scenery.

Here are some of the most amazing examples worldwide:

Tierra del Fuego

Photo by longhorndave.

At the southern end of South America, the last echoes of the Andes Mountains collapse into the sea. Tierra del Fuego, the Land of Fire, is renowned for its snowy peaks rising from turbulent waters above Antarctica. The Patagonian forests are complex and mystical with huge cypress trees and pudu-pudu, a deer that’s only 20 inches tall.

Tristan da Cunha

Photo by brunosan.

The volcanic rocks of Tristan da Cunha are the most remote scraps of land on Earth. The closest land is the island of Saint Helena, where Napoleon was exiled, and that’s still 1,500 miles away. Africa and South America are both 2,000 miles away.

A handful of flightless birds seen nowhere else in the world keep the 250 inhabitants of Tristan da Cunha company while stalwart British fishermen keep a wary eye on the volcano that destroyed their only settlement 70 years ago.

The landscape of the islands is austere. While there are no glaciers, the bare ground of Gough Island—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—seems surreal. What lies behind the high cliffs of the aptly named Inaccessible Island?

The Thousand Islands

Photo by Alberto OG.

In the Saint Lawrence River between New York State and Canada, the Thousand Islands have long been home to the rich and famous; in fact, many of the islands are privately owned. The curiosities inhabitants have left behind make the 1,800+ islands of the archipelago as strange as they are beautiful.

Heart Island supports an actual castle with towers, a yacht house, and a stained glass dome. The crumbling ruins of a Revolution-era fort adorn one island; Yale University’s secret society, Skull and Bones, owns another.

Other islands are so tiny that they can barely support a single house, though all of the islands must be above water 365 days a year and must support at least two trees to be considered part of this archipelago.

Svalbard

Photo by gogoolplex.

Svalbard, meaning “cold edge,” describes a group of islands found halfway between Norway and the North Pole. Though geographically large, the Svalbard has only 2,500 permanent inhabitants.

Local law requires residents and visitors alike to carry hunting rifles outside the settlements at all times—a last-resort defense against the 500 polar bears that roam the islands. Svalbard has no trees, but during the four months of constant daylight, Arctic wildflowers bloom everywhere.

Truly entrepreneurial spirits should know that citizens of countries signatory to the Svalbard Treaty may go to Svalbard without a visa and legally open their own coal mine.

The Artificial Islands

Photo by Pete the painter.

The Dubai harbor has more than doubled its size in five years; massive dredging has created very large and expensive artificial islands off the coast of the city-state whose exploits approach mythic proportions.

Between the three Palm Islands, the vast artificial Waterfront, and the massive archipelago called The World, Dubai’s new land will house over 3 million people when done. The islands already look like nothing else in the world.

The artificial islands are resorts, their beauty entirely artificial and entirely commercial. Whether it is a tremendous waste of resources, or greedy profiteering, or mere vain showmanship, Dubai has done the impossible and made land where there was none.

The Dodecanese

Photo by Michelos.

Many of the world’s most beautiful archipelagos gained their renown for pristine beaches, clear oceans, or stunning terrain. The famous Dodecanese, off the southwest coast of Turkey, have all of these in abundance, but they also bear the stunning marks of 3,000 years of advanced culture.

The islands have been ruled by the Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders, Ottomans, Italians, and — finally — by the Greeks again, and all of these cultures have left their mark with spectacular ruins and structures.

The Colossus of Rhodes, a Wonder of the World, briefly stood guard near (or, more whimsically, over) the most famous island’s harbor. John of Patmos allegedly received the visions which became the Book of Revelation on Patmos. The Knights Hospitaller built a massive Crusader fortress on Rhodes, and churches abound.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION:

Are you a lover of under-visited, isolated islands? Check out Matador contributing editor Tim Patterson’s picks for the Top 6 Most Enchanting Undeveloped Islands in the World. Or, read up on Japan’s often overlooked south, in Shima to Shima: Southern Islands of Japan.

Photo above by Wolfgang Staudt

Feature photo by G u i d o

Cheap and Romantic Lodging Options

Forget staying in hotels, even the budget ones. Southern France is filled with self-catering urban apartments and rural bungalows. Renting one of these for a week or two cuts down lodging costs by 30% to 50% and honestly, they up the romance and authenticity of being there by 200%.

The beauty of renting a place is that you unpack once and spend the rest of your time exploring the area– eating, drinking, wandering, hiking– without stress. And that is how one arrives at the good life.

Some suggested sites to search for your temporary home away from home are:

• Top Rural in France
• Homelidays in France
• Craigslist: Look for housing listings under France for Marseilles, Montpellier, Lyon, and Toulouse).
• For gîtes (rural, self-catering houses and apartments) in Provence French Connections has some romantic bargains if you hunt about.

Photo above by van Ort

Eating and Drinking

Having your self-catering accommodation offers the next big economic and romantic move: the ability to shop at the famous Provencal daily and weekly markets and sample the true terroir of the land: locally-grown food and wine.

Buy your fruits and vegetables, cheeses and sausages from the people who make them, as with the wine. Rent a bike, land your hands on one of the GR foot trail maps, and cycle and walk to villages and towns on market day.

Weekly food markets occur in nearly every town and village. When you arrive at your home base, ask the tourist office for a list of nearby markets.

And always ask the locals. If there is one thing people love to talk about it’s their local food and wine, and where and from whom to buy it. Tourist offices are also well equipped to help you with details.

Flea Markets

Most flea markets occur on Sundays, though some are on Saturdays. Flea markets bring out the diverse color of society and are a great way to see the old fashions and aesthetics of a place.

Moreover, flea markets let you find a one-of-a-kind treasure to take home at a bargain price. Again, the local tourist office can tell you when and where these occur. Avignon and Montpellier have terrific flea markets as do other main towns.

Cultural Activities for Free (or Almost)

Music in the open air, galleries showing off the artistic genius of the area, hikes, sunset vistas from perfect perches– these are many of the free experiences you can find easily in Provence. Concerts are listed on church doors and at tourist offices. Gallery exhibits often have a sidewalk billboard announcing a little hidden plaza where there’s an exhibit.

The person from whom you rented your apartment can tell you the best place to watch the sunset in their town. (In Avignon, it is at the top of the Rocher des Doms gardens). Also ask them where the best trails are for hikes.

If museums are a must, take advantage of the all-city admission deals where you purchase a pass for a one or two-day access to all sites, rather than paying the higher individual admission fees.

Finally, rent a bike and/or buy a good walking map and use your own muscles to motor about. Slow Travel France is a great resource and offers terrific ideas and guidance for hikes in the Luberon.

Photo above by Wolfgang Staudt

Two Itineraries for Touring Provence

These two one-week itineraries capture the highlights of Provence. They complement each other well so if you have two full weeks, I’d give them both a go.

Week One: Arles, Nîmes, and the Camargue, or, The Roman, Romany, and Cowboy Route

• Make Arles your home base—renting a studio in the heart of town, where you can enjoy strolls in the streets Van Gogh once walked.
• Dine at the family-run places that advertise plat du jour, repas à prix fixe, or formules (set menus). These reasonably-priced set menus and specials tend to offer local, seasonal foods at the best prices.

• Arles’ market days are Wednesday and Saturday.

• Rent bikes to tour the Camargue, which you can do from Arles. Be sure to have plenty of sunscreen and mosquito repellent. July and August are the worst months for mosquitoes, but May, June, September and October (maybe even November) can be bad as well.
• Take the train for a day trip to Nîmes. If you want to go further afield, make another day trip to Montpellier, to the west, or Marseilles, to the east.

• Nîmes’ market day is Monday.

• Take a local bus to Les Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer for a beach day, enjoying shellfish, chilled dry rosé wine, and this pilgrimage site where it is believed many sacred Marys, including Mary Magdalene, and other biblical figures, arrived by boat from the Holy Land around AD 40.

• Les-Stes-Maries’ markets days are Monday and Friday.

Photo above by Wolfgang Staudt

Week Two: Avignon, Le Luberon, and the Pont du Gard, or, the Medieval Towns and Villages Route

• Make Avignon your home base. A great hotel, if you decide on that option over the lodging suggestions above, is the Hotel Medieval, which rents studios with kitchenettes at weekly rates. It’s in the heart of medieval Avignon.
• Allow 2-3 days just to soak up Avignon’s cultural, culinary, and social scenes. Enjoy the gallery exhibits, the church concerts, the food and flea markets, and the bistros scattered throughout the old Papal town.

• Avignon’s market day is Monday. It also has the daily Les Halles covered food market that is a treat to shop.

• Take a bus to Gordes and hike around this mountaintop town for the day: Take a linking bus or hire a taxi to the Abbaye de Senanque in a hidden valley nearby.

• Take a day bus to Uzès and the Pont du Gard, preferably during Uzès market days of Wednesday or Saturday.

• Take the train to Aix-en-Provence for the day and soak up the university atmosphere (which also means good eats at good prices).

• Aix’s market is open every day on the Place Richelme.

• Make a day trip to St-Rémy-de-Provence and enjoy a smaller-scale but quintessential Provencal town on the edge of the Alpilles limestone mountains.
• St.-Rémy’s market day is Wednesday.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

For more tips to travel France on the cheap, check out How To Travel in France for Less Than $100 a Day, or our list of 10 Free Things To Do in Paris.

And for a more personal take on travel in France, check out these blogs from Matador community members: The Quiet of the Dordogne, by member Maija, or Is There Any Where I’d Rather Be?, by member terryodee.

Photo by yogi

Belize may only be the size of Rhode Island but it certainly has a lot to do.

The Blue Hole

Photo by nileguide.com

One of the best diving sites in the world, this filled in water volcano is reputed to have some of the best diving in the world and is a must see for divers. Just make sure you stay oriented, because it’s easy to confuse down with up and risk getting trapped.

Placencia

Photo by Matt Kepnes

This little village in the southern part of Belize offers some of the best beaches off the cayes. It’s quiet, relaxed, and cheap by Belize standards.

Caracol

Photo by Matt Kepnes

This Mayan site is the biggest in Belize. It contains many ancient temples and artifacts that offer a glimpse into Mayan life. Caracol was rival to the kingdom of Tikal during the height of the Mayan civilization.

Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave

Photo by Dustin Diaz

This cave is a few hours outside of San Ignacio and getting there is an adventure. Crossing through jungles and rivers to access this remote cave, the persistent will be rewarded with a visit to an ancient Mayan sacrificial site.

You must swim into the cave mouth then walk through the cave, sometimes in chest deep water, before climbing up a rock face to see ancient pottery, sacrificial tools, and a few ancient skeletons.

Caye Caulker

Photo by Matt Kepnes

This caye, located near Belize City, is where all the action happens. A hurricane whipped through the island a few years ago, creating a deep trench that is great for snorkeling.

