You might have noticed Rachel wrote mostly about North Goa on her blog. That is because she lived there. While Goa is the smallest state in India, it still takes four hours to drive along the whole coast. Which means if you’ve only scheduled a few days here, you may want to choose between North and South Goa. Rachel once answered that question here, but we thought we’d give you a more thorough, updated guide below with our local Goa expert, Jules!

I, Jules, also currently live in North Goa at Villa Alina and spend most of my season up North, though occasionally I treat myself to a much needed getaway to the South. For me, North Goa will always be home, I am a city girl born and bred in London so the fast paced life and busy streets appeal to me. The South is the countryside of Goa, the quieter side with less going on and more time for rest and relaxation.

How to Decide if You Want to Go to North or South Goa

Many people emailed Rachel about coming to Goa for one week or two and want to know if they should stay in the North or head down to the South. The answer to this depends on a lot of different factors from how much time you have to your interest to what kind of holiday you want. The North and the South are two very different places sometimes.

Depending on your schedule, you may be able to explore both North and South. However, if you have a limited time you will want to make sure you spend your time wisely. Getting around without your own means of transport is not the easiest as Uber doesn’t exist in Goa, we don’t have a metro, taxis are extortionate compared to the rest of India, and renting a moped is great but also comes with a long list of precautions. So making the right decision about which area you stay in is important as you will want things to be within walking distance.

Here are some questions that may help you decide:

Which is closest to the airport?

The airport is midway between North and South Goa, so you’re pretty much evenly distanced depending on how far North or South you choose to go.

What kind of holiday are you looking for in Goa?

If you’re looking for more to do and see…

North Goa is the busier side with a lot more happening. Here you can experience the buzz of daily life in almost every area with a much bigger selection of parties, hundreds of restaurant options, cafes, bars and shopping markets. The North is your best bet for those that want a mix of actually doing things as well as beach hopping along the coast.

If you’re looking to just relax on the beach…

If you’re in the mood for rest and relaxation, sunsets, and swims, than South Goa and its more beautiful and secluded beaches are for you. The beaches in the South are quieter with less options of a late night party, so if candle-lit dinners on the beach, spending your days stretched out on a sun bed and struggling to decide whether you want a fresh coconut or a cocktail, then I would suggest the South. There are still restaurant options and the occasional party but not in the same variety as North Goa.

Are you looking to avoid crowds?

Yes…

There are quiet beaches both in the North and South of Goa but the South has a lot more and is where you want to be if you need a break from the madness of India.

Not Really…

If you are travelling solo and want to meet people then the North has a lot more hostels to choose from and a bigger selection of activities to do. I personally find lying on a beach is more of a solo activity and a harder place to make new friendships. If you want to be able to dip in and out of the busy-ness of India either at the local markets, bars or beach shacks then the North has a larger selection and bigger buzz.

Comparing North and South Goa: A Breakdown

Old Quarter Hostel, Panjim

Which is better for backpackers on a budget?

In India, accommodation is pretty cheap wherever you go unless you are splashing out on a 5-star hotel. As for Goa there are options for all different budgets but of course it also depends if you are travelling solo, in a couple or as a group.

North Goa

As mentioned above there are a lot more hostel options in North Goa which offer a bed for as little as Rs 500 a night. There are lots of cool options with great communal areas to meet other backpackers. For hostels check Jungle Hostel, Papi Chulo, Old Quarter, Funky Monkey or Prison Hostel.

South Goa

The South is more of a stilted beach hut experience than a budget backpacker scene. The further you stay back from the beachfront the less you will have to pay and I would recommend taking a walk along your chosen beach and bartering for the best price. The later in the day it is the cheaper they will be. Beach huts can range from Rs 1,000 to 5,000 per night.

Anahata, Mandrem Beach

Where to Stay in Goa

There is a huge selection of places to stay in Goa. We have everything from hostels, guesthouses, homestays, jungle huts, eco resorts and luxury villas to 5-star resorts. It is impossible not to find something to suit your needs, check out our updated guide on where to stay in Goa for a longer list of our favorite spots.

North Goa

There is a larger variety of options in North Goa for all different budgets. Places here are not as beachfront as they are in the South and you can stay a lot more inland in towns and even villages. Anjuna is the best area for backpackers, Mandrem has a more hippie chic vibe and Calangute is the epicenter of the madness.

South Goa

South Goa has a few 5-star resorts in very secluded areas for people who don’t want to venture out. It also has a lot more choice of the famous stilted beach huts and falling asleep to the sound of waves. Here most places will be a few steps away from the actual beach as their USP is a sea view.

Agonda is one of the most beautiful beaches in Goa, Palolem is the busier area, and Patnem is the quieter neighbor. The South can be explored in one long line with the coast being the main area of civilization for tourism. Do note in the monsoon, South Goa is basically closed as seas become rough and the shacks, huts, and guesthouses are all taken down.

Better for Sightseeing?

Goa is not full of as many bucket list-must-sees as most other areas in India. The landmarks could be done all in one day if you really stretched yourself but you will find like many others, you end up getting distracted by the beaches, normal life or needing to try a different cocktail in every beach shack.

North Goa

North Goa has a lot more choice of cultural landmarks with Old Goa being the main attraction. If you have been to other places in India then you will notice you will have mainly seen temples or mosques. Goa is full of beautiful churches because of the Portuguese influence. If you want to spend your days doing some exploring then North Goa is where you should be and you should see Panjim, the capital of Goa, Fontainhas – the amazing colorful Portuguese streets within Panjim and the Spice Plantation – I always send my guests here. And of course exploring the different beaches along the North coastline.

South Goa

South Goa is not for the kind of traveler who needs to get up and do a lot of things throughout the day. Here your activities are based around the beach and are likely to include sunbathing, reading, beach walking, kayaking, boat trips, chasing sunsets and snoozing. Nothing wrong with these activities but if you are like me and get bored of lying on a beach all day then maybe the North is for you.

Tip: If you want to see the famous cows at Agonda, they arrive before every sunset and are fed the vegetable waste from the kitchens along the beach!

Where & What to Eat

The options for food in Goa are some of the best in the whole of India. We have every single cuisine possible and you could finish a two week holiday without eating any Indian or Goan food. There is difference between Goan and Indian food. If you have traveled around India you may or may not have noticed key differences between dishes in each state. I, of course, don’t recommend this because all types of Indian and local food are the best but, just to highlight if you can’t look at another plate of daal and rice, then you have come to the right place.

North Goa

North Goa has the largest selection of places to eat, a lot of them better than most places you would find in your hometowns. There are beach shacks, fancy restaurants, pizzerias, sunset dining options, juice bars, vegan spots and even a few restaurants that offer shows and more of an late-night experience. Check out La Plage, A Reverie, Gunpowder, Calamari, Fat Fish, Thalassa, Bean Me Up, Luna’s Ristorante, Sublime, Artjuna, Eva’s Cafe…I could literally go on forever. On Rachel’s last trip, she ate at a lot of places in North Goa.

South Goa

South Goa has a few standout spots to check out but here you will mainly be eating at beach shacks and enjoying the view rather than being blown away by food. Don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t mean food is bad in the South, far from it, but there are just not as many well known places or options to choose from as the North. Whilst in the South don’t miss Home, Zest, Martins Corner, Zeebop, Jaali Cafe, Dunhill and Indah Desa.

For the best local Goan food try a small beach shack and order FishCurryRice – said in this way. This can be found in both North and South, just make sure its locally made which includes lots of coconut.

Hideaway, Vagator

Where to Party

Goa is well known for its party scene and is comparable to the Las Vegas of India. Well, I think so anyway! We have late night parties that go well into the morning, trance parties that you should not miss out experiencing, 24-hour casino boats and a party option for most nights of the week! If you’re coming to experience the party scene, don’t miss these nightlife tips before you come.

North Goa

North Goa is full to the brim with options for parties. There is somewhere to go every single night of the week whether it is a bar, a club or a beachside party. If you are looking for busy club scenes, cheesy music, techno parties, live music, going to more than one club in a night or all of the above then the North is for you. Nearly all of the best nightclubs in Goa are located in the North and there are options depending on which kind of vibe you are going for. Check out Curlies, Shiva Valley, Hilltop, Thalassa, Soro, Hideaway, Cavala, Cohiba, Showbar and more.

South Goa

The party scene in South Goa is very limited with set days for parties at only two main venues which are Leopard Valley and Neptune’s Point. I am sure these would be cool parties to go to but there is no guarantee that they will be busy. Here you should be happy with either an early night or taking over a beach shack and having drinks and cocktails with a group of friends.

Where to Relax on the Beach

Goa is a coastal state lined with beaches from North to South. Though much of the west coast of India has some secluded beautiful beaches, Goa is the designated beach holiday destination. There are a lot of beaches to choose from and I wouldn’t recommend trying to visit them all.

North Goa

North Goa has a variety of beaches to meet peoples different needs. If you are looking for a busy beach, water sports and a large selection of beach shacks then Baga, Calangute and Candolim beach are for you. If you want the typical tourist vibe with a few beach shack party places then Anjuna and Little Vagator/Ozran Beach are for you. And if you want a more quiet, hippie, bohemian vibe then Morjim, Ashwem and Mandrem are for you. The furthest North is Arambol where you will find a lot of backpackers, drum circles and a trance scene.

South Goa

For the most beautiful beaches head South where you will find silkier sand, calmer seas and more peace and quiet. Majorda and Benaulim Beach are empty with not much else to do nearby. Agonda and Patnem are quiet with sea facing beach huts and a beautiful stretch to walk along. Palolem is the busier part of the South with glorious palm trees lining the whole shore leaning towards the sun. Butterfly Beach, Cabo De Rama, Cola and Galgibaga are the even more untouched areas where you are unlikely to bump into many other people at all.

Kranti Yoga, Patnem Beach

Where to Do a Yoga Retreat

If you are coming to Goa and plan to book a yoga retreat then you will want to decide whether you will prefer to be in the North or South. Yoga can be found all over Goa and if you don’t want to commit to a full on retreat there are lots of options of drop-in classes or even hiring a teacher for private classes to come to you.

North Goa

If you want a busier retreat with the option of more to do after your classes in the day then the North has a few options that I have heard about from friends – Dunes or Anahata in Mandrem and Purple Valley Yoga in Assagao which is more inland. There are lots of options for drop in classes at the many yoga shalas, cafes, or even resorts.

South Goa

The retreats in the South are likely to be a lot more chilled out. There’s less temptation to go out and drink and a lot more peace and quiet to really give your all to the retreat. I know I would personally choose to do a retreat in the South. I feel secluded beaches and more alone time go hand-in-hand with a yoga retreat. Here you could try Kranti Yoga School, Bamboo Yoga Retreat or Lotus Oasis Yoga all found on Patnem Beach.

Where to Go Shopping

If you have been traveling around India you may feel as though you are all shopped out! But you will change your mind once you see the shops in Goa. You can find everything you need from the cliche Goa tourist stuff for your friends at home (elephant trousers, Goa fridge magnets, anklets, henna etc) to the amazing independent designer clothes you won’t find anywhere else.

North Goa

North Goa is lucky enough to have all the shopping markets. These markets have a huge variety of everything you could possibly want all in one place. The Flea Market is the famous daytime market every Wednesday in Anjuna, the new Goa Collective Bazaar happens every Friday in Vagator and The Saturday Night Market is in Arpora. Each market is different and if you can you should make time for all three. There are also very cute boutique shops you must visit. Rangeela, No Nasties and People Tree are in Assagao; Paperboat is in Sangolda; Alchemy is in Mandrem, and Studio Arpora is in Arpora.

South Goa

South Goa has a few great shops but not the same selection as the North. Here you can find some hidden gems at the roadside stalls but you will have to spend some time looking. There aren’t any particularly large markets though sometimes there are pop ups at Leopard Valley. Boutiques in the South to check out are Bunti and Jaali Cafe.

Hopefully, you now have a clearer idea about whether you want to go to North or South Goa! And if you’re lucky enough to have time for both, you now have some recommendations on where to go, what to see, and, most importantly, what to eat!

For More Goa Travel Planning Guides:

Check out some of these posts to help you continue planning your trip to India:

Goa Travel Tips

• Unique Things to Do in Goa: A Bucket List
• Traveling in Goa India With Kids
• Safety Tips For Solo Female Travel in Goa, India

Trip Planning Tips

• The 30 Best Places to Visit in India
• Travel to India Made Easy With This Step By Step Guide
• 100 India Travel Tips You HAVE To Read
• 10 Tips for First Time Travel to India

Logistics

• How to Get an India Tourist Visa
• Travel Insurance for India
• How to Book a Train in India As Foreigner
• Do You Need a Filtered Water Bottle For India Travel?
• Money in India: How To Get Rupees & Handle Money

Packing Tips

• How to Dress in India: the Ultimate Dos and Don’ts
• 10 Travel Essentials For India
• Men’s India Packing List
• The Only Backpacking Through India Packing List You Need

Pin it for later!

Originally published Sept 2017; updated Sept 2020

The post Should I Go to North or South Goa? appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Goa nightlife is literally notorious for its party scene. However, it’s a very specific type of scene – one that Rachel, being an American, had no idea about since she listened to rap and country for most of her life!

