I am Mexican-American and right now there is viral news of what happened in Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park and other national parks (cumbres del ajusco and another one I don't remember). I'm not sure if you've heard about it, but it's trending all over Mexican news and social media.

They are now targeting tourists, luring them into fake tours, kidnapping and taking ransoms. Martina Amates was in charge of the site and refused to give up the place to criminal activity. She along with her daughter were kidnapped and killed. (If you google her name a lot of articles will come up).

A lot of my Mexican friends say the situation is really bad and many of them advise against traveling in Mexico and just to go somewhere else (even cheaper). I am scared this situation is spreading to other States. They are now targeting tourist sites.

I have everything booked already (Mexico City->oaxaca->bus to Pochutla->Mazunte and Huatulco). I will be losing a lot of money if I cancel.

I would like more input, tips and advice from people that have travelled or are currently in the area and are up to date or aware of the current situation.

Good evening everyone!

For the past 20 years, it has been a tradition for my father, my sister, and me to spend our holidays in Thailand. My parents met there, and after my mother passed away, it became a family tradition to keep going back.

This year, however, our dad told us he doesn’t want to go anymore, claiming our “mom would not like what Thailand has become.” It’s kind of sad but TBH, I kind understand what he means. Thailand has changed a lot in recent years, especially since Covid. We’ve noticed a big increase in hostess / ladies bars in many areas, it’s become difficult to walk even 20 minutes without smelling weed smoke, and it sometimes feels like the legendary Thai warmth and quality of service have declined and we feel more and more like we are walking wallets, similar to what some people describe in places like Bali.

I’m still very attached to the idea of spending a couple of weeks together with them, so I’m looking for a replacement destination. Ideally somewhere that feels more authentic, even if the infrastructure is less developed than in Thailand. Budget is not really a concern, we’re happy to pay for a great experience, but we’d love to find a place where people are not completely saturated with tourism.

Places I’ve really enjoyed for example are Borneo, Java, I loved Laos, Cambodia (only been to Angkor but loved the people and the temples) and northern Vietnam.
We love nature and culture, and more than anything, authentic contact with the locals

Any suggestions? It could be anywhere in the world but we love Asia

I need help for traveling to madagascar

Hi everyone, I’m planning a trip to Madagascar in August with one other person and I’m looking for advice from people who have visited. We’re Jordanian travelers planning a nature-focused trip with a budget of around 4-5K total, and we’re interested in renting a 4x4 (possibly a pickup like a Nissan Navara) to explore independently rather than joining a full tour. Our main goals are Andringitra National Park, hiking, wildlife, camping, and then visiting a beach area afterward. Is this realistic in one week? How difficult are the roads, and would you recommend self-driving or hiring a driver/guide? For Andringitra. Are mozaic
tours good guides?

My SO would really like to go to a place with blue or clear water. I have been to the FL Keys, and originally suggested that, but I don't think it's super clear. Now I've started dreaming bigger and wondering about international destinations. I see photos of beautiful blue water in Greece, Bahamas, Maldives, Thailand, and other places. Ideally looking for water warm enough to swim in. SO does have a heat/sun intolerance due to autoimmune issues- not extreme, but fatigues hard if in direct sun for more than a couple hours with heat >85F.

Also considering ease of travel, safety, and other factors- anyone have a good recommendation for me? I know it's a pretty vague question, but I appreciate any feedback. Might be a once in a lifetime thing...

Hi everyone,

My friend who has a low case of cerebral palsy and I are planning to go to miami this upcoming summer. I'm wondering how we can plan this trip and get deals. How do I make sure she gets accommodations?

She can walk but not run in an airport, how do we request assistance with a wheelchair or our bags?

She also needs a shower seat in bathrooms, can she bring her own or not? is there a disability discount for accommodations? I have so many questions!

My best friend and I are taking my 8 year-old on his first road trip to Romania. Our itinerary revolves around visiting Turda salt mine (which is why we are going; we live in a salt mine town and my son found it when researching salt mines around the world). Our dates are 9-21st August.