Eat at Wish Willy’s, where he serves whatever he feels like that day and it’s always good.

Punta Gorda

Photo by anoldent

This city in southern Belize is relaxed, and makes for a good place to explore the surrounding rainforests and reef.

Cockscomb Jaguar Preserve

This nature preserve near Placencia houses some of the last remaining wild jaguars in Central America. You’ll probably never see them, but the park offers day and multi day hikes where you will see birds, small mammals, and interesting plants.

Lamanai

Photo by Matt Kepnes

This Mayan city to the north isn’t as impressive as Caracol, but to get there you have to take a long boat ride, providing up-close views of the local river system, mangroves, and wildlife.

Pine Mountain Ridge

South of San Ignacio, this nature preserve has the only pine trees in Belize. There’s great hiking and waterfalls in this area. Added bonus: It’s on the way to Caracol.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

For a more detailed guide to Caye Caulker, check out Jenny Williams’ article, “Go Slow on Caye Caulker, Belize.”

Photo above by bobtravis

While some of the world’s highest and most dangerous mountains lie in the Himalaya, Andes, Karakorum, and other high ranges, climbers hoping for big adventure need look no further than the United States.

Here are six American mountains to climb for big adventure:

1. Mount Washington, NH

New Hampshire’s highest point may only reach an elevation of 6,288 feet, but it is home to some of the world’s worst weather. In fact, the highest wind gust ever recorded on Earth’s surface, an incredible 231 mph blast, occurred on the summit of Mount Washington.

Its close proximity to the coast makes Mount Washington’s weather changeable and unpredictable. This is especially true in the winter, when temperatures frequently approach -40 degrees Fahrenheit and even exceed -100 degrees Fahrenheit with wind chill.

In both winter and summer, climbers can choose to reach the summit via a strenuous hike or a technical alpine route. If you visit on one of the 110 average days per year in which wind gusts exceed hurricane force levels, an adventure is guaranteed.

You can read more about climbing Mount Washington in the Boston Globe and the Mount Washington Observatory forums.

Photo above by masterjack.roger

2. Mount Katahdin, ME

At 5,267 feet, Mount Katahdin, the highest mountain in Maine, is lower than Mount Washington. Still, the airy views from the “Knife Edge” trail, which narrows to only two feet in width in some places and is flanked by thousand foot drops on either side, makes climbing Katahdin one of the most unique experiences in the Eastern United States.

For more information on the various routes up Katahdin, check out the Katahdin Regional Wiki.

Photo above by mandj98

3. Mount Rainier, WA

14,411 foot-high Mount Rainier is visible from Seattle, but climbing it is no easy undertaking. It requires travel on the largest glacier in the Lower 48 and advanced technical knowledge.

Still, there is probably no better place in America to get a “big mountain” experience with such a short approach.

For more information on climbing Mount Rainier, try the National Park Service trail descriptions or the Summit Post.

Photo above by david.evenson

4. Longs Peak, CO

The only “fourteener” in Rocky Mountain National Park, Longs Peak is an iconic mountain and considered to be the most difficult 3rd class fourteener in Colorado.

Though it’s officially non-technical in the summer, the popular Keyhole Route still offers steep rock scrambles and lots of exposure. When combined with the intense physical demands of the route, these features make Longs Peak an excellent objective for those looking for a mountain adventure.

If you want to plan an ascent of Longs Peak, the best first place to go is Paul Nesbit’s Longs Peak: Its Story and a Climbing Guide.

Photo above by glennwilliamspdx

5. Mount Shasta, CA

Considered one of the best treks in California, Mount Shasta is also one of America’s most adventurous mountain destinations. Popular routes to the 14,179 foot summit rise more that 7,000 feet from the trailhead and traverse rock moraine, snowfields, and glacial features.

For a classic account of adventure on Mount Shasta, read John Muir’s essay “Snow-storm on Mount Shasta.”

Photo above by exfordy

6. Mount Haleakala, HI

Forming more than 75% of the island of Maui, Haleakala is one of the best places to explore Hawaii’s unique volcanic landscape.

Though the summit is accessible by road and home to astrological observatories, hiking through the national park puts you in touch with the austere and dramatic terrain and provides an opportunity to get close to an active volcano.

Like Mount Kea, Haleakala is considered a sacred mountain by native Hawaiians. Also like Mount Kea, its summit is considered one of the best places on earth for viewing the cosmos.

Spending the night on Mount Haleakala is the perfect opportunity to sit back in a sleeping bag, sip some tea, and dream of all the adventures waiting for you under that star-studded mantle.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

For more big-time adventures, check out the Top 15 Adventure Towns Worldwide, or learn about 7 Classic Adventure Spots in Asia.

Photo by Josh Sommers. Feature photo by Larry Miller.

Covering up to 25,000 square miles of Californian terrain, the Mojave and the Colorado deserts present a rich diversity in landscape, ecology, and climate, and provide an important preservation of natural and human history. The following are some of the most spectacular of the national and state parks.

Joshua Tree National Park

Popular for its Joshua tree forests and climbable hills of bare boulders, Joshua Tree National Park has a uniquely alien and prehistoric landscape.

Slow growers, Joshua trees can live up to several hundred years with some making it to a thousand. Photo by Tobias.

Arch Rock. Photo by Yogi.

Sometimes after particularly wet winters desert dandelions grow. Photo by Dawn Endico.

Death Valley National Park

Its rich geologic and cultural history, and extreme environment and isolation (having some of the clearest skies in North America for stargazing) make Death Valley an attractive destination for nature lovers.

A sliding rock making its way across Racetrack Playa. Photo by Mike.

Badwater, the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level. Photo by PhillipC.

Zabriskie Point. Photo by Larry Miller.

Red Rock Canyon State Park

The result of erosion exposing the colorful sandstone stratas and creating hoodoos and other dramatic rock formations, Red Rock Canyon State Park has served as the backdrop of many films, including Jurassic Park.

Red cliffs such as these have helped geologists and paleontologists understand the region’s history for the past 500 million years. Photo by Tobin.

Desert tortoises are endemic to the western part of North America. Photo by Chris Selvig.

Photo by Tom Hilton.

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

The largest state park in California and the second largest in the continental United States, the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park offers a varied sample of the Colorado Desert with broad vistas, dry river beds, and diverse ecology, such as palm groves, iguanas, foxes, golden eagles, roadrunners, and rattlesnakes.

The Borrego Badlands. Photo by Jurek Durczak.

Desert flora looks on as the desert sunrise paints a neon view. Photo by Florian Boyd.

Photo by Florian Boyd.

Mojave National Preserve

Seemingly barren compared to other Californian deserts, many make their way to this newly designated park for its booming sand dunes, volcanic formations, and Joshua tree forests.

Kelso Dunes, famous for “singing” or creating a low rumble when one slides down from the top. Photo by Lin Mei.

Photo by Chuck Abbe.

A chuckwalla soaks in some desert sun. Photo by Chris Selvig.

1. Cadrona, New Zealand

Image: nzgeek

In the centre of New Zealand’s South Island lies Cardrona . This large centre for ski and snowboarding is suitable for beginners and intermediates, but there’s not as much to do for advanced riders.

A day lift pass for an adult starts from NZ $81 – this year there’s a new express chair lift. They’ve recently installed a huge half-pipe with 22 foot walls and there’s also a whole range of facilities available.

Time off the piste

If you’re a skater, take a short trip down the road to Wanaka where there is a good skate park. Also worth checking out is Puzzle World, a good time-wasting activity involving mazes and games if the runs are closed when you’re there.

2. Queenstown, New Zealand

Image: slack13

Queenstown is about an hour’s drive from Cardrona and is home to the major ski centres of Coronet Peak and The Remarkables.

Coronet Peak has a paved road right to the top of the ski area, so there’s no need to feel so scared of careering off the edge of a mountain. It’s possible can go night boarding there thanks to floodlights along the runs, live music, etc.

If you’re thinking of going up to the Treble Cone, be sure to check out the six-seater ski lift! The Remarkables has some good black runs for advanced riders where ski insurance would come in very handy, but it also boasts lots of mellow undulating routes for beginners and a decent sized park.

Time off the piste

Queenstown in general is much more of a party town than neighbouring Cardrona, with thousands of tourists looking for all sorts of extreme activities. It’s good fun to go for a night out, but not great if you’re thinking of spending the entire season there. If you’re stuck there without snow, be sure to check out Frisbee Golf and the indoor ice-bar.

3. Falls Creek, Australia

Image: andrewfarrington

Falls Creek is one of the best ski resorts in all of Australia. It’s located in the state of Victoria, about half way between Melbourne and Canberra. You can ski here each year from the start of June until roughly the first week in October.

There are nearly 100 runs for downhill skiers, ranging from beginner to expert terrain. There are also 21 cross-country trails and over 65 kilometres of groomed trail network. A lift pass will cost you from AUS $74 per day, but great savings can be made if you buy a ticket for longer periods.

Time off the piste

In the summer, Falls Creek is an ideal place to escape the traditional Australian beach holiday and take a break in the mountains. With stunning scenery, fishing, walking and mountain bike trails and an abundance of high-quality accommodation, it’s the perfect relaxing antidote to hard work.

Bariloche, Argentina

Image: flynnwynn

The ski resort at Bariloche is a taste of the alps in the heart of South America. With huge quantities of lush snow, first-class facilities and a warm welcome, this resort has a truly European flavour.

Beginners, intermediates and experts alike have plenty of terrain options at Bariloche, including 62 miles of groomed runs. It’s so big, there are 39 ski lifts!

Time off the piste

Although Bariloche is a Patagonian city, the culture and vibe outside the ski area is closer to that of Buenos Aires. Bars stay open super late, and clubs go all night.

Portillo, Chile

Image: davemorin

Chile is famous for the Andean Cordillera running down its eastern border with Argentina. Portillo is a 2 hour drive from the capital, Santiago. As a ski area, Portillo dates back to the 1940s, and while the facilities and accommodation have modernized, the vibe and is still tranquilo.

The management purposely limit the numbers of skiers allowed on the slopes in any one day, so it’s never crowded. Thursday is race day at Portillo. Whatever your skill level, you’re encouraged to take part in a whole variety of downhill races. There are prizes awarded in the evenings.

Time off the piste

The apres ski is just as good as the ski at Portillo. There are as many staff there as there are guests. Be sure to take advantage of the amazing gastronomy on offer. Also, take time on Friday night to check out the beautiful torch-lit parade performed weekly by the students of the ski school.

And these days learning to surf doesn’t have to be the fearful, difficult proposition it once was. Forgiving foam surfboards and qualified surf instructors mean standing up and riding a wave in your first session is very likely — and then you’re hooked.

