Bolivia, Potosi

One of our trip highlights was visiting the cooperative mines in Potosi.

We did an English speaking tour with Andes Salt Expeditions who were excellent.
We payed 50 bolivianos each.

We started the trip being issued overalls, a hard hat and electric light.
You then visit the miners market where you need to buy dynamite, coca leaves, alcohol and cigarettes to give to the miners. Don't be shy, buy what you can as they really appreciate the gifts.
We were then taken up near the mine entrance and watched a dynamite explosion- cool!
The guide, an ex-miner then takes you through the mine where you get to watch miners at work and see the conditions they work under. All the stuff bought from the miners market is pooled together and given out during the trip. It can be very cold at the entrance but very hot inside the mine so plan your clothing accordingly.
We bought bandanas from the local market which was good to keep out the dust. You can also get flimsy dust masks from the miners market.

We also visited the Museo & Convento de Santa Teresa, a restored convent. You need to take a guided tour which was good but long.

We also visited the Casa Real de la Moneda, the old Potosi Royal Mint. Had a very interesting but also long guided tour.

Had bad food at Cherry's Salon de Te on Padilla.

Cafe Candelaria opposite the Casa de la Moneda had good breakfasts and cozy internet upstairs.

We went to a peña at Cafe-Restaurant Potocchi which was Ok but nothing special.

We had a fantastic meal at Sumac Orcko on Quijarro. Huge portion of pique macho with llama meat, more than enough for 2.

The best way to get to Sucre is by shared taxi. We went to the Sucre bus station and were mobbed by taxi drivers. We payed 25 bolivianos each for the 3 hour ride to a hotel in Sucre.

Bolivia, Uyuni, Salar de Uyuni and South-West Circuit

A 4x4 trip across the Salar de Uyuni and through the remote South-West of Bolivia has been one of our trip highlights.

Most tours start in Uyuni where it's cheaper to organise than La Paz or elsewhere.

We travelled to Uyuni from La Paz. We found the best way was a combination bus / train.
There is a Expreso del Sur train that leaves Oruro for Uyuni at 15:30 on Tuesday (used to be Monday but has changed) and Friday which gets to Uyuni at 22:30. We booked the ticket in La Paz at the office of FCA on Guachalla 494. You can book the ticket on the day when you arrive in Oruro but it's probably better in advance so you avoid the scrum at the train station. We booked a salon ticket which cost 45 bolivianos and the train was comfortable - even heated! The food for sale was also good.

The other option is by bus on a very bumpy road which only gets into Uyuni at 4am which is a pain to find accommmodation and you'll be tired so enjoy the train if you can.

In order to get to Oruro you need to take a bus from La Paz's main Terminal de Buses. There are a few different buses that leave for Oruro at 10:00 and cost between 15 and 30 bolivianos. We took a Felix bus for 15 bolivianos that took 3 hours. On arrival they tried to charge some other passengers extra for luggage but just fob them off. A taxi from the bus station in Oruro to the train station cost 5 bolivianos with bargaining.

When you arrive at the train station you can store your luggage in the luggage compartment and get a receipt.

When you arrive in Uyuni there will be a major scrum to get your luggage.
Tip: leave the train as soon as you can and go to the back of the train where they are unloading the luggage. Stand as close as you can to the station building close to the railing between you and the luggage. Once all the luggage is off the train, they open the railing and you go into a room and identify your luggage and show the recepit before leaving the building. If you're early in the queue you will have more choice of accommodation in Uyuni when you exit the station and start looking before everyone else. Hotel Avenida where we stayed is a good spot and near the train station.

We booked our trip with Cordillera Tours (02-6933304, cordilleratravel_927@hotmail.com) a few doors down from Hotel Avenida. We'd found good reviews on the web even though they are not in any guidebooks we saw. We also spoke to a returning group who said they were good.

We opted for a four day trip returning to Uyuni but many people do a 3 day trip and cross over to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile. From here it's apparently easy to get to Argentine if that's where you're heading.

We had to return to Uyuni to see more of Bolivia from there but it would be much better to plan your trip so you end your Bolivian leg with this tour and head onto Chile or Argentina as the last day and a half spent coming back to Uyuni was not as interesting.as the rest.

The first day we started by visiting the train cemetary which is very photogenic. Ask that the tour company does this first as many only do it when returning to Uyuni and you'll miss out if you finish in San Pedro. The rest of the day was spent on the amazing Salar de Uyuni seeing the sites and staying in one of the salt hotels. Cordillera is one of the few operators to offer this. The hotel was comfortable and warm. Hot showers were available for 5 bolivianos.
The second day was spent driving through the dramatic scenery of the south-west seeing plenty of lagoons with flamingos and llamas and vicuñas. We were told to expect very basic accommodation near Laguna Colorado for the second night but it wasn't as bad as we expected. We stayed in a basic dormitary with the 6 people in our group and had OK loos. It may be pot luck where you stay so maybe we were lucky.
The third day has an early start and more amazing scenery, geysers and hot pools before stopping at Laguna Verde where we dropped off the people heading for Chile. We then joined another 4x4 and driver and people from 2 other groups for the trip back to Uyuni. Our new driver wasn't as clued up and some of the other people who we joined up with said their accommodation with their groups had been terrible and they had payed the same as we had. The third night was spent in a family run place with basic accommodation. We actually moved places as the first was very basic and Cordillera had said we would have a double room which the first place didn't have. A bit of gentle persuasion and the driver found somewhere else that was much nicer. The last day was spent driving back to Uyuni. Our new driver managed to run out of petrol on the way so you can never be sure what happens.
Everything depends on the driver and his mood so unfortunately it's a bit of gamble.

Our first driver, Javier was excellent. He had lots of useful information in Spanish if asked but don't expect a tour guide for the trip.

Many of the other tours had a driver and his wife as a cook but we think it's better if you only have a driver as it gives you another seat in the 4x4 and the food is going to be the same whether the husband or wife cook.

We had 6 people for the first 3 days and then 7 for the trip back to Uyuni.

We payed US$70 for the trip, the people who went to San Pedro payed US$65 including the bus to San Pedro.
We got them to include a sleeping bag for the second night when it is freezing cold.

All meals were included which were actually quite good. You need to take your own water.
Take some extra snacks as sometimes breaks between meals are long.

There was an extra 10 bolivianos to pay on the Salar de Uyuni and 30 bolivianos park fee for the Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa.

Make sure you charge your camera batteries before you start and have lots of memory card space or video tapes as there's lots to photograph.

Uyuni
A cold dusty little town but you'll have to pass through to start your tour.

Minuteman Pizza next to the Toñito Hotel has fantastic pizza and a great warm welcome from the friendly owners. Their breakfasts were great, especially the pancakes. They also have a book exchange.

Restaurant 16 de Julio on the square had OK breakfast but painstakingly slow service, it's better to eat at the small place on the square next to it.

We went by bus from Uyuni to Potosi.
There are lots of different companies at the bus station offering the same service who leave either between 09:30 and 10:00 or in the evening. It's a winding 6-7 hour trip so going by day means you arrive at a reasonable time. It should cost between 20 and 25 bolivianos.

Bolivia, La Paz

La Paz is in a beautiful setting in a canyon with snow-capped peaks around but the city itself is quite dirty and polluted.

Any walking will involve lots of steep hills so hopefully you will be acclimatised to the altitude before you arrive or take it easy at first.

Go and see pretty Plaza Murillo and its grand buildings and also walk up Calle Jean with great colonial buildings.
The Prada is the main street of the city but doesn't really have much to offer.

The Coca Museum on Calle Linares off Sagarnaga is good and interesting.

The Witches Market is not as sinister as it sounds but you get to see plenty of Llama foetuses for sale.

One of the highlights of our trip was mountain biking down the World's Most Dangerous Road.
We decided to go with Gravity Assisted Mountain Biking as they have the best reputation and didn't dissapoint.
Many other companies do the same trip and some cheaper but Gravity were professional, safe, had great bikes and were worth the money.
The basic cost for the 64km ride from La Cumbre to Corioco descending 3,600m is US$50. We decided to upgrade the bikes for an additional US$18 which was a great idea as the additional rear suspension was really comfortable. You can also choose to hire goggles, waterproof jacket and waterproof trousers for US$2 each.
On our ride it poured with rain so all the extra gear was worth it. We were still completely soaked but during the ride the water repellant trousers and pants were very comfortable and helped against the weather. Other people who we've spoken to say there's lots of dust when it's dry so the gear works as well.
There were three good guides, one of them always a native English speaker who were very interesting, safety-minded, helpful and fun. You stop about 16 times on the way down to re-group so you won't be left alone. They did their best to warn of traffic on the road but you do need to be careful. The actual riding wasn't difficult and as long as you're a careful you will have a great day. They provide water and snacks along the route.
There is a small uphill section which is hard at altitude. You can get in the bus and drive up the section or decide to go on the bike. We wanted to enjoy the day thoroughly and so weren't bothered in the least to sit in the bus and watch the others struggle.
You can also choose to buy a CD with photos of the day and best of photos for 40 bolivianos or US$5.
Wear your worst clothes as you will either get soaked or covered with dust. Take extra shoes to wear when you are finished.
The ride finishes near Corioco and you go to Hotel Esmerelda where lunch and hot showers are included. Many people chose to stay here and then go onto the jungle in Rurrenabaque or return to La Paz on a later day. We came back on the same day.
You may need to book in advance which you can do on their website or at their office where they have a book exchange. You also get a t-shirt included in the price.

Unfortunately we didn't find many good restaurants in La Paz but can recommend a few.
If you're tired of rice and potatoes, Yusuf, a Lebanese restaurant on Sagarnaga was great and had a mixed platter enough for 2 for 38 bolivianos.

Hotel Tambo Colonial has a fantastic continental buffet breakfast open from 7am for 19 bolivianos.