After traveling around India and visiting Goa last, she heard of “Psy,” and wondered, “Is he a DJ?” (True story, lol). But Psy is not a DJ. “Psy Trance” is the music of choice in Goa, where it originated. The parties and raves here are unlike anywhere else. While Rachel shared the most obvious party places in Goa for you to try, we had her friend and fellow Goan expat, Jules, make sure everything was up to date and even add another popular spot!

Keep in mind that even if it’s not your cup of tea, it’s truly something to check out at least once. These parties are 100% part of Goa and Goans, Indians from outside Goa, and foreigners come together at them. It’s not something fake for tourism. In fact, these parties are as real as it gets! The “trance” parties are mostly Anjuna and Vagator but also in Morjim, Ashwem, and Arambol.

Most of these photos are from Rachel’s friend, Katja. She’s the designer behind Dadablui (who Rachel wrote about in this post) and has been partying at these places for decades- thanks, Katja!

Don’t forget to pick up our Insider Guide to Goa and Guide to India ebooks

A Goa Nightlife Guide: Top Nightclubs and Parties in Goa

1. HillTop

HillTop is definitely one of the best party places in Goa. It’s the most well known and also nostalgic. Just check out their Facebook page to see images of the scene and you’ll get how wild it is! Sundays are the night they have their biggest parties starting early at like midday until only 10 pm but some nights like NYE and Christmas Eve go on all night and through to the next day.

You’ll find backpackers, locals, old school Goa hippies who have been coming here for 30 years, and domestic Indian tourists altogether. It’s really not an “exclusive” vibe – people are welcoming and laid back at these things.

If you don’t want to dance there are sometimes ladies with chai on the sides (“chai mamas”) and you can go sit and chill and people-watch.

It does cost to get in! The cost is anywhere from 500 to 2,000 rupees depending on the party.  Most of the amazing trance parties here are a little expensive. The DJ’s here are not just some random people, they are internationally known, amazing trance DJ’s and some people travel here just to see their favorites perform.

In January, they have their famous Hilltop Festival which is a 3 day Goan Trance festival with a huge line up of international DJs. This festival sees over 5000 people coming through the door. The stage decor is always amazing, so if Goan Trance is your thing don’t miss this one. It usually sells out and tickets should be bought in advance.

HillTop is up on the big hill in Vagator before you turn to go towards Ozran Beach. It is one of the originals and has been around since 1976!

2. Shiva Valley

Shiva Valley is on Anjuna Beach and is another really epic place for trance music and kind of one of the “original” places in Goa for this. It’s right next to Curlies, and it’s a beach shack like Curlies, but smaller. On Tuesdays, they have their big party which everyone goes to. This starts around 5 pm and there is a cover charge.

3. Curlies

Also on Anjuna Beach, Curlies is the more popular shack of the two side by side shacks (Curlies and Shiva Valley). I think Curlies is said to be the first ever beach shack in Anjuna Beach – but that could be a rumor! It’s been around for decades though.

Curlies is actually a pretty chill place to hang out during the day, too, and the food isn’t bad. We take friends here sometimes. After 5 pm or around sunset it becomes more of a party place though and sometimes goes all through the night. Of all the places on this list, Curlies is actually a place I do go to party sometimes, and it’s great that it’s open in the monsoon.

The party night here in on Thursdays and it’s free to come in. Keep in mind at all bars/clubs in Goa if you are a group of just men, you may be denied entrance. They try to keep the balanced men and women for safety and such.

4. 9 Bar

9 Bar is somewhere I tend to go really late at night after other parties have winded down. It’s a different type of place on Vagator Cliff. It has some outside parties but also this inside space which is a little dungeony since it’s soundproof.

It’s definitely that real “trance” vibe though and a cool place to check out; they get DJ’s here from all over the world. It’s near a lot of hostels and guesthouses, so tourists tend to pop in here for parties. A perk of this place is you get amazing views over the Arabian Sea! Every time I’ve been it was free entry, but there are some big parties where they might be charging a small amount to enter, depending on the DJ.

5. Chronicle

Chronicle is also on Vagator Cliff but down the cliff a little bit. It has levels and has amazing views. Chronicle isn’t really known for trance/psy but has all kinds of electronic music like techno and deep-house. Chronicle is also a restaurant and has a shop inside. I guess you could say it’s a little more upscale party place, and you can get more dressed up here if you want to. It’s actually new since I moved here and opened in 2013. You can check their Facebook page to see when they are having a big party and they do charge an entrance fee on nights like that.

6. Soro – Boshed

Soro, the name of the club, is in a sleepy part of Assagao and is an indoor area that has a pub vibe about it. On different days of the week they have specific nights on. One not to miss is Boshed. Every Tuesday, this techno party has its weekly resident DJs plus special guests. The party goes on until 3am and is always busy. Here you will find a younger crowd and lots of residents of Goa rather than tourists. Perfect for scoping out the true local techno scene. This party goes on throughout the year whereas most of the above will stop for monsoon.

And if HipHop is more your thing, the same Boshed organisers throw a Down n Dirty HipHop night on Thursdays, also at Soro.

So, which of these party places in Goa should you have on your bucket list?

Those were the top places to go for Trance, Psy, Techno parties (you can check their Facebook pages or WUG to see what DJ will be there). This really just scratches the surface though. There are so many more places to have epic parties in Goa like Monkey Valley or new ones popping up in Morjim. This guide is mostly just to show you the most well-known, classic, trance parties in Goa.

It’s definitely not my scene; although I’ve tried these parties a lot, I just don’t love this music. Wish I did! I love how it brings people together and all my friends are into it. But all these years have gone by and I’ve never gotten into it. (I think partly as I’m not much of a partier, in general, these days, so maybe when I was 20 I’d have loved it!).

You also have the commercial scene here in Goa with R&B, hip-hop, and Bollywood. This is mostly in Baga, Calangute, and Candolim at clubs like Sync, LPK, and on Tito’s Lane.

If none of this is your scene and you’re going to be in Goa for some time, you might want to check out my e-book, The Insider’s Guide to Goa, because in each beach/village, I write about nightlife and most include alternative nightlife like live music (which is hard to find here), Reggae, and more chilled out vibes that aren’t as hardcore or crowded as these.

Have you experienced Goa nightlife? Where would you recommend going?

For More Goa Travel Planning Guides:

Check out some of these posts to help you continue planning your trip to India:

Goa Travel Tips

• Where to Stay in Goa: All the Best Places to Stay from North to South
• Should I go to North or South Goa?
• Unique Things to Do in Goa: A Bucket List
• Goa One Week Itinerary for the Beach Lovers and Foodies
• Traveling in Goa India With Kids
• Safety Tips For Solo Female Travel in Goa, India

Trip Planning Tips

• The 30 Best Places to Visit in India
• Travel to India Made Easy With This Step By Step Guide
• 100 India Travel Tips You HAVE To Read
• 10 Tips for First Time Travel to India

Logistics

• How to Get an India Tourist Visa
• Travel Insurance for India
• How to Book a Train in India As Foreigner
• Do You Need a Filtered Water Bottle For India Travel?
• Money in India: How To Get Rupees & Handle Money

Packing Tips

• How to Dress in India: the Ultimate Dos and Don’ts
• 10 Travel Essentials For India
• Men’s India Packing List
• The Only Backpacking Through India Packing List You Need

Pin it for later!

Original Post: Oct 2017; Updated Post: June, 2020

The post Goa Nightlife: the 6 Most Popular Party Places in Goa appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

I can’t believe I’ve been traveling for ten whole years now! While these days traveling is my full-time job, I traveled a lot on my own for a long time, even before starting Hippie in Heels. Throughout the years and numerous countries, not to mention living in Goa for half of this time, I’ve picked up a lot of travel hacks.

These are both practical things (like little ways to save money) to big lessons learned from experience, and I wanted to share them with you! So below are my favorite travel hacks after a decade of wandering the world.

My 10 Favorite Travel Hacks After 10 Years

Mykonos in 2009

2. Packing cubes are very much worth the hype

Why did it take me so long to get them!? I can’t imagine just putting my things in my luggage loose, without packing cubes, anymore. This keeps thing so orgnaized and as I get older I somehow am getting even more OCD. I have three sets because I wanted all sorts of size options.

Check out some packing cube options below:

Uganda, 2010

3. Stay local as much as possible.

I was always a fan of Airbnb, but the past two years, I look at the housing options there before I even look at hotels. From a $30 apartment in Tulum to a $200 MANSION in Merida, I’ve been loving staying in people’s homes. I love to cook breakfast, make my own coffee, and it has saved me so much money on accomodation. I’ve used it in India, England, Mexico, Ireland, and 10 other countries so far and not had one issue. I tend to go for whole houses, not rooms or apartments and actually have a guide coming out soon with tips on using Airbnb. This is a way to get MUCH more into the real life of the place you stay and will honestly change the way you travel. You’ll never go back to booking random hotels.

Get $40 off with Airbnb here if you’re a new user

Some of my Airbnb posts:

• 5 Reasons to Choose Airbnb
• Airbnb in Merida, Mexico
• Cutest Luxury & Budget Airbnbs in Goa

Taj Mahal, 2012

4. Get an incredible travel credit card

I’m about to turn 29 and just got my first real credit card! I went with the Chase Sapphire Reserve. The main reason I decided to get one was that this particular card covers you up to 75,000 in car rental insurance. This means you can decline it at the rental counter no matter how hard they try to upsell you. The other reason is that I want to finally get into points and they give you 3x points on travel spends. The third and coolest reason I got this card, is it gives you a Priority Pass (for you and a guest). This pass allows you into a lounge in nearly every airport in the world – and the airports that don’t have a lounge for you often have a restaurant you can dine with $30 or $40 credit. I actually added Ben to my account and then he can rent a car under his credit card (under my account) and use the car rental insurance, too. No more paying for a second driver!

Koh Samui, 2013

5. Planning your own travel itinerary is usually better than going on group tours, but not always.

90% of the time, I’m down to plan my own itinerary and avoid the cost of tours. When I plan it myself, I really research deeply (I’m talking reading dozens of posts for each city I’ll be in, checking IG hashtags, and Pinterest, too). I cater the trip to what I like in terms of food, sight-seeing, adventures, shopping, and hotels. While I prefer this, there are times a tour can really be helpful and mostly that is in India. I have done some really cool tours here in rural areas and learned SO much in just a week on a tour about India that I didn’t living here as an expat or traveling as a tourist. I think that doing a tour is a great way to go even deeper into a place you are traveling – you just have to pick the right one. If you are going somewhere that stresses you out, it’s best to look into a tour so you can relax and enjoy the trip. My biggest tip here is that before you go on a trip, PLAN IT. I used to wing it, and have traveled all over Europe and even India winging it. The perfect example of why NOT to do this is my Rajasthan trip. When I compare visiting there as a backpacker winging it 6 years ago to planning ahead when I went this Fall, it’s like a completely new place – I saw so much more and loved every second without the stress since it was planned ahead.

Check out some of my itinerary & planning posts:

• How to plan a trip from scratch
• Two Weeks in Rajasthan
• One Week in Goa
• Why You Should Add an “ME” Day to Your Itinerary

Bandung, 2014

6. Sometimes renting a car is the best and cheapest option.

Ben and I rent cars basically everywhere we go. We figure, if we can drive in India, we can drive anywhere. Like I said above, I now have a credit card with insurance which is huge in keeping the rental car cost down. You can rent for under $10 a day most places if you decline all the insurance. It’s not just my credit card, but loads of them offer this – call yours and see if they do! I look on rentalcars.com when I start searching and don’t have a favorite company: I use Hertz, Sixt, Europcar and so far haven’t had any issues. I always take photos and video of the car when I pick it up and we are careful to clean it well before returning it. In places like England, for example, we spend so much less having our own car than if we took trains, taxis, and the underground everywhere we went. It saves us hundreds of bucks on nearly every trip.

Istanbul, 2015

7. It’s better to buy high-quality items than to just buy cheap and throw away.

My H&M and Forever 21 days are pretty behind me – and I don’t really buy clothing that is really “trendy”. I shop thinking about travel and where I could wear things. I also buy a LOT less although spend about the same amount. Quality over quantity is what I go by and if that means paying $200 for a leather jacket I’ll wear for 8 years (so far!) or a $100 for a pair of linen travel pants I’ll where on every single trip I take, it’s worth it! I did break that while i was in the UK: I was so cold and bought like 5 sweaters at H&M and Zara which I already regret doing! I should have bought one or two awesome ones instead. When you travel, you should feel good in what you wear and wear “real life” items, not “traveling” pieces that you wouldn’t wear at home. If you dress “normal”, you’ll feel much more intune with the place you visit. Here is a post on where I like to shop.

Some of my favorite quality brands:

• Studio TIA
• FARA
• TopShop Jamie Jeans
• Melissa Odabash
• Free People
• L*Space
• Uggs

Finland, 2016

8. You can start small in trying to be more eco-friendly as a traveler

You might not be able to go from not thinking about your effect on the environment to being a eco-warrior overnight but you can start just doing small things to help as a traveler. Even just not using straws or using reef-friendly sunscreen when you go snorkeling is helpful. This year, I have thought a lot more about sustainable travel and wish I would have been thinking this way a lot sooner. Ben is helpful with this because he literally builds reefs and is very environmentally-friendly so I’m always learning. Alex in Wanderland has a great post on this from earth day. This isn’t really a “hack” but learning how to be more eco-friendly while you travel is something we should all keep in mind.