Read on for Matador’s list of the best surf spots to start your new addiction…

Byron Bay, Australia

This onetime sleepy dairy town turned hippie-surfer-stockbroker enclave is quite possibly the best place in the country, maybe the world, to learn to surf. There’s a variety of waves to suit different levels, from gentle rollers off Watego Beach to the beach breaks of Tallows and The Wreck (in small swells).

Byron Bay Surf School offers both lessons and accommodation. Or stay at the Byron Bay YHA (formerly J’s Bay), complete with pool.

Best time to go: March to May for warm weather and consistent swell .

Kuta, Bali

On an island famous for its grinding left hand reef breaks, Bali still offers great options for learners. The long sandy stretch of sand in front of the famous Kuta and Legian tourist strip can turn on fun waves for beginners in small swells – but watch the currents when its bigger.

Various beach huts rent old surfboards for about 20,000 rupiah per hour. For complete novices try the School of Surf.When the wind picks up in the afternoon there’s a bunch of options to keep you busy, from practising yoga in Ubud to partying late at Ku De Ta in Seminyak.

Best time to go: May to September for offshore winds and a party atmosphere.

Photo by mikebaird

Lagos, Portugal

While there are rarely waves in Lagos itself, this picturesque Algarve town is the base for many surf schools in the region, and it’s not hard to see why. A variety of great waves are within a 30 minute drive, including the protected break at Arrifana – a favourite for learners at low tide.

Among the surf schools based in Lagos, Surf Experience is the longest established and one of the best.

After a day spent learning to surf, refuel at one of Lagos’ cheap but delicious restaurants, from cook-your-own €8 steaks at Retiro da Trinidade to fiery hot piri piri chicken at O Franguinho. After 10 PM, the clubs come alive, the clientèle spurred on by cheap cocktails and refreshing bottles of Sagres beer for just €2.

Best time to go: Northern hemisphere spring and autumn to avoid the summer crowds and higher prices.

Surfer’s Point, Barbados

Located on Barbados’s more protected southern coast, Surfer’s Point in Inch Marlowe is the perfect location to learn to surf in an idyllic, tropical setting. Former competitive surfer and Barbadian local Zed Layson runs the popular Zed’s Surfing Adventures. Zed offers two hour lessons on easy-to-ride foam surfboards, plus a range of accommodation options near the point.

Best time to go: Anytime, although the rainy season from June to October may limit your tanning time.

Photo by marcodede

Waikiki, Hawaii

What better place to learn to surf than the home of surfing itself? Hawaii’s ancient kings rode the surf on crude wooden boards before missionaries in the 19th century frowned on the sport for being a godless activity.

Thankfully, surfing is back bigger than ever. The gentle rolling waves of Waikiki are perfect for beginners, offering long rides and a (mostly) fun, easy going atmosphere. Canoe’s is the most popular, and consequently most crowded, break but you’ll be among beginners so catching waves is relatively easy.

Boards can be rented from the shacks on the beach by the hour or take a lesson from one of the many surf schools in the area.

Best time to go: There’s waves year round although the Hawaiian summer from June to August sees consistent south swells.

Taghazoute, Morocco

Thanks to its long, righthand point breaks, Morocco has been a popular winter destination for European surfers since the 1970s, with convoys of VW campervans parked beside the various breaks.

These days, you don’t need to be a hardcore surfer to enjoy the waves, with a variety of surf schools to choose from. Pure Blue Water, between Casablanca and Rabat in the north of Morocco, offers a range of beach and point break waves.

In the south, Taghazoute almost has more surf camps than surf spots, so you’re bound to find one that suits your budget. Hash Point and the beaches around Agadir can throw up an easy wave for learners. If it’s flat, the chilled port town of Essaouira is just three hours north by bus and makes a great day trip.

Best time to go: The big swells roll in from November to February, but early autumn has smaller waves and warmer weather.

Photo by sub_lime79

Newquay, UK

For a country known for its crap weather, the British sure love their surfing. Newquay’s Fistral Beach is surfing ground zero in Britain, with a variety of backpacker hostels, surf cafes and surf schools in and around the town.

Newquay’s headlands mean there are surfable waves in most conditions, from the swell-exposed Fistral to the protected Watergate Bay just around the corner. If you have access to a car, the crystal clear peaks at Sennen Cove an hour south are worth the drive in clean swells.

Best time to go: September to October are the most consistent months. You’ll need a 4/3 or even a thick 5/4 wetsuit to brave the chilly water in winter and spring.

Bundoran, Ireland

Ireland is the new surfing hot spot in Europe; its world class, uncrowded waves now lure surfers from around the world.

Bundoran in County Donegal on Ireland’s west coast is a great place to learn the basics, with a variety of beach breaks on offer. If the swell is small, try Tullan Beach in town. If it’s too big, head 10 km. north to the more mellow Rossnowlagh Beach. The respected Bundoran Surf Co. offers lessons as well surf-and-stay packages.

And five places to avoid

• North Shore, Hawaii: With waves regularly reaching above 10 feet in winter, this coast is no place for the novice. Hell, even experienced surfers regularly come to grief here.
• Coolangatta, Australia: Home of the Superbank. When it’s on it’s so crowded you can almost walk out to the surf on the back of paddling surfers.
• Port Elizabeth, South Africa: Would you surf in the same waters where tourists flock to go swimming in shark-proof cages?
• Fuerte Ventura, Canary Islands: Sharp lava reefs, sea urchins, strong winds, localism and thumping Atlantic swells. Experienced surfers only.
• Puerto Escondido, Mexico: Has a reputation as one of the heaviest beach breaks in the world. The waves here are consistently above head high and routinely snap surfboards like twigs.

Community Connection

Keen to catch a wave on your next trip? Here are a few of Matador’s destination surf guides: Surfer’s Guide to the Algarve Coast, Portugal, Surf Vietnam: China Beach and Beyond, Surfer’s Guide to Asturias, Spain, or Surfing Argentina: An Insider’s Guide to the Breaks of Mar del Plata.

Landlocked? You can still take a look at our 5 Best Surf Films of All Time.

Photo above by darkroomillusions

There’s no slower, more connected way to travel than trekking. Overcoming obstacles binds walkers together and mobile trail communities flourish. Here are some of the most spectacular treks from around the world.

Kruger National Park — South Africa

Several trails weave through the 20,000 km Kruger National Park in the northeast of South Africa. Combine big cats with giant reptiles and you’ll understand why hiking is tightly controlled. Walking set routes with gun-toting guides will allow you relative safety.

Photo above by jhull

Mt. Kenya National Park — Kenya

As Africa’s second highest peak, Mt. Kenya might be better known as a technical climbing destination. But eight hiking trails also run through the park, each with caretakers and huts. No climbing is required.

Four of the eight walks are staffed and accessible, but the remaining four require special permission from the Kenya Wildlife Service. This is a chance to move from fertile slopes through forest into the rare African alpine environment, then watch the sun rise over Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Photo above by malfageme

Camino de Santiago de Compostela

If there’s one European walk to wander, it’s the rolling Way of St. James, a.k.a. “the Camino.” Pilgrims walk from wherever they want, finishing in Catholicism’s third most holy city (and scoring a free meal in the back of the five-star Parador Restaurant). The most popular route starts in the French Pyrenees, progressing through Pamplona, Burgos, and Lyon, plus countless friendly Spanish villages. Learn 4 Lessons from the Camino.

Photo above by Phillie Casablanca

Inca Trail – Peru

Macchu Pichu is an iconic and powerful image of South America and the once-powerful Inca Empire. What better way to discover it than approaching on a multi-day hike through forest valleys and steep ascents?

Once carefully guarded by Inca checkpoints, the path is now protected by government officials who check passports to ensure regulation numbers are kept and the environment isn’t further endangered. Like many of these treks, it’s imperative to book in advance. If you miss out or are looking for a lesser known alternative, try the Salkantay trail instead.

Photo above by Hiro008

Torres del Paine National Park — Chile

Torres del Paine is home to spectacular multi-day walks through alpine terrain, including the popular four-day “W” track and 9 day circle route. The Patagonia webcam project will have you strapping your boots on before you know what hit you.

Photo above by i am indisposed

Pacific Crest Trail — Mexico, USA, Canada

Approximately 300 hikers a year attempt to through-hike this massive trek, starting in Mexico and hitting Canada before the winter snows make progress impossible. Countless more attempt anything from a day walk to several weeks of camping through harsh desert and snow-flaked mountains. Thank God for those trail angels!

Photo above by Lawlesco

Appalachian Trail — USA

Running some 2,000 miles through 11 states, the Appalachian trail traverses not only the last pockets of wilderness in the Eastern US, but many historic sites and towns along the way. Shelters and a well-developed infrastructure exist along the entire route.

Most surprising is the entire subculture of AT through hikers that spills over into the surrounding towns. Hostels, restaurants, locals–oftentimes it seems like your through-hike (or section hike) is a ticket to this ongoing party.

Photo above by Lucy Crabapple

Annapurna Sanctuary — Nepal

Like most popular routes in Nepal, the Annapurna Sanctuary is a “teahouse trek.” Trails pass through villages, each with its own lodging. Camping gear like heavy sleeping bags, tents, and cook stoves are not required on this trail. As a result, trekkers can get by with fairly light loads. Check here for a complete guide.

Photo above by jenniferphoon

Mt. Fuji — Japan

Forget the expat slogan “Don’t climb Mt. Fuji.” There’s nothing more iconic than watching the sun rise from its slopes, and thousands attempt it each year. It’s not a difficult walk. Visible from parts of Tokyo, Mt. Fuji almost seems to be taunting travelers, challenging them to escape the neon jungle.

Photo above by hadriaswad

Gunung Tahan – Malaysia

When I return to Malaysia, walking Gunung Tahan is high on my list. Malaysia’s highest mountain sits snugly in a forest-clad national park and is surrounded by several trails. The walk to the top takes approximately five days, but is considered the toughest trek in the region with steep climbs and tropical temperatures taking their toll on walkers.

Photo above by Timmy Toucan

Milford Track – New Zealand

You can’t round up the world’s best treks without mentioning the Milford Track deep in the South Island of New Zealand. Described as the finest walk in the world, this strictly-controlled hike is best done in the southern summer as winter rains make it dangerous to attempt.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Keen on doing some serious walking? Check out a few of Matador’s trekking guides: Trekking Torres del Paine, Trekking the Annapurna Sanctuary, Sarawak: Trekking in the Kelabit Highlands or How To Trek the Inca Trail.

GOODS:

Photo above by Stuck In Customs

Everything is bigger and better in Texas. So sorry, rest of the world, but logic and reason won’t win this time: This is Texas, and you don’t mess with Texas.