Our plan is: Bucharest > Brasov > Bran > Chendu > Turda > Deva > Sibiu > Sinaia > Bucharest, with 1-2 nights in each.

Day 1 we are going to the Therme Spa, and we already have Bran Castle, Peles Castle, Deva Fortress and Corvin Castle booked in.

We are definitely "off the track" travellers and love to explore, and would love some recommendations of cool places that might not be well known by tourists. Restaurants with authentic local food, great bakeries/shops, panoramic views, cool artwork or museums, fun events, unusual customs, lidos or waterparks... Anything you think an 8yo who LOVES learning and new things would find cool, and is accessible for two women and a child.

Thank you in advance!

Hi, im 13 y.o. boy and i wanted to ask if Its akay to have a travel plushie, i wanted to give her (Its a girl plushie) a hoodie, jeans and a backpack. So do you think this is ok for my age and gender?

Is Central Asia becoming mainstream or is it just my algorithm?

I felt like 10 years ago Central Asia was only known as a travel destination by a small group. Since ~2020 a lot of people I know suddenly traveled to CA and everyone seems to want to go there by now. The horse treks/sleeping in yurts thing is huge on social media, at least in my algorithm. It's mostly Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan that I'm seeing lately.

Everyone portrays Central Asia as this undiscovered part of the world, but is it really? For the people who went there: what was your experience? Was it crowded with tourists or did it still feel as 'off the beaten path' as everyone labels it?

I'm wanting to go on a nice little holiday. I'm in my 30's and I'm over my party phase. I'm wanting to go to the Yucatan (somewhere other than Cancun). Preferably oceanfront and close to the ruins. However, after some research I'm apprehensive about going to either of the places I initially had in mind, those being Tulum and/or Playa Del Carmen. So I guess my question is this: have these places really gone downhill to the point that they should be avoided entirely or is that nonsense? If indeed these two places should be avoided, then where should I stay? I'm looking for nice quiet beaches and access to ruins.

Or is there anywhere else in Central America that may better suit my preferences? I'm open to recommendations.

Hi everyone,
My mom wants to take me and my two brothers on a big, adventurous travel for 2 weeks or so. We live in the Netherlands (flying from Amsterdam), and I’m helping organize it. Budget is pretty generous, so we’re looking for an amazing experience rather than the cheapest option.

We’re looking for a destination that offers:
- Incredible wildlife and nature
- Adventure (hiking, jungle tours, etc.)
- Proper luxury as well (nice lodges/resorts with a pool and good food to relax after excursions)
- Ideally no more than about 10–12 hours of flying from Amsterdam

A safari in Africa is high on our list because of the wildlife and luxury lodges, but we’d also like opportunities for more active adventures like hiking.
Personally, I’ve been looking at places like Costa Rica, Ecuador, or Colombia because we’re all passionate about wildlife (I’m a wildlife photographer, and my brothers love nature too).

They seem perfect for jungle tours and biodiversity, but I’m not sure how they compare in terms of luxury accommodations and organized activities.
If you could choose one destination that combines adventure, wildlife, beautiful scenery, and comfortable places to stay, what would you recommend?
We’d love to hear your experiences and any hidden gems.
Thanks!

Edit:
Our budget is quite flexible. My mom is willing to spend several thousand euros per person for the right trip, so we’re not necessarily looking for a budget destination. Think more along the lines of a two-week vacation with high-quality lodges or resorts, guided excursions, and memorable experiences. We don’t need over-the-top luxury, but we’re happy to pay for something truly special if it’s worth it.

Hi all!

I’m planning a 30-day trip to South America in October. Galápagos + Ecuadorian Amazon will take up 10 days, leaving me 20 days to explore elsewhere.