Angela Colonial near the Coca Museum has great decor and was good fora drink, didn't try the food.

There are lots of places on Calle Llampu which have great cheap take-away empanadas.

There's a little local spot on Sagarnaga just above Calle Llampu on the right which had cheap and tasty meat and chicken.

See our Uyuni, Salar de Uyuni and South-West Circuit post for information on how to get to Uyuni.

Bolivia, Copacabana

Copacabana is on the Bolivian side of beautiful Lake Titicaca.

There is no ATM in Copacabana so if coming from Peru withdraw enough soles in advance or have dollars to change. If coming from Bolivia, have enough cash or dollars to last. The money change rates at the border and in Copacabana were the same.

Internet access is very expensive, 14 bolivianos / hour.

We did a day tour to the Isla del Sol. We payed 20 Bolivianos for the boat transport which took us to the northern part of the island at Cha'llapampa. There is a 5 bolivianos entry fee for the museum and also allows you to see the ruins. We walked to the ruins and the Rock of the Puma and in total it was a pleasant 3.5 hour walk down to the southern part of the island at Yumani where the boat picks you up. This is where the Incas believed the sun was born so you definately need good suntan lotion and a hat as the sun is extremely strong at this altitude. There were no restaurants at the actual port of Yumani but some further up the hill so don't walk all the way down the steep hill to the bottom if you need some food.
There are only two companies who do the same trip so it doesn't matter who you book with. We went with Titicaca tours.

Copacabanas beach isn't the same as Rio's but great for sunset. The trucha (salmon trout) sold in the small eateries along the beach were great. 15 bolivianos for a fish enough for 2.

Restaurant Vegetariano Kala Uta which is raved about in guidebooks wasn't particularly good. The service was unbelievably slow and the pizza made on bread rather than pizza bases.

Our favorite place was Mankha Uta on Ave. 6 de Agosta, half a block from the lake.
They have a TV lounge where you can choose movies and watch only paying for food and drinks. The staff are very friendly and inside it is cosy and warm. Their breakfasts were good as were the salads.

For drinks, we had a good time at Waykys, a reggae style bar but with mixed good music on the corner of Ave 16 de Julio and Ave. Buchs

We travelled to La Paz with TransTurs 2 de February but Trans Manco Kapac is the same. They have various departures during the day and cost 15 bolivianos. The bus drives to Tiquina and then goes on a small ferry across the straight. Passengers must take the small passenger ferry boats for an extra 1.50 bolivianos which take 10 mins. Everyone gets back on the bus and you head off to La Paz. Collectur and other tour busses do the same trip and all leave at 13:30 and cost 25 bolivianos.

Peru, Puno

Puno is on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca.

We did an afternoon tour to see the funery towers at Sillustani. It was OK but we've seen so many Inca ruins elsewhere that it wasn't so impressive. The tour cost 20 soles.

We did an great overnight tour to some of the islands on Lake Titicaca.
We were picked up at our hotel and taken to the boat. First stop was the Uros floating islands after 30 mins. Quiet touristy but interesting. The boat then took 2.5 hours to get to Amantani. We were divided up amongst the villagers and had a late lunch. The accommodations are basic but comfortable. Toilets were outside and there were no showers. Beds were comfortable and had warm blankets. The simple vegetable meals were tasty. We then walked to the top of a hill which had a fantastic view over the island and the lake. We had dinner with the family and then were dressed up in local costume and went to a local hall for a local dance. Not actually as cringing as you may think and was quite fun if you enter into the spirit (beers are available for sale!).
Breakfast was served and then we went to Taquile, another island and walked around. the local men and women have interesting costumes. Lunch was served at a local restaurant. Lunch was included in our ticket but others had to pay between 10 and 12 soles depending on what they had. It's definately better to have the lunch included in your ticket. The boat then took 3 hours to get back to Puno.
You definately need good suntan lotion and a hat as the sun is extremely strong at this altitude.

The tour cost 60 soles. We booked both tours through friendly Kingdom Travel on Calle Lima. Ask for a discount from the rack rates.

We found two great spots for breakfast. Cheap, friendly and quick had good cakes and are open from 6am. Smarter Ricos Pan on Calle Lima had a good value American breakfast which was enough to share.

Puno has cheaper international telephone calls than Cusco. Most places seemed to charge 0.50 soles per minute to Europe and the USA.

We then travelled to Copacabana, Bolivia. The cheapeast and easiest was with Colectur on Calle Tacna near the Mercado Central. The ticket cost 12 soles and many agencies use the same bus and just charge more. They stopped at the border and you can change money and do the Peruvian formalities and walk over the border and do Bolivian immigration. The bus then continues the 8km to Copacabana.

There is no ATM in Copacabana so withdraw enough soles in Peru or have dollars to change. The rates at the border and in Copacabana were the same.

Peru, Cusco

See our other post for Machu Picchu.
Cuzco is one of our favourite cities. Unfortunately enjoying Cuzco is going to cost you more than in other parts of Peru but it's a beautiful city with lots to offer so just be prepared to spend a little more and enjoy this beautiful city.

Cuzco is also high up so don't overexert yourself for the first few days. Drink lots of mate de coca (coca tea) to help with the altitude and take it easy.

In order to visit any of the historical sights you need to buy a Boleto Turistico. You can either get a complete ticket for 70 soles or a one day ticket for 40 soles.
You'll never see all the sites in a day which include a few of the museums in Cuzcom the sacred valley sites of Pisac and Ollantaytambo and also Saqsaywaman near Cuzco so you'll need to buy the 70 soles ticket. You can only visit each site once.
You can buy the Boleto Turistico on Av. Sol just below the Plaza de Armas.

Saqsaywaman is a steep walk or a 5 soles taxi from town and has a great view over Cusco. The walk down is much easier than up!

The dance show included in the ticket at the Centro Qosqo de Arte Nativo Danzas Folkloricas on Av. Sol is worth going to. The show starts at 7 but you need to be there by at least 6:30 to get a seat.

La Catedral on Plaza de Armas is not included in the Boleto Turistic but of course there is another Religious Tour of Cuzco ticket. You can either buy a single entry ticket to one of the cathedral, San Blas church or the Archbishops Palace for 12 soles or pay 15 soles for a ticket to all three.
The cathedral has a guided tour which is included in the price. We had the strangest guide - definately missing a few marbles which caused all the other groups to stare and laugh at us but what he had to say was interesting but he did ask for a 10 soles tip at the end.

The Museo Inka, a block northeast of the Plaza, is excellent and costs 5 soles.

We did a day tour to see the Sacred Valley which was great. The trip went to Pisac where you could either go to the market or see the ruins above the town. Then to Urubamba for lunch and onto the ruins of Ollantaytambo and then to see the church in Chinchero. We booked through Naty's Travel on Triunfo and it cost US$10. We were told it would be an English only group but it was English and Spanish but the guide was very enthusiastic. Make sure you specify you want an English tour otherwise you may be stuck in a tour that is supposedly bilingual but the guide talks for 10 minutes in Spanish and then says 2 sentences in English.
The only problem was lunch. We were assured that there would be lots of places to eat in Urubamba but there was only a tourist restaurant with a buffet for 20 soles a person or an expensive a la carte menu. Either bring your own lunch, pay the 20 soles or have it included in the tour for less than at the actual restaurant.

Coricancha, the old Inka temple which now has Santo Domingo church on top of it has a museum which is included as part of the Boleto Turistica but the actual Coricancha complex is separate and quite interesting costing 6 soles.

Cuzco is great for shopping, you can get all the handicrafts you want here.
We found the best place to be the Mercado Central de Artisanal which seemed to have better bargaining prices than closer to the center.

The Post Office run by Serpost was very efficient for sending international parcels. Don't pack things beforehand as they have to be inspected for customs although this was just a quick glance over. There is a packing service and they charged 8 soles to pack our 15 kg up well.

The prices for international parcels to Europe are (in soles):

	1st class (air)	2nd class (ship)
3kg	201	125
3-5kg	256	161
5-10kg	385	270
10-15kg	599	359
15-20kg	770	449
20-25kg	873	552
25-30kg	1044	570

Taxis are everywhere in Cusco at all times. They all should charge between 2 and 3 soles for anywhere in town depending on the time of day or night. Check the price first before getting in.

International Net2Phone calls are about 1 Soles per minute to Europe and USA. There is a call place diagonally opposite Jacks on Choquechaca which had calls to South Africa for 1.50 soles and a nice private call booth at the back. Puno has Net2Phone calls for .50 Soles a minute.

Eating and Drinking:
For take-away or cheap eat-in burger type food try the small shops on Plateros near the Plaza.
La Hosteria also on Plateros has a good menu at 13 soles with good cakes and friendly service.
Mi Vallecha, Calle Alto 166 near Plaza San Blas must be one of Cuzco's best eateries. Great food at a cheap price. The Avocado Queen was great as was the barbeque Alpaca.
The Muse above Plaza San Blas is good for chilling out, they do a great Pisco Sour.
Chez Maggy on Procuradores has three branches, the one we went to had good food and a big Mexican lunch menu, also enough for 2
Los Perros on Tecsecocha is a great bar / restaurant with a great ambience and music and excellent but slightly more expensive food.
Excellent pizza in a cosy place can be found at Bavieca on Tecsecocha near Los Perros.

For Breakfast:
Trotamundo's on Plaza Mayor has a good special breakfast which is good to share for 2. They have a good internet cafe as well.
Jacks on Choquechaca is also very good. All breakfasts are big enough to share.
El Buen pastor on Cuesta San Blas is also great for cheap pastries and empanadas. Service is a little slow.
La Tertulia on Procuradores has a breakfast buffet but this is not an actual buffet and is brought to your table. You can order one for 2.