As both the least and most Texas-esque city, Austin is quite the contradiction. We have BBQ and redneck cowboys drunkenly yelling as they drive by in pickup trucks, but this city is also home to the University of Texas at Austin (UT), a liberal community by many accounts. Kundalini yoga and marching an the Capitol are common enough. Austin is in the one district that always seems to vote Democratic.

The point being, this part of the country is home to an unusually polarized group of people, not in race, religion, or politics, but attitude. It’s what makes this city, my city, one of the weirdest and more interesting places to live on the planet.

If you happen to be passing through Austin at random times throughout the year, be sure to check out:

1. Music Festivals

Photo above by FRICTION NYC

The South by Southwest (SXSW) music and film festival and the Austin City Limits music festival remain the largest and most popular of the city’s offerings.

Austin City Limits commandeers the southwestern shores of Austin’s central body of water, Town Lake, and doesn’t relinquish control until every last music fan has had his fill of booze, food, and artists too numerous to mention. Think of the quiet serenity of a simple county fair… now combine it with the most energetic mosh pit you can imagine. Set it to the beat of some great music, and you’re halfway there.

2. Tailgating

Photo above by kelownabc

There is nothing quite like those pregame hours. With over 65,000 students, The University of Texas at Austin is one of the largest schools in the country. The stadium–home to the Texas Longhorns–is the tallest. And the tailgate parties–UT fans camping out for hours before the first ticker holder is allowed to find his seat–are the craziest of them all.

Tailgate parties, if you’re unfamiliar, are opportunities for fans of sporting events to gather and eat, drink, and bleed their team colors (in this case, burnt orange) around the open tailgates of cars and trucks.

If there is any art in Austin that has reached its evolutionary potential, it would be here. Thousands upon thousands of men, women, children: faces painted, brisket on the grill, huge plasma screens displaying early coverage… local bars and clubs have their own booths with free samples and vouchers. It is the place to be on a Sunday in the fall.

3. Going the Distance

Photo above by maxxum_sky

The Capitol 10K race has long been a spring tradition in Austin. As the largest 10K in Texas and the fifth largest in the country, it draws some of the best and weirdest distance runners: spectators should be numb by now to people wearing chicken suits, Elvis costumes, or entire buildings on their shoulders.

4. Eeyore’s Birthday

The Tao of Pooh is nothing when compared with Eeyore’s effect on Austin. Going back to 1963, the festival was first introduced by a UT professor as a testament to the Winnie the Pooh character Eeyore, a depressed donkey.

Unlike the animal, however, the birthday party, which is held in Pease Park every year, now serves as a major gathering of Austin’s hippie population, as well as some mainstream characters. Come for the drum circles and music, stay for the drinking and games.

5.The Zilker Christmas Tree

Photo above by sheeshoo

Set up in Zilker Park, just southwest of the city center, the 155 foot tree is visible almost anywhere downtown. Chew on some kettle corn and sing carols, or opt for the cheapest, most fun activity there is: look straight up at the strings of sparkling, multicolored lights and just spin till your heart gives out. Remember what the holidays were like for you as a child: eating too much candy, laughing at the absurd, and spinning because you didn’t care who was watching.

Photo above by That Other Paper

The Trail of Lights

COMMUNITY CONNECTION:

Beyond the human interests Austin offers, Texas has lots of natural wonders, including hot springs and one of the world’s birding hotspots.

Photo above by Dominic DeGrazier

Sri Lanka. “Is that part of India?” people asked. A few others warned: “watch out for the terrorists – are you sure you want to go to a place so dangerous?”

Yes, I was sure.

But what about traveling through these lands when the terrorist group, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), had organized a few suicide bombs earlier this year?

A few years ago the “guerilla-ravaged” lands of Colombia gave me an amazingly different reality than what appeared on the television screen. Why not go for round two in another place?

I went, and I am very thankful for my decision. Here are 9 reasons to consider visiting Sri Lanka in 2009:

1. The Art of Smiling

If you have not seen enough smiles lately, go to Sri Lanka. The frequency with which locals will beam their brightness at you is mind-boggling. In a few days of venturing out of the capital city of Colombo, you will probably receive more smiles than you did in the previous two months back home.

2. The Land

Sri Lanka is a bit larger than the state of West Virginia. But this nation contains over a thousand miles of coastline, vast tea plantations in the mountains of the central highlands, rainforests, deserts, and brilliant beaches. Its three zones are divided by elevation: the central highlands, the plains, and the coastal belt.

Photo above by Dominic DeGrazier

3. Fruit

Kings coconuts are widely sold in road-side shacks. Costing roughly 30 cents, they are hacked open by a vendor, who will stick a straw inside and presto – you have a refreshing all-natural drink said to help with digestion.

Don’t miss the wood apple. About the size of a small orange with a rock hard stone-looking shell, this fruit is smashed down on a hard surface in order to be cracked open. The ripe wood apple is on the sweet side, and is best used as a jam. The unripe wood apple offers nature’s version of Sour Patch Kids. It’s an unreal nature-candy if you like sour flavors.

4. Friendliness with Interest

After seeing my friend (who is African-American and has braids), a Sri Lankan man in a restaurant could not stop himself from overflowing with excitement. He immediately began to say “Bob Marley!” over and over again while asking to take multiple pictures with my buddy.

In general, families seeing a foreigner walk by their home are inclined to invite them inside for a cup of tea. They want to hear what you think of the country and its people, and they usually get a thrill out of having their picture taken.

Photo above by Dominic DeGrazier

5. Architecture

This is a land of temples – Buddhist and Hindu. Some of these praying structures are magnificently large and visited by many; others are small and seemingly known only by locals. Don’t be surprised to find yourself unexpectedly stopping in a small village to see a beautifully crafted Hindu statue or other eye-catching structure.

6. Commercials

No joke – they are hilarious, as is much of the media. Picture a young girl sitting in the backseat of a car with her mother driving. They stop, get out of the car, and walk into a park full of trees. The child later drops her toy on the ground. A man then picks it up and hands it over with a smile. Next appears a close-up shot of the car’s wheels, for a tire advertisement.

The commercial was so unconnectedly entertaining that it was difficult to forget – like a few other Sri Lankan adverts. But that is the whole idea, right?

7. English Spoken Here

Due to the British colonization lasting over 150 years, a good percentage of the population speaks English – especially in the cities. When a traveler is lost or curious, the locals’ fluency in English comes in handy. A warning to those having difficulties picking up accents: some pidgin English is spoken here. My friends had no problem understanding from the start, but I was lost in this seemingly foreign language for a few days.

Photo above by Dominic DeGrazier

8. Surf’s Up

Sri Lanka has been rebuilding itself, with the help of many nations, since the horrific tsunami in December, 2004. In this restructuring, beach resorts – such as Awanatuna Beach – were built on the southwest side to cater to surfers from April to October. Waves are reported three to eight feet – substantial swells. The off season would be better for novice surfers as the swells usually come in at two to six feet.

9. Watch a Forming Culture(s)

Sri Lankans have fought for independence for more than 400 years, starting with colonization by the Portuguese in 1505, the Dutch in 1660, and finally, the British in 1796. Each colonizer has left its respective mark on the Sri Lankan society. A consistent example of one of these marks is a popular men’s clothing style: a sarong (traditional), accompanied with an incongruous collared shirt (British) to complete the outfit.

Since 1948, Sri Lanka has been a sovereign nation. In 1972, the country changed the British-bestowed name “Ceylon” to “Sri Lanka”, which roughly translates to “prosperous island.” Now, Sri Lanka is making its own way in the world, and figuring out who it is in the process.

Photo above by Dominic DeGrazier

Community Connection

For more on Sri Lanka, check out Hidden Hope: A Visit To A Sri Lankan Tea Estate, or several Sri Lankan blogs from Matador member khammons.

Feature photo by Tony. Above photo by Nidcha Injai.

From the early mountaineers who came to the Himalayas, travelers and adventurers have always sought out new places to explore in Asia. The following roundup outlines some of the recent Asian “classics” for ideas and inspiration on your next trip.

1. Paddling / Rafting on the Pai River, Thailand

The Pai River flows 62 miles through various class IV gorges and long stretches of flatwater through a remote, wilderness section of the Mae Hong Son province in Thailand. Season runs June – January. Mulit-day trips are run out of Pai.

2. Kite-surfing on the Filipino Island of Boracay

Bulabog Lagoon stretching over three bays, with an extended shallow and consistent cross-shore winds perfect for both kite-surfing. Various kite-surfing schools offer courses.

Photo by David Eng.

3. Mountain Trekking in Nepal

Among the numerous trekking routes in Nepal, the most popular is the Annapurna Base Camp Trail. Like most popular routes in Nepal, the Annapurna Sanctuary is a “teahouse trek.” Trails pass through villages, each with its own lodging.

4. Caving and Wildlife Viewing in Borneo

The site of continued international caving expeditions, Gunung Mulu National Park contains over 300 km of mapped caves system, including the largest single cave chamber in the world. It has a well established infrastructure and daily tours.

5. Surfing in Okinawa, Japan

Okinawa is well-known among surfers. The ‘Hawaii of the East’ is blessed with white sandy beaches, huge waves, and an established surf culture. You get to enjoy Japanese culture without the hectic rush of Tokyo or other big cities.

The best waves are found at the North of Nago, but beware of the southern end of the harbor, but this is a hollow reef break, not for novice surfers.

Photo by Oscar López.

6. Sandboarding at Mui Ne, Vietnam

Sunrise is a good time to head up into the White Sand dunes. One of the most fun ways to spend a couple hours exploring the dunes: sandboarding. You can rent a board for 100,000 Dong.

7. Trekking and Climbing in Bhutan

With some of the world’s most spectacular landscapes and trekking routes, and a government that measures the country’s progress in GNH, or Gross National Happiness, Bhutan is good to go. Remember that independent traveling is not allowed by the Bhutanese government; you need to arrange your trip through a local travel agency.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Looking for more in depth guides on the places mentioned above?

Check out this Comprehensive guide to trekking Bhutan. Want to check out surf in Japan Hit up our crew here.

If you’re just getting started in adventure sports, check out David Miller’s guide to paddling or N. Chrystine Olson’s beginner’s guide to telemark skiing.

Looking out to the Mediterranean from the hill city of Haifa, on a peninsula jutting out from Israel’s northwestern coast, you just may see a sliver of land in the distance: Lebanon.

It was barely visible one gray afternoon in the spring, as was a lone naval ship, presumably protecting Israel’s shores.

Together, these two images served as a subtle reminder of the summer two years before, when missiles shot by Hezbollah rained down on the city. Incoming missile alarms sounded multiple times a day, and Haifa effectively shut down for the month of July as residents holed up in underground shelters.