Morocco, 2017

9. If you want to go somewhere but aren’t sure where think about the experiences

Instead of thinking about how a place looks, what the beach is like, or where your friends are going, plan your trips based on the experiences you want. After 10 years, I look back and remember not checking Budapest and Prague off my bucket list but instead, I remember flying in a helicopter in Maui, rafting in the Nile, and dog sledding in Finland. I remember learning to surf in Bali and shopping my heart out in Morocco. I try to really choose the places I go based on the experiences I want to have there. Have you always wanted to surf in Hawaii? Have you wanted to take a baking class in Paris? Think about activities you want to do in your life and make a list of them…. then start checking them off rather than checking off a place.

Goa, 2018

10. It’s sometimes who you’re with and not the destination at all

My biggest tip is that you shouldn’t just travel for travel’s sake. As a blogger, I could literally be traveling NON-STOP all year to anywhere I wanted. But we only get this one life and as much as I love to travel, I love other things: my dogs, family, boyfriend, and my home. I am careful to not get travel burn-out where I stop appreciating the new places I go. I also try to balance having a normal home life. I would rather go to Florida (again) with my mom than go off on a solo trip to somewhere new because the first one is memories I’ll always cherish – it’s not always about where you go but who you choose to go with, or even who you choose to stay home with instead of bouncing off on another trip.

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I did a survey last year where I aksed people what they wished I talked more about and a few people mentioned they wanted to hear more about the bad side of travel. They wanted to know about when things went wrong for me while traveling and how I dealt with it. I have been a lucky traveler, but no one has perfect trips. I’m going to share some times that things didn’t go as planned, and what I did in those situations.

1. Getting Pick-Pocketed

The first incident that comes to mind is when I was pick-pocketed in Barcelona. My second time abroad, at the age of 20, I came out of airport – first time in Spain – and hopped onto the metro with a friend. A group of 3 men and a woman kept bumping into me, all around my age or a bit older. When the doors opened for us to get off, Megan jumped off, but the guys blocked me in. I was pushing trying to get out and next thing I know they all jump off just as the doors are shutting. They had intended me to stay on the train, but I got off in the knick of time. They walked off and I didn’t realize what had happened until I saw my purse was open. They took my camera.

They were gone up the stairs of the metro when I noticed.  I left my backpack with my friend and run to find them. The boy closest to me didn’t really see it coming until I’d already grabbed his backpack and pulled him back to the floor. I yelled for the police and they came. They arrested all four of the people and found a lot of stolen goods.

To get my camera back, I had to go in their police car to make a statement. I had to call my Couchsurfing host from the police station and ask him to come to pick me up and help translate – looking back it was pretty funny. He was like “you’re where!? I’ll be right there!”.

So that is how I handled the sitution and honestly, would probably do the same thing again. But, I’m lucky they didn’t have a knife, to be honest, or that they didn’t get a chance to fight back. I wouldn’t do this in the USA if I was held at gunpoint or something, I would just over my things, but if some young probably unarmed person pick-pocketed me and was right there in a crowded area, I’d try to get my things back.

After it was said and done, I was bummed out because the moment they took my camera, they erased my memory card. Pro thieves they were. Luckily, a family member told me to get a new memory card and not touch this one so I wouldn’t write-over the deleted files. He used software to get the images back!

Later that night, walking into a club, the bouncer goes “you’re the girl from the train station today” and it was a guy who had come to help me when it happened. He helped, the police helped, my Couchsurfing host helped, and my friend helped. What was stressful then, became a traveler’s story. But, in the end, it was a $200 camera and it wouldn’t have been the end of the world if it went missing, but it was almost 10 years ago and the most expensive thing I owned, plus a band new present from my parents for my birthday.

As I’ve said before (in a whole blog post) do as I say, not as I do and when people rob you, let them. Safety is more important than a camera.

2. Having Luggage Go Missing

Everyone worried about airline issues and people (like me) get anxiety before flights thinking about everything that could go wrong. I have had my luggage go missing three times and all three times, it was returned to me (knock on wood). The first time it took a few days though, and I didn’t have much on me!

I was flying from Spain to Greece, a quick flight, and checked my backpack. The only thing I had was the tiniest little purse with my travel journal (to write in on the plane), my contacts, money, and my bill control. This wasn’t ideal. I learned from that moment to always carry a carry-on bag with a night’s clothing, toiletries, and things I would need in case my luggage went missing.

The next two times it happened was in India, and it came in on the next flight. So, what happens when the luggage isn’t there on the belt when you arrive? You need to go to the airline luggage counter at baggage claim and make sure it’s not there. Then, file a claim with them. They will try to locate it right then- it’s tagged and should be in the system. Sometimes they say “it accidentally went to ___” and others they say “we don’t have a clue”. Their responsibility is to get the luggage to you. You need to leave them an address and phone number and they will deliver it to you – you shouldn’t ever have to go back to the airport to retreive it.

3. Getting Very Very Ill

I get stomach bugs and things like that when I travel but there was one time I was sick enough that I called my parents saying I think it’s time I come home. I was in North India and had been trekking around in the Himalayas with Dengue Fever for weeks, although I didn’t know I had it. I just knew I had blinding migraines, nausea, and vomiting, the worst stomach pain of my life, couldn’t eat or sleep, had rashes on my hands and feet, and had a very high temperature. These things weren’t all at the same time though, and it was easy to blame food or altitude sickness for a long time. When I started to bleed from my nose and get large bruises all over my body, I went to the hospital. They tested me but already knew it was Dengue. My platelets were so low that the small hospital recommended I take a helicopter to Delhi for a tranfusion. I wasn’t up for that and said I’ve gone all these weeks with it, let’s wait and see. As long as I don’t bump into anything and rest I thought I’d be okay. And I was – I checked my platelets for the next two days and they had finally leveled out. It took a LONG time to recover from this and honestly was a rough month!

My parents were the ones who told me to stay in India when I was ready to call it quits, and thank goodness because a week later I met Ben and ended up living in India for five years, as you know.

When you’re sick abroad, you really have to make a personal decision. The place will always be there to come back to. If you are totally miserable there is no shame is coming home. You’ll know when you feel this sick what is right for you. The change ticket fee is usually a few hundred bucks and always keep in mind that worst case, you can be on your way home at any time – just get to an airport and book the next flight out if you need to.

4. Booking a Flight on the Wrong Day

This is my worst fear. I actually check my tickets and bookings 500x to make sure this doesn’t happen and yet – it happened recently. Luckily, it was a short flight from Bocas Del Toro Panama to Panama City. I had to pay a $50 change flight fee at the airport. I showed up for my flight and the lady said: “you booked this for the same day a month from now”. I was like oh my godddd… how!?! But, these things happen.

I should have followed my how to plan for a trip checklist more closely and how to stop anxiety before a trip as I mention going over your paperwork to make sure it’s all in order. The other thing to note is that these things happen: you could show up somewhere without a visa not realizing you needed one! Or go to the wrong airport in a city that has two (I did this in Bangkok).

When these things happen, it’s usually an issue of money. Money is what fixes these problems – a later flight, a change fee, or paying for a whole new airline because you have to leave right then. The only way around this is to plan better – and remmeber if it does happen that it’s just money and it’ll be okay. I recommend always having an emergency credit card for these situations in case you are low in your checking account. Here’s a post with some tips on handling money abroad.

5. Police Problems

In some countries, the worry is that you might face issues with police. For example in Mexico, Thailand and India (among others) where they are sometimes corrupt, you might be asked to pay bribes. It can be scary at first as you don’t really know your rights – and you don’t know if it’s safe to say no. 

Yes, I have had to pay bribes. Sometimes they are obvious and other times they are sneaky and I’m given a fake ticket – not even realizing I paid a bribe until later. Sometimes they ask for 500 rupees and then make a bill for 100 rupees. In Mexico, they straight up said there is not going to be a receipt for this. When they have guns and a reputation, it’s scary to stand your ground.

While you don’t want to add to the corrupton of a place, you want to stay safe. You have to make the choice that makes you feel the safest, regardless of it’s it’s contributing to corruption. This happens in Asia at border-crossings as well; they will say you can’t come to the country without paying a fee that you know isn’t correct. You have to ask what your other options are. Sometimes there aren’t any. Sometimes it’s night time and you are alone and you need to pay it.

Sometimes you will feel angry because you’d been targeted for something you didnt do: you “ran a red light” or you “didn’t stop back there” but you know you did. Are you in a position to essentially call the cop a liar? When dealing with police in countries where corruption is there, you have to use common sense and do the option that makes you safest.

In most cases, if you call the cop out they will let you go, but other times I have heard horror stories of drugs being planted or other things.

6. Not Having a Place to Stay Organized in Advance

I’m not really someone to do this now, but in my backpacker days I would often show up to a city with nowhere to stay. When you are a hostel-lover, it’s usually okay. Train stations in Europe almost always have people from hostels hanging around trying to get you to go theirs, and the same with guesthouses in places like the Thai Islands. There are many places where it’s not a big deal to have nothing set up – these are mostly tourist places.

The times I would set something up, even as a backpacker, are in very large cities, or countries where it’s my first time there. It’s a sort of mind-easing thing for me to know when I arrive I can get local money from the ATM, and grab a taxi to my hotel. Easy peasy. In places known for scams, you do not want to rock up with nothing planned at the airport and get in someone’s car to go to a guesthouse. Just don’t! In small towns that are backpacker haven’s, go for it.

When people ask me about going to India and talk about pre-trip jitters, I always say “have your hotel send a car”. You’ll pay two times more than a taxi, but your stress will be nada. You will have a guy there with a sign when you arrive. If your luggage is missing, guess what a local is there to help, he can help you find an ATM, watch your luggage while you go to the bathroom, and safely take you to your hotel.

If you do show up somewhere, a city that isn’t known as being very safe, especially if it’s nighttime and you are a solo female travelers (let’s just say Delhi!), then you should get on the airport WiFi and book a nearby airport hotel that is a brand you know (Ibis, for example, is a known brand but not too expensive like a Marriott). Just have some piece of mind that first night then go find a guesthouse or hostel. This is expensive so I don’t recommend (instead you should plan ahead) it but it beats booking a random guesthouse online that you don’t know if it’s good or bad minus some booking.com reviews and have a taxi driver take you to its location – that could be 40 minutes away in a big city – only to tell you it’s “burnt down but his Uncle’s place is nearby” – which yes, is a scam in India.

As with many issues that happen abroad, money is what fixes them. Planning ahead is what prevents them!

7. Fighting With Your Travel Buddy

The worst is when you start to get annoyed with your travel buddy – and they are probably just as annoyed with you. It’s so key to stay positive even if it’s a little fake and not act annoyed at everything that annoys you. Sometimes you have to fake it til you make it in these cases until that day you feel annoys passes. The next day you might feel fresher and realize it wasn’t them annoying you, but actually just the heat and a long day you had before. Had you gone mental telling them off for being annoying, you’d put a big kink in that trip!

Prep is important. Always talk ahead of a trip about what your goals are, what places you want to see, the type of traveler you are. You should be on the same page starting out. Talk about what should be done if one of you gets wasted and wants to go home with a stranger.

If you do have a drunken fight, you will just have to make up in the morning. These things happen. While in real life you can avoid the person for a week if you want, when traveling, you need to get things back on track right away. You have to be a little more open, understanding, forgiving, and be able to apologize.

You can also take a “you” day. I love solo travel and even on trips with friends, we will take days on our own. Maybe I want to go somewhere scenic and read and she’s up for another museum. Maybe I want to ride an electric scooter around town but she’s afraid, so we split up for the day. You can be a little selfish in what you want to do – it’s your trip too – but remember that when they want to do their own thing, you should let them without being bothered by it.

8. Feeling Homesick or Overwhelmed

This is for me, the worst thing about travel. I don’t get it often (thankfully) but when it does hit, it hits hard and it’s a really shitty feeling. Sometimes it’s because I’ve just been gone too long. Sometimes it’s work-related and I’m doing too much with travel companies along the way making it so I can’t even enjoy my trip. Other times I’m having shitty days, have traveled 50 hours it feels like and just miss my dogs and Ben and ask myself “why the fuck am I in Malaysia again!? I was just here!”

I get overwhelmed when I work too much, book too long of a trip to too many places, or when I’m just having people attempt to scam me left and right – it does take a toll. Sometimes pollution and dirtiness, crowds, and traffic can add to it. A long day to see the Taj Mahal might end up being a let down because you get scammed by the driver there, have long lines because you didn’t get there at sunrise as you meant to, and you have people bombarding you for photos – only to get back to your hotel to find out their powers out and you’ll be having a cold shower. That didn’t happen to me, it’s just a made-up scenario of an example of a bad day.

car broke down on the side of the road in Goa

The worst is that on top of it all, you might feel lonely. That is where the kicker is – when you are overwhelmed with a trip and start to feel along. Homesickness comes crawling up! But these things pass. Ask yourself if it’s the town you are in? Maybe you want to head to a new one – hop on the train. Maybe you’ve teamed up with a travel buddy you don’t even like that you met at a hostel. Tell them you want to do your own thing. Maybe you miss some guy back home – email him! Or FB, whatever. Call home. Talk to family. Have someone send photos of your pets.