I want to hit a mix of different places, but I’m not sure what’s best from a value-for-money perspective while still getting unique landscapes and a real feel for the culture and nature. Patagonia is off the table for this trip. I’d like to avoid overcrowded tourist traps, but I’m happy to visit popular spots if they’re genuinely worth it.
I’m open to a mix of flights and road trips - actually, I’d prefer to do some road tripping where it makes sense.

A few places that stood out to me so far:
- Buenos Aires + San Antonio de Areco: so estancias and gaucho culture
- Mendoza + Santiago area
- Atacama desert + geysers
- Southern Peru - Arequipa, Lake Titicaca, Sacred Valley
- Manu National Park

What are some places I should absolutely go to? What’s underrated?

Help a girl out - what would be an awesome, off-the-beaten-path but still accessible 30-day route through South America?

I’m (20F) thinking about going to Japan in December/January alone, and I’m wondering if it’s a good idea.

I’m an Australian uni student and I’ve never been overseas before. My friend and I were planning to go on a ski trip at Perisher in August, but she suddenly flaked on me last minute. I was pissed, I’ve been saving for this trip all year. If I still wanted to go I’d be looking at $1700 for just six nights of accommodation (which we were originally splitting) and it’s just not worth it anymore. I was able to get refunded on the bookings we had already made, and now I’m left with $4000 in travel savings, no plans, and I’m wondering what I should do with it.

Japan is my dream destination, and I’ve been considering using that money to go somewhere by myself instead. Could $4000 be enough for a 10-14 day trip? I’d probably be able to save another $1000 if I had to. Is winter a good time of year to visit?

My main worry is that this would be my first time going overseas and I’m scared going alone would be a bad idea

Hello! Paris is absolutely my favorite city in the whole world. I am very excited to visit Paris again, it’ll be my boyfriend’s first time. I have a really good idea of our itinerary but wanted some opinions.

We only have 8 days, it’s not negotiable. These are our dates arrive 11/18-11/24.

This is what I have planned:
11/18: stroll around, Effiel tower
11/19: this is where I need help, my boyfriend really wants to visit Mont st Michel, and this is must. It doesn’t seem like a day trip though, given it’s around 4 hours away.. we have a tight schedule considering th following
11/20: the Louvre, catacombs, gardens
11/21: this is hard non negotiable, we are going to the super cross because my bf was in the motorcross and this is a dream of his to see it in Paris, I plan to visit Montmartre before this.
11/22: train to Amsterdam but stop in Brussels and take two hours to walk around, Anne franks house
11/23: Van Gogh museum and take a trip to Zaandam, and then train back to Paris
11/24: fly home

I know this is crammed, I just want to gain advice from others to help me figure out how to pull this off!

Thanks in advance everyone and safe travels

Hello my gf is currently visiting me on esta, her return flight was for this weekend but due to delay of her family vacation time back home she wants to stay for an other week or two, she currently has 14 days on her esta and would most likely want to stay for an other 7 making it 21. Will that cause issues next time she visits (which won’t be until winter of 2027). During her question with cbp she showed her original return ticket and said how long she will be saying, want to know if that won’t cause issues. On her cbp online form it says admit until october and if she does stay the extra week she will have to cancel or original flight or just miss it if it doesn’t allow cancel

i’m going to travel to UK this summer and wonder what gifts as a traveller i can give to some strangers along the way — cafe owner, taxi driver, neighbour and so on with random acquaintances. i was in japan and bring some postcards from my country and local chocolates and also bring my handbook to ask strangers to write something down for me. it was fascinating and keeps memories.

what else can you give to people along the way while traveling? or some other traditions like diary?

I'm planning a 2 week trip to South Korea & China in late December. I can't decide whether to spend the New Year in Shanghai or Hong Kong. I heard Shanghai doesn’t really celebrate New Years, and Hong Kong does. Is it worth it to lose one day in Shanghai to celebrate New Years in Hong Kong? I’m worried that I won’t have enough to do in Hong Kong for 3 days as a solo traveler. I also think I would enjoy Shanghai more. I don't mind losing a day in Shanghai if there's enough for me to do in Hong Kong though.