The shuttered Haifa still dominates the world’s perception of the city, but it is not the only Haifa its residents know.

Photo by david55king

The Treasure Chest

Haifa, often likened to San Francisco or Naples, seems to rise magically from the sea. Flowing for a half mile down the side of the tiered city are the varied colors of 19 terraces. Collectively, they look like a rainbow punctuated in the middle by its treasure chest: the golden-domed shrine of the Baha’i prophet, Bab.

It is a beautiful sight, but also a perplexing one. Why are the headquarters of the Baha’i faith located in Haifa, a city in the Jewish state, a country in the Muslim Middle East?

The simple answer is that Bahá’u'lláh, founder of the Baha’i faith, lived and died here after being exiled from a number of other places — but a more poetic explanation is offered by many Haifa residents.

“The shrine symbolizes the tolerance of citizens here,” said Ayala Klingman, a retired musician and piano teacher who has lived in Haifa for 20 years.

Haifa may be the only place in the region where members of five faiths — Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Druze and Baha’i — live and work peacefully side by side.

In 1902, Theodor Herzl, founder of modern Zionism, dubbed Haifa “the city of the future,” and it is well on its way to fulfilling that prophecy. Israelis describe Tel Aviv as wild and cosmopolitan, Jerusalem as ancient and mysterious, and Haifa as an awakening beauty.

Since Herzl’s proclamation, the city’s population has swelled from less than 20,000 to over a quarter million.

Yet somehow Haifa is largely undiscovered by foreign travelers. A stop on many whirlwind tours of Israel and a transit hub for visits to places further north such as the Golan Heights, it is a main destination for few. This is a shame, as there is so much to see.

Photo by Bossplot

The Three-Tiered City

Haifa is divided into three tiers. The lowest of these offers miles upon miles of sandy Mediterranean beaches, beloved by locals but free from tourist crowds, as well as Israel’s largest port and a number of industrial areas.

“Tel Aviv plays while Jerusalem prays, but Haifa works,” goes the common saying. While Haifa’s port and oil refinery still employ many residents, the city, home to Technion, the Israel Institute of Technology, has also recently attracted a number of high-tech corporations.

The main attraction of the middle tier, made up of residential areas and the business district, is Ben Gurion Boulevard, the lively heart of the German colony, with its trendy shops and restaurants.

Photo by vad_levin

The top tier, the Carmel District, has green parks and lovely homes. Yefe Nof Street, appropriately nicknamed Panorama Street, has a spectacular view of the sea both by day and by night. It is also the starting point of numerous nature trails that wind down Mount Carmel to the Haifa Bay.

The city’s extensive public transportation system makes it easy for visitors to explore. The various levels are connected by the Carmelit, Israel’s only underground subway, a futuristic-looking aerial cable car, and numerous long flights of stairs. The city also has a reliable public bus system.

“The beauty of the city,” marvels tour guide Yair Herdan, who has lived all of his life in Haifa, is “mountains and sea together with forests and a port – an awakening beauty indeed.”

Visitor Info

HOW TO GET THERE

Travelers coming from Greece and Turkey can land in Haifa’s small regional airport, but those coming from the U.S. must fly into Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv (El Al offers direct flights from New York for approximately $1,500), and then take a train (about $12), or private taxi (about $100) the 55 miles to Haifa.

WHERE TO STAY

Located in Central Carmel, the bustling district atop Mount Carmel, is the five-star Holiday Inn Bay View (Yefe Nof Street, 04/835-0835, www.ichotelsgroup.com). Double rooms start at $170 and feature sweeping views of the Haifa Bay as well as the Galil Mountains. The comfortable Haifa Meridian Hotel (David Elazar Street, 04/850-8888, www.fattal.co.il) offers sea view rooms starting at $190 and easy access to the best of Haifa’s beaches.

Photo by david55king

WHERE TO EAT

The Renee Restaurant (Yefe Nof Street, 4/837-5602), located in a beautiful stone house overlooking the Haifa Bay, offers local meat, fish and pasta favorites and a good selection of wines. At Isabella (Ben Gurion Street, 4/855-2201), located in the German colony, enjoy Italian and Arab dishes as you look out at the Baha’i gardens.

WHERE TO SHOP

Watch local artists work at the Castra Art, Recreation and Shopping Center (Moshe Fliman Street, 04/859-0000), where you can buy their goods and oftentimes create your own alongside them. The Panorama Center (Ha Nassi Avenue, 4/837-5011) in Carmel Center is a good modern shopping mall, and Hertzl Street in the Hadar neighborhood is a bustling outdoor bazaar with plenty of reasonably priced goods.

community connection

Interested in more on Israel? Learn the 10 Customs You Should Know Before Studying Abroad in Israel or read this thoughtful essay on How Conflict Shapes the Culture of Israel.

Photo above by Graham King

Whether you seek wilderness adventure, immersion in a unique culture, or a spiritual journey, a trek through Bhutan’s mountains puts you in the heart of this little-known Himalayan Kingdom.

Here are some considerations for first-time trekkers:

The Basics

Trekking in Bhutan involves a multi-day trip, arranged like a camping expedition. This is due to government guidelines and because many areas are remote, devoid of accommodations. It is not uncommon to walk for several days before encountering a village.

A typical day consists of 5 to 7 hours of walking among some of the world’s most pristine natural surroundings, including subtropical jungles, alpine highlands, and snow-capped peaks.

You will be accompanied by a licensed Bhutanese guide, cook, and mules or yaks that carry tents, sleeping bags, cooking equipment, food and other supplies.

In a nation steeped in Mahayana Buddhist traditions, the mountains are sacrosanct, housing deities. As such, you cannot scale peaks higher than 6,000 meters. At 7,570 meters, Gangkhar Puensum, the highest mountain in Bhutan, remains the highest unclimbed peak in the world.

While treks range from easy to strenuous, it helps to be moderately fit. Daily altitude gain is relatively high, so be aware of how best to acclimate your body.

Photo above by jmhullot

When to Go

The best high altitude trekking seasons are in late April, when colorful bursts of wildflowers dot the landscape, or during the pleasant, clear days of October.

Short treks at lower elevations are possible during most months. You can also time your visit to coincide with one of Bhutan’s colorful festivals, getting a glimpse inside the dzongs, or fortress-monasteries, that serve as administrative, religious, and social centers.

Climate varies significantly by region. The north, bordering Tibet, is perennially covered with snow. The central regions enjoy four distinct seasons similar to those of Western Europe, and the subtropical south is hot and humid. Monsoon rains pelt the country from June to September.

Photo above by jmhullot

The Treks

There are more than a dozen treks, ranging in difficulty. Some combine scenery and culture, passing dense pine and oak forests on the mountainside; whitewashed dzongs overlooking valleys; and chortens, squat monuments housing sacred Buddhist relics.

Druk Path is a week-long trek that crosses mountains connecting the valleys of Paro and Thimphu, Bhutan’s capital. The sparsely populated route winds around freshwater lakes, and if your timing is right, dozens of varieties of scented rhododendron bloom in late spring.

Photo above by babasteve

Bumthang Cultural and Gangtey Nature treks are shorter, lasting from two to four days. Gangtey passes through isolated valleys, including the winter home of rare black-necked cranes.

Of the thousand or so trekkers who visit each year, most head for Jhomolhari, the third highest peak in Bhutan and “abode of the Goddess Jhomo.” Following the river, the trek offers some of the best mountain scenery, including highland villages, yak pastures, and a base camp embedded in natural beauty.

Taking two weeks, the Jhomolhari – Laya – Gasa trek is an extension of the above. It weaves through the high Himalayas, leaving the Jhomolhari trail and heading east along the Tibetan border to Laya, and then south to Gasa and its hot springs.

Lunana Snowman is one of the hardest high altitude treks, involving walking and living in remote areas beneath the peaks of 6 mountains, each over 7,000 meters high. The mystical trail crosses nine passes, taking you by villages and nomad groups, and through forests of blue pine, juniper and rhododendron.

Plan Ahead

You cannot visit Bhutan on a whim as the government controls the number of travelers allowed into the country each year. Arrangements must be made through registered Bhutanese tour operators beforehand, and you have the choice of customizing your own trip or joining a pre-planned tour.

Each visitor is required to pay a fee of US $200 per day. This sounds steep, but it includes taxes, accommodations, meals, a licensed guide, camping equipment and haulage for treks. This fee applies across the board, whether or not you go trekking.

The easiest way to get to Bhutan is by air. Druk Air, the national airline, is the only carrier that serves Paro Airport, offering flights from Bangkok, Kathmandu, Delhi and several other South Asian cities.

There are plenty of online resources. For starters, check out Matador editor Tim Patterson’s excellent guide to, and impressions of, Bhutan.

Photo above by Graham King

The Tourism Council of Bhutan also provides handy information, including a list of tour operators (many of whom have their own websites), local news and events, approved treks, and the latest on travel regulations.

And finally, get a copy of seasoned trekker Bart Jordans’s Bhutan: A Trekker’s Guide , including insights on numerous trails, a comprehensive trek grading system, and information on trekking for families with children.

GOODS

Bahrainian dinars, also known as rubias. Photo by Ahmed Rabea.

The Netherlands Antilles

In the eastern Caribbean, this island group is made up of Curacao, Bonaire, Saba, St. Eustatius and Sint Maarten. The national currency, the Netherlands Antillean guilder, is pegged to the USD at a rate of 1.79 to 1.

All the islands are tourist magnets; their infrastructure is better developed than many other island nations in the region, thanks in part to support from the Dutch government. Bonaire and Curacao have the added bonus of being below the hurricane belt.

Their close cousin, Aruba, another one-time Dutch colony, also pegs its Aruban florin to the USD at the same rate.

Tourists explore Petra, Jordan. Photo by bribriTO.

Jordan

Jordan’s been drawing tourists for years thanks to its relative stability and fabulous archaeological sites. The Jordanian dinar is pegged to the USD at a rate of 0.709 to 1.

Several other Middle Eastern countries have also hitched their currencies to the USD. Bahrain’s dinar clocks in at 0.376 to 1, Lebanon’s pound is pegged at 1507.5 to 1, and Oman’s rial is set at 0.3845 to 1.

In Qatar, the rial is pegged at 3.64 to 1, and if you can get your hands on a tourist visa for Saudi Arabia, you’ll enjoy a riyal pegged at 3.75 to 1 there. Finally, Dubai and the rest of the United Arab Emirates have pegged the Emirati dirham at 3.67 to 1.

Barbados

Ah, lovely Barbados. With progressive laws on public beach access and a government intent on defending local culture as best it can, it’s done a better job than most Caribbean islands of resisting total resortification. It’s also got a dollar that’s pegged to the USD at a rate of 2 to 1.