Take a day to relex and recharge. I’m all about that self-care! I will take a spa day and go get pampered. I’ll get greasy American food like Pizza Hut or McDonald’s if I can find it and get a massage, manicure, and pedicure. I’ll book a nice hotel room, have a bath, put on my VPN and watch the Real Housewives and get a good night’s sleep. It will feel no different than a “treat yourself day” back home and then you wake up excited again for the beautiful new destination you have to explore!

9. Getting Injured

Getting hurt abroad can be scary. Some countries won’t have healthcare that you are used to, maybe it’s lower quality or things are done differently. The language barrier can also be difficult. Some places will even try to scam you at a hospital – it’s happened to me in Koh Phi Phi!

In regards to being overcharged, don’t just accept these numbers that hospitals come up with abroad. If it’s a developing country with a reputation for scamming, you need to really ask around what things should cost. I was in the hospital in Koh Phi Phi with awful food poisioning. I was just on a drip. They wanted a TON of money from me. I asked another girl there who was in for the same thing and she said she negotiated them down to 1/4 of it which was still so expensive. I did the same thing. Locals can help you to know what things should cost.

I was once head-butted by a bull. This happened in Varanasi, walking down a tiny alley in the backroads trying to get back to my hotel. I saw the bull, but having been in India for months and thinking that all the cows were my friends, I thought I’d walk past like I always do. No way Jose said the bull. He swung his head around and with the sheer force of his giant neck, threw me into a brick wall. His horn had ripped my pants open and left a puncture in my butt cheek! Going pantless in the holiest city is India is about as no-go as it comes.

I ran, thinking this bull might chase me and do it again! How many people saw my butt, I do not know. I pulled scraps of my pants over and got to my hotel, actually in tears from the pain, and told them what happened. They didn’t believe me. “No cow in India has ever done this”. Ermm, okay.

I bruised up a green and black bruise the size of my entire butt cheek and couldn’t really sit. It was terrible! Not bad enough that I needed to get help – what could they do? The puncture wasn’t deep but the impact was so intense it had probably bruised my bone.

I’ve ended up with a black eye surfing, Ben’s ended up with stitches from dog bites and surfing more than once. There is always a clinic nearby. Getting injured can happen. There are some things I avoid. I don’t drive scooters because I am not good at it (I can do it but don’t feel confident). I see so many people injured from scooters! I would never do risky things like running with the bulls (I’ve already been gored once – which is enough! lol but in actuality, I wouldn’t do this anyway because, to me, it’s animal cruelty).

I also have travel insurance (review there for the one I suggest) in case something very serious happens and I need to be transferred to a better hospital or even back to the USA. If bills are high, I can have my insurance cover it.

10. Money Issues

Running out of money would be a pretty bad thing to happen abroad. I don’t worry about this now and have credit cards so it’s not going to happen. I did use to worry about it – and it’s something that you should think about before a trip.

Consider this scenario: My first time abroad. I have a debit card and so does my friend. She had never used an ATM (we are from small towns, people, where you go to a bank and personally withdraw money from a bank teller). She got the card for our trip – it was 2008 I think. We got the ATM and she didn’t know she needed to know a PIN code. Whoops. Her bank couldn’t tell her over the phone or send a new card, so we had to share my money the whole time. I had $3,000. We were in Europe for like a month! I can and have traveled on a shoe-string, lol.

Looking back, there were so many ways to fix this. She could have wired me the money to my account – something that isn’t actually that hard and these days with Venmo and PayPal it’s super easy. We could have asked our parents for help. She could have sent money to herself via Western Union. When Ben and I need to get cash in large sums we use Western Union instead of an ATM. You just send it literally to yourself from yourself.

You should always keep a spare card hidden in case your purse goes missing, but in the case that ALL your cards go missing, I like to keep a secret place that I write down my card number. If I lost my card and know it wasn’t stolen (for example an ATM gobbled it up), then I can use the card for online purchases like hotels and send myself money via Western Union. If it’s been stolen, this won’t work. But you can still have a new card sent out to your home address and have someone there tell you what the numbers are. You can also use your bank account (no card needed) to wire money to someone you are traveling within the meantime. Here are some tips on how to manage money abroad.

There are always ways to figure out money issues – unless of course, you straight up run out. Don’t do that.

So there we go – those are 10 things that went wrong on my travels. What has gone wrong on your travels? Tell me in the comments!

The post 10 Times Bad Things Happened During My Travels & How To Overcome Them appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Chances are if you are heading to Cancun on vacation, you are staying at a resort. There are so many cool places to stay and when you save up for your big vacation, you want to take cute pictures in perfect outfits, feel like you are dressed appropriately, and feel comfortable. This Cancun packing list will tell you exactly what to take for a resorts stay as well as exact outfits you can choose to wear in Cancun.

Cancun Packing List + What to Wear in Cancun

Most resort stays are around 5-6 nights but make sure not to overpack. Why stress about what to wear once you reach there? See how many day and night outfits you need and take JUST that many. PS not all these photos are from Cancun! I didn’t have a lot, so added in photos from other places in Mexico and Central American resorts that are the same style I am mentioning in the post.

Clothing: What to Wear in Cancun at a Resort

In General

You’ll want to stick with dresses. Most resorts will have a little bit of a fancy vibe and in jean shorts you might feel under-dressed. Of course, if you are staying at a resort that has a “young” party vibe, then you could do shorts as well. Overall, dresses are the way to go.

I recommend taking one for each day, so around 5 day-dresses that will be loose, light, and short (not short-short but not maxi dresses that look formal). Think light cotton, linen, things that flow. I would take a few that are colorful along with a white and black dress. Wear something that makes you comfortable during that day that could even be used as a swimsuit coverup as you’ll be going from lunch, to the beach, to the pool.

These looks are from my Panama trip and around Goa, but you get the same idea:

I also love to take two-piece sets because they feel more styled and put-together than a dress sometimes. I like silk crops with textured skirts or two-piece sets that match and are a little more for style rather than comfort. A jumpsuit is also a great idea!

Swimsuits & Cover-Ups

While you can use those dresses as cover-ups, you should also take sarongs and swimsuit cover-ups with you. A simple white coverup can go a long way! I love having one that looks like a swimsuit coverup but I also take sarongs. L*Space makes some of the best bikinis and cover-ups. I also love the little bit pricier Melissa Odabash. You could just find something great at Target, too!

Little towels, scarves, and sarongs can be used to tie around your waist as a skirt – not just wrapped around like a traditional sarong and it’s a style that I love.

Extra Sun Protection

Adding on accessories like scarves in your hair, a baseball hat, or a floppy beach hat can make all the difference in an outfit and also just save you from getting brassy hair or a sunburn. I make sure to pack a pair of good polarized sunglasses, too. (Check out my favorite brands here) The sun is so hot in Cancun!

If you pop onto the ferry over to somewhere like Isla Mujeres, you’ll likely be laying out on a beach without an umbrella so you’ll want protection. I like to take a light pair of linen pants to throw on and a very light linen button-up top that will look cute but protect my skin a bit once I’ve had enough sun for the day but am not ready to go inside.

For Evening

For dinners, you’ll want a dress, jumpsuit, or nice outfit each night that will feel a little fancier. Most resorts have different types of restaurants so you can go to a causal one or nice one and you often need reservations ahead of time. While I tend to stay in a beachy boho look, you might prefer white capris and a nice shirt. It’s all up to you.

In a resort, you’ll have people coming to your room to clean and such, so make sure to bring PJs.

For Excursions

You’ll want to bring two pairs of “plane clothes” (I like to take loose culotte type pants and a favorite tee shirt, which I mention in my post on essential travel items).

You will want “excursion” clothing, too. You can go to the Mayan Ruins, cenotes, and more. For that, you will want to bring comfortable walking shoes, maybe water shoes if you’re worried about slipping at the cenote, and I like to take a Patagonia fanny pack or a small backpack like my favorite LeSportsac basic backpack. For the Mayan Ruins you can either do a cute dress or shorts and a tank, but it’s very hot there and you’ll want a hat and sunglasses. I recommend closed-toe shoes because it’s very dusty. You should take wet wipes with you to clean off a bit before the car/bus ride back to the resort. This is key!

If you’re going into town on a tour, you might want to take a casual outfit that is a little bit fun and colorful. I like to wear cropped pants like the white H&M ones below with a bright shirt or wear colorful loose culottes with a little tank top.

Extra

Don’t forget a towel (Tesalate is a favorite. You can use the code “hippieinheels15″ to get 15% off your order.), flip-flops (I love Reef leather ones), a good book or [easyazon_link identifier=”B07CXG6C9W” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Kindle[/easyazon_link], and your [easyazon_link identifier=”B00X409O6O” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]camera[/easyazon_link]!

As a bonus, I recommend taking a few spa items with you. You’re on vacation! Some nights you might want to chill in room so take a face mask, eye patches, and some other goodies you can do to help you relax. Since you’re staying in one place only, you can relax unwind and really get settled in.

For more Mexico travel

• What to Wear in Mexico: The Ultimate Guide + Sample Packing List
• 50 Unmissable Things to do in Merida, Mexico (2019)
• 40 Things to do in Mexico: My Mexico Bucket List

Pin this Cancun packing list and ideas on what to wear in Cancun at a resort for later

The post Cancun Packing List For Resorts + Ideas on What to Wear appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

There are so many articles out there about living in Mexico as an expat and some kind of scare people into not wanting to go or focus just on the cost of living being low – there so much more to know about living in Mexico. In this post, I’m going to share some things you definitely need to know about Mexico, some things that are kind of unique to living in Mexico or that I think might surprise you, and also debunk a few common things people say about living in Mexico that after a year, I haven’t found to be true.

Sometimes I find Mexico almost too easy to live in as an expat – and a lot of that might be because I spent five years in a very rural village in India before living here. But I think people who consider living in Mexico need to know what it’s really like and might see that it’s easier than they think to move to Mexico.

If I had a best friend who was asking me should I move to Mexico, these are the kinds of things I would tell her!

For reference, I have been living Merida, Mexico for one year. I have visited Mexico City and while I love it, it was too big of a city for me (think New York, seriously). Merida is a nice in between – a city of 777,000 people with small town vibes. Smaller rural places in Mexico will be different in terms of some of the tips below, as you can imagine, but these will relate to most places that expats choose to live in Mexico.

Living in Mexico: What you should know

1. You can stay as a tourist for 6 months and re-enter, but eventually, you need to get residency

Mexico offers six-month tourist stays to many (most) countries without a visa. After six months you can exit and re-enter. This is similar to what a visa-run in – there just isn’t a visa involved. But, if you are clearly spending all your time in Mexico, officials might eventually deny you entry because it will be clear to them you are living in Mexico, not a tourist, and in that case should be on a residency visa.

Rumor is that they are cracking down on this, but really what weight does a rumor hold? The bottom line is that if you plan on staying a long time – years, then you should get your residency but if you plan on trying it out for a year, then you are okay on a tourist visa. You can read how to get residency for Mexico here.

2. You’re going to need to learn some Spanish

Spanish is the national language in Mexico. While 92% of Mexicans speak Spanish, there are also indigenous languages that are spoken in some areas. Many kids are taught English as a second language and English is spoken in international business settings. But overall, your cashier at the grocery store, the electrician or plumber, your Uber driver, they are mostly going to be Spanish-only speakers. You are going to have to learn the basics, and life will be easier if you learn Spanish.

In Cancun and other touristy places, you’ll find many people speak English. But in Merida and Mexico City, people who aren’t all about working in the tourist industry, you’ll find less English speakers. According to a study taken in Mexico, only 5% of Mexicans speak English and it’s been introduced in only 18% of schools as a second language class. To me, it seems like younger teenagers know a lot of English, maybe from school or movies/tv but when I need help translating I’m luckier if I ask them than an older person.

I have been using Rosetta Stone to work on my Spanish and bring back what I learned in High School.

3. Mexico is beautiful and diverse

When you think of moving here ignore anything you’ve heard about Mexico being dirty! Even the big cities like Mexico City have clean streets and seem highly hygienic compared to big US cities. Yes, there is pollution but nothing to write home about.

When you consider living in Mexico, you can choose from cobblestone UNESCO sites like San Miguel de Allende or colorful Campeche, or you can go hippie beach at Puerto Escondido, or get really into the Mexican spirit in Mexico City. I cover this more in-depth in a post, “Everything You Need to Know About Moving to Mexico,” which really covers the “how to” move to Mexico and “how to” get settled and choose where to live.

There is also so much travel to do once you’re in Mexico, here are 40 of my bucket list items.

4. You CAN live in Mexico cheaper than the USA if you want, but…

…it can also be expensive – that’s down to your lifestyle choices. Forbes said that it’s 60% lower cost of living Mexico than the USA. I guess that must be true then – but when I compare my cost of living here in Merida to what it would be in Columbus, Ohio, it’s quite similar. The cost that is, not the lifestyle. Here I can afford to go out for dinner all the time, have a big house with a pool, have cleaners to help at the house, which allows me to focus more on work and personal time.