We travelled to Puno with an Ormeño bus which left from the Terminal Terestre. We booked the ticket at the terminal. The asking price was 35 soles but we managed to get it for 30 soles. There are cheaper tickets with other companies but the Ormeño bus had huge business class airline seats with a TV, toilet and snack served on board. There is a 1 sol departure tax. It takes about 6 hours to Puno.

Peru, Machu Picchu

No trip to Peru is complete without visiting Machu Picchu. It is so special that this is where we got engaged!

We recommend staying in Aguas Calientes, the closest town to Machu Picchu for a night so you don't have to do it all in one day and can have some time at the site before the tour groups arrive.

Unfortunately getting to Machu Picchu is going to cost you. There are only two ways to get there. Either walk the Inca Trail which takes either 2 or 4 days. We have had good reviews for SAS from people who've done it but can't vouch for them ourselves.
The only other option is to take the train with Peru Rail.
There are a few trains a day that make the 3 hour trip from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes.
The cheapest is the backpacker train which costs US$65.45 return and leaves Cuzco at 06:15 and returns from Aguas Calientes at 15:55. You do get a snack and a hot drink. Take warm clothes as the train is cold.

The other option is to go a Sacred Valley tour and be dropped off at Ollantaytambo and spend the night. There are cheaper trains from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Caliente. See the website.
You could of course go the luxury route and take the Hiram Bingham train for US$476 but at least dinner and a few drinks are included!

You need to book the train tickets at Huanchac Train Station but the train actually leaves from San Pedro station. The ticket queues are long and the process very slow so allow about an hour. You need your passport.

Once you've arrived at Aguas Calientes, you need to buy your ticket to the site. This can only be done in the town and not at the site entrance itself so buy this before going up. There is a ticket office next to the church on the main square. The ticket costs US$25 (77 soles). The office is open early before the first bus goes up but we bought ours the day before just in case.

Then you need to take a bus up to Machu Picchu itself. This costs US$12 (80 Soles) return. The first bus leaves from Shuttle Bus Road (you should see the buses lined up) at 5:30 and you can either buy your ticket in advance or when you get there. You can't take large rucksacks into Machu Picchu and there is a cloak room where you can leave your bags for 5 soles. The site itself opens at 6am.

Once in Machu Picchu, follow the red trail which takes you around the site. When we arrived the whole place was covered in fog so we couldn't see a thing but during the morning the fog cleared and it is truly amazing. Don't just sit above the site at the Hut of the Caretaker of the Funerary Rock (the spot with the classic postcard view) waiting for it to clear. Head down and go along the red trail and at least see everything close up before there are too many people around. We didn't bother climbing Huanya Picchu because it was foggy so we wouldn't have seen anything.

Buses queue up to take you down when you're finished.

Fancy Hotel Machu Picchu Ruinas is at the entrance. They do an expensive buffet lunch or you can go to the a la carte restaurant next door which is nicer and doesn't have a canteen feel. We did splurge and have some bubbly as we had just got engaged!

There are lots of restaurants in Aguas Calientes but unfortunately you can get very bad service and prices. Touts lure you into a restaurant and offer you a 3 beers for the price of 1 special but then charge you 15 soles which is exactly the same as ordering 3 beers at 5 soles. Ask in advance. Also we had at least 2 places add a 10% "tax" at the end of the bill. This is actually a service charge and you can ignore it unless you really want to tip. The places we went to didn't deserve a tip at all.

Peru, Puerto Maldonado - Amazon Basin

Not much to do here other than see the jungle. You have two options, either book accommodation and tours at a jungle lodge or hire an independent guide.
We were approached at the airport and in town by a few guides touting their services. They wanted to charge $35 a day. Some seemed organised and knew what they were talking about but it's difficult to know who you can be sure of. Accomodation and food is normally very basic.

We ended up booking at a lodge which was great but obviously more expensive.
See our accommodation post for info.

There was good internet at ZonaVirtual near Plaza de Armas.

We had a superb pizza at Pizzeria El Hornito on the Plaza de Armas.

If you take a tour with a lodge transport to and from the airport should be included.
We made our own way into town and a autorickshaw cost 7 soles.
The domestic departure tax was 12 soles.
There are a few overpriced shops in the small airport.

Peru, Lima

We didn't have much time here and spent most of it sitting in Lan Peru's offices trying to get them to sort out our flight that they had cancelled.

We stayed in Miraflores which is an upmarket suburb and very nice. Take a walk to see the sea.
There is a shopping and eating with a cinema with English films place perched on the cliff.
We had a fantastic Chef's Salad at La Crepe Bretonne here and there are cheaper take-away options.

In the center of Miraflores we had a great very cheap menu of the day with ceviche at Restaurant Cevicheria "Aventuras Marinas" on either Manuel Bonilla or Esperanze, somewhere around there.

We went to Lima center which is very different from Miraflores. There are lots of buses or shared taxis for 8 soles.
We went to see the Franciscan Museum which was interesting with its catacombs and loads of bones!

There is a huge shopping center called Jockey Plaza if you need a mall.

To get from the airport there is a very efficient bus which was still running at midnight when we arrived. It cost 30 soles and drops you off at your accommodation. We had a friendly driver who even helped us find accommodation when what we had booked was closed. Taxi's from the airport were much more expensive.
We booked a taxi back to the airport as we had an early flight. This cost 25 soles from Miraflores. It will be cheaper if you can hail one on the street.
The domestic departure tax from Lima was 18 soles.
The airport is modern with bookshops, souvenir shops and take-away food.
There are ATM's in international arrivals that dispense soles and US dollars.

Mexico, Mexico City

Mexico City is enormous but luckily is easy to get around.
The metro is very efficient and cheap at 2 pesos a ride. It can get very crowded so bear this in mind if travelling with packs during rush hour.

Mexico City is not the safest place so watch your bags and pockets carefully especially on the crowded metro and around the city.

Our hotel was very central so we could walk to the Zocalo.

Visit the Catedral Metropolotana which is free. Also free is the Palacio National but bring your passport to be allowed in. There are great Diego Riviera murals and the one on the staircase is especially interesting. The Templo Mayor is nearby which was the center of the Aztec City. We didn't bother to pay to see it as you can see most of the temple from the street.

Also free is the Secretaria de Educacion Publica which also has murals everywhere. They have a pamphlet explaining them all which you get as you enter.

Avenue Madera is a big shopping street. Have a look at the Casa de Azulejos which has amazing tile work. You can go inside which is a Sanbornns restaurant and look around.

We took the metro to Chapultepec to see the Museo Nacional de Antropologia which is excellent and enormous. It has displays on all of Mexico's pre-columbian civilizations and indigenous tribes as well as displays on anthropology. You could spend forever here. We went on a Sunday which is free for Mexicans but not foreigners (not fair!) so it was very busy. The park around is also great and on Sunday is filled with lots of stalls. We also went to the Museo de Arte Moderno which was free for us on Sunday but didn't have any paintings by Diego Riviera and Frieda Kahlo which we wanted to see so glad we didn't have to pay.

Teotihuacan
We did a day trip out to the amazing archaeological site of Teotihuacan.
There were lots of tour companies offering trips but were at least 120 pesos just for transport.
We did it ourselves which was very easy and much cheaper. Take the metro (2 pesos) to Terminal Norte and then you can take a bus which runs hourly to the site. Buy your ticket from the Los Piramidos counter near Gate 8. The bus cost 50 pesos return.
Definately walk up the Piramide del Sol and Piramide de la Luna for great views. The Museo del Sitio was good as well.

Eating
We found most of Mexico City's retaurant and streetside eateries closed very early.
We had a great meal at Cafe el Popular on Av de Mayo. Had huge taco's which we took away at La Casa del Pavo. Very greasy but tasty!
Had breakfast at Churreria El Moro which is expensive but meant to have excellent churros. We were given the wrong hot chocolate so were dissapointed but the churros were good. Make sure you get the Spanish Chocolate.

Jugos Cañada had cheap tasty take-away or eat-in burgers.

You need to visit a cantina in Mexico City to see the local atmosphere. Drinks were not that cheap though but they do have specials.
There are mostly men but we went to two that didn't look strangely at you if you walked in and were female.
El Nivel on Moneda is the country's first cantina and was good as was Los Porteles de Tlaquepaque on Bolivar.

Definately visit Los Molinos, an excellent panaderia to pick up stuff for dessert or breakfast.

You can take the metro to the airport which is easy. The airport is very modern with lots of shops. There was an international departure tax but this was included in our ticket which we had to politely point out to the check-in person

Mexico, Oaxaca

Only here for 2 days. Decided to do a day out to some of the nearby villages. The tours were really expensive starting at 180 pesos. We decided to take local busses as its fairly easy. We first headed to Mitla taking a Mitla bound bus from the 2nd class bus station for 12 pesos.
We visited the moderately interesting Zapotech ruins - 30 pesos entrance. Then back along the same road with an Oaxaca bond bus to the turnoff to Teotitlan del Valle (7 pesos). Then took a shared taxi from the turnoff to Teotitlan del Valle (8 pesos). There are lots of handicraft shops. Then found an Oaxaca bound bus from the village and stopped at El Tule (5 pesos) where we saw the huge and amazing El Arbol del Tule, a massive tree, very old and enormous. Well worth the short stop - 3 pesos for entrance to the grounds. Then hoped on another Oaxaca bus back to the 2nd class station for 5 pesos. Total 37 pesos, much less than the 180 pesos a tour company was going to charge for the same trip obviously with a few more bells and whistles.

Chocolate is a speciality of Oaxaca. You can taste the different varieties at El Solior, just south of the Mercado 20 de Novembre. Also, quite a few places inside the market and around serve hot chocolate with the different flavours. Delicious. You can taste and have a good brekfast at Hotel Posada Chocolate.

Definately go and see the Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca next to the Iglesia de Santo Domingo. A excellent museum in the beautiful monastry building.