Elsewhere in the eastern Caribbean, the Trinidad and Tobago dollar is steady at 6.33 to 1. The eastern Caribbean dollar, the currency used by Antigua, Dominica, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada, is also fixed at a rate of 2.7 to 1.

Lonely paradise on a Maldive island. Photo by Nattu.

Maldives

This Indian Ocean paradise may be one of the first nations to vanish under the rising waters of climate change – but until that happens, you can still enjoy the Maldivian rufiyaa at a fixed rate of 12.8 to 1 USD.

Belize

A rising star in Central American travel, Belize has pegged its dollar at 2 to 1. Neighboring Venezuela is a little further from the travel mainstream, thanks to the antics of its leader, Hugo Chavez. Still, if you decide to head that way, you’ll find the Venezuelan bolivar fixed at 2.15 to 1.

The Bahamas

As one of the wealthiest nations in the Caribbean, the Bahamas aren’t necessarily cheap. They are, however, stable and predictable: the Bahamian dollar is pegged to the USD at a rate of 1 to 1.

Residential high-rises in Hong Kong. Photo by Charles Lam.

Hong Kong

One of the great metropolises of the world, Hong Kong is a hectic, brightly-lit intersection of West and East. The HK dollar is pegged to the USD at a rate of 7.8 to 1.

Community Connection

For more information on travel to some of these countries, check out our Caribbean guides to Barbados, Dominica or Bequia, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Matador Network’s also got a guide to Belize’s Caye Caulker, and a few essays about travel in the Middle East: try How Teaching in Oman Taught Me the Shades of Islam, or Hidden Kingdom: Understanding Women’s Rights in Saudi Arabia.

Run, and you’ll have Machu Picchu all to yourself.

Opt out of the convoy of buses that meander up the winding road every day from Aguas Calientes. Walk the Inca Trail instead.

It can still be crowded, but offers you the chance to be the first to visit Machu Picchu that day. On the last morning, trekkers line up at a gate to get their passports stamped.

The gate opens at 5.30 AM. Line up no later than 5 AM to be first in the queue. As soon as the gates open, start jogging – the last stretch of trail takes about an hour and a half to walk, or about 40 minutes to jog.

Instead of stopping at the sun gate to see the sun rise (on a cloudy day you won’t see anything), keep ahead of your trail mates and quickly but carefully make your way down the last stretch.

Photo by Marie Cleland

Try the coolest experience on Lake Titicaca.

At an altitude of 3,810 m (12,500 ft), Peru’s highest navigable lake is also very cold, with an average summer temperature of just 14 degrees celsius.

If you’re motoring out to visit an indigenous community on the islands of Amantani, Taquile or Uros, get the boat’s skipper to drop anchor en route where the water is deep and jump straight off the boat.

It’s refreshing, to say the least, but the cold is fleeting compared to the thrill of swimming at high altitude.

Test your stamina at altitude.

If you want to fully appreciate Peru’s diverse terrain, take a drive up through the Cordillera Blanca mountain range.

A good starting point is Huaraz. From there you can get a guide to take you as high as the altitude of Everest Base Camp (over 5,500 m) to the edge of a glacier, where you can ascend with an ax and crampons.

Photo by Marie Cleland

Surf.

Peru has some of he best and longest lefts in the world. Mancora and Chicama is one of the best known waves, but get crowded. Other less well-known spots might be even better.

Your best bet is always to ask local surfers where to go. One tip: Puerto Inca, pitch camp next to Inca ruins that few tourists even know exist.

This is a photo caption with a link

Get up close to a national treasure.

Lamas and alpacas may have more economic value to Peruvians, but it’s a smaller creature they hold dear to their hearts. While many cats and dogs in poverty stricken areas are left to wander the streets, a little black dog that could have a starring role in the next Gremlins movie is more likely to be found on the couch in a woolly jumper.

The Peruvian hairless dog has been revered for its supposed healing properties since long before the Incas and is said to have a higher body temperature than other dogs (it’s even been offered to the White House as an allergy-free First Pooch).

Point your camera in people’s faces without intruding.

Not all locals relish the attention of tourists’ lenses. However, if you’re fascinated by foreign cultures it can be hard to resist capturing the intriguing faces and exotic clothes of the people you see along the way.

Time your visit then, for a cultural festival. Dancers dressed in all their finery are expecting to capture people’s interest, so you won’t need to be covert in your snapping, and you might even encourage some shameless posing.

See ancient artifacts before they all wind up in museums.

Peru is to modern-day archaeology what Egypt was to archaeology in the 1920s when the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb drew international attention.

The world is only now cottoning on to just how much material wealth exists in Peru – key sites from past cultures such as the Moche, Chavin, and Nazca can often be explored away from the tourist crowds.

Chauchilla cemetery near the famous Nazca Lines is an extraordinary expanse of human remains, with some intact burials and scores of bones and scraps of clothing lying scattered on the dry rocky terrain for 2km.

Chavin de Huantar’s impressive stone buildings, used for ceremonial and residential purposes, are still standing, but the modern town sees so little traffic that pigs, donkeys, cows and dogs still wander the streets.

Photo by Marie Cleland

Visit the other Galapagos.

Check the marine life at the Ballestas Islands off Paracas. These rocky strips of beach are heaving with the sea lions and the rusting hulks of old mining machinery are now overrun by colourful Incan terns.

With Humboldt penguins bobbing in the water and the curious outline of the Candelabrum engraved on a huge scale in a hillside – this area, the “poor man’s Galapagos” is far away from the crowds.

Night-hike in the Amazon.

However you get there–through local guides or a tour company–complement any day trekking you might do with a night expedition.

Within only a few hundred metres of an established jungle camp, you’ll come face-to-face with creatures you would otherwise miss during daylight hours: tarantulas, snakes, frogs, even marsupials if you’re lucky.

Community Connection: Planning a Peruvian trip? Check out Matador’s Inca Trail hiking guide. And if you’re planning to hang around longer, a number of Matador organizations offer volunteer opportunities in Peru, including Inka Magik, The Ayni Project, and Carisma Peru.

These earthy wines, whose color is reminiscent of the orange-red soil of the region, inspired me to visit the wilds of the Corbieres. There I found more great wine, good food, incredible places for walks and hikes, and a stunning history, that of the Cathars.

In the middle ages, particularly the 12th and 13th centuries, the Cathars were a spiritual-religious group of people all across France who interpreted Christianity differently from the surrounding Catholic orthodoxy. They were especially concentrated and well-received in the south, in and around the Languedoc-Roussillon region.

They followed what they saw as a more authentic spiritual path, one that held the sensory and material world as the deception of a false god, not a divine creation. The path out of this deception was to deny the material world its power, to live a simple life, and to focus on one’s spiritual origins.

Woven into these fundamentals were the practice of vegetarianism, equality of the sexes, belief in reincarnation, and forsaking material consumption for power and display.

Photo by Beebe Bahrami

In Languedoc, the Cathars were protected by the count of Toulouse and permitted to carry on their ways, unlike in other parts of France where Catharism was treated as heretical. This held until the early 13th century when the Cathars were deemed too successful and independent.

Both the king of France and Pope Innocent III wanted dominion over them: what they really wanted was possession of the south. Together, king and pope came down on the Cathars in a crusade, Christian against Christian, massacring anyone in their path.

Called the Cathar Crusade or the Albigensian Crusade, after the southern city of Albi, this is one of the darkest marks in the history of France and of Christianity.

Today, there is still a somber and mournful feel to the sites. As you travel through a vast sea of vineyards and rolling hills, you encounter countless crumbling castle-fortresses on hilltops, reminders of a dangerous past.

There is also a surviving spirit, whispering that the Cathars survived in their own way, and that tolerance is far more valuable than what’s gained through greed and corruption. The Cathars today are something of a romantic group in the country’s imagination. Some people even say there are living Cathars in these remote hills.

Photo by Beebe Bahrami

Here are my recommendations on how to enjoy this region in a low-key and affordable way:

1. You really can’t go wrong on any road you take.

This is especially true if you head from the north around Béziers, Narbonne to Carcassonne, then south to Foix, Limoux, Quillan, Lagrasse, and Durban.

All along the way, vineyards welcome unscheduled drop-in visits and tastings with colorful and often creative roadside signs. You’ll find a warm and welcoming people, so don’t be shy to give it a go and don’t worry if your French consists of the rudiments of the last pages of your travel guidebook. Wine is a universal language and easily understood.

2. Whether you opt to walk, cycle, or drive, follow the Cathar Trail.

The Cathar Trail, or Le Sentier Cathar, gives one of the best cross sections of the Corbieres, not to mentioncovering the major Cathar sites of the wider region. The trail is around 250 kilometers and starts in Narbonne.

It continues to Port-la-Nouvelle, Durban, Padem, Duilhac, Galamus, Bugerach, Quillan, Puivert, Espezel, Comus, Montségur, Roquefixade, and on to end in Foix.

Photo by Beebe Bahrami

3. Take a few detours:
• Renne-le-Chateau, near Couiza, for a seriously New Agey place dedicated to both Mary Magdalene and Cathar history
• Limoux for the warm cheer of the town. Take a picnic lunch along their river, and and try the Blanquette de Limoux, a solid sparkling wine that has absorbed the red mineral of the soil.
• The castle at Arques, offering a lovely drive through low green hills, along valley streams, and deep into that red earth.

4. The entire Aude, of which Corbieres is a part, is dotted with vineyards and little restaurants and cafes advertising the local vintages and fare. Corbieres has a huge variety of terroirs, a fact you’ll easily understand as you wind around its hills, forests, and streams that result in several different growing zones.

Keep your eye open for restaurants and cafes where the locals are gathering; these are a sure sign of a good place.

Some Resources:

The Cathar Way – A Walker’s Guidebook by Alan Mattingly (ISBN: 9781852844868), published by Cicerone Guides.

The Sentier Cathar – In the Footsteps of the Cathars

The Cathars of Languedoc

Matador member toby has blogged about another French wine warren, the Rhone Valley. And Matador contributing writer Craig Martin gets you up to speed on wine know-how in his informative article, How To Drink Wine Like a Pro.

Oeno travelers may like to record their favorite wines and wine experiences in The Little Black Journal of Wine: A Wine Lover’s Record Keeper

Unlike many other Latin American countries, Puerto Rico has a limited transportation system. While publicos (collective vans) can move you from one city to another, getting to the departure point is often difficult and time-consuming, and pinning down a schedule is next to impossible.

Driving the island is the best way to get to know Puerto Rico. At just 100×39 miles, it’s easy to discover almost all that Puerto Rico has to offer in a short period of time.