Could I live cheaper here than Ohio? Absolutely. Could I spend as much as people in San Fransisco? Probably. It’s all about what you choose to do. The question is do you want to spend less than you did before and have a similar quality of life or spend the same as you did before and have a better quality or life? I talk all about rent and such in my post on moving to Merida.

5. Yes, you can get an electricity bill in your name (and should)

Everyone told us that to do anything here (like buy a car or get a driver’s license or bank account) that you need a bill in your name. They also said that as a tourist, you cannot get a bill in your name. This is not true. Ben is not a resident and as soon as we signed our lease, we took it (and a copy of it, his passport and a copy of it) to the CFE (electricity office). They immediately change the name on the bill to Ben’s name.

Looking back, we should have done it in my name because I have residency and when applying for bank statements and such, I was the one who needed the bill in my name. The lease was in his name though, so it’s not possible to put the electricity bill in my name – it has to be the name on the lease. So think ahead of time WHO you will choose to have the bills in their name.

6. Mexicans are not anti-American

Some people back home ask me if the whole Trump/wall situation has made Mexicans bitter toward Americans. I don’t think so – bitter toward Trump, yeah! But I’ve never met one Mexican who has said a bad word about Americans in general and have found Mexico to be completely welcoming to me as an American.

7. You CAN rent a car and waive the insurance if your home credit card covers you

This is a conversation that comes up all the time in Facebook groups for expats in Mexico. I go into detail about this in a blog post about how to buy a car and rent a car in Mexico. But basically, when you rent you’ll see prices of 50 cents a day. Then when you show up, they will upsell you tons of insurance saying it’s illegal to not take the Mexican liability insurance. BUT if you buy the car rental on places like Expedia, Kayak, Mex-rent-a-car, etc you can see in the fine print on many (not all), that the 750,000 MXN liability is there. Legally, they have to give it to you. But some will deny it. Then you decline all other coverage as your credit card will say you have to in order for them to cover you. You need a copy of a letter from your bank saying you are covered. It takes patience, but it does work and I have done this many times in Mexico.

8. If you take the driving test, the written can be taken in English and the driving test is ONLY parallel parking

Eventually, if you are living here you’ll want to drive here! You can buy a used car and register it in your name. After registering you have one year to get a Mexican driver’s license. You will have to go take the driving test again – it’s 10 questions in English if you prefer and then parallel parking. I have a whole post on how to do this.

The funny thing is, that you never have to actually drive and show that you can go around roundabouts or understand one-way streets. It’s a bit telling! We have Mexican friends who tell us they just guess because who actually reads the driver’s manual? Another friend said they asked for the book but there isn’t one – he had to order one on Amazon.

With your license, you will also be able to use it at places like Chichen Itza or even ferries to pay local prices instead of foreigner prices.

9. Expect more festivals and family-friendly events

Mexico has so much going on at all times from cultural events like holidays and festivals to just general music and dancing in city squares. Of course, it has partying, too, and clubs – but it has so much going on for kids and families.

10. Mexico isn’t just shopping in markets – Costco, Walmart, Sam’s Club, it’s all here

You might be picturing going into a little market and getting your food from a lady selling veggies and hand-made tortillas. You can do this – and there are markets all over the place. But, there are also Costcos and Walmarts in cities all over Mexico. It’s up to you how you want to shop (no judgment here, ever!)

11. Missing American food? Impossible

The Mexican food is delicious but you also have international food from all over the world. You’ll have Thai restaurants, Indian, and even a Texas Roadhouse. There are tons of American chains here and also a lot of expats who run international restaurants offering all kinds of food from around the world. Not that you’ll get tired of tacos, but just in case.

12. You can do the same things here with kids as back home

In case you think that moving here would mean your kids lives will change too much, consider that kids here do just about the same things as kids back home. After school clubs, music lesson, sports, go-karting, laser tag, and bowling. It’s all the same.

If you want things to do on the weekend, there are professional soccer games, baseball games, professional racing like Formula 1,  going to concerts, seeing Hollywood movies (yes in English) at the theater.

13. If you buy a house or a new car as a foreigner, you’ll need all the money upfront – not mortgages and car payments

If you come here legally as a resident and open a bank account, you might think you will get a mortgage or buy a new car to make payments on. But not quite. While it is possible to get mortgages from the USA that will cover you in Mexico (rare but possible), most Mexican banks aren’t doing these, especially for foreigners. If you buy a car and want to make payments, the interest is crazy.

99% of foreigners who come down here buy their cars and houses outright. When you buy something as expensive as a house, you will put it in escrow and then the money will be wire transferred. With a new card you can pay on your Mexican card. But expect to pay for it all upfront.

14. Credit cards have VERY high interest fees here

You can get a credit card here and build up Mexican credit. Any credit you had outside Mexico doesn’t work here – you’ll be starting from scratch. You need to get one with you bank. You likely won’t be approved for one from a store at first. The interest fees are as high as 50% though and pretty much no one uses credit cards unless you 100% know you will pay it all off and are just trying to build credit.

15. Your TV’s, refrigerator, kitchen table… it’s all going to cost about the same as USA prices

If you get the quality stuff with brand names you recognize (LG, GE, Whirlpool, Samsung) you’ll pay pretty much the same price it would cost in the USA. The cost of living in Mexico is lower in terms of rent, food, and activities like going out – but “items” are going to cost the same if not more.

Things like a Kitchenaid mixer are 4x more expensive here. Anything that seems luxury or novelty is very expensive here. Forget Le Creuset!

I paid $100 for two Tommy Bahama chairs and an umbrella at Costco – the only place I could find them, which is a lot higher than I’d pay for a standard one in the states. If you need to furnish a house, don’t expect it to be done cheaply. Even the antique furniture here is SO expensive.

16. I can get nearly every beauty product I want in Mexico

No more smuggling stuff in like I had to in India for so many years. If I pop into Walmart, I can get any of the standard beauty stuff I could get in a Walmart in the USA. Not everything – but most of it. There are Sephoras in Mexico and you can shop online.

17. Renting in Mexico typically requires a contract signing in front of a lawyer and sometimes you need an aval

While Mexico seems to have a bank on every corner, in many ways it’s still a cash society. When it comes to paying rent, most landlords want it in cash only. No wire transfers. You’ll usually meet with a lawyer and sign a contract even for a 6-month lease. It’s all quite legitimate here.

Sometimes the landlord will want an aval – meaning they want someone to sign to be your back-up in case you bail and don’t pay. I have friends who found the perfect place but not knowing a Mexican to sign for them, they couldn’t get it. Such a bummer!

18. Don’t forget to pay your CFE bill (which can be quite high if you run the A/C)

This one time we didn’t pay our electricity bill… whoops. When your bill is due (every two months), they slip it into your door handle. Most homes are walled on the streets, so the door is literally on the busy streets and stuffed with coupons every day. We never got ours and didn’t realize it had been two months. Time flies.

We woke up to no electricity and realized it was only our house. We looked online and saw the bill was due two days before. No wiggle room on paying and no follow-up to remind us to do so. They will just shut it off! So stay up to date on your bills and keep notes of when they will be due; don’t depend on it showing up in the mail in case it doesn’t.

It requires a visit to the CFE to pay the bill and then ask them to turn on the meter. Someone has to come out to do that and they did for us later that day, however only because it was 98 degrees out. Sometimes they take their time and it can be days but they said since it’s very hot they were working fast that day to help.

19. Let’s talk other utilities:

Trash: Apparently, this isn’t the norm outside Mexico – but the garbage trucks come by three times a week

Gas: Your drier, stove, and hot water are run by gas. There are no meters on the gas tanks so keep an idea in your head of when you might need to top up or else you run out mid-cooking or right when you want a hot shower. You have to light the gas pilot light if it goes out and you have to light your stove.

Water: Your water CAN run out. Many people have well water and city water. Water is the cheapest bill but if you fill up a pool and have a lot of people shower it can run out. Don’t ask me how – but it does. I *think* it’s because the street water (city water) only comes in twice a day so it depends when you are showering and such. It’s never gone for long.

Electricity: I talked about the bill above. Power here is expensive, just FYI. There is no central air in 99% of homes here and in colder places that goes for heat too – people buy space heaters.

Internet: My internet here is faster than my parents in Ohio!

20. Most cars are manual

Just an FYI, when you are renting or buying a used car, keep in mind the majority are manual cars, not automatic. We car-searched for a month and ended up with a manual. It’s fine as that’s what we drove in India and it’s all Ben knows being from England, but I do like the ease of an automatic. It was difficult to find one.

21. It’s normal in Mexico to hire a housekeeper, groundskeepers, nanny, or pool cleaner

This is a personal choice and some people don’t like to have anyone help at their homes, but it is very normal here to hire someone to help you clean if you can afford it. I go into rates and such in my post about moving to Mexico.

22. Get a Mexican SIM card and you can use it in the USA and Canada

You can maybe even use it other places but that’s all I’ve tried so far. I recommend Telcel; it’s served me well! I pay around $10 a month for mine and get 4G and calls. When I’m in the USA, I just use my Mexican SIM and am roaming so usually have to top up, so might have a $20 month that month if I spend half in the USA. I’ve been going back to plan a wedding, so it’s been useful.

I haven’t had a USA phone number in six years so couldn’t tell you the price for it, but I think the Mexican one will be way cheaper. I think I used to pay $50 a month in the USA.

23. No, you can’t drink the water but it’s fine to cook with and shower with

What you have heard is true – it’s not safe to drink the tap water. Although some people do. It was the same in India, you shouldn’t but many locals did. Our bellies aren’t used to the bacteria and so we should not as foreigners.

I do cook with it – although I have friends who won’t and even Ben won’t.

Showering is fine! I get asked this all the time! Just don’t drink the water in the shower, sillies! lol!

24. Yes, you can eat the fruit and veggies

This leads me to the fruit and veggies. You should wash your fruit and veggies with filtered or bottled water. They are totally fine to eat – lettuce and all. Compared to India, the fruit and veggies here are DREAMY! So many options, and such quality BUT compared to my Ohio’s farmer’s market, it leaves something to be desired especially with lettuce, tomatoes (you won’t find those huge juicy ones here), and random things like leaks or celery.

25. You can flush your T.P. in some places but not in all

You’ll see signs in cantinas and smaller local places saying that you shouldn’t flush your toilet paper and can just put it in the trash can. This isn’t that big of a deal and all over Asia, there are places where it’s the norm. Don’t stress about it! Many homes it’s fine to flush – it depends on the sewage system in place so ask your landlord. In small towns like Tulum, you are not going to be able to flush. In airports, you can! It’s something you’ll start to figure out and there are often signs if you can’t.

26. Get an Amazon Fire Stick and buy a VPN app

Yes, you can watch American, English, Canadian and more TV shows here. There are so many ways to do this. You can get a mini-PC and turn your TV into a computer, turn on a VPN, and access any website you would at home like Hulu, Amazon Prime, SkyTV, DISH, Netflix, and more.

You can use a Roku, or get a smart TV here but those will only allow Mexican streaming. So Mexican Netflix and no Hulu (it’s the USA only).

I recommend the [easyazon_link identifier=”B079QHML21″ locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Amazon Fire Stick[/easyazon_link] as the easiest option (you can order this in Mexico) because it’s easy to install and voice-controlled. You need to then download apps like Comedy Central or whatever channels you watch. Just log in to someone’s USA tv plan (I use my parents). Then add apps for Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc. But some apps will know you’re using a VPN like Amazon Prime so you’ll have to turn off the VPN and use the Mexican one.

27. The “old traditional Mexico” mixes with the new

One amazing thing about Mexico is that the traditional and the contemporary mix together with ease. You’ll see the ladies making tortillas with their hands and big flower markets with pickup trucks dropping off loads of flowers priced 1/10 of American prices. You’ll have street food served from little bicycle stands. But you also have luxury movie theaters, art galleries, new modern architecture, and more that will make you feel like you are in Europe. It’s amazing.

28. You don’t have to be concerned about having surgery here or what would happen in the case of a serious accident

Get good insurance and you won’t have to worry, I should say.

You NEED health insurance here. It’s ranked by the star system, similar to how hotels are ranked. If you get 5-star hospitals then you don’t need to worry about surgery and such. If you get the government health care, then yes I would consider not having surgery at their hospitals. I’m sure that’s not a popular opinion but when ALL of my Mexican friends tell me horror stories and say never go to those hospitals for something as serious as surgery, I believe them.

Here is a blog post all about our health care plan, costs, how to read their plans, and more.

29. People complain about the bureaucracy, but it’s not that bad

In terms of moving here, what paperwork they say you need is the case – it’s not as messy as people make it sound. I didn’t find myself running ragged trying to get things done. If you follow their instructions, you’ll be fine. I got residency, opened a bank account, registered a car, got a driver’s license, moved bills to my/Ben’s name, got health care, and car insurance and more and found it all organized and easy to do.

I think the whole “bureaucracy is a bitch” thing in Mexico is highly exaggerated. Yes, buying a house requires a lot of checking but if you have a great notario and PAY what you need to make sure it’s done right, you’ll be fine. If you think you can do it all alone and barely speak Spanish then yeah, it will be a bitch.

Then again, I was in India for five years and let me tell you – it really is a bitch there, so I guess Mexico might just seem like a breeze!

