I spent a week in San Jose and I loved it! We traveled to Limon, Jaco, and Punta Arenas as well. This is definitely a place for people who like adventure, but you can also just come to relax as well. We ziplined, hiked, did speed boats and literally everything else we wanted. The food is great and prices even better. We stayed in an apartment style hotel (apartotel la sabana) which I would definitely recommend. We also did a day trip to a private island which was awesome! There was like a day party on the boat on the way there.
Love Love Love this city! It might be my favorite city ever! There is so much to do and so much food to eat. DO NOT stay in the tourist areas. Go deeper into the city and stay near the locals. Do not be afraid if you don't speak Italian (I am decent in spanish and its very similar so I was able to get around easily). But they are very understanding so just talk with your hands like we do anyway. I love Italian food but if you need a break from it, the kebabs here are great and there is a sandwich place called All’Antico Vinaio that is phenomenal. This is also a great city for you history buffs and art enthusiasts so definitely explore. Everything is pretty much walkable. I stayed for a month and traveled by train to Milan, Pisa, Rome, and the Vatican City. I would recommend Milan especially if you love to shop.
There are soooooo many thing to do here! Definitely venture outside of San Juan. We stayed in Humacao which I loved! I would recommend staying in an AirBnB vs a hotel unless you're staying at a resort. You will get more bang for your buck. Also prepare to have the power go out at least once during your stay. It happens. You must take the ferry to the other islands but if you book early enough (about a month to 3 weeks) you can get a private boat for a decent price. The food is amazing as you would imagine. Rather you enjoy more outdoor activities like hiking or just want to relax on the beach this place is great! Also don't forget to hit the luquillo beach kiosks for food at least once.
Aside from visiting the historical sights and monuments, I found the city to be very dull..at first. But I recommend going outside of the main tourist areas and go to where the Caribbeans and Africans are for the best nightlife and everything else. Just search for that type of food and you'll get there. Once I left the main tourist area is when I really started to enjoy this city. I would recommend trying to go during carnival as well for the best "For the Culture" experience.
This place is gorgeous! I would recommend doing the island tour to see all of the sights including any of the volcanoes. Also I was not a fan of the Blue Lagoon, as they have so many natural hot springs so why go to a man-mad one designed specifically for tourists? It was also too many people. Definitely recommend going to the public pools which was a great experience. I was not a fan of the food so we survived mostly on snacks but the best part about this trip was the relaxation. You can literally just travel around to all of the hot springs and beaches and let the stress melt away. Don't forget to hit the beach to see the black sand!
This city is great for history, but put nicely, locals ensure you are definitely aware of your blackness. They are not always outwardly rude, but I would bet money you will experience several micro-agressions. It's not a bad place to visit but I wouldn't recommend if you are someone who is easily offended or even slightly confrontational.
Phuket is sort of a party destination so there is a lot to do at night. However I was surprised to find there is a lot to do in the day as well, from food tours to thrill adventures like zip lining and 4 wheeling. Everyone was friendly and the prices for food and activities were relatively cheap. Definitely recommend. I recommend booking the speed boat trip to James Bond Island (Ko Khao Phing Kan) and the day tour in Phang Nga Bay.
I spent about a month is Australia and only 1 day in Brisbane. It is a nice relaxing city but not really much to do. However, it is a great location to travel to other nearby cities cheaply. I ended up spending 2 days in Airlie Beach which is a short plane ride from Brisbane. It is also located on the Great Barrier Reef and much less crowded and less expensive than traveling to Cairns to see it. It is also the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands where Whitehaven Beach is. There are plenty of things to do from snorkeling to scuba diving to ocean rafting. Whitehaven beach can only be reached by helicopter or boat and is extremely isolated which to me makes it even more serene and beautiful. Ocean rafting was definitely the highlight of this trip, think white water rafting times 100. It will definitely get your heart racing especially if your captain travels through the "devil's washing machine" which is an area of rough water that made the hour long boat ride to Whitehaven that much more exhilarating. The raft can travel up to 40mph and we were out during a very windy day so it was like riding a roller coaster on the water. I booked with https://oceanrafting.com.au/tours/ and highly recommend them. Airlie Beach is definitely a must stop location if you will be in Cairns or Brisbane.