And what the island offers is extraordinary, especially considering its size. These five best drives will take you from the coast to the island’s interior, showing you the diversity of Puerto Rico’s geography:

• the turbulent waves of the Atlantic north coast
• the smooth as a plate waters of the Caribbean south coast
• the curious karst limestone formations
• the extensive underground cave system
• the dense and lush rainforest
• the desert

The itineraries include starting and destination points, with must-see sites along the route. Some lodging recommendations are also included.

Itinerary One: San Juan-Loiza-Rio Grande

If you want to hang out in the capital for a day or two before renting a car, Old San Juan is a compact, walkable historic center with plenty to see and do.

For an impressive view of the bay, climb to the top of either of the old city’s forts: Fuerte San Cristobal or Fuerte San Felipe (referred to as El Morro). Pass through the only remaining gate of the walled city and stroll along the waterfront “Paseo de la Princesa,” particularly inviting in the evening.

On weekend nights you’ll happen along arts and crafts vendors and musicians on this path. But if it’s daytime and you’re in the mood for art, check out Museo de las Americas, located in the Cuartel de Ballaja building.

And if you’re a late night music lover, no stop to San Juan is complete without a visit to the seedy but perennially popular Nuyorican Café. Celebrity sightings here have included Benicio del Toro and Scarlett Johansson…though not together.

This itinerary takes you to one of the island’s favorite beaches, but if you’re already jonesing for sand and surf, throw a towel down at Escambron (aka “La Ocho”), a small but worthy stretch of beach wedged between Old San Juan and “New” San Juan.

My own favorite though, is Ocean Park, a cleaner and typically less crowded beach in an upscale neighborhood just a couple miles away from the airport. If you decide to overnight before pressing on, check out lodging at Tres Palmas Inn, which is just across the street from the beach.

Photo by Oquendo

Once you’ve got wheels, head out of the city towards Loiza and Rio Grande. You could take the new toll highway, but you’d miss out on some spectacular driving. Instead, turn left on Road 187 before the airport and head through the beachside town of Pinones.

The road is lined with ramshackle kiosks where fried treats are cooked up on wood-burning fires, and if you’re thirsty, look for a man scaling a coconut tree with his machete; he’ll be happy to hack off the coconut’s cap and hand you a refreshing pick-me-up for a couple bucks.

This two lane road is ideal for rolling down the windows and turning up the tunes. Pull off the pavement, though, and you’re in for a real treat: a well worn track runs through the sand dunes overlooking the water and despite the rampant problem of litter, there’s some camera-worthy scenery and plenty of places to pull over to enjoy it.

Back on the pavement and leaving Pinones behind, you’ll cross the Rio Grande and head into the predominantly Afro-Puerto Rican town of Loiza, which has a rich and interesting history. The bridge that brings you into Loiza was constructed in the 1970s; before that, Loiza was geographically isolated and residents had to cross the river on a makeshift ferry.

If you stop here for a couple hours you’ll still get a sense that Loiza is on the geographic and social margins. Check out the small but beautiful church, named for Loiza’s patron saint, Saint Patrick (and ask a local to tell you why).

Ask around for the artist Samuel Lind and visit his studio, which is located in the home he’s been building for years. Lind is a famous painter, sculptor, and lithograph artist.

Head out of Loiza, still on 187, and follow the signs to Rio Grande. After some road that looks pulled straight out of a romantic movie, you’ll break back out onto the highway and find yourself just outside the town that’s home to North America’s only rainforest, El Yunque.

Check out Hal Amen’s The Best Hikes in Puerto Rico Guide for advice about best trails to visit in the park.

Rio Grande’s a good place to call it a day; head up into the hills for Villa Sevilla, a guest house owned and run by proprietors Marina and Wally Lawson. The grounds are rife with plantain, mango, passion fruit, and dozens of other fruits and vegetables, and when you hear the hens clucking you’ll know a fresh egg has just been laid.

Enjoy the salt-water pool and the views from the porch of the Chalet, which is perfect for a small group of friends. The smaller Casita is good for singles and couples. Marina and Wally are attentive proprietors and have been ranked #1 of all 97 B&B lodgings in Puerto Rico for the past two years on TripAdvisor.

Be sure to ask Wally if you can try his homebrew: beer made with passionfruit straight from the vine.

Photo by Coast Guard BM

Itinerary Two: Rio Grande-Fajardo-Guavate-Ponce

From Rio Grande, make your way southeast on Route 3 to Luquillo Beach, consistently ranked by guidebooks as one of Puerto Rico’s best. Luquillo’s waters are typically calm, and the expanse of beach is long, giving people plenty of room to stretch out.

If the afternoon sun has you burned out, drive Route 3 on over to Fajardo and visit Las Cabezas de San Juan, a nature reserve that contains seven ecosystems in a single park. The guides are knowledgeable and while securing entry to the park is onerous (see practical tips), the effort is worth it.

Stick around until dusk and then head out for Fajardo’s bay for a guided kayak trip through the bioluminescent mangroves. Puerto Rico has three of the world’s handful of bio bays, and Fajardo is the best on the main island. You can find a dozen or more operators trying to sell you a trip in the bay’s main parking lot.

Overnight in Fajardo and wake up with an appetite: you’re headed for Guavate, THE place to experience Puerto Rico’s favorite culinary delight: pig on a spit. Take 30 west to 52 south; exit at the sign for Guavate.

The road up to Guavate is lined with kiosks and open-air patios packed with people hungry to chow down on roasted or fried pork and tostones (fried plantains). Cars are parked every which way wherever drivers can find a space; be bold and follow suit.

Head back down the hill and hit the highway, headed southwest on 52 for Ponce, Puerto Rico’s second largest city and the so-called “pearl of the South.” This drive will take you through the mountains, and you’ll notice a drastic change in landscape—from moist and lush to dry and cactus-marked—once you start your descent towards Ponce.

Once in the pearl of the South, take a turn around the main plaza, stopping to see the old fire house, the cathedral, and—my favorite—King’s Cream ice cream (try the coconut and almond—together—they can’t be beat). Tuck in for the night at the historic, family-run and locally owned Hotel Melia (and be sure to enjoy breakfast the next morning on the rooftop terrace).

In the morning, scale the hill with the cross of La Vigia in your sights. If the elevator’s working, ascend to the top of the cross for a sweeping view of the Caribbean; if it’s not, check out the house.

If you’re wondering what else to do in Ponce, check with Quique at the Melia; he’s a friendly person who will go out of this way to help his guests.

Photo by bitshaker

Itinerary Three: Ponce-Guanica-Sabana Grande-Cabo Rojo

Ponce could keep you busy for a couple of days (did you take the trolley tour around town yet?), but head on out to the hills for another Fideicomiso property, Hacienda Buena Vista.

A former coffee plantation, Buena Vista is tucked into a densely forested mountainside just off Road 501, and offers an informative tour of the carefully restored house and the grounds. If you time your visit right, you might just get to try some of the locally made chocolate.

From Ponce, head west on Highway 2 towards Guanica. It was in this town’s bay where the US launched its invasion in 1898. Today, the town has become a little-visited but worthwhile stop for visitors to Puerto Rico’s southwest coast. Guanica is also noteworthy for its dry forest.

Somewhat out of the way, but worth the detour for the religious or simply curious, is the Virgen del Pozo (Virgin of the Well) sanctuary in Sabana Grande. Located on Highway 364, Km 2.4, the sanctuary attracts faithful Catholics asking or thanking the Virgin for miracles.

An entire room is filled with evidence of miracles, including photographs, crutches, medallions, and letters written by people grateful for the Virgin’s intervention.

From here Sabana Grande, make your way southwest, picking up Highway 102. One of the few roads in Puerto Rico that can truly be called an oceanfront drive, 102 winds through old pineapple and sugarcane farms, leaving you on a stretch of two lane road where you’re driving almost level with the ocean.

Cabo Rojo has dozens of roadside kiosks where you can pull over and sample all kinds of seafood treats. Be sure to save this stretch of the drive for the sunset.

Itinerary Four: Cabo Rojo-Rincon

Highway 102 leads you north all the way up the western coast. Take it to Highway 429, which will lead you straight into the popular surfing town of Rincon. While you could spend a day or two just lounging on beaches here, don’t skip the lighthouse at Punta Gorda or the monument to the discovery of Puerto Rico, just north of Rincon in the town of Aguado.

Photo by Oquendo

Itinerary Five: Ponce-Corozal-San Juan

If you’ve had enough of the beach, choose north on Highway 10 instead of west when leaving Ponce, and head into the Puerto Rican interior. The road north will take you through the mountains, near the coffee lands of Jayuya.

You’ll skim the edge of the Rio Abajo State Forest before ending up in Arecibo, home to the famous observatory. While I’d only recommend a stop at the observatory if you’re really into astronomy, Playa Sardinera and the Natural Reserve of Cueva del Indio (Indian’s Cave) are both worth a visit before you head east towards San Juan.

Although you could take the slower, more scenic route, patching together a drive through some back roads between Arecibo and San Juan, Highway 22 might be a better option. If you want one more stop before arriving in San Juan and trying out some of the activities mentioned in Itinerary 1, be sure to swing by the Bacardi factory in Catano. Tours—and two drinks—are free.

After trying out these routes, you’re likely to see why Puerto Rico’s nickname is the “Island of Enchantment.” Sappy? Sure. But it’s also true.

Practical Tips:

*Several airports receive daily flights from the mainland US. The main international airport is located in the capital, San Juan (SJU). Other airports include Ponce and Mayaguez.

*Car Rental: You will need a driver’s license and a valid credit card. Debit cards are not accepted by all rental agencies, so if you’re planning on paying with debit, check with the local rental office before you arrive. A reliable and affordable local company is Charlie Car. With locations throughout the island, Charlie is a locally owned operation that has excellent service.

*Speed limit, distance, and gas: Don’t let the seemingly low prices at the gas pump fool you. Pull out your calculator; gas is measured in liters.

*Tolls: Have some cash on hand while driving; there are some tolls along these routes. For more information about tolls and driving in general, visit the Department of Transportation’s website. The site also has excellent detailed maps.

*Fideicomiso properties: Open only Wednesday-Sunday and rarely answering the phone, the Fideicomiso properties are difficult to get into, but are worth the effort. Call in advance for a reservation and be persistent.

The following ten ski resorts have been selected based on two criteria more important than any other: consistency of good snow conditions, and quality of terrain. Building your trip around any one of these places will make for an epic days this season.

Please ski and ride safely and we’ll see you out there!

10. Kirkwood, CA

Off Tahoe’s beaten-path, Kirkwood is 45 minutes south of the lake and resorts like Heavenly and Squaw. Its location helps thin the crowds, even as Kirkwood receives the most snowfall of any Tahoe resort, averaging 600 inches a year.

