Unlikely tourist destinations: Kazakhstan

Ever since Borat, that quite famous comedy movie about a Kazakh exploring America, hit the theaters, I think many people started to associated Kazakhstan with a backwards, underdeveloped country with not much in the way of culture, and where the western ‘morals’ are defied in every possible way. Obviously, this depiction is far from the truth.

Kazakhstan has never been a booming tourist destination, but for completely different reasons. Kazakhstan is a rich country with some amazing natural sites, although it doesn’t have yet a clearly defined national identity, nor any very exciting historical monuments. Still, it is one of the most fascinating countries in Central Asia, and a good starting place for any comprehensive exploration of these parts of the continent. …

Dark Tourism: the macabre side of tourism

Hiroshima

Dark tourism’ is a fairly new concept, and one that not many people will find enjoyable. It is also called ‘grief tourism’, which sounds even worse than the other name. As you might suspect by now, the objects of dark tourism are not the usual fun, happy and vibrant locations that you’d normally expect to visit, but quite the opposite.

Dark tourism deals with sites where terrible things have happened more or less recently in history. It’s certainly macabre, but at the same time, educational and illuminating. Sites where people (usually a large number of them) have inflicted violence or been on the receiving end of it, offer some interesting information about these historical events. …

Discovering Havana off the beaten path

Havana, the capital of Cuba

Cuba has been a very unlikely tourist destination in the past few decades (although before the Revolution it was quite popular with tourists), but things are picking up now for the Cuban tourist sector. European, Asian and even American tourists are flocking to Cuba in hundreds and thousands, which is no surprise, considering that Cuba is a paradise for beach-goers, scuba-divers and explorers of all kinds.

Cuba is an incredibly rich and fascinating country when it comes to its culture. Havana is the place where all the essence of the Cuban way of life is concentrated, so if you want more than the classic beaches and resorts out of your trip, here’s a list of what you can do and see in this amazing city. …

The foodhiker’s guide to the galaxy: Germany

Regensburg

Germans are known for their sausages, Sauerkraut and beer. The truth is that really only one of these can make the top of the list in the foodhiker’s guide to the galaxy. Yes … you guessed it right, “beer”. Whatever type of beer you like, you can almost be sure that you will find a good one wherever you go. It’s probably just the tradition of German breweries, imagine some of those breweries count among the oldest companies in the world at some 500-1000 years.

Another reason besides the long lasting tradition may be that micro breweries still do well here and shine with great uniqueness in terms of flavor which is not so common most other parts of the world. …

Rural New England

New England is a wonderful travel destination by any measure, especially in autumn, when the foliage becomes a reason for many tourist visit the scenic countryside of this region. When visiting New England, urban tourism is definitely exciting, but apart from the bustling, elegant cities, there is much more to see in this area.

While the big cities have many interesting attractions to offer, the countryside is undeniably more interesting and rewarding than any other part of New England. In today’s post, we will tell you more about the most picturesque places in the New England countryside. …

5 great ecotourism destinations

Now that global warning is pretty much accepted as a reality by most people, many of us have started worrying about the impact that our hobby has on the environment. You don’t have to be an informed environmentalist to know that a plane-trip, for example, is not exactly eco-friendly.

As a matter of fact, few means of transport are eco-friendly nowadays (except for biking maybe, but how would you visit islands, then?). So for all of you who are environmentally conscious, here is a list of ecotourism travel destinations that, where you can explore nature without damaging it, and improve the local economy at the same time. …

Trailer travel through Europe

Having a trailer is probably the dream of any traveler who doesn’t want to spend an inordinate amount of money on accommodation, and who wants to be able to go about his own schedule as she or he sees fit. Like a snail, you can take your home with you wherever you go. No more hostels and motels (although youth hostels sure have their advantages).

All you need is a parking lot for your trailer, and a willingness to spend quite some time on the road boxed in a not very large car. But still, you’ll have to drive quite a lot, so taking an all-Asian tour might be a bit exhausting. This is why our suggestions is Europe: small, very diverse, and with good transport networks (mostly). …

Hiking & trekking in the Andes: the basics

Outside of Asia, the Andes are the highest mountain range that you can climb. It’s long, strenuous, cold and utterly amazing. Walking in the footsteps of the Inca and other ancient civilizations is an exhilarating feeling, and you not only get to see some of the most amazing views on earth, but also discover the people and the culture of the small, secluded villages on the trail, and of course, the wildlife. So gather your hiking gear, say your goodbyes to modern life for a while, and say hello to the most epic adventure you can experience in your lifetime. …

Travel tips for women travelers

Whether you are a man or a woman traveling alone, keeping safe is the most important thing you should worry about. But the sad reality is that women traveling alone are more likely to get in trouble than men, in certain places at least.

While in many parts of the world equal rights is a reality, in some place women are expected to behave in certain ways that might not appeal to many of us who are used to doing whatever we feel like doing. So here are some tips that will help you make sure that things run smoothly during your travels. …

Hiking trips on Mount Takao

Some people like hiking, some people don’t, and some people would like it if they weren’t so discouraged by the physical aspect of it. Let’s face it, not everyone can boast of climbing the Himalaya. But fellow sloths, don’t despair!

There are a couple of ‘mountains’ that we, the inexperienced hikers, can tackle as well, without the humiliation of having to return after only a couple of hours of wheezing and sweating. Mount Takao in Japan is the perfect spot where we can get our fill of scenic views, while leisurely walking on paved hiking trails (or even taking the funicular halfway up the mountains). …