Have a drink on the Zocalo which has many musicians playing

Taste Mexcal, tequila's cousin which is from here.

The street stalls around Las Casas had great cheap food.

We took a 2nd class AU bus to Mexico City. Good bus, cost 245 pesos. The AU bus terminal is a little out of the way but you can take a bus bound for Zona Rosa to nearby and walk the last short bit. You can book or pick up your tickets at Ticketbus in the center.

Mexico, San Cristobal de las Casas

We arrved here on a tour from Palenque that took in the waterfalls of Agua Azul, Agua Clara & Misol-Ha. See this post for details.
Walk around the Municipal Market for an interesting look at local life.

We did a horse tour to San Juan de Camarra. Cost us US$10. We were told there was an English guide but only the lady who took us to where the horses are by collectivo spoke English. The horse guide spoke only Spanish but was friendly. The trip to the village was great, riding through a forest and then through a valley and into San Juan de Camarra. We only had an hour at the village which was just enough time to see the stunning church. You need to buy a permit to go in for US$3. You can't take photos in the church and many other people don't like their photos taken so definately ask - sometimes they asked for a 'donation' or after buying something from someone they were OK about a photo. We then came back and were put on another collectivo back to town but had to cough up the 4 pesos each. OK it's only 4 pesos but the point is you pay for a tour and expect to get to the start and back. Despite the issues it was a great trip, much more interesting way to go to the village than just by bus.

Places to eat:
Great Mexican / French restaurant called Paris / Texas. Had the avocado and the FrenchMex menu which were excellent. Really good food and ambience.
Excellent food at Madre Tierra on Insurgentes. Try the salad especiale
Don't eat at the La Veredita on Insurgentes - cheap local place but VERY bad food.
Normita II next to Tuluc also on Insurgentes is a local place with great food. Had an excellent green pepper filled with ham and cheese.
There are lots of panaderia (bakeries) around which are cheap and good for easy breakfasts.
Also good breakfasts at Picante (Americano menu at 20 pesos) and Cafe del Centro (hot cakes menu to share for 38 pesos) both on Real de Guadalupe.
Good meal at friendly Bugambilias also on Real de Guadalupe. Not the cheapest but really good quality food. Had menu for 40 pesos with good fish. Also had excellent chichen tacos with guacamole.

Nice internet place at 8 pesos an hour and friendly staff at La Langosta restraurant on Madero near the Plaza de Marzo.

Mexico, Agua Azul, Agua Clara & Misol-Ha

We travelled from Palenque to San Cristobal de Las Casas via the three waterfalls of Agua Azul, Agua Clara & Misol-Ha. The tour left Palenque at 9am and arrived at San Cristobal at 7pm and cost US$25. All transport was included and entry to the falls. We booked through the travel office at our accommodation in Palenque.
The falls are meant to be a beautiful turqoise colour but at this time of the year were brown because of the rains. They were still impressive and it's a much more interesting way to get to San Cristobal than just going directly as the falls are on the way.
We had two hours at Agua Azul and then were taken to a first class bus that made the rest of the trip to San Cristobal.

Mexico, Palenque

We took an overnight bus from Merida to get here with ADO. It took 8.5 hours and cost US$28.70. There have been many warning posted about overnight travel on this route but we were assured first class would be OK and it was.
We arrived in Palenque just before 7 and decided to go and see the ruins in the morning. There was left luggage at the bus station for 4 pesos an hour.
We took a collectivo to the ruins for US$1. There was a National Park Entry fee to pay before getting to the ruins of US$1 and then the ruins entry of US$3.80 plus the usual US$3 for video if you owned up.
It was definately worth doing this early even after no sleep on the bus. Palenque is extremely hot and you could feel the heat and humidity from about 9am. The Templo de las Inscripciones was closed when we were there. The ruins are in a beautiful setting in the jungle and we could hear howler monkeys while walking around.
Visit the tomb of the red queen in Templo XIII and also climb up Templo de la Cruz to see a great view of all the other temples. Once you´ve seen everything, walk downhill to the Grupo Norte and then follow the signs to Museo across the river. This follows a path down through the jungle and past a few waterfalls and other ruins very hidden in the jungle. You then come out at the bottom and it's worth visiting the Museo se Sitio which shows finds from the site. It's closed on Monday.
You can then get a collectivo from here back to Palenque or to somewhere along the road if you are staying out of town.
we had a great meal at Restaurant Las Tinajas. There are two branches near each other. One is a little more expensive with a big balcony but the other has mostly the same menu for a few pesos less. Have the tacos filete which was enough for 2.
See the Agua Azul, Agua Clara & Misol-Ha post for info on visiting the waterfalls.

Mexico, Merida

Merida is a great place to spend a few days.
We were luckily here during the Mexican Independence Day (16 September) Festival.
Walk around the Plaza Grande and see inside the Catedral de San Ildefonso.
Go inside the Palacio del Gobierno and see the murals.
On Sunday lots of people gather here to walk around the square and there is often salsa dancing. The streets around the square are sometimes closed and there is music, dancing and shopping to be done.
Take a bus or walk down Paseo de Montejo north of the center, a wide boulevard with interesting buildings said to be Merida's Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City or the Champs Elysees in Paris.
The Mayan ruin of Uxmal is an easy day trip from Merida.
There are two options.
You can buy a return ATS bus ticket to Uxmal which leaves Merida's 2nd class bus station on Calle 69 between Calle 68 and 70 at 8am and returns leaving Uxmal at 14:30. This costs US$7.50.
The other option is to take the same bus but after dropping off the people just going to Uxmal takes a tour to see the other ruins of Kabah, Sayil, Xlapak and Labna (they're quite small and you don't have to see each one) before returning for 2 hours at Uxmal. You need to pay the entrances separately (about US$2-3 for the small ruins, US$8.80 plus US$3 for video(they didn't check) for Uxmal. This costs US$12. We did this one by mistake as we didn't realise there was a return bus but we went to see Labna and could see most of Kabah from the entrance. We had enough time to see Uxmal. The time the others had at Uxmal was far too long.
We also booked a good tour to see the cenotes (caves) that are everywhere in Yucutan. We booked this through the reception at Nomads Hostel. A do-it-yourself coffee and toast breakfast is available at the hostel. We then visited and snorkelled at two cenote which was great. The visibility is amazing. We then went for lunch in a Mayan home and then stopped at a Hacienda on the way back to Merida. This cost US$21.50.
For eating, there's a great place on Calle 60 about half a block north of Plaza Grande on the left which has cheap meals with big portions.

Mexico, Chichen Itza

It´s definately worth staying near the ruins to get the most out of them rather than just a day trip from Cancun or somewhere.
We arrived from Tulum by an ADO bus which cost US$9.20 and took 3 hours.
Piste is the town next to Chichen Itza and doesn´t have much to offer other than a place to sleep.
We had a great cheap meal at Restaurant y Cocina Economica Chichen Itza.
The ticket to Chichen Itza costs US$8.80 and an extra US$3 for video although no-one checked. We went to the sound and light show during the evening which costs US$5 but the cost goes towards the entry to the ruins the following day. The show was quite good. We hired some infared listening devices which translated the Spanish sound but were very difficult to hear. It helped to stand up, away from the seats and put the headphones on top of your head (This may sound wierd but makes sense when you have them) and find a direction to face which has the clearest sound.
The show is a bit cheesy but you've come this far and it's included in the price so you may as well see it.
Then the next day we went to the ruins.
You HAVE TO get here as early as possible. The gates open at 8. After about 10:30 the tour groups arrive and the place is swamped. If you get here early you will at least have some of the place to yourselves before the hoards arrive.
It also gets very hot and humid as the day gets on so earlier is much cooler.
Climb El Castillo (The Pyramid) first which has a great view across the ruins and the jungle. Then head to the ball court. These are the most visited ruins so get them out of the way before the groups arrive.
You can leave your luggage at the ruins which is great. After visiting the site you can take a bus directly from the ruins to your next destination. There is a bus ticket office in the shop.
We took a second class Oriente bus to Merida. It took 2.5 hours and cost US$4.90. There is a slightly faster ADO bus but is US$6.90. There have been warnings posted about thefts between Merida and Chichen Itza so put your big bags underneath and keep your day pack on your lap and not on the floor or on the overhead shelves. The bus had aircon but it seemed to stop working after about 10 people were on. It´s easy to doze off so that's why it's a good idea to have your bags near you.

Mexico, Tulum

Arrived from Playa Del Carmen on an ADO bus. Took about an hour and cost US$31.
Tulum has some spectacular ruins set on the beach which we did the same afternoon. If you are staying in town you can get a collectivo for US$1 to the turnoff to the ruins where it´s a 600m walk.
The ruins entry costs US$3.80 and US$3 for a video camera although no-one checked.
You can walk to the beach from the ruins, head south from the exit down the beach service road and follow the sign to Cabañas El Mirador and you can walk down to a great beach.
For a cheap meal, see the deal at our accommodation.

Mexico, Cozumel

Cozumel is an island off the coast of Mexico famous for snorkelling and Scuba diving. There are hourly ferries to/from Playa Del Carmen on the mainland. Some take 45 minutes, others 30 minutes but both cost US$11 each way. We took the Ultramar ferry which had a nice air-conditioned cabin.
You can buy tickets at the jetties.
Cozumel town itself is not very interesting but has the great Museo de la Isla de Cozumel all about Cozumel's history and info about the island.
We did a days diving with Studio Blue which were reputable and safe. It cost US$66 for two dives with all equipment rental. Water and fruit is served on the boat but its worth taking some sandwiches or something for lunch.
There´s a big supermarket down Ave Benita Juarez about 5 or so blocks away from the Plaza Mayor.
There are lots of touristy restaurants around the square. All meals get served with salsa and a huge basket to tortilla chips. You can easily share a meal to keep costs down.