Auckland is a great location to stay in for traveling around the north island. There are plenty of day tours offered that will pick you up from your hotel/hostel or a nearby location. For the thrill seekers I would definitely recommend the sky jump and skywalk. For you foodies there is also plenty of great sort of hole in the wall spots. But my absolute favorite part of visiting Auckland was staying in the town of Rotorua. I stayed here for about 3 days and loved it! It was so relaxing and the hostel I stayed in was conveniently located, cheap, and clean. Also I had the best burger of my life here. I can't remember the name of the restaurant but it is super small and always has a line outside of it so you can't miss it. Another highlight of this trip was getting to visit a Maori village via the Tamaki Village who sponsor tours and really give you an authentic view into Maori culture. Lunch or Dinner in the village is included depending on what time you go and they also give you a mini lesson on the haka war dance. They are located just outside of Rotorua and when you book a tour you can choose to have transportation pick you up from there. I would highly recommend doing a Maori Village tour with Tamaki.
I stayed in Dubai and only did a day trip to Abu Dhabi. There is so much to do here from visiting the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Yas Island (where Ferrari and Warner Bros World are), Louvre Museum, etc. I definitely wish we had spent more days here, but we were able to briefly stop at all the main attractions thanks to the hop on hop off bus which provided transportation and sightseeing for a cheap price. We also had discounted ticket fees to all the attractions because we purchased a go city pass. I would highly recommend getting a go pass because it definitely saved us money on entrance fees in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. We purchased an explorer pass which lets you choose admission to several attractions across multiple days for one flat fee.
I stayed in Dubai and only did a day trip to Abu Dhabi. There is so much to do here from visiting the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Yas Island (where Farrari and Warner Bros World are), Louvre Museum, etc. I definitely wish we had spent more days here, but we were able to briefly stop at all the main attractions thanks to the hop on hop off bus which provided transportation and sightseeing for a cheap price. We also had discounted ticket fees to all the attractions because we purchased a go city pass. I would highly recommend getting a go pass because it definitely saved us money on entrance fees in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. We purchased an explorer pass which lets you choose admission to several attractions across multiple days for one flat fee.
I spent a week in San Jose and I loved it! We traveled to Limon, Jaco, and Punta Arenas as well. This is definitely a place for people who like adventure, but you can also just come to relax as well. We ziplined, hiked, did speed boats and literally everything else we wanted. The food is great and prices even better. We stayed in an apartment style hotel (apartotel la sabana) which I would definitely recommend. We also did a day trip to a private island which was awesome! There was like a day party on the boat on the way there.
Love Love Love this city! It might be my favorite city ever! There is so much to do and so much food to eat. DO NOT stay in the tourist areas. Go deeper into the city and stay near the locals. Do not be afraid if you don't speak Italian (I am decent in spanish and its very similar so I was able to get around easily). But they are very understanding so just talk with your hands like we do anyway. I love Italian food but if you need a break from it, the kebabs here are great and there is a sandwich place called All’Antico Vinaio that is phenomenal. This is also a great city for you history buffs and art enthusiasts so definitely explore. Everything is pretty much walkable. I stayed for a month and traveled by train to Milan, Pisa, Rome, and the Vatican City. I would recommend Milan especially if you love to shop.
There are soooooo many thing to do here! Definitely venture outside of San Juan. We stayed in Humacao which I loved! I would recommend staying in an AirBnB vs a hotel unless you're staying at a resort. You will get more bang for your buck. Also prepare to have the power go out at least once during your stay. It happens. You must take the ferry to the other islands but if you book early enough (about a month to 3 weeks) you can get a private boat for a decent price. The food is amazing as you would imagine. Rather you enjoy more outdoor activities like hiking or just want to relax on the beach this place is great! Also don't forget to hit the luquillo beach kiosks for food at least once.
Aside from visiting the historical sights and monuments, I found the city to be very dull..at first. But I recommend going outside of the main tourist areas and go to where the Caribbeans and Africans are for the best nightlife and everything else. Just search for that type of food and you'll get there. Once I left the main tourist area is when I really started to enjoy this city. I would recommend trying to go during carnival as well for the best "For the Culture" experience.