30. Yes, police in some areas will try to get bribes but in other places, they are your “friend”.

We’ve had it both ways, to be honest. In the Yucatan, I have had only positive experiences. The police presence is huge here. I don’t feel at all like they are out to get me.

In Quintana Roo, have had bad experiences and the police have demanded bribes. It’s going to depend on the area majorly, then also even in good areas, there will be bad apples.

31. You must follow road-rules

Even though not everyone does, you really should. You should signal when you turn, wear a seat belt (I have been pulled over for this), not be on your phone, and do not drink and drive. They do breathalize and will set up check-points.

32. Uber is your best friend here but local transportation is great, too

Uber is in *most* places in Mexico. It’s not in Cancun and some other touristy places that the local taxi drivers are fighting it being there (and it’s dangerous). We had this issue in Goa, too, and I’m glad that where I am now in Merida it’s safe and legal to take an Uber.

In big cities like Mexico City, you can take Uber easy and cheap or you can do the metro. I prefer the metro to buses anywhere – and it’s very safe (with a women’s compartment).

Inter-city and state buses are good, too, and I take the ADO often. I just took one actually to Cancun Airport!

Within your town, there will be local buses that you can take all over the place and most expats do this rather than buying a car. I’m a car person and have to admit, I’ve never taken a local bus in Merida.

33. Your safety 100% depends on the area you live/travel

While I take the ADO from Merida to Cancun often, it doesn’t mean that all road travel is safe. You do hear of bus crashes, and just recently a bus going from Merida to Quintana Roo (I cannot find the article now) was shot at 18 times by robbers trying to get the bus to stop – but the driver didn’t and got away!

They say you’re okay if you drive during the day and take toll roads. We have driven at night to and from Cancun and all around in the Yucatan, but other than that I haven’t done a lot of driving in Mexico.

Many expats drive from the USA to Mexico when they come here for six months a year or if they want to move all their things here. There are Facebook groups with tips on how to do this. There are states in Mexico that you shouldn’t go at all – and others that are okay. Here’s an article that has some of the most dangerous places you should avoid. All the places you hear of expats living are safe areas (for the most part – Cancun, Riviera Maya, they have their issues but it’s a personal choice, I can’t tell you if it’s safe to YOUR standards.) I recommend googling crime rates.

34. The same goes for men

I suppose if you are in a seedy area, you could have issues with men. Most cities have a kind of no-go zone (all over the world, not just Mexico). So use common sense. But in general, men here are totally respectful.

In Mexico City, they have women’s only compartments and our friend there told us harassment is bad toward women. It surprised me because in a year here, I have not encountered this. In India, I did encounter harassment (what they call eve-teasing), groping, and staring. So Mexico City seemed fine to me!

Some people say there is an issue of staring or attention here if you are blonde and I find that inaccurate. I never notice anyone staring at me. In all the places I have traveled to so far, the Uber drivers have waited until I get inside to pull away. They all seem nice – that’s my opinion.

35. It’s all about the cantinas

Those swinging Western-movie doors are where you want to go. Most cantinas don’t look like much from the street, and in some areas of Mexico City, they are lined up door to door, so you won’t know which to choose! Just walk in to one – don’t be nervous!

Most cantinas are popping from 5-10 and they usually shut at 10. The good ones have live music, dancing, botanas (free snacks), and good cheap booze!

36. Long term taxis aren’t an affordable option of travel

Mexicos cost of living might be low, but unlike many areas of Asia where that means you can take a train, taxi, or bus and not pay much difference, that is not the case in Mexico. If you have a long distance to go and the bus schedules aren’t working for you, your best bet is to rent a car. Tour companies that will take you from city to city tend to charge an arm and a leg. It’s best to find a local driver who will be there for you when you have long trips and hire them over and over.

37. For shipping, use FedEx, UPS or DHL.

Local post isn’t reliable, which is a bummer! Some birthday cards have shown up which is more than I can say for India, but I had a huge package from Australia just not show up at all. The tracking ends once it reaches Mexico.

If you have something serious to send, then you should stick to the big players – they cost the same as in the USA, aka a fortune.

38. Customs takes things seriously when you fly into *some* airports

When you fly into Mexico City and have to clear customs, it’s a breeze you just walk past and push a button. No one talks to you unless you are chosen to be searched – which I have been once (when I had my dog with me).

In Merida, it’s a headache. There is ONE person that questions every single person and the line is so long. They search nearly everyone. Drug dogs sniff out your food and they confiscate it. You can’t bring meats and cheeses and such. Processed food is okay. You cannot bring TV’s or expensive things and expect to not pay customs on it – even if it’s old. They will make you pay. So, make sure if you are bringing old stuff you don’t put it in the box to keep it safe – which makes it look new. Think about the things you are packing and how you are packing them.

39. Yes, the food is spicy but only if you add a bunch of spicy salsa to it

The food baseline isn’t that spicy, it’s the salsas that are. Dishes won’t come with salsa on them, you add it – so just avoid adding the spicy ones. If you don’t like spice, you can avoid it here.

40. Tipping is huge here

Like the US, tipping is big here. When you get your bill at a restaurant, you add the tip to the card machine choosing 10, 15, or 20 percent. At petrol stations and grocery stores, you should tip. Your hair salon, nails, the guy who watches the cars in parking lots, you should tip.

41. If you’re expecting Tex-Mex, you’ll be disappointed

You aren’t going to get Chipotle-style burritos here (damn, they are so good!). You will get amazing Mexican food but not “tex-mex” unless you go into a tourist establishment, which you can. But local Mexican food is very different. If you want flour tortillas, you’ll have to ask and only in tourist restaurants will they have them – most will just have corn.

42. Mexicans love a party – and firecrackers

During festivals and birthday parties, expect noise all night long. It’s pretty crazy how hard they party and how late they stay up. How many fire-crackers and fireworks until you get bored? It was the same in India. It’s not every night though, but something to know.

43. Sometimes ordering from Amazon USA is better than Amazon Mexico

You can use your Amazon USA account in Mexico. You just pay a set fee to Amazon when you check out and they deal with customs for you. Sometimes it’s as low as $5. You should compare the price of the item on Amazon Mexico. If it’s a novelty item or imported, it will be very expensive on Amazon Mexico.

As an example, I wanted a pool raft that was decent (not the $2 ones from Walmart). They were $100 on Amazon Mexico! On Amazon USA the same raft was $20 and they charged me $5 for shipping and customs. After I got the raft, I was reimbursed $2 because customs was less than they thought. If customs is MORE than they thought, they take the hit on that.

I’ve done this with several things I’ve ordered to Mexico.

44. Lastly, you’re going to love it here!

If you are thinking about moving to Mexico, get ready for the biggest adventure of your life. It’s an amazing place to live. It’s very expat-friendly, easy to live here, affordable, and fun with all it’s quirks. Enjoy the culture, the food and music, and the kind, welcoming people!

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As we promised in our Future of Hippie in Heels post, we would like to share some of Rachel’s unpublished content. These are posts she had finished and pending for future use, and we’d like to slowly share them with you now. This one on the top places to visit in Jodhpur is the last post she had written about India.

India’s very own blue city is one of my favorite places to visit in all of India. If you start your Rajasthan itinerary in Udaipur (the white city) then head here it will feel like “Ohh, this is the real India!” Jodhpur is tiny alleys, bright colors, cows in the road, little honking rickshaws, street art, amazing fruit and veg stalls, and so much cool architecture. While you could spend days exploring, there are some “must-do” places to visit in Jodhpur that you’ll want to prioritize and map out.

Read my full Jodhpur guide here and make sure to check out my India ebook.

Places to Visit in Jodhpur You Don’t Want to Miss

1. Mehrangarh Fort

The fort is the #1 things to do in Jodhpur and you couldn’t miss this if you tried. It is ENORMOUS and overlooks the entire city from way up high. Almost every restaurant is a rooftop one so you can look at the fort while you eat. It’s amazing. When you tour, it’ll be 600 Rs. for a ticket and more if you take in a camera. No reason to do the headset tour, it’s quite boring. The views of the city below are amazing!

2. Jaswant Thada

Definitely visit Jaswant Thada aka the “white palace”. It’s made of marble and is impressive. If you stay in Jodhpur for two days, you’ll have enough time to see this as well as all the other attractions. People rave about it being one of hte most beautiful places they saw in Rajasthan.

3. Umaid Bhawan Palace

This is where the ex-royal family lives (aka the maharaja who lost power once India became a democracy). Fun fact: this palace was built during a famine and was done solely to give the local people some work so they could make money or so the story goes. Like mentioned above, part of this is a hotel and you cannot enter that side you can only go to the museum side – and it’s one that you definitely want to visit!

4. Stepwell

Maybe you’ve seen photos like this before of the huge stairwells in Jaipur, where the ladies do laundry then lay the colorful clothing out on the steps to dry? Here it’s much smaller and there are local kids jumping in for the tourists to video it (aka me, lol). It’s really a beautiful spot and for Instagram, was great for me to get some images.

5. Ghanta Ghar (Clock Tower) and Sadar Market

The main city square with the biggest market and the famous clock tower. If you want to shop for bangles or a saree, people watch, have some chai and a famous egg sandwich, come here! It’s the happening place in town!

6. Mandore Garden

These gardens are outside the city, in the ancient town of Mandore, but you can take an Uber easily to go here for an afternoon stroll. There are so many temples to see here and actually, it reminds me of the ones in Hampi. Absolutely epic and not one to miss if you have the time.

7. Bishnoi Village

Another awesome place to visit are the Bishnoi villages, also a bit of a drive outside of town – but nothing too intense and you can do a quick tour for 3 hours in the morning before you start your day. The Bishnoi are a unique tribe in India. Go learn from them, see their homes, and shop their amazing handmade rugs and other wares! You can even smoke opium with them if you fancy.

8. Kailana Lake

Kailana Lake is the place to go for a picnic. It’s an artificial yet pretty lake and it’s free to visit – you’ll just need to grab a taxi out there. Adventurers come here for birdwatching but you can also take a boat ride or just use it as a reprieve from the dusty city.

9. Chamunda Mata Temple

This temple isn’t really that amazing to look at it but it was built by the founder of Jodhpur, Rao Jodha for protection against an old curse. That makes it very special to the local people; so visiting isn’t about the beauty or taking photos but really is about the spiritulity and religion. Go in the evening and experience an arti!

10. Gypsy Restaurant

This is the best thali in Jodhpur and maybe all of Rajasthan. I dream about it sometimes. Normally, a restaurant wouldn’t make a list of top places to visit in Jodhpur but the truth is other than the fort and the other places listed here, the rest aren’t worth prioritizing – but THIS restaurant is. I would make this your main goal in Jodhpur other than seeing the fort.

Have you been to any of these places in Jodhpur? What did you think?

Don’t Forget These 10 India Travel Essentials

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We continue to mourn & heal as we wrestle with Rachel’s passing.

In May, we tragically announced that Rachel Jones, beloved child, fiancé, sister, friend & travel blogger, had unexpectedly passed away. We’d like to share a bit more about her passing and the future of her much loved Hippie in Heels.

Her passing

As with anyone who is in the public eye, we understand there’s been some discussion on the cause of Rachel’s passing and we’d like to dispel any rumors.  

The medical examiner diagnosed Rachel’s cause of death as a heart disease known as chronic myocarditis, which resulted in a sudden heart attack. We now understand that her condition had been undiagnosed and therefore untreated, but likely developed from multiple infections and viruses over the years.

It is a hard journey, but we are not dwelling on the ‘what-ifs’ of Rachel’s passing. Instead we are mourning love lost, the future that could have been, and reminiscing on joyful memories of her adventures and how she touched our lives.

As we all create a new normal with Rachel in our thoughts, we encourage everyone in need to please speak with friends, counselors, and loved ones to ensure you are supported as you grieve.

What can we expect with Hippie in Heels this summer?

It has taken some time to focus, but we have turned our energies to the blog and uncovered several posts Rachel had written and was preparing to post for Hippie in Heels. They are on a mix of topics from her personal tales and AMAs to packing tips, travel advice, and even one last India post and a very detailed guide about her experience becoming an expat in Mexico. In memory of her we will be posting them in the coming months unedited, her final words illuminating her experiences, thoughts, and feelings.

These posts may be challenging to read, but we want to honor the effort that Rachel made and the stories she wanted to tell. We appreciate you reading her words with us.

What is the long term vision for Hippie in Heels?

Ben, Sam, Travis & Rachel’s parents are exploring options to keep the blog going in Rachel’s memory. This is a significant challenge as Hippie in Heels’ authenticity came from Rachel, her thoughts, her feelings, her opinions, and her happiness from the life she shared with Ben, Omni, Shanti, & KitKat – and no amount of creativity and effort can recreate her uniqueness. We want to keep her fearless spirit and love of travel alive, and we hope Hippie in Heels will continue to inspire and support travelers around the world as they plan their next adventure.

Please keep us in your thoughts as we consider the next steps for Hippie in Heels.