Mexico, Cancun

Cancun is not real Mexico at all. It´s a massive tourist resort where people fly in from mainly the USA and have a beach holiday.
The Zona Hotelera is a stretch of hotels along the sea but there´s nothing else here other than a few shops. There is a public beach near the Hard Rock Cafe.
We did however go and see a bull fight at the Plaza del Torros. On Wednesday afternoons at 3:30 they have the spectacle which is an expensive very tourist affair for US$35 but still worthwhile. This is NOT for vegetarians and not a Disney bullfight but the real thing! There are a few cultural dances and Mexican songs and horse shows which are fun to watch before the actual fight. The bloody affair is a dance between bull and torreador and sitting in stunned silence is not the thing to to! Encouragement by cheering and clapping is required to appreciate what this has to do with Mexican culture and now it is seen as a dance.

We took a Playa Express minibus for US$3 to Playa Del Carmen which runs from across the road from the ADO terminal.

USA, Hawaii

It´s a must to visit the Pearl Harbour memorial which is actually the sunken ship of the USS Arizona.
You need to get there very early, it opens at 7am. The later you are, the longer you queue. We arrives at 8:30 and queues for about 1.5 hours. You queue to get a ticket for a timed entry to the actual memorial which is by boat to the memorial over the USS Arizona. There´s a museum and other info to keep you busy while you wait.
To get there we took a bus from Waikiki which had Arizona on the front, it took about an hour.

We then took another bus around the island. It took forever but went through the center of the island to Hanauma Bay and then continued to the Polynesian Cultural Center. The bus took 2.5 hours to get here!
The Polynesian Cultural Center is very good. It shows the customs, dress and culture of the different islands that make up Polynesia. You do need to get here earlier than we did though to have more time.
We took a ticket that was $36 which included entrance to all the villages but not the luau evening show. They offered a backpackers discount with our HI card.

Take a day to wander around Waikiki. The beach is fairly good and you can get surfing lessons or hire a board if you want. We had a cocktail drink at the Sheraton Hotel which had a free Hula show at sunset.

Busses work like many others in the US, $2 for a ride and you can get a free transfer for use within 2 hours to get another bus.

Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

KL is a big bustling city and we only spent 2 days here.
There is a fast metro / light rail / monorail system but it's actually made up of a number of different lines run by different companies and tickets are only available on one line at a time and sometimes the junctions are far away. Nevertheless you can zip across KL quite quickly. The KL Sentral train station is modern and has ATMs and food. All train / light rail / monorail lines go through the station.
You need to see the Peronas Towers, the world's largest twin towers. There are free tours up to the Skybridge on the 41st floor (The towers have 88 storys) Tickets are given out on a first come first served basis and you need to be there by 8:30 at the latest to get a ticket for the day. You are given a time and must come back and do the 20 minute tour. Have a walk around the KLCC park next to the twin towers. The KLCC shopping center is good with an excellent Asian Food Court. Movies are also fairly cheap here at RM10.

Singapore

Clean, organised multi-cultural Singapore is one of our favourite cities in Asia. There is a very helpful Tourist Visitor Center on Orchard road with info on anything.

Money
There are ATM's everywhere and Citibank has quite a few branches. Most things are fixed price but you can ask for discount at shops selling electronics.

Accomodation
The Singapore Hotel association has desks at the airport where you can sometimes get good deals for hotels. There's no charge and you can check online in advance at StayinSingapore.

Transport
Singapore has the efficient MRT and busses which cover the whole island. You can buy a smartcard for use on busses and the MRT. You pay $15 initially which gives you $7 worth of transport credit and has a $3 deposit. You can recharge the card at any MRT station with a minimum of $10. When you return the card you get any remaining credit back and your $3 deposit. Unfortunately you lose $5 which is the cost of the card but we found it worth it for the hassle free way you can then travel. You should still not have to pay for the card but that's just the way it is. You MUST touch your card on the readers when you enter AND exit the bus to get the correct fare otherwise the maximum single fare will be charged when you next use a bus.

We look the train to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. The train station is actually run by Malaysian Railways. It's a bit out of the way and doesn't have easy public transport. A taxi from our accommodation only cost $7. You need to be there an hour before to do immigration. It's a bit strange but you do Malaysian immigration, get on the train which goes to the Singapore border and then you get off and do the Singapore emigration which seems the wrong way round.
Seat61 has usual has good info.

Safety
We found Singapore to be extremely safe.

Communication
There are many internet cafes around. We found a good cheap one in the Cathay Orchard which also has good cinemas.

For international phone calls we bought a card. There are a few vendors around. Have a look at the printed blurb and you should see which ones will be cheaper. We found one that had about 5 hours to the UK for $10. It may be actually cheaper to call the local number rather than the 1800 tollfree number. Even though you have to put coins in the phone to pay for the local call, it may still work out cheaper than using the 1800 number which charges more per minute for the call.

Food
Food courts are the cheap and tasty way to eat in Singapore and you'll see one in nearly every shopping center.
Picnic at Scotts Food Court in Scotts Rd. is am excellent food court with very good prices.
Carrefour at Plaza Singapura on Orchard road is a great supermarket
Marche Movenpick on Orchard road is great but a little more expensive.
Try the Kaya toast for breakfast

What to do
You can walk aronud the CBD and Colonial District easily taking in the sights of China Town, the river and the various buildings.
Visit the Botanical Gardens which are free but pay the $5 extra to see the National Orchid Garden.
Definately go and visit the Asian Civilizations Museum which has great information on Singapore and the migration of Asian people across the continent. The museum is at two sights -you want to go to the Empress Place wing.
Visit Raffles Hotel. You need to wear closed shoes and long trousers to enter the foyer. We had breakfast at the bakery which was great and you can of course have a Sinagpore Sling in the Long Bar. Have a look at the museum on the 3rd floor - very interesting.
Have a walk around Little India to see a clean version of Indian street life!
Orchard Road is the main shopping street with loads of shopping centers. There is no bargaining in Singapore as in the rest of Asia.
Plaza Singapura is a good center with lots of shops and a large Carrefour supermarket.
We did a Night Safari in the north of the island next to the Zoological Gardens. This was actually quite fun and different seeing animals while they're active at night.
You need to buy the ticket at the entrance to the Zoological Gardens next door before giong to the Safari. We payed the extra to go on a hop on hop off tram that takes you around with a commentary. There are trails you can follow yourself but it's quite busy so don't expect any night time peace!
It's quite far to get to the safari and you need to plan your transport as it takes about an hour and twenty minutes. Take the MRT to Ang Mo Kio station and then catch bus 138 from the same side of the road as the MRT. When returning you should catch a bus at around 10:45pm to make sure you get the last MRT. A taxi to/from Orchard road is about $15. The safari starts at 7:30pm but the gates open at 6:30pm so you can eat at the restaurant before doing the safari. If you get there late you will really have to rush to make the transport back.
You can do the zoo during the day and then move onto the safari and get a cheaper price as a combo ticket.

Indonesia, Gili Trawangan

Gili Trawangan is one of the three Gili Islands off the coast of Lombok. Trawangan is the largest of the three islands and has great diving and partying.
It's a long day trip to get there from Kuta in Bali. You can take public transport to the ferry port on Bali's east coast, Padang Bai and take the ferry to Sengiggi on Lombok, then two busses to Bangsal and then a small boat to whichever Gili island you want to get to. This is the cheapest option but lots of hassle. Some taxi drivers in Padang Bai drop you off about 500m from the ferry terminal where people grab your bags and run to the ferry before you have a chance to carry your own bags and then demand a fortune for the service. Bangsal is apparently worse with touts trying to grab packs off the bus. You have to have your wits about you and everyone who we spoke to who had done it said it was a pain.
The other option is to go with Perama who run a minibus to Padang Bai and then their own boat directly to the Gili Islands. On the way back they have a boat to Lombok, bus to Sengiggi and then their own boat back to Padang Bai and a minibus to Kuta. It costs marginally more but saves a lot of hassle. You get snacks and lunch on the boat which even has a beach! We payed 180 000 each one way for the trip. If you book future trips with Perama you get a 10% discount. They also offer boat trips to the Komodo islands and can organise combination bus / ferry trips to many places. We found them very reliable and knowledgable.
You can also fly between Denpassar (Bali) and Mataram (Lombok) with Merpati which is only a 15 minute flight in a tiny plane. Prices are seasonal.
We did a day snorkelling trip around the islands on a glass bottomed boat which was excellent, saw many turtles and fish. The coral here is not great as it's been either bleached, dynamited or blown away in a storm a few years ago. The animal life is excellent though. You can organise the day trip from any of the stalls along the beach.
All the dive shops charge the same price which is $25 per dive plus 30 000 rupiah per person regardless of how many dives you do which goes to the local fisherman as an environmental charge so they don't do dynamite fishing!
We dived with Manta Dive as we had made friends with a DM there but had great info and lots of help finding accommdoation from Steve and Leila at Blue Marlin.
There are parties every night and the restaurant or dive shops take turns hosting them so there's less competition. A few places have barcos which house your own private TV and DVD which you can choose from a selection and watch during dinner.
There are a few market stall supermarkets which all have the same price so you don't have to shop around too much.