This place is gorgeous! I would recommend doing the island tour to see all of the sights including any of the volcanoes. Also I was not a fan of the Blue Lagoon, as they have so many natural hot springs so why go to a man-mad one designed specifically for tourists? It was also too many people. Definitely recommend going to the public pools which was a great experience. I was not a fan of the food so we survived mostly on snacks but the best part about this trip was the relaxation. You can literally just travel around to all of the hot springs and beaches and let the stress melt away. Don't forget to hit the beach to see the black sand!
This city is great for history, but put nicely, locals ensure you are definitely aware of your blackness. They are not always outwardly rude, but I would bet money you will experience several micro-agressions. It's not a bad place to visit but I wouldn't recommend if you are someone who is easily offended or even slightly confrontational.
Phuket is sort of a party destination so there is a lot to do at night. However I was surprised to find there is a lot to do in the day as well, from food tours to thrill adventures like zip lining and 4 wheeling. Everyone was friendly and the prices for food and activities were relatively cheap. Definitely recommend. I recommend booking the speed boat trip to James Bond Island (Ko Khao Phing Kan) and the day tour in Phang Nga Bay.
I spent about a month is Australia and only 1 day in Brisbane. It is a nice relaxing city but not really much to do. However, it is a great location to travel to other nearby cities cheaply. I ended up spending 2 days in Airlie Beach which is a short plane ride from Brisbane. It is also located on the Great Barrier Reef and much less crowded and less expensive than traveling to Cairns to see it. It is also the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands where Whitehaven Beach is. There are plenty of things to do from snorkeling to scuba diving to ocean rafting. Whitehaven beach can only be reached by helicopter or boat and is extremely isolated which to me makes it even more serene and beautiful. Ocean rafting was definitely the highlight of this trip, think white water rafting times 100. It will definitely get your heart racing especially if your captain travels through the "devil's washing machine" which is an area of rough water that made the hour long boat ride to Whitehaven that much more exhilarating. The raft can travel up to 40mph and we were out during a very windy day so it was like riding a roller coaster on the water. I booked with https://oceanrafting.com.au/tours/ and highly recommend them. Airlie Beach is definitely a must stop location if you will be in Cairns or Brisbane.
Auckland is a great location to stay in for traveling around the north island. There are plenty of day tours offered that will pick you up from your hotel/hostel or a nearby location. For the thrill seekers I would definitely recommend the sky jump and skywalk. For you foodies there is also plenty of great sort of hole in the wall spots. But my absolute favorite part of visiting Auckland was staying in the town of Rotorua. I stayed here for about 3 days and loved it! It was so relaxing and the hostel I stayed in was conveniently located, cheap, and clean. Also I had the best burger of my life here. I can't remember the name of the restaurant but it is super small and always has a line outside of it so you can't miss it. Another highlight of this trip was getting to visit a Maori village via the Tamaki Village who sponsor tours and really give you an authentic view into Maori culture. Lunch or Dinner in the village is included depending on what time you go and they also give you a mini lesson on the haka war dance. They are located just outside of Rotorua and when you book a tour you can choose to have transportation pick you up from there. I would highly recommend doing a Maori Village tour with Tamaki.
I stayed in Dubai and only did a day trip to Abu Dhabi. There is so much to do here from visiting the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Yas Island (where Ferrari and Warner Bros World are), Louvre Museum, etc. I definitely wish we had spent more days here, but we were able to briefly stop at all the main attractions thanks to the hop on hop off bus which provided transportation and sightseeing for a cheap price. We also had discounted ticket fees to all the attractions because we purchased a go city pass. I would highly recommend getting a go pass because it definitely saved us money on entrance fees in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. We purchased an explorer pass which lets you choose admission to several attractions across multiple days for one flat fee.
I stayed in Dubai and only did a day trip to Abu Dhabi. There is so much to do here from visiting the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Yas Island (where Farrari and Warner Bros World are), Louvre Museum, etc. I definitely wish we had spent more days here, but we were able to briefly stop at all the main attractions thanks to the hop on hop off bus which provided transportation and sightseeing for a cheap price. We also had discounted ticket fees to all the attractions because we purchased a go city pass. I would highly recommend getting a go pass because it definitely saved us money on entrance fees in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. We purchased an explorer pass which lets you choose admission to several attractions across multiple days for one flat fee.