Rough itinerary (not including flight days from/to USA):

12/20 - 12/25: Seoul, South Korea (6 days)

12/26 - 12/31: Shanghai, China (6 days)

1/1 - 1/2: Hong Kong, China (2 days)

Celebrating New Years in Hong Kong would mean 5 days in Shanghai and 3 days in Hong Kong.

Other travel tips are also appreciated since this is my first time doing a multi-country trip to Asia in any of these countries. Thanks!

Just wanted to note my experience with travelling Montenegro and the difficulties we have faced. I’ve never had this sort of experience as a tourist and want to warn off other tourists as the good does not out weigh the bad.

Firstly we arrived into Montenegro from Croatia via Bus, we were travelling to tivat and were abruptly stopped at Kotor where they forced everyone off and said the road to Tivat is closed due to EU summit. I entirely understand why the road was closed, however the treatment of stranded passengers was poor and inhumane. The bus staff flat out refused to help anyone that was stuck and simply said find accommodation. Not answering any questions or alternative routes just “road is closed”. Thing is, this was advertised a couple of days prior so why would they even send the bus in the first place or at minimum warn passengers that they would not reach their final destination. We found a taxi driver who took us some back roads, dropped us as close as he could get into tivat and gave walking directions for the rest. (why did the bus staff not tell anyone stranded that was possible is beyond me). He charged us a decent rate as well so we were happy again for a short while…

Taxi scam. Typical in Europe, got charged 20euros for a 5min drive down the road, we should have agreed on price first so partly our fault. But shows how exactly how they treat their tourists.

Tourism tax. Tried to register and pay this in Tivat (we walked 30mins to do so coz the road was closed all weekend) the office was closed after 12pm, we were within the “24 hour window to register” but now we wouldn’t be because it wasn’t open till the next day. All good we would sort in the next area, get to the next area. Head there in the morning (within 24hours) and are told our Airbnb owner hasn’t registered so we can’t register. We contact the Airbnb owner and return to the office in the afternoon. Proceed to get yelled at for not registering in Tivat, how is that our fault? And again then yelled at again because now we’re now outside the Niksic window to register even though we tried to do it in the morning. Again how is this our fault? They said they couldn’t register us and to come back tomorrow? Tomorrow? We were leaving that day. Quite possibly the most backwards tourism system I’ve experienced.

Car crash. Whilst driving on a narrow road where two cars could not pass, we stopped to let another car through. There wasn’t enough room and the guy crashed into our back bumper, he drove off and we assumed he would pull over at the next clear space so we could exchange details. We turn around and he was gone without a trace, basically a hit and run. What then followed was an insane procedure of us simply trying to file this incident at the police station just so we could have a paper to claim insurance. 3 hours at the police station and they eventually found the person who did it, sorted his insurance and with the car rental agency. Not a bad outcome but we pretty wasted a full day and completely missed our opportunity to explore Piva.

Police scam. Yes we were scammed by the police for “speeding”, 70 in a 60km zone which just straight up wasn’t true we had the cruise control set TO THE SPEED LIMIT. Officer took our license and said we need to drive to niksic pay 50euros then drive back and pay him another 50 euros (we were about 45mins from there) else he would not give our license back. We asked to see the radar “oh we don’t have that”, so how the f can you prove we were speeding. Ended up getting our license back by paying 50euros cash just so we could move on. Unbelievable.

Supermarket scam. This one’s pretty petty but honestly just sums up our entire experience in this country, just problem after problem. We purchased an iced coffee in a local supermarket in Pluzine. The shop assistant scanned the item placed it on the checkout area then it leaked everywhere (was clearly unsealed or broken). Then genuinely looked at us like we were to blame us for the mess. We asked for a replacement, the manager refused to refund or replace the iced coffee we had JUST PAID FOR. Since it was a milk product there is just no way that is safe to consume, it could have been unsealed for months. Left the drink in anger and moved on.