Indonesia, Bali

We stayed in Kuta which is Australia's overseas holiday resort at the sea. Lots of shopping and a long surfing beach.
We did a day tour of the island which was excellent. Booked a car ourselves which costs 300 000 rupiah for the day. We went to see the usual assortment of craft / batik / silverware / woodcarving factories each with the obligatory shop where you are meant to buy but we just looked briefly. We went to Ubud which is beautiful little town with a lot of art galleries. We wish we had more time to spend a few days here. Nearby is the monkey temple which has loads of fun monkeys with mohawks running around. Then we went to see the rice terraces at Tegallang which were amazingly beautiful. We then drove to Kintamani and saw Bali's massive volcanic crater which is spectacular. There are a few restaurants on the crater rim which have excellent views but we only had a drink as the food was very expensive. There are other local warung and some fruit stands nearby.
Then we went to a Hindu temple at Tampaksiring via a good coffee and spice growing place and then to Tanah Lot which is a temple which is best viewed at sunset. Great day out and a good way to see the amazing beauty of bali in a short time.
We also went white water rafting with Bali International Rafting which was great through stunning scenery. They were safe and had good equipment. Lunch and transport was included. They had a 50+% discount and it was 244 000 each. We booked through Baliku Tour Service next to Bali Garden Hotel.
We went to the Swiss restaurant in Legian which has traditional Balinese classical dance and a buffet for 30 000 a Thursday night. Very good value.

Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef

Cairns is a friendly little city. compact enouigh to walk around easily.
We did a day trip out to the Great Barrier Reef to go scuba diving with Quicksilver on their boat Quicksmart to The Outer Reef. This was not the cheapest option but as we only had a day to do the trip we though it would be best to go to what people have suggested is one of the best spots, Agincourt Reef.
It was a fantastic day out. We were picked up from our accommodation in Cairns and driven to Port Douglas where the boat left for Agincourt Reef. Luxury snacks, drinks and lunch was included as well as the marine park permit. The boat can take 100 people but there were about 25 snorkellers and 11 divers on our trip so it wasn't too crowded. We payed $229 for 3 dives included all equipment and a guide. One the way back you can go by catamaran back to Cairns from Port Douglas.
Down Under Dive also does other trips and we've heard they are good.
A great website for Great Barrier Reef diving info is Diving Cairns
We also did a trip to Tjapukai, an aboriginal cultural center which was very good. You can take a local bus there and back.

Australia, Airlie Beach and Whitsunday Islands

An ansolute must do in Australia is sailing on a boat around the beautiful Whitsunday Islands. Airlie Beach is the town where all the trips start from. You need to decide how long you want to go for 2 days, 2 nights, 2 days 1 night, 3 days 2 nights and lots more. There are far too many boats to choose from. Basically you need to choose whether you want to go on a backpacker party boat or not. These would be great fun and you'll meet people but you'll be packed in like sardines but they are cheaper. You can also choose to go on maxi racing yachts that have won prestigous races. There are also tall ships which are slower and you can play pirate.
A great website with info on loads of boats is OZMagic.
We chose to go with Classic Sail Whitsundays on a beautiful wooden boat called the Ron of Argyll with sails and loads of charm. King George V sailed on her and Marilyn Monroe and JFK were once guests! We did 3 days 2 nights which was a perfect time. Ron of Argyll normally does the 2 day 2 night trip and another boat, the Ileola does the 3 day trip but the Ileola was being worked on so Ron did her trip. The boat was absolutely beautiful, felt like royalty in such a beautiful surroundings. The food was also spectacular as the skipper, jovial Massimo, is VERY Italian and ensures all the food is superb. Between October and May you can hire stinger suits from the marina to protect against the deadly box jellyfish which must be worn when in the water. There is a bottle shop at the marina as well which opens at 8 so you can stock up.
Here are some other companies we looked at with boats:
ProSail
Aussie Adventure Sailing
OZSail
The beach is not great at Airlie Beach but there's a swimming lagoon free of jellyfish behind the shops along the seafront.

Australia, Hervey Bay and Fraser Island

Hervey Bay is the setting off point for trips to the biggest sand island in the world, Fraser Island. The normal backpacker thing to do is a 2 night camping trip where you drive your own 4x4 vehicle around and camp under the stars with the dingos. It was raining when we were there so we opted for a day trip rather than camping in the rain. We went with Fraser Explorer booked through our accommodation. Good tour with great guide, Terry. It's very rushed of course. It takes a while to get there on the ferry and you have a stop for an included lunch and tea. You get to see a beautiful lake and rainforest and drive up and down the main beach to see the sights. Cost was $109 each.

Australia, Brisbane

Brisbane's trains and busses are easy and eficcient. A day pass for zone 1 which is the city and up to Fortutude Valley costs $4 and is valid for both.
We had great friendly service from Jade Brasington at Escape Travel, 217 George St. if you need to book any flight tickets or other travel stuff.
We did a trip out to Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo which is a Disneyland style zoo. The cheapeast and easiest way to get there was by train from Brisbane to Beerwah train station. We went on a Sunday and the return train trip which was a travelcard valid for zones 1-12 was $11.40. A zoo bus meets all incoming trains and takes you the 10 minutes to the zoo. Make sure you know the return train times and can get the corresponding bus so you make it back to Brisbane. The zoo was good with close up encounters with lots of animals and shows in the "crocoseum". A bit too showy but what else do you expect from a big name. The price was $34 with a backpackers cards holder discount.

Australia, Sydney

Take the ferry to Manly for amazing views of the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House. The return ticket price is the same as two single tickets.
Sydney doesn't seem to have a good travelcard travel system. You can buy a day card which gives you travel on all suburban trains, busses and ferries for $15 but a single trip from Kings Cross to the city is only $2 so it is seldom worth it but is a good option for the Manly trip of you will be doing other travel during the day.
Go to the Sydney Aquarium and walk through the glass roofed walkways where you can see the seals, fish, sharks and rays above you. Ask your your backpackers discount.
Take the bus to Coogee Beach and walk to Bondi Beach along the seafront walkway.
Definately plan some time to see the Blue Mountains. We did a day trip which was very short but still worth it. We booked it through our accommodation and it was great. The Featherdale Wildlife Park visit was a highlight. In our opinion better than Australia Zoo. You can get up really close to kangaroos, wombats and koalas without feeling like you're in a Disney park.
Food wise there are lots of food courts in the basements of shopping centers in the city that offer good cheap food.
For transport from the airport check with your accommodation if they offer a free pick-up if you're staying a few nights otherwise there is a door to door minibus service from the airport which costs $10. You may have to wait around until they get anough people but it's straight to your accommodation which is easy with your bags.

Australia, Ayers Rock / Olgas - Uluru / Kata Tjuta

There's a free shuttle bus to/from the airport and the Ayers Rock Resort where all the accommodation is. There's also a free shuttle around the resort or you can walk over the dunes to have a look at the other accommodation. We booked a day tour with the Uluru - Kata Tjuta Park Shuttle company which has a combined tour seeing Uluru at sunrise with 3 hours to explore Uluru and the nearby Aboriginal Cultural Center, then an afternoon walk up Walpa Gorge at Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) and then back to Uluru for sunset. This cost $77 ($85 without backpacker card) for both trips and included the park entrance fee which is $25. This is much better value than the other tours which are much more expensive and don't include the park entry.
If you're making your own way around, the National Park ticket is $25 and is valid for 3 days. This can be bought at the entrance to the park which is near the resort.
When we first saw people walking aronud with fly nets covering their whole heads we thought they were being a little overdramatic against a few flies but believe us you haven't experienced flies until you go to the outback and see how pesky these things are. You spend your whole time waving them away as they fight each other to get up your nose, into your years and all over your face. If you have a hat with built-in fly net, this is the time to get it out and you won't be embarrased by how you look!
Of course it's always very hot here so have your hat and suntan lotion.
The local Anangu aboriginal people ask you not to climb Uluru as it's a sacred monument and it's disprespectful to walk over it - you wouldn't climb over the altar at a church at home. It would be easier if they just stopped people from climbing it rather than just relying on the polite signs around.
There is an ATM and supermarket at the resort.

Australia, Perth

Met up with friends, Aidan and Nichola so luckily had our hands held 'doing' Perth.
Have a picnic in Kings Park with a beautiful view across the bay.
We did a wine trip to the Swan Valley and visited the Sandalford Caversham Estate winery, had a superb lunch at The Black Swan, after lunch dessert at the Chocolate Factory and drinks at the Feral Brewery. An excellent day out.
Have a coffee or a few drinks on Freemantle's cappuchino strip.

Australia, Melbourne

Some accommodation offer a free ride from the airport. If not there is a convenient airport bus called Skybus.
There is a free tram around the center of the city that runs from 10am to 6pm with tourist information and is an easy way to get around for free.
Take tram No. 16 to St. Kilda and have a look around at Melbournes faded seaside resort. Have lunch at Zalads on Blessington Street. Really tasty make your own salads.
Eat the Moroccan Soup Kitchen in Fitzroy
You can get a combo ticket for the Melbourne museum and the IMAX which works out much cheaper than a ticket for both.
Do a day or more trip to the Great Ocean Road. We booked ours through our accommodation, but the tour wao with Otway Discovery for $65 and had a fantastic guide, Jimmy. They offer a hop on hop off trip for a bit more so you take take a few days to do this trip but we on;y had time for a day.

New Zealand, Christchurch

Didn't spend much time here but a perfectly designed English town! Have a look at the cathedral. We organised an airport transfer through our hostel which was $18 for two people - necessary at 4am!

New Zealand, Mount Cook from Lake Tekapo

If you're driving from Queenstown to Christchurch or vice versa you get an amazing view of Mount Cook reflected perfectly in Lake Tekapo.

New Zealand, Milford Sound

Milford Sound is spectacular. We did an afternoon boat trip along the fiord with Cruising Milford Sound which was cheaper at $40 than the bigger boats but saw all the same sights. All the companies charge more around the middle of the day when most people go so you need to get there early or stay later to pay less. We had good weather but people say when it is raining it is even more beautiful with hundreds of waterfalls tumbling off the cliffs. We think it would be better to go in the morning if you can make it as the sun was in our eyes the whole way out and would be better for the pics with it behind you.