When it’s not snowing, it’s probably sunny, as Kirkwood also boasts a healthy majority of bluebird days. Take Wagon Wheel or Cornice Express and slice down steeps, bowls and chutes like The Wall and Cliff Chute.

9. Big Sky, Montana

With 4,350 feet of vertical, Big Sky is one of the largest in the US. It’s also pretty huge in terms of acreage—3,812. Purchase a Big Sky-Moonlight Basin Interconnect ticket and your skiable acreage expands to 5,512, quickly making Big Sky/Moonlight the country’s largest lift-served resort area.

Ascending the mountain, you can’t help but stare at the sheer face of Lone Mountain, towering ominously in the background, inviting the willing onto its many chutes, bowls and couloirs. While the riding is huge, the crowds and lift lines are virtually non-existent—so if you miss out on any terrain, you can be sure it’s because the resort was just too damn big.

Photo from Silverton Mountain

8. Sunshine Village, AB

One of 3 Banff-area resorts, Sunshine Village is all about imposing terrain and quality powder. Delirium Dive, Wild West and Silver City are free-ride areas offering some of Canada’s most extreme terrain within resort boundaries.

In-bounds backcountry, you’d better bring a riding partner, avalanche equipment and big-time skills. Once in, expect to negotiate cliffs, cornices, steeps and variable terrain. You’ll need to have good timing—these areas are often closed due to high avalanche danger.

Not quite ready for the backcountry? Goat’s Eye Mountain offers slightly-tamer, but still demanding expert options.

7. Powder Mountain, UT

In a state that earned its reputation on snow quality, only one resort is named Powder. Receiving 500 inches of dry Utah fresh a year, Powder also has more accessible terrain than any other resort in the US— 5,500 acres. You’ve never heard it billed this way because the terrain is a combination of lift-served, snowcat and hike-to.

Powder Country offers 1200 acres of hike-to terrain, notorious for having fresh lines even weeks after a storm. A shuttle comes by regularly to carry you back to the base once you’ve hit pavement.

Cat rides run either daily or for just $12 a ride. If you feel like gravity stifles your flow, 20 bucks buys you access to snowkiting terrain via Sunrise Lift.

6. Arapahoe Basin, CO

A-Basin’s altitude at 13,050 feet allows for a lengthy season that often welcomes skiers on Fourth of July. A-Basin also has some of the gnarliest, steepest terrain in Colorado, with 60% of the mountain graded for advanced or expert riders. Last season, the resort nearly doubled its skiable terrain with the addition of Montezuma Bowl on the backside.

While there’s no lodging on the mountain, there is tailgating—a section of A-Basin’s parking lot dubbed “the Beach” is the place to pull up a lawn chair, grill some brats and enjoy like-minded company and sweet mountain views.

Photo from Powder Mountain

5. Kicking Horse, BC

The Horse’s 4,133 feet of vertical is second only to the BC untouchables of Whistler and recently-cut Revelstoke. And that’s not PR-guru spin (i.e. vertical divided among seven base areas). You can drop the full 4,133 in one continuous line, from upper mountain chutes and bowls to lower runs and on to the base.

There are only 5 lifts, so catch Golden Eagle Express Gondola or Stairway to Heaven and choose from 70 chutes, cut across several ridges. Don’t expect smooth turns all the way to the bottom, however; chutes are laden with cliffs, cornices, rocks and other expert fare.

4. Jay Peak, VT

Those who complain that Jay Peak is too cold, windy or isolated don’t come back. The rest of us have different priorities. Priorities like 350 inches of powder, 24 glades and some of the only chutes in the east— numbers that would be impressive in the Rockies; in the east they’re unheard of outside Jay’s boundaries.

For backcountry, find a shred with his thumb out on the side of VT 224; he just tracked a sweet line over Big Jay and should provide some local knowledge. When it’s time to head in, lodges like Grampa Grunt’s (more like a hostel) and Snowshoe Lodge are the closest you’ll find to the Ritz here.

Photo by McPhoto, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort

3. Red Mountain, BC

If you’re in BC and looking for a “scene”, head to Whistler. If you’re looking for pure riding and no hassles, consider Red Mountain your spot. Red’s southern inland location allows for much drier powder than resorts toward the coast. It’s still BC though; Red serves big terrain including glades, cliffs and steeps.

The resort also offers easy access points to 2,500 acres of backcountry. Red has piloted The Mountain Project, a cooperative among the resort, locals and outdoor manufacturers to preserve and sustain true mountain community values and lifestyle, the essence of what we sought to capture on this list.

2. Mt. Baker, WA

If you had to describe Mt. Baker in just one word, it would undoubtedly be SNOW. Last year, Baker was crowned the unequivocal snowfall king with a lofty 641-inch average. The resort also owns the world record of 1,140 inches in a single season. That’s no misprint.

Baker’s appeal doesn’t stop at deep pow; you’ll also find some of the sickest terrain in the lower 48. With gut-churning cliffs, cornices and steeps inside boundary lines, and a generous backcountry policy, Baker will ingrain lifelong memories (and lessons).

Don’t expect any plush amenities—the nearest lodging is 17 miles away in Glacier, ensuring that people who come have but one motivation.

Adult lift tickets run just $43/weekend and $36/weekdays, probably cheaper than your local hill.

1. Silverton, CO

Silverton has taken the vision of a rider’s resort to the next level. There’s a mountain. There’s a lift. And there’s over 1,800 acres of steeps, bowls and chutes. A yurt serves as the base lodge. No grooming. No runs. All terrain is colored black.

Depending upon when you’re there, you’ll have guided or unguided options. Avalanche gear is required. Take THE lift, hike the ridgeline and drop in on the line that looks most promising. A shuttle will pick you up where you land and take you back to start again. Expect to be joined by fewer than 80 others. Epic.

Community Connection

Interested in trying out a new snow sport this year? Thinking you’re finally ready to try telemarking? Check out Chrysser’s First Timer’s Guide to Telemark Skiing.

How about the backcountry? Either way, remember that it’s all about progression and new challenges, but always staying in control.

Feature photo by Gertrud K. Photo above by extranoise.

Hold on to your hunger. Watch the lights change from red to green. The sun has begun to set. Graffiti adorned trains pass by. Gulp down that last drop of boxed wine and head over to the district of Kreuzberg.

This is Berlin.

Berlin is more than just an ever-changing city. This burgeoning metropolis seduces the senses, nurses the creative impulse and makes you yearn to unearth its many secrets. Berlin’s dark past has shaped Europe and the rest of the world, making it one of the most historically interesting cities to visit.

Berlin is also a budget paradise for students, artists and travelers. From free raves in the park to art shows in abandoned kindergartens, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to have the time of your life.

Photo by tochis.

Things you can do for free

1) Be blown away by the ever-evolving pieces in the East Side Gallery.

2) The Reichstag, in all its glass-domed glory, is considered to be one of the city’s most significant landmarks. The entrance to this location is free but often crowded with tourists. You can avoid the crowd if you head here on Sunday or mid-week evenings.

3) Sit on one of the giant swings located atop one of the hills Mauer Park during sunset with a carton of wine (.80 Euro cents) and good company.

4) Head over to the the Volkspark in Friedrichshain on Sundays and you’ll often find yourself in the midst of a raging rave.

5) Get lost in the maze of the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe site. It’s best go here during the evenings, where the glow of the TV Tower (Fernsehturm) will light the way.

The beauty of this historically scarred city is that it entices you to look beyond the beaten down facades or the graffiti strewn walls to find the hidden gems of the city. In Berlin, anything is possible at any given moment and for any given budget.

Photo by Gianni D..

Accommodation

You’ll always find people eager to not only let you surf their couch, but also show you the best of Berlin. Join the Berlin Couchsurfing group, post questions, or find someone to hang out with for the day.

Numerous budget hostels in Berlin range from 10 to 20. Fun and lively hostels that won’t drain your savings are: The Circus Hostel, Citystay Hostel and the Heart of Gold Hostel. If “dirt-cheap prices” are all you care about then the seedy and rowdy scene at the A&O Hostel is where you want to go.

Districts

Mitte
One of the favored (and overpriced) areas for tourists, Mitte is divided into the the affluent locals in the Friedrichstrasse and Unter den Linden section whilst the younger, student crowd is situated towards the north.

Prenzlauer Berg
Prenzlauer Berg at the northern section of Mitte, is known for the “BoBo’s” (Bourgeoisie Bohemians) and is becoming one of the city’s favored districts for expats, artists, and young families.

Friedrichshain
Initially founded as a workers’ district in the 1920s, Friedrichshain is now known as the place for avant-garde culture, beatniks and fashionistas.

Kreuzberg
Considered to be the non-conformist centre of the city, Kreuzberg is a melting pot of artistic, multi-cultural folk, with strong left political sentiments.

Photo by Stürmifüdle.

Nightlife

Berlin nightlife is truly unique. Locals make it their mission to come up with bizarre events, from kooky ping-pong bars to secret raves (known as Geheimtip).

Dr. Pong’s
Danziger Str.
U2 Eberswalder Str.

This grungy bar is reminiscent of underage parties in your grandmother’s basement. The ping-pong table sees a lot of action.

Sexy Döner: www.sexydoener.de

“Döner Parties” are the most popular underground way to enjoy the night. The location is constantly changing, but if you see a long line of people waiting by the Döner shop, it’s often not only because they make a wonderful Durum.

Usually held at the back or in the basement of these popular shops areDJ’s spinning. The most common locations have been in Kreuzberg’s “Baghdad” (U8 Schlesistor Station) and Friedrichshain’s “Oktagon” (S-Bahn Warschauer Str.) Döner shops. A great way to get the inside track is to ask the Berlin hipsters about “Sexy Doner” and they’ll often happily direct you to this unique, albeit quirky, activity.

Photo by Helmers.

Eating

Berlin has lots of cheap eats. Head over to one of the local “Imbiss” (fast food) shops where you can fill up for less than $5. If cooking is more your thing, then check out the grocery stores Aldi, Lidl, Pennymarkt, Edeka and Plus located all over the city.

Café Morgenrot
Kastanienallee 85
U2 Eberswalder Str.

Home for political activists and hippie artists, Cafe Morgenrot serves a delicious vegetarian breakfast buffet. The best part is that you decide how much to pay! Head over to this left-wing restaurant on Tuesdays and listen to passionate speeches.

Vokus

Vokus are eateries located inside artist squats and cultural centers that offer weekly meals for 1 to 2. It’s also a great way to immerse yourself in the local scene and meet some fellow budget conscious folks. You can check out the different locations at stressfaktor.squat.net/vokue.php?day=all.

Entertainment

An evening with a movie