This map is part of my series about mapping different countries and comparing them with each other against different aspects, from the perspective of a person who has visited them all (188/196 to be precise). After creating the most beautiful countries map, the best food in the world map or even the best quality price countries, this map focuses on the easiest and hardest countries to travel to and to explore as a regular or a budget backpacker. This is a question that I often get from travelers and comparing them to each other will give you valuable information about what to expect. In This Article…1 The Map of the Hardest Countries to Travel to2 The Top Tiers: The Easiest3 The Middle Tiers4 The Hardest Countries5 Conclusion6 Pin to Pinterest The Map of the Hardest Countries to Travel to So from dark red (the most difficult to travel) to dark green (the easiest to travel), here is the map in question. I provide details on my choices […]
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How to Find and Book the Best & Cheapest Accommodation for your Travels
As I keep saying all the time, traveling is not as expensive as people think. Even though accommodation is usually the most expensive chunk of money you will spend out of your daily budget, it will turn out as expensive as you want it to be. There are so many options out there nowadays that you can easily sleep under 30$ a day very comfortably. I’ve been in these types of accommodation non-stop for over 10 years now, which helped me visit 95% of the world’s countries, so I know what I’m talking about. In this article, I rounded up all the tips and tricks out there for you to see the options available and understand you can use them too! I also share valuable tips on how to save money on the biggest websites and how to use them. In This Article…1 Hotel Rooms2 Private Apartments3 Guesthouses & Rooms in Shared Apartments4 Hostels and shared rooms5 Community Hosting6 Overnight Transport7 Sleeping in airports8 Camping9 Which are the […]
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Sochi: The New Pearl of the Black Sea
Sochi is the Biggest resort City in Russia. In fact, it has grown so quickly and well in the past few years that it is a great city in itself and in my opinion only second to St-Petersburg for the most beautiful city in Russia. Sochi was settled by Stalin where he had his private summer house (dacha). But Thanks to the constant efforts by Putin to host big events in the city like the Olympics Games of 2014, the Formula 1 Grand Prix and the FIFA world cup, it is easy to see how the city is important in the eyes of Russians. And you can definitely expect to hear more and more about Sochi as it transforms towards an international holiday destination. In This Article…1 The Miami of Russia2 A 3 Days Itinerary to Sochi3 Top 10 Things to do in Sochi4 Top 5 Restaurants in Sochi5 Top 5 Cafes in Sochi6 Sochi in Pictures7 Pin to Pinterest The Miami of Russia Sochi […]
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How to Find the Best Insurance for Your Travels
Travel Insurance is an essential and important part of travel expenses, yet some people will just ignore it thinking “problems only happen to others”. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Leaving on an international trip will require planning and traveling safely is crucial to keep a peace of mind in any event. I have always had travel insurance for pretty much 95% of all my 10+ years on the road, and do not regret it one minute! Most people are lost when dealing with insurance so I will clear things up in this article in details, covering essentially what you need to know to be prepared and see your options of insurance. In This Article…1 Why do I consider myself a good resource to talk about insurance?2 What exactly is travel insurance?3 Why exactly MUST you get yourself insurance?4 My Personal experience.5 How does the Excess (or Premium) work?6 What to Look For in a Good Travel insurance7 Adventure sports exceptions8 Important note about […]
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The Republic of Abkhazia: An Unrecognized Country That Has a Lot to Offer
Considered by many to be the most beautiful region of the Caucasus with its beautiful semi-tropical sunshine coast and some of the highest mountains in Europe, all packed in a tiny country, Abkhazia has had its share of drama in the past 20 years. No doubt that the beauty and strategic location of this land have played an important role in the long-lasting disputes with Georgia, which led to one of the bloodiest conflicts in the post-soviet area. Nowadays, the country still feels like it’s freshly out of war with destroyed houses everywhere, bullet holes still visible on building facades and very little rebuilt infrastructure. But its Natural beauty definitely compensates for the ruins left behind for the Visitor. In This Article…1 A bit of history2 Ruins and Luxury Cars3 How to get an Abkhazian Visa4 Wines of Abkhazia5 One Week Itinerary around Abkhazia6 My Opinion on Abkhazia7 Top 10 Things to do in Abkhazia8 Top 5 Restaurant in Abkhazia9 Top 5 Cafes in Abkhazia10 […]
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How to Choose the Best Gear and What to Pack for your Travels