New Zealand, Queenstown

Queentown is the adventure capital of New Zealand set alongside a beautiful lake with mountains all around. You will only be limited by your budget with what you want to do to get your kicks, The home of bungy jumping is here. You can go skydiving, rafting, parasailing, paragliding, mountain climbing, you get the picture. You can even do a Combo and group your activities together for a better price. We decided to do the Shotover Jet as it's unique to New Zealand and was great fun. Amazingly manoeverable boats. Maria did a paragilde from Coronet peak which is a longer ride than from the one the launches from the gondola above Queenstown.
Have a night out at Winnie Bagoes and see the opening roof.

New Zealand, Wanaka

We were only passing through but glad we stopped at Puzzling World. Test yourself on the outdoor Great Maze and see the Illusion Rooms.
If you're driving to Queenstown, take the Crown Range pass (No. 89) through Cardrona which is shorter and has amazing views.

New Zealand, Glaciers

Definately plan to spend some time marvelling at the glaciers on the west coast. It's the only place in the world where two glaciers get so close to the sea with a rain forest nearby!
There are two glaciers, Franz Josef and Fox. We walked to the terminal face of Franz Josef and Julian did a walk on Fox Glacier. The glaciers are continually changing and different so its definately worth having a look at both. Both have a walk of about 20-30 minutes to get to the face and you need to get up close to see how big they are. Both glaciers have quite a few trips everyday to walk on the glacier but the Fox trips are much cheaper. Some people say that Franz Josef is more spectacular but Julian found Fox excellent. There are half and full day trips and you can spend even more money and do a helicopter flight but these seemes very short when looking up from the ice. Most people agree that the full day trips are definately much better as you get to spend a lot more time actually on the glacier ice rather than spending lots of time getting there and back. You are given a rain overcoat but it's better to take your own rain jacket if you have one. You are also given crampons and a have guide that cuts steps in the ice so it's not as hard as it sounds.
Here are the links to the different guiding companies: Fox and Franz Josef
Ask for your backpacker discount.

From the town of Fox, walk around Lake Matheson early in the morning for a mirrorlike reflection of New Zealands highest peaks Mount Cook and Mount Tasman.

New Zealand, Greymouth

We visited Shanty Town, south of Greymouth which was actually quite good despite being very touristy. Shows a town as it was during the New Zealand gold rush. Ride the steam train and pan for gold. Read the rules for teachers on the wall of the classroom! Ask for your YHA discount.

New Zealand, Punakaiki

If your heading up or down the west coast, don't miss out on Punakaiki, best known for its Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. Amazing natural sculpture.

New Zealand, Abel Tasman

The Abel Tasman National Park is a beautiful part of coastline. Many people do the 3 day coastal track trek or spend a day kayakking but we found the kayak trips were really expensive. We walked from our accommodation at The Barn along the coastal track for as long as we wanted and then could just turn back when we'd had enough and come home. Free and beautiful. There are water taxis around which can take you along the coastline but we also thought these were quite expensive.

New Zealand, Marlborough

The Marlborough area is home to New Zealand's wine industry. We visited Saint Clair Estate for a tasting and a browse through the shop. There is a beautiful drive through the Marlborough Sounds from Picton to Havelock but we saw some of it. From Blenheim, we drove to Havelock and then a short way back along the road to Picton to a picnic spot looking over the bay with a fantastic view.

New Zealand, Kaikoura

Kaikoura is whale watch capital of New Zealand. There's only one company to go for a boat tour, Kaikoura Whale Watch. It's expensive but you're guaranteed to see whales or up to 80% of your money back. You can see where your money goes to. The boat is very sophisticated with a plasma display showing the boats heading and the depth of the continental shelf below and information pulled up by the guide. They have microphones on board to track the whales so your pretty much guaranteed seeing a few. You can go out on deck with your camera when the boat pulls up near a surfaced whale and take the money shot when it arches its back and puts its tail into the air before descending. There was a sea sickness warning on our trip which we should have taken more seriously!

New Zealand, Taupo

If you're driving from Rotorua, stop at the Huka falls just before Taupo.
We didn't do it but have heard from others that the Taupo skydive is one of the cheapest in New Zealand and if you go high enough you can see the sea on both sides of North Island.
If you have a day, definately walk the Tongariro Crossing if you have the energy for 7-8 hours of walking. It's apparently the best one-day hike in the country. We were short of time and so walked along it for as long as we had time and then turned back. Lots of the scenes in Lord of the Rings of Mordor and Mount Doom (Mount Ngaruahoe) were filmed in the area.

New Zealand, Rotorua

What a bizzare place. You'll smell the sulphur from far off and can see hot mud pools and steam everywhere in this hot bed (groan!) of thermal activity. Have a walk around Kuirau Park, free and loads of boiling mud here. We visited the Whakarewarewa Geothermal Area now called Te Puia which also has an excellent guided Tour with a Maori cultural experience and a tour of the thermal area. Try the Hangi in the restaurant.
We didn't go but Wai-O-Tapu is said to be good as well.

New Zealand, Tauranga

Walk around Mount Maunganui. Free and great views of the bay.

New Zealand, Bay of Islands

We stayed in Russel for our first night and then moved to Paihia. We did a dolphin trip with Kings Tours which was fantastic. Best value was the Day in the Bay Cruise which includes a visit to Hole in the Rock, dolphin viewing and swimming if possible and a stop for lunch. You can get a discount with YHA or BBH cards and be collected by boat in Russel or Paihia.
You can take a ferry to get from Russel to Paihia and back or take a 45 minute drive around the bay.

New Zealand, Auckland

Beautiful City. Stayed with friends and family so didn't do much tourist stuff. When flying to or from the airport ask for the discounted backpacker price for the Airbus which takes you to/from the city.
There are marked telephones at the airport which allow you to make free local calls.
Pick up any of the discount booklets which always help with something.

Vietnam, Hanoi / Halong Bay

Stay in the Old Quarter to be near everything.
Eat at Little Hanoi and try the caramel beef and roll your own spring rolls.
Have some great dessert at Fanny Ice Cream.

Halong Bay is absolutely beautiful so definately do a trip. We did a 2 day 1 night trip which was enough. You have the option of staying on an island or on the boat. Seemes silly to come out here and stay in a hotel when you have the option of a boat. You will be bombarded by travel agents selling Halong Bay trips. It's very difficult to work out who's not a dodgy operator. We landed up going with Columbus Travel on Hang Bac who seemed honest and explained what we were not going to get rather than promising the world. Most of the boats are identical and it's the people who make your trip but you want to be sure your boat is OK. Avoid the hundreds of fake Sinh Cafes. We payed $25 each but others on the same boat payed $33. Buy your alcohol beforehand and take some snacks to share out to be social. You can buy alcohol off a boat that will come around when you anchor for the night for last minute orders but the price is higher.

Vietnam, Hue

Only spent a day here.
Have a look at the Citadel, OK.
We took a boat trip to see the tombs, Tu Duc, Minh Mang and the Thien Mu Pagoda. It was only $2 so you can't really expect much but was good value. You need to pay extra for the entrances and for the motorbike taxi to the Tu Duc Tomb. Don't rush to be the first to get one and the price drops suddenly. Lunch was served on our boat but drinks were put in front of us that we had to pay for afterwards. It's a rush and you don't have much time to see the tombs but for $2 you can't really complain.
Definately spend an evening eating and drinking at Cafe on Thu Wheels. Thu is a great hostess and will sit you next to anyone so it's very social.

Vietnam, Hoi An

Fantastic, relaxed town.
You'll soon find out the thing to do here is have clothes custom made. You will be bombarded with options. They can make anything in a day using photos from magazines or copies from designer catalogues you can look at. We prefered choosing our clothes from samples that were already on display so you can see the handywork and just have to have one done in your size. We used Na Rin, 27B Tran Hung Dao St. (0510) 910904 and had excellent service. The Cloth Market is very hectic, try some of the other quieter shops for less hassle. You need to bargain hard and only accept your clothes when you are happy with them. We were lucky and had suits that fitted on the first try.
Take a boat trip along the river, just walk along the pier and a lady will offer her boat - best done early morning. Should be about $2 per person for an hour.
Take a bicycle and ride to the beach. Great beach and you can have your seafood cooked in front of you.
Eat at any of the quaint reataurants along the river front.
Watch out for people overcharging, shortchanging or switching things as you are negotiating for souvenirs. You sometimes even have to bargain for water but be firm and state the usual price!

Vietnam, Nha trang

Nice beach town.
We did our PADI Open Water diving course here with Blue Diving who were fantastic. Small company, French owned, very friendly personal attention and good equipment. They offer day trips as well for about $42 for 2 dives.
Spoil yourself and have a drink and snack at Louisiana Cafe on the beach. They have their own pool.
Cafe des Amis has very good reasonable food.
Crazy Kim Bar is good for a few drinks

Vietnam, Dalat

Not much to see in the town itself but lots a short drive from town. Best thing is to hire an Easy Rider to act as your tour guide. They are motorbike guides who approach you on the street offering services. We used a fantastic guide, Trung (details to follow) who was one of our Vietnam highlights. If he's not available, judge for yourself the people approaching you. Check their level of English and whether they have a helmet for you. With Treung, we visited the Crazy House, Datanla Falls, Chicken Village and Cremailliere Railway. He charged $12 per person which was definately worth it.
Don't bother with the Flower Gardens.
Try Dalat wine, artichoke tea and the local strawberry jam.
For a nice and moderately priced restaurant, try Long Hoa.

Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

A big bustling city, first thing to do is try to stay alive and cross the road with all the motorbikes whizzing past!

Our best thing to do actually was go to the Saigon Water Park. On a weekday it is nearly empty and we had the water rides to ourselves. There are tubes to ride on with up to 3 people. Such a fun time and so different from the normal tourist stuff. You can take a bus from the bus station outside the big market.

Go and see the War Remnants Museum, very well done and very interesting. Make sure you have a couple of hours.

The Reunification Palace was OK but nothing special.