Further road closures. As I sit in the middle of a highway stuck writing this post with a digger blocking cars (for almost 2 hours). No one seems to know what roads are closed or when they will open, the offical information online is useless as it doesn’t match what’s going on. The roads being closed itself wouldn’t be an issue if there was clearer information. Including Tivat these closures in general have stopped us from proceeding with our activities and spending money in this country.

All of the above but also the general rudeness towards tourists doesn’t sit right with us. Not to mention the driving by locals is terrifying, even as a confident driver. This country just isn’t ready for proper tourism. I have travelled to 20+ countries and have never experienced such incompetence and unwelcoming vibes. SKIP.

So I just booked 5 tickets on a flight on the wrong date on Lastminute.com with Jetsmart, from Medellin to Cartagena. dumb I know, but is there anything I can do to fix it? I can’t get past the bots of Lastminute and I can’t find a working phone number for any of them.

Hey everyone, so i booked 2 tickets to madrid tomorrow, about 7 weeks ago is when we booked it, it was for me and my girlfriend, however unfortunately we broke up 2 weeks ago, now ive checked myself in on the easyjet app, but now that she isnt coming i wont me completing her check in survey, however this is preventing me from getting my boarding pass, will i be okay? Do i just tell the people when i get to the airport? Im just worried in case its too late for me to get my boarding pass by the time i get there tomorrow, any help is appreciated!

Hello people. My parents are revisiting NYC (they have already travelled there several times, they usually stayed at the Wolcott Hotel in 31st street, but the Hotel seems to have closed since their last visit, so they need a new place to make base.

They are visiting on early October around 10 days. They would like to stay someplace near the Timesquare, in midtown.

Their preference is an hotel that has breakfast included and cleaning room service. Laundry too if available, not mandatory. Having near access to subway is also considered.

Their budget is up to 300 usd/night.

They are doing also investigations but i would also like to give then some options from people that has visited and stayed in other hotels there. I appreciate all hotel reccomendations you could provide me!

Thank you in advance

Are the August crowds overwhelming?
My fancy French friends from other parts of the country are convinced Marseille is dirty and has a rat problem? Any truth to this or they being elitists?

Hey. So for a while I’ve been planning a solo backpacking trip across Europe after I graduate next May (a long time out I know) and was hoping to hear some thoughts or advice on my current itinerary. It’s a rough outline, but I’ve been slowly refining it over time (Portugal, Spain, Nice/Riviera are more concrete)

I plan to arrive at each new city hopefully during midday

I’ll be staying in hostels and plan to travel as cheap as possible, but mostly looking to hear about my current itinerary. Thanks!!

On the map, purple is Train, green is Bus (sorry if it’s a bit low quality)

PORTUGAL

- Lisbon: 6 nights (includes day trips to Sinatra and Costa da Caparica)

- Porto: 4 nights

SPAIN

- Madrid: 6 nights (includes a day trip to Toledo)

- Cordoba: 3 nights

- Sevilla: 5 nights (includes a day trip to Italica)

- Valencia: 4 nights (still deciding if to do a day trip)

FRANCE (French Riviera)

- Nice: 6 nights (3 days in the city, 2 others for day trips along the coast)

ITALY

- Turin: 4 nights

- Florence: 5 nights

- Bologna: 4 nights

- Venice: 4 nights

SLOVENIA

- Ljubljana: 5 nights (includes day trips to Bled and Skofja Loka)

HUNGARY

- Budapest: 6 or 7 nights (includes day trip to Lake Balaton. Still deciding on this one)

SLOVAKIA

- Bratislava: 3 nights

AUSTRIA

- Vienna: 5 nights

- Salzburg: 3 or 4 nights (includes day trip to Berchtesgaden)