Packing the perfect gear for traveling is such big subject with travelers that I had to bring up a post about my personal tips and tricks I learned while on the road all those years to reach all the countries in the world. The general consensus is that most people bring way too much than they really need… Most interrogations are always the same: What type of Luggage should you leave with? what size? Rolling suitcases vs backpack vs hybrid? Carry-on only or check-in luggage? What are the essential things to bring? In this article, I will go through all the options available in details to clear out any doubts you may have and get you ready for your next trip. In This Article…1 My Personal Evolution through the Years2 What types of luggage should you use?3 Size does matter – The 2 Dimension Rules.4 My Current Setup: Minimalism5 Should you bring a daypack?6 Traveling with expensive gear7 Toiletries8 Layering concept9 What Cloth do I bring?10 […]
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How to Choose Your Ideal Travel Destinations
You might have a travel list completely full of travel destinations and places to go, or you might be overwhelmed by the abundance of choice and struggle to make up your mind. In any case, there is a simple process I have developed over my 10+ years on the road to chose my next destinations. Some people frankly don’t plan enough and let themselves go with the flow, which is perfectly fine sometimes. But in my case, I spend a lot of time planning reading and I cannot recommend enough researching on candidate destinations and synchronizing with the best times to go to every part of the world. Doing your homework beforehand you will definitely thank yourself later by enjoying being at the right place at the right time! In This Article…1 How Much Time do you Have2 How Much Money do you Have3 Weather and Seasons Worldwide4 Local Events and Activities5 Planning for Each City6 What About your Next Trip?7 Share Pin to Pinterest […]
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Visiting Paros in Greece: One of My Favorite Island in the World
The title of this article was chosen carefully. I wrote “island” as the capital, Paraika, isn’t anything that special. And “one of my favorite”, because Bora Bora or Tuvalu would take the crown, as “nothing can be greater than paradise”. But as far as the whole island goes, this is very close to perfection! Too many travelers make the mistake to rent a place in Paraika and stay there their whole stay. The best option on Paros is to rent a vehicle at arrival (there are hundreds of companies and many will fish you down at disembarkation of your ferry) and stay at various locations on the way. This island is incredible! I could imagine myself staying here and build one of those little White and Blue house around Naousa and live happy forever. For me, Paros is the perfect example of the “white and blue” towns of the Cyclades, much more than on other islands like Syros, Mykonos or Naxos. The closest comparison I can […]
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Top Things To Do in Syros – a 2 to 3 days Itinerary in a Greek Paradise
This year in Greece I wanted to try something different, a bit off the beaten track so I chose an island in the Cyclades which was not the usual stop for most travelers. Usually, tourists chose the usual 5 to 10 islands such as Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, Crete, or Ios for example. That was risky, because being there in springtime, it could end up being very quiet and most things shut down. But I happen to arrive on Labor day weekend, so I arrived in Syros with all the Athenians leaving the Capital to reach one of their favorite islands. Syros is in fact one of the smallest of the Cyclades, but has the biggest population of all, making it the capital of the Cyclades. I haven’t found much information online about Syros but the little I found stated a little paradise which is unspoiled by international tourists, mostly frequented by Greeks. And what a surprise. This place is stunning! The Capital, Ermoupoli is a […]
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Visiting Piraeus: Unfairly Eclipsed Under the Fame of Athens
Piraeus is like a Porsche standing next to an F1… It wouldn’t stand a chance! Athens is such a behemoth of a city that anything placed next to it would be eclipsed into the shade… and this is a shame because Piraeus would be a great city to spend a few days in when in Athens! Instead, it is considered a little neighborhood that very few tourists will make it to. Or in most cases, it is single arrival/departure port to the Greek Islands. I really enjoyed Piraeus, especially the area around Mikrolimano, this small marina packed with stylish cafes and restaurants overlooking the yachts in the marina. This port has a lot of history in itself when it was made the official port for the Athens fleet back 500 B.C. Just walking around the area you can see archeological searches being done in the middle of busy streets (see photo below). There’s a nice little beach south of Mikrolimano where you can enjoy a swim with […]
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