Thailand, Mae Hong Son

A long (4 hours) but beautiful public bus ride from Pai. We went from Mae Hong Son through Pai back to Chiang Mai. A small provincial town between the hills. Take a walk along the river.

We also took a good day trip out to see the Karen Long Neck women. Actually not very touristy. They are very friendly and some speak amazingly good English. Also went to the Myanmar (Burma) border and saw some other hill-tribe villages on the way but not nearly as interesting. Was able to walk across the border into Burma for a few minutes under the watchful eye of a Thai army checkpoint. A few other things on the trip like waterfalls and a boring fish cave. Get the driver to take you to the temple on the top of the hill overlooking Mae Hong Son so you don't have to walk up the hill yourself.

Thailand, Pai

Do not even think about a trip to Northern Thailand without chilling out in Pai for a few days. Easy to get to with minibuses from Chiang Mai which pick you up at your hotel. Much easier than trying to get to the public bus stop.

Really relaxed town along a river.

Hire bicycles or motorbikes and explore the area. There are some hot springs which aren't refreshing after a long hilly bicycle ride but good anyway and also waterfalls around.

Eat across the river at the Good View.

You can stock up on european cheeses at the big supermarket on the main street.

Thailand, Chiang Mai

AirAsia flys between Bangkok and Chiang Mai and is obviously much quicker but not much more than the train.

Take a Thai Cooking Class. We did a brilliant one at Smile Cookery School. They only do small classes (max 6) are fun and really knowledgeable about the ingredients and the food. Real chefs not just tourist cooking teachers. You can choose from 1 of 3 menus and get a colour recipe book with the recipes from all 3 courses. You get to take your uneaten food with you which is more than enough for dinner in. Brilliant.

Did an elephant safari day out which was also good. Rode elephant, did bamboo rafting, ox-cart riding, botterfly and orchid farm. Lunch was also great.

Go shopping mad at the Night Bazaar. On Sunday nights there's also bazaar within the sity walls.

Thailand, Bangkok

http://www.bangkok-city.com has good info an Bangkok

There is an airport bus directly from the airport to Khoa San Rd. is you're planning on staying there for 100 Baht which is easy to find. There are minibuses that hotels can organise back to the airport for 80 Baht.

Definately go and see the Grand Palace, make sure you have long trousers and covered shoulders.

Wat Pho is worth a look for the huge Reclining Buddha.

Walk up to Wat Saket and The Golden Mountain for a good view over the city.

The National Museum was actually very good with a great display about Thai history.

Jim Thomson's Thai House was fairly interesting if you haven't seen other teak houses.

Take a river trip anywhere along the river. It's very cheap and you get to see real Bangkok life. It's the cheapest way to get around. There is a water taxi stand near Jim Thomson's house near Siam Square which is a quick route back to near the Golden Monutain which is a quickish walk to Khao San Road.

We found taxis to be cheaper than tuk-tuks if you use the meter.

We did a day trip to see the floating market at Samnoen Danoek, the Bridge over the River Kwai and the Tiger Temple.
The market is VERY touristy, not a local one at all. You are encouraged to pay for a boat trip around the market which is a rip off at 100 Baht for 15 mins with everyone offering to sell you things from their boats, mainly tourists stuff but also fruit which is good. You can walk around for a bit and don't have to do the boat although there is something to be said for seeing the floating market from the water - your call. The Bridge over the River Kwai is, well a bridge, we didn't go into the museum. The Tiger temple is very strange. You can go into an area in a quarry and sit next to and stroke the tigers while someone takes your picture with your camera (good photographers actually) but the tigers seam drugged and Lonely Planet says a tourist has been seriously mauled. This is not a real tiger experience and too much of a gimick. It's a long day out with lots of driving. We also didn't have a particularly good guide.

We used Welcome Travel (email: welcometravel@hotmail.com) at the entrance to the Palace Hotel who were very good, very friendly and most of all honest. We booked our flights to and from Vietnam and from Bangkok to Sydney with them.

If you're templed out go to the cinema. English language, very comfortable and with air-con! We went to Siam Square and to the EGV Cinema.

We went to Ayuthaya by day train from Bangkok. If you've sen Sukhathai or Angkor Wat you probably don't need to bother. You can get the train ticket at the main station. Rent bikes and ride around. Check the times of the trains back before you head off around the temples so you're not stuck with a long wait at the station.

Eat the food at the stalls on the road parallel to Khao San Road. Much cheaper than next door and must tastier.

If you've got shopping to do, plan to be in Bangkok over the weekend to see the Chatuchak Weekend Market. This is The Worlds Biggest Weekend Market selling practically everything under the sun, from the smallest nails, to fish to chopsticks. You can get there on the SkyTrain or the Metro.

There is a 500 Baht departure tax from Bangkok Airport for international flights.

India, Cochin

Go and see the Chinese fishing nets and buy fresh seafood from the stalls and have them cooked at a local restaurant. Bargain hard for the seafood!

The Mattancherry Palace and Jewish synagogue are worth seeing.

Near the synagogue are loads of 'antique' shops. There are lots of other crafts for sale as well but bargain hard.

Cochin Airport charges a very cheaky 500 Rs airport 'use' tax for departing passengers. This can only be payed in cash so make sure you have some rupees left. There is a money changer though if you run out.

India, Allepey (Allapuzha)

The main reason for coming here is the back waters trip. We did an overnight one which was expensive at 3000 Rupees but that's the standard charge. (4500 Rupees if you don't bargain). Best bet it to walk along the river and find a boat and negotiate with the driver. The so-called 'tourist information' just gets some boat captain to pick you up and you negotiate with them. It is a great experience but you may find a day trip could be enough. There are day boats to Cochin.

India, Hampi

Another chilled place. Walk around the ruins and see the temples.

Go and chill out next to the river at the Mango Tree restaurant. Very cheap Thali and excellent views.

Dubai - United Arab Emirates

Shop, shop and then shop again. There are amazing shopping areas and malls with everything at duty free prices. The airport duty free is actually quite limited and is not cheaper than in town so don't rely on getting all you want at the airport.

We did an organised tour which we found at the City Center shopping center. It was a city drive with a very knowledgeable guide and am evening dune safari which was brilliant. Dinner, dune driving, arabian costume dress-up, shisha pipes and belly dancing included! You can also get a henna tattoo.

There is also a huge Carrefour supermarket in the City Center which you can stock up on food to save your budget for an otherwise expensive city for backpackers.

Walk through the gold souk.

See the Palm Island and The World islands being built. Go to the sales office and buy your space!

See the note about accommodation for Emirates Bargain Breaks

India, Mumbai

Walk around the seafront area at the Gateway to India.

Walk along Marine Drive to Chowpatty Beach and have Pani Puri to eat.

See the colonial architecture.

Take a local bus which is very cheap and you can see street life.

India, Goa

Plan lots of time relaxing in Goa, you deserve it after travelling through the rest of India!

We chose Palolem beach which is the best we think. Paradise! Other beaches have more of a party atmosphere but Palolem beats all the places we saw for natural beauty. Beautiful beach with warm water and palm trees everywhere.

Eat whatever seafood you can afford. It's more expensive than other food but so fresh and nice. Service is very slow though so have time. Beer is cheaper in Goa than most of India.

Walk over the headland to Patnem beach and further to see some more quieter beaches.

Walk or run along the beach in the early morning or do Yoga if you can.

Do an Ayurvedic massage. There are loads of places offering massages but many are not the real deal. We went to Bhakti Kutir which is up on the headland on the south of the beach and is a real yoga / massage center. It costs us 600 rupees each for a very professional hour-long massage (you need to be completely naked so should find someone you feel comfortable with).

We hired a moped for a day to see some of the other places. Although riding anything on the roads in India is normally suicide, Goa is more relaxed and it was a great day out.

Do a day trip or spend a night in Anjuna for the fleamarket. It's massive, very touristy but perfect for Christmas presents or a one-stop shop for everything Indian to buy.

Chill out!

India, Agra

Agra can be done on a day trip. We stayed two nights and saw the Taj Mahal at dawn which was beautiful but also very misty. Agra fort is also worth looking at but if you're pushed for time you can just spend the day in Agra and see the Taj.

Be prepared for extra pushy rickshaw drivers wanting to take you to shops for comission. Some are honest and will halve your trip cost if they can take you to a place or two (you don't have to buy anything but it's fun to see the huge markup. They get commission for just taking you there)and tell you this in advance. Others will just try stear you towards any shop.

India, Ahmedabad

Not much to do in Ahmedabad but because it's off the tourist trail there are not many other tourists here which can be a welcome break. We only spent a day en-route to Goa. Hotel checkouts are all 24 hours.

India, Udaipur

Not quite what it looks like in the photos as the lake is nearly dried up but still beautiful.

You should see the City Palace, enough to see but don't plan on too long.

Have a meal on one of the roof-top restaurants to see a great view of the lake.

If you really feel like splurging, have dinner at the Lake Palace Hotel on the lake. It's 1500 rupees each for a buffet dinner excluding drinks but is apparently fantastic. You get ferried across on a boat. It was fully booked when we tried after we dithered too long because of the price.

See the Jagdish Temple for excellent carvings.

India, Pushkar

Try and time your visit with the Camel Festival. More camels in one place than you'll ever see in your life. Prices skyrocket but there are still some places that are reasonable.

See people bathing and praying at the ghats. Pushkar has strict rules. No alcohol, no non-vegetarian food including eggs and no holding hands or embracing in public!

Have a fresh fruit juice from one of the many roadside vendors. Have sundowners at the Sunset Cafe right on the lake. There's also a place that does a buffet for 50 rupees on the way to the Sunset Cafe. Loads of food and very good for very little money. Don't have the Becks 'beer' though if you spot it. It's non-alcoholic.

See the Brahma Temple, the only one in India dedicated to Brahma.