Ben, Travis, Sam, and Rachel’s parents

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When it comes to being Type A, I’m getting an A+ in it. I am the most organized traveler – and my travel buddies often joke that I never even unpack. I like things to be just *so* in my luggage. Whether I was lugging around a backpack or rolling a suitcase, I had everything organized inside with packing cubes. I have been using them since 2013. While some people like to try different lipsticks, I like to try different packing cubes! I love nothing more than organizing, so I’ve tried out all the top brands. I tend to stick to a few favorites but I’m going to give a run-down of the 10 best packing cubes for you to choose from.

How I Best Use My Packing Cubes

Packing cubes are just little fabric boxes that you put all your stuff in to keep it organized and save space in your luggage. They are lightweight, easy to transfer into hotel drawers if you want, keep your clothing folded nicely while your luggage is being thrown around by airlines, save space, and are typically affordable.

When you buy packing cubes, it’s important to get a set with different sizes and shapes. You need square, you need oblong, you need smaller ones and medium. I like to do dresses in a square one, folded in half twice and then jeans and tees in an oblong one. Then I’ll do my swimsuits and cover-ups in one medium one and undies/bras/PJ’s in another medium one. With the smaller ones, I’ll pack in tech supplies or whatever else I need them for on a specific trip.

If you want a few extra tips on packing and how to fold and organize your clothing, check out my packing with the KonMari method.

10 Best Packing Cubes

Ebags 6 Pc. Sampler Packing Cubes

I have used Ebags pretty much primarily for years because they are affordable and stand the test of time plus I like the shapes. The 6 pc sampler is my go-to. These are the most durable. I also have the “Ultralight” and while they do weigh nothing, they do not hold up for years. At around two years, the netting started to break and I had to replace them. Ebags comes with specific packing cubes for shoes or toiletries as well – of course, I have them all. But the 6 pc sampler is the one I can’t live without and I just get black or silver in all packing cubes so I can mix and match with other brands and keep my luggage all cohesive in color (told you, very Type A haha).

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You can see in this photo, the top one is from the 6 pc sampler and the bottom square one is from the Ultralight set. Then to the top right, is a little favorite of mine, the Anatomie packing cube.      

Anatomie Packing Cubes

These are the most random packing cubes but let me tell you – they are the BEST. I’m just sad they only come in one size (the size in the image above). Anatomie Style is a travel clothing website that sells expensive but quality clothing (I like them for safari and outdoor stuff especially and their leggings are awesome) but they have these $5 packing cubes – yes, $5! They are made from this soft breathable nylon and come in natural colors. I have the “gold” and I just love love love them. If I am going carry-on only, I will use four of these and roll my clothes up small to fit so I have just these in my bag. Perfection!

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LeanTravel Compression Packing Cubes

Loveeee these! They are so clever. They use a double-zip technique that will compress your cube into half the size once you push it down. When this makes the most sense for me isn’t just before I leave for a trip and want to compress things down. It’s also during a trip – as you travel and take things out and wear them, adding them to your dirty laundry you’ll find that your packing cubes are not full enough and things really need to be tight in there to stay organized, so you can just scrunch them down with the compression! The three set in grey is perfect and though it’s only three, I mix it with my Anatomie ones making the perfect luggage set-up!

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REI Co-op Expandable Packing Cubes

These are great for the adventurous traveler. First of all, REI is such a respected brand that is known for making durable products. I use their backpacks, sleeping bags, and pillows as well. These packing cubes are ripstop, water-resistant, and have handles so you can carry them as a second bag if you need to. These come sized like a backpack would with 6 liters, 12 liters, and up to 20 liters in the three sizes.

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Away’s The Insider Packing Cubes

If you already have an Away luggage, then getting these to match would be ideal. If you have rolling luggage and are looking for the most stylish packing cubes, Away makes them with their Insider Packing Cubes which come in the same colors as their luggage, including millennial pink. These are very “boxy” and come in 6 different shapes and sizes, all varied which is nice. There isn’t much that sets them apart except style, so it’s up to you if the price tag is worth it.

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AmazonBasics Packing Cubes

Not about spending dough just on style and care only about substance? Then the cheap but “get the job done” AmazonBasics packing cubes are perfect for you. It’s a little four piece set, two medium and two large that are simple, come in a variety of fun colors, and are great for a traveler on a budget, ranging from just $18-$22 (depending on color).

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Eagle Creek Pack It Cube Set

Eagle Creek’s Pack It Cube Set is an all-around great bundle to get, especially if you’re new to packing cubes. It comes with a large, medium, and small size. I fit my underwear into the small size, shirts or bras in to medium, and dresses and pants into the largest one. I like how nicely they keep their shape and the fabric is a bit stiffer than normal.

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Eagle Creek Spector Compression Packing Cubes

The same as the brand above, these compress down once you’ve filled them up. Compression bags are popular with those who tend to overpack or are going on a long trip and this is similar to the LeanTravel ones mentioned above, though a different brand and style. These are made from ripstop, lightweight nylon. These are long and rectangular plus have handles so you can carry it outside your luggage if you need to.

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L&N Always Packing Cube Set

For the girly-girl in you, these are one of the cheapest on the list at $18 but come with more – 8 pieces! and in fun colors like pink stripes or ones that have cute travel sayings on them. Truth be told, these aren’t the most quality but they do offer more in terms of organization with a pull-tie bag for dirty clothes, a middle zip cube for shoes, one large square cube, 3 oblong cubes in small, medium, and large, a smaller draw-string pouch, and a zippered pocket great for documents and money. It’s unique and will cover all the bases plus add a touch of personality to your luggage.

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Ebags Fortis Pro

Alright, so this is cheating but I can’t have this post and not mention my favorite luggage that comes with built-in packing cubes. It manages to get everything organized. If you look at the photo below, you can see I had so many little things to fit in, but there was a space for each one of them.

This is a favorite and the rolling carry-on that I always travel with called the Fortis Pro. I have a full review you can read here or you can buy it on Ebags.com here. Compared to the Away luggage which I also have, this one blows it away: it’s expandable, a smart bag with a charging port, and beyond organized.

Overall, I couldn’t travel without having the right equipment to keep me organized and packing cubes are the #1 thing that I use.

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For more packing tips

• 10 Packing Items Worth Splurging On
• 25 Essential Travel Items
• 17 Travel Packing Hacks to Change the Way You Pack

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There are thousands of cenotes in the Yucatan. Cenotes were actually made when the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs hit earth! You can read about the giant crater the cenote created, the Chicxulub crater, at that link. Living in Merida, there are so many cenotes near Merida to choose from. While it’s fun to tour around and check out small off the grid ones, like this one, sometimes you want something *perfect* that will be good for when family and friends come to visit you.

For me, the best cenotes in Merida to take my family to are the Santa Barbara cenotes at Homun. If you ask most locals which is your favorite cenote, they will often say “Homun!” without even thinking. At Homun, are the “Santa Barbara cenotes” which is a set of three cenotes.

Upon arrival, you can choose to tour just one or have access to all three. For three cenotes, the cost is 150 MXN ($7). For an additional 70 MXN, you can add on lunch, which I highly recommend. The cost includes access to three cenotes, transport between them either by horse-drawn carriage or bicycle and lifejackets.

I grew up near Amish country and am very used to horse-drawn carriages but still felt a little bad riding in one. My mom did as well. I think if we went back we would ride bicycles which would be a lot of fun, but most families there used the carriages. The ride is just 3-5 minutes out to the cenotes, then you walk between the three, then you take a ride back.

As you can see, no one is around! We arrived at 9:30. They open at 9 and we were the only ones there for the two hours we spend in the cenotes. As we headed back toward the restaurant, we saw a few families showing up and during lunch, tour buses started to come in.

This is from the first cenote. It was dark down there in the morning! As we started walking down, even I was nervous but then the guy who worked there came and turned on the lights. It’s truly in a tiny hole. My mom was asking “are there snakes!?” but no, there aren’t. Once you get through the small hole, it opens up to a huge staircase and a beautifully lit up cenote. This was probably the coolest one.

The second cenote is just a smidge further down the path and between these two cenotes are bathrooms and a shower. There’s also bathrooms and a shower at the entrance but in case you wanted to rinse off here, it’s an option. There are picnic areas outside of the cenotes where you can sit your things and relax once you come up.

The second cenote has enough light coming down that there are no artificial lights inside. It’s beautiful. Because we got there early, we avoided crowds but that means the sun isn’t lighting up the whole place, so we could only really swim on the side that had light.

The third cenote is the most open of the three. Although it’s large, it’s maybe the least impressive because it’s so open and not really down in a hole.

I brought the two Usnorks that I have so we could look under. These are snorkels that cover your whole face to make you look like a weirdo but also so that you can breathe through your nose or nose, whatever you like. You can also dive down and the snorkel can’t get water inside of it which makes them unique. I got it on Amazon, you can see [easyazon_link identifier=”B07G11XCF5″ locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]reviews for Usnork here[/easyazon_link].

After the third cenote, we walked through the (not very impressive) gift shop into the restaurant. I wasn’t expecting much since it was just 70 pesos (drinks not included, but beer was I think 30 MXN) and a tourist site, but it was actually very good food.

The panuchos were very tasty, the Sopa de Lima is some of the best I’ve had, and we had a starter of the beef empanadas that were very tasty. I definitely recommend eating lunch here! My parents loved the food as well.

Logistically, we drove here because I have a car but you could also rent a car which would be the easiest way. A car rental for a day can run you between $1-20 (yes, for real, tips on booking here). You can also hire a local tour company or driver for the day from many of the agencies in Centro.

What to take? The wind does make it a little chilly so bring something to cover up with after you’re done swimming. Take a hat, sunscreen, water shoes if you don’t want to go barefoot (you can go barefoot from the steps can be slippery), snorkel, and a towel.

I’ve been to many cenotes around, but you know what you are getting with this set and there are three in one place to check out, so I’d say this is the best cenotes in Merida for a day trip with a traditional lunch if I *had* to choose just one.

Pin my favorite best cenotes in Merida for later:

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As part of my Ask Me Anything series, I answer common questions I get from readers. You can read other AMA posts here. In this article, I want to answer the question of how I decide on a place to take my next vacation. If you have wanderlust and want to book a trip, here are some things to think about before that will help you narrow down the destinations.

Readers will sometimes email me overwhelmed with their travel options, because don’t all of us travel-lovers want to go everywhere? It’s all on “our list”. They ask me how I decide where to take my next vacation hoping it will help them decide where to take theirs.

5 Ways to Decide on a Place for Vacation

There are things I consider when I choose my next vacation spot, so I’ll kind of share the thought process I go into when I’m choosing somewhere to visit with the 5 questions you will want to ask yourself.

1. Have I been before?

The first thing I’ll consider is if I am in the mood to go somewhere new or somewhere I have been before and like to return to. I love going back to India, Sri Lanka, London, and so many other places so I try to think if any of them are calling me back.

I know returning to places isn’t as exciting as going somewhere new – but they typically require way less planning and on repeat visits, you get to experience the place more in-depth. You’ll have already done all the touristy things and now you can do the cool things you missed, try new restaurants and bars, and really chill out like a vacation that doesn’t have a checklist of “things to do and see”.

If you want to go somewhere you haven’t been before, think about where friends have gone. Who has told you about a cool life-changing trip they had recently? You can get travel inspiration from Instagram and blogs.

You can also just spin a globe and see where you land! That is what I did in a way with India in 2012. I chose it 100% on a whim. I wanted to go somewhere I hadn’t been before that would provide a little culture shock. I thought, why not India?

2. What the weather like?

It’s important to think about if you want to go somewhere warm like surfing in Maui or you are interested in a cold vacation like playing with reindeer in Finland. Once you decide that, it will help you narrow things down a little bit. Additionally, you’ll have to think about what the season is at the place you want to go – maybe it’s rainy season and all the activities you have in mind aren’t going to be possible at that time.

3. What do I have the budget for?

Do you have the money for flights all the way across the world or just to a few states over? Do you need to take the train/bus rather than fly? Unfortunately, the budget is going to play a major factor. Yes, you can get to places like the Maldives on a budget – but do you want a budget trip to the Maldives or do you want to save it for a luxury honeymoon one day?

Often I will do a close trip – in India, I can do a two-week trip to another state I haven’t visited and spend a lot less than if I flew to Kuala Lumpur for the weekend. In Mexico, I recently did a getaway to Mexico City on a whim. I considered other places but wanted a “big city” break I could afford and it was the cheapest city nearby.

Try using the Skyscanner “anywhere” or Kiwi “anywhere” options with your airport as the departure and “anywhere” as the destination. It will give the results of the cheapest places you can fly to. See if any of them stand out to you.

4. Is it an adventurous trip or a chilled one?

For my bachelorette party, my bridesmaids were up for anything! We could have done an all-inclusive in Cancun and chilled or gone to Lake Tahoe for a relaxing lake vacation. I had to think not just about the destination but about what I wanted to do there. I didn’t want to SUP. I didn’t want to go clubbing or just lay by the pool. I decided I wanted to go to Universal Studios. There is so much to do all day at the parks, it’s sunny, there are bars and restaurants within the park and it makes for an easy trip.

Sometimes I want something really adventurous and want to experience a place I haven’t been. Recently, I wanted to go somewhere new with a friend. Neither of us had been to Central America, so we started there. Costa Rica seemed over-traveled. Honduras wasn’t safe. We went through each country to kind of see what we wanted to do. We decided on Panama because it has the city, the Pacific, the Carribean, whale watching, trekking, culture, pristine islands that hardly anyone travels to, new food we’d never tried, and beautiful boutique and eco-friendly hotels and B&Bs. It had a lot to offer and we could do a lot in two weeks.