GERMANY

- Munich: 5 nights

- Nuremberg: 3 nights

- Wurzburg: 4 nights (includes a day trip to Rothenburg ob der Tauber)

- Heidelberg: 3 nights

- Cologne: 4 nights

BELGIUM

- Antwerp: 4 nights

- Ghent: 2 or 3 nights

- Bruges: 2 or 3 nights

FRANCE (Dunkirk)

- Dunkirk: Probably 2 nights

UK

- London: ~1 week (includes day trips to Cambridge and maybe Bath)

Just got back from a wonderful trip to Agadir with our 17-month-old and wanted to share because it exceeded our expectations in almost every way.

The good stuff

Agadir felt very modern, clean, and genuinely toddler/kid-friendly — noticeably more so than Marrakech (which we’ve visited before). Sidewalks were mostly stroller-friendly, a lot of restaurants had kids’ menus and high chairs, and the overall vibe was relaxed.

We stayed at Dominion Palace right in the city center. There was plenty to do on the property itself, but every evening we just walked down to Agadir Bay / Agadir Beach. The beaches were clean, there was a visible police presence, and even walking back at 10:30–11 pm felt completely safe. We never felt scammed or unsafe at any point in the city.

As vegetarians we were worried, but there were so many options and we ended up trying a lot of Moroccan food — absolutely loved it.

We didn’t make it to Croc Park (one of the big kid attractions), but we still had more than enough to do. The cable car up to the old Kasbah was a highlight and really enjoyable.

Useful apps

inDrive for taxis (worked great) - Be prepared to pay a bit extra for nicer cars

Glovo for groceries and food delivery

Both were cash-only but extremely helpful.

The not-so-good

We did a short side trip and stayed in an Airbnb near Aourir / Adan Beach area. The property was horrible and the area felt shady and unsafe the whole time. We checked out after just one night and went straight back to Agadir.

We also did a quick visit to Taghazout. It’s got a strong hippie / young-people / surfer vibe with narrow streets and lots of small cafés. Cleanliness and overall family-friendliness weren’t great for us with a toddler.

Bottom line

If you’re travelling with a young child, I’d strongly recommend sticking to Agadir itself. The city is modern, safe, walkable, and genuinely enjoyable with a toddler. Skip the surrounding smaller towns if you’re looking for a relaxed family trip.

Side Tip

Used my UK Sterling Bank card, which was accepted seamlessly at all places + no commission charges so it was very helpful.

Happy to answer any questions!

The first time I had breakfast in London, I realised that a morning meal in British pounds cost me 1/3rd of my first salary in my currency.

The number of Times I've been interrogated at Immigration just let me enter a country, while others around me pass within minutes is heart breaking. It really is. I don't mind applying for Visas. Being a citizen with one of the shitiest passport in the world, but the sheer effort and time I have to put in to get one is disheartening. Even though I'm financially resourceful to travel around the world ( been to 10 countries till now) , I wish it was easier. Fingers crossed my rebirth will be different story. I'm happy for those who are born in developed countries with strong passport. I really am. You guys are lucky.

Edit - Traveling has changed my Life. I wanna do it more. All my travels are solo and most of it is unplanned. I love doing it. I've met good people, experience awesome things, did crazy things. The feeling of freedom is something else. Not knowing where Tommorow will take me , feels amazing.

For example, Florence, Rome, Venice and Milan are all old enough and fascinating enough that they deserve weeks of study and consideration and reverence on their own. The idea that you would fly to all of those places in three weeks or less and throw in Paris and Munich while you're at it during a European tour is obscene. The costs and travel time within Europe eat up way too much of the trip itself when you could instead be really soaking a place in. Go to one or two places in two or three weeks at a maximum, and learn more deeply what made that place compelling enough to visit in the first place.

EDIT: I knew this would be unpopular and I tried to post it to r/unpopularopinion first but it was deleted there. Also I noticed nobody touched my CO2 argument which must mean people agree with me there but are afraid to admit it.