A short 2 hour flight from Stansted Airport and an hour's flight from Madrid will take you to Santiago de Compostela, the capital of Galicia. From the airport you can catch the local bus right into town for just €3 where there is plenty to see and do. One of the unmissable sights is visit the Catedral de Santiago de Compostela which is the final stop on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, a walking route that can originate in different countries (including France and Portugal) and ends at the cathedral. Entry to the cathedral is free, allowing you to take in the extravagant gothic and baroque architecture. Another must see is las Islas Cies, an island off the coast of Pontevedra and voted home to the best beach in the world by The Guardian in 2007. You can take a train to the town of Vigo and walk to the port where a short ferry ride will take you to the island. Here there is plenty to do. First be blown away by the pristine white sand beaches and turquoise blue water, but you can relax with a good book on the secluded beaches, snorkel and try and identify as different types of fish or hike to the top of the island where the lighthouse is located to take in the breathtaking views of the water and other surrounding islands.

CAT BA ISLAND One of the most popular things to do in Vietnam is to take a boat tour of the famous Halong Bay one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. However, at an average of £150+ boat tours can be pretty expensive and eat quite far into your budget. A friend of mine who used to live in Hanoi recommended that I should instead skip Halong Bay and visit Cat Ba Island instead and I'm so glad I listened to her advice! A short bus ride and ferry away from Hanoi, Cat Ba Island is a small island surrounded by limestone cliffs and mountains and is a much cheaper alternative to taking a tour of Halong Bay! Staying on the Island is incredibly cheap, my hotel room was £4 a night (including breakfast) . Then you can either do a day tour of Halong Bay from here which is much cheaper than the ones you will see advertised in Hanoi. I chose to hire a motorbike and tour the island with a friend I made on the way. We visited Cat Ba National Park which had an entrance fee of 80 000 VND and hiked to the top of the park which gave unimaginable views of the entire island. NINH BINH From Hanoi, you can take a day trip or overnight trip to Ninh Binh getting there either by train or the bus. I would recommend getting the bus since it can pick you up right from your hostel or hotel. When you get there, I would recommend hiring a motorbike to make it easier to get around. I hired was able to hire a motorbike with a full tank from my hostel for 130K VND/£4.30. Things to do: Explored the Ninh Binh and Tam Coc area - The province is beautiful with endless rice fields, definitely explore the area and take in the wonderful scenery. Mua Caves - One of the most famous attractions in Ninh Binh. The attraction is a series of caves and mountains with the most breath taking views of the Tam Coc river. Entrance fee is 100K VND/£3.30). BE AWARE that random people will try to charge you to park as you make your way to the caves, IGNORE THEM as parking is free on the entrance grounds. River Cruise on Tam Coc or Trang An - Trang An is less popular but was one of my favourite activities during my whole trip. The boat tour is 200K VND/£6.60 for 3 hours and there are a few routes to choose from. I went pretty late so I had the whole boat to myself!

The Philippines is hands down my favourite country to travel to, with over 7000 islands to choose from there are all kinds of adventures to experience. I chose to spend my time on the tear dropped shaped island, Siargao Island. An island covered in palm trees as far as you can see, surrounded by crystal clear waters, the best beaches and home to the best people (honestly, people in the Philippines are SO kind it’s unbelievable!) And of course, with the many wave filled beaches, Siargao is definitely a surfer’s paradise! Siargao Island is truly a has a range of different accommodation options, from luxury to mid-range to budget friendly options. I would definitely fall into the budget friendly category. Lampara Siargao I stayed here for three nights at the end of my stay and loved it! I wanted somewhere nice but not too expensive to stay for my last few days on holiday and didn’t regret it at all. Although the prices are low, the hostel definitely has a luxury feel. Newly built (Lampara only opened in February 2019) and aesthetically pleasing, the only thing better than the hostel is the people who stay and work there. Lampara has a real family vibe, which immediately made me feel at home. Everyone eats together, cooks together and the hostel regularly organise activities for everyone to get involved in, such as road trips, boat tours and bonfires. Also, it’s right on the beach! What’s better than leaving your room and walking for two minutes to relax on the beach? Prices: 8 bed dorm - 1050PHP/£15 p/n Glamping tent - 3200PHP/£47 p/n Avocado Tree Hostel I stayed here for two nights in the non air-conditioned room and it was great. Hot showers (which can be hard to find on the island) and friendly people. Each dorm holds 16 people, which makes it really easy to socialise and meet people. 5 minutes after arriving, I had already made friends, made my way to go out for lunch and made plans for the next couple of days! Cost: Dorm room with fan - 600 PHP/£9 per night Dorm with AC - 800 PHP/£12 per night