If you want an adventurous tip, ask yourself what you are interested in: skiing, surfing, safaris, rafting? You can figure out what you want to do then google “the best places for ___”.

5. How much time do you have?

The last point brought us to this: do you have two weeks to go to Panama? If not, and you have one week, is it worth going all the way to just hit up two cities? Would you prefer instead to go to Costa Rica and do a lot in a smaller area?

Maybe you have just a long weekend and could think about flying to Mexico City for a weekend. You can often get flights there from the USA as cheap or cheaper than flights to Vegas, LA, and NYC. Try to think outside the box and make the most of the short time you have. There are international destinations that work for a long weekend. Alternatively, you can do to places in the USA you haven’t explored like New Orleans, Nashville, or St Augustine.

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My parents recently came to visit and I really wanted to show them a Hacienda. I had been to some for lunch outside of Merida and had stayed in a couple of smaller ones in town, but I was looking for a really epic one since they were on vacation. Hacienda Sac Chic has won tons of awards and is well-known as a luxury wedding destination and Casa Sisal, another home of theirs on the same property is a house that really inspires Ben and I when it comes to how we want to build our dream house in Cholul. I decided it was perfect to check these out, and they invited me to stay complimentary to share about it with you!

When you first enter, you don’t see the pool straight away but as we toured the house and got settled in, we were drawn to it like moths to a flame! It was a hot day, and the pool was perfect. It’s such a beautiful setting and right next to a bamboo forest!

I actually had to take a photo of these leggings for Instagram, and they are made from bamboo. I didn’t know there would be so much bamboo at the Hacienda, but WOW how well did that work out!?

The entrance had so much colorful walls and different types of plants. I love the cactuses! there were archways throughout the area you could walk around the whole garden exploring and even go up on the roof.

The Hacienda called Casa Antigua is from the 1850’s and is made from limestone. In the main house are two bedrooms, one with a loft up top, a living room, kitchen, and a huge bathroom plus a pool outside. Across the courtyard is Casa Nueva, has three bedrooms as well with a sunken in living room (so cool and something I want to do in my future dream home!), and is a little more modern. We stayed in Casa Antigua. The house was renovated by the architect Salvador Reyes Rios and his partner and wife Josefina Larrain and they made most of the furniture using local craftsmen.

My room, coffee in bed, and the loft which is above

I’m actually obsessed with the blue concrete in the bathroom. I think it’s chukkum which is a local way of doing concrete here and I want to do this in grey one day! It’s so beautiful.

Casa Sisal, Near Merida, Yucatan

Old meets new when you dip under an old archway and cross the grounds into Casa Sisal. I love the Hacienda and my parents really loved it – but Casa Sisal is a modern stunning home that if I could, I would live in! No one was staying there so they let us come over to take photos and use the pool.

This bedroom is everything! I love the chukkum, it was so smooth and polished, I love the cream color and simple elegant design. Sometimes simple is best, and in this house that’s what makes it!

The glass doors were great and while you usually see black aluminum in homes, I loved the white they had which really kept things looking fresh and bright. This house had a sunken in living room, too that you step down into and a big open modern kitchen.

In case you’re wondering why I had so many outfit changes, it’s because I had some clothing to promote on Instagram so went ahead and shot them here! I’m not normally packing so much for an overnight trip.

In terms of how much it costs, it does change based on the season. Casa Sisal is $375/night which for a luxury mansion in seclusion like this I think is a good price – most likely you’d have another couple to split it with since it’s two bedrooms.

The Hacienda is split into two houses, Casa Antigua where we stayed ($700/night) and Casa Nueva ($975/night) or you can take both of them for $1550/night. Obviously, it’s not super cheap but this is one of the top Haciendas in the Yucatan and often people rent this out for weddings. Check out booking and more rate information here.  Just an FYI, the BARN I am getting married in back in Ohio is charging $1500/night to take the farmhouse the night before the wedding. Lol! 

Logistically, I drove here and visited the nearby Santa Barbara Cenotes on the way in, before we checked in. You can hire a chef, but we brought a cooler with our own food to cook dinner and our own drinks. Once you’re here, you are pretty much staying here; it’s quite secluded and it’s really like finding a mansion in the jungle! It’s a magical experience. We packed Rummikub and played a few games before bed, toured the grounds, and spent time reading by the pool. There IS WiFi at the property and there is staff on site to make sure everything goes smoothly.

So, where would you want to stay, the Hacienda or Casa Sisal!? And who thinks I should have booked my wedding for here!? Haha kidding kidding, it’s still in Ohio but maybe we should throw a big party here one day for our anniversary! ;)

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Years ago I met Danielle through a friend – she had been to Uganda and I was dying to go! We were both nurses and travel-lovers. She is still a nurse but still finds time to travel all the time and has her own travel blog, Nurse to Nomad. I love that she can balance work and travel, and she offered to share with you all how she does it so seamlessly! Here’s Danielle.

12 ways to balance work and travel

If travel is important to you, it is absolutely possible to travel while working full time. I’m a nurse, and I have traveled to 16 countries and 37 states while working as a nurse. I know these numbers aren’t record-breaking, but they also would not have happened if I hadn’t worked hard for these adventures. There are some tricks to balancing work and travel.

Every country varies in how much vacation time a person gets. It would be amazing if we could all be as fortunate as Brazilians who receive 30 days of vacation per year, but some of us live in countries like the United States where there isn’t a minimum required amount of vacation time. And traveling year-round isn’t a feasible option for everyone.

If you’re working full time, you might have to get a little creative in how you fit travel into your busy life.

1. First, Make Travel a Priority.

If traveling while working full time is your heart’s desire, you need to ensure it is a priority in your life. Below is a quick checklist:

• Is travel important to you?
• Are you willing to sacrifice from other areas of your life to be able to travel more?
• Do you consider it to be something you are most passionate about?
• Is travel where you want a good portion of your money to go?

If the answer to these questions is yes then you know where your priorities are. You won’t have to question if you are making the right choices in life as you plan your trips, spend money on them, and use all your paid time off to see the world. You will know you’re pursuing your passion.

Read More: how to travel more this year

2. Use Your Vacation Time Wisely.

Never ever let vacation days go to waste. Use those babies. You literally get paid while you are traveling, yet studies say that 41% of Americans let vacation days expire. Don’t be that person. If your vacation time does not roll over, your time-off bank better be empty by December 31st.

Often, employees feel pressured by bosses to always be available at work, but you have the right to take a break from your job. Your vacation time is earned and should be used.

If possible, exclusively use your paid time off for travel. I’m a nurse, so I won’t tell you to go into work if you’re sick or in deep need of a mental health day. But I will advise you to not take the day off because you’d rather not get out of bed. Every hour of vacation time that you save can go towards the adventures that you are pursuing.

3. Take Advantage of Weekends and Holidays.

The weekend is a full-time employee’s best friend.

If you work Monday through Friday, plan your trips around weekends or holiday weekends so that you can use less vacation time. I recently flew to Seattle on Friday night after work, had Saturday and Sunday to explore, and flew back on Monday. It was a decent trip across the country, and I only used 1 day of vacation time.

If you are planning a long trip, 5 days of vacation time will give you 9 days of travel (Saturday through the following Sunday). 10 days of vacation time will give you 16 days for a trip if you plan the weekends out properly. You can see a lot in 16 days.

If you work random days, as some nurses or service industry workers, cluster your work days and travel while you are off work. Work the beginning of a week, travel, and work at the end of the next week. You can travel for a long weekend and not even use any paid time off.

Finally, if you work somewhere where it is not required to use vacation days during holiday weeks, work your full hours and keep the 8 hours of vacation time that week. For example, I chose to work my full hours during the week of Thanksgiving so I could save a day of vacation. I understand working a holiday might be a sacrifice, but remember working full time and traveling may require a sacrifice or two to maximize your vacation time.

4. Be Organized about Taking Time Off.

Talk to the person who makes your schedule, and seek out the vacation policies. Learn the best way to plan your dream trips.

Be organized. Don’t miss out on an epic trip to Chile because you forgot to submit a time off request. Mark your calendar and make plans.

Depending on how your schedule is made, you have some options on how to plan your adventures. If you have your heart set on a certain location, figure out when you want to go, request the time off, and book the trip well in advance. If you want to go where the wind takes you and you have flexibility, take a chunk of time off and then research the best flights during that time.

If you are looking for good flight deals and are up for going anywhere, subscribe to Next Vacay and use Skyscanner’s or Kayak’s Explore features.

5. Be a Stellar Employee.

A manager or scheduler might pay zero attention to your frequent vacation requests if you are totally pulling your weight when you’re present. Work hard, play hard.

6. Visit Destinations that Require Shorter Travel Time.

Consider a road trip to a nearby town that offers new adventures. If the drive is less than 4 hours, you could drive after work on Friday and be back Sunday evening. You can also search nonstop flights from your home airport to save time (and money!) on short trips. Most airline apps or websites offer a filter for nonstop flights.

We often forget to explore our own backyards, and it’s okay to be a tourist in a nearby town sometimes. If you are saving vacation time for a long trip to Europe in 6 months but have the travel bug right now – plan something small that still invigorates you. These types of trips can hold you over when needed.

7. Travel Alone.

If you are limited on when you can take time off, you might not be able to find a BFF that’s available on the only week you can make it to Ireland in September. Don’t always wait for someone else to accomplish what YOU want to do. Solo travel may seem daunting, but it can be one of the greatest experiences.

Traveling alone gives you the opportunity to really put yourself out there and meet other travelers. You learn about yourself and immerse yourself in new cultures. And most importantly for this post, it allows you the flexibility to travel when you want, on your own schedule.

I was living in Boston for a few months and learned that there were cheap, direct flights to Iceland in February. I asked a few friends to join, they all said “heck no” to Iceland in freezing February, so I went alone. I decided that my desire to explore Iceland and see the Northern Lights outweighed my desire to have a travel buddy.

8. Work Remotely.

If you spend most of your time at work sitting behind a computer, perhaps your manager will let you stare at that screen from a coffee shop in Spain. Approach your boss in the right way, provide assurance that you will perform your full work-load from abroad, and offer to do extra work before and after the trip if needed. Bonus points if you can network for your company while you are in the new city.

9. Take Unpaid Leave.

This might be worth a shot. If you are financially stable enough and want to cross off a bucket list location or want to spend an extended period of time somewhere, it could be worth asking your manager if they would consider giving you unpaid leave.

If you are an amazing employee, your manager might allow you to take some time off to pursue your passion and grow as a person. It costs companies a lot more money to hire new employees than to retain current ones, especially if you’re that stellar employee like I pointed out earlier.

10. If You Have an Off Season, Maximize your Travel.

If you work as a teacher or construction worker or any career that gives you time off during the year, take advantage of that time. You should know what dates you will have free ahead of time, so you have the ability to plan ahead. Google what countries are the best to visit during your off time, pick a place, and then track flight prices. The Skyscanner app allows you to set notifications for specific destinations and will email you if there is a decreased fare from your selected airport.

11. Travel between Jobs.

If you are someone who changes jobs frequently and has the opportunity to take some time off in between, do it. This might seem like a scary time to travel, but there is something very freeing in not being held down in a job and being able to travel how you want. This might require saving up some money ahead of time, but it’s worth it. This also might be your best option for longer-term travel. A month in Thailand, anyone?

12. Budget for Travel.

So you took this advice and have a week off to spend in Europe. How are you going to pay for it? Some people have “emergency funds;” I have a “travel fund.” I always try to keep enough money in my checking account that I could take a week-long trip at any time.

(Don’t go empty your emergency fund after reading this. I have one of those too; it’s just a lot more boring.)

Creating a budget for travel means spending less money in your day-to-day life so you can spend it on travel. Everything adds up. An apartment that is $100 less per month can equal a flight to Costa Rica in less than 6 months. Cut down on shopping, eating out, alcoholic beverages, etc. I could live in a nicer place and have nicer things, but that would mean not traveling whenever I am able.

We live in the time of side gigs, right? If you need extra money to travel, you can try driving for Uber, picking up extra shifts at work, walking dogs for the Wag app, or babysitting. If travel is your passion, work hard for it. Rachel has some great advice on her 9 Tips for Saving Money for Travel post.

I understand most of this advice is not easy. Saving an extra vacation day might mean going into work tired after a weekend trip. Spending less money might mean ordering water instead of a cocktail with dinner. Traveling alone might take a leap of faith. Some of these tips are sacrifices, but travel will enrich your life and make the sacrifices worthwhile.

I hope this advice leads to more adventures and less time at work. Travel can be accessible to you if you really want it. Don’t let a lack of vacation time keep you from living your life to the fullest. Save money, save your vacation time, and pursue your dreams.

Pin Ways to Balance Full-Time Work & Travel More for later:

Danielle Spindle is a travel blogger, full-time nurse, and lover of the outdoors currently living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her work as a nurse revolves around helping people, and she uses her life as a traveler to help others achieve their dreams of adventure. You can follow her on her blog Nurse to Nomad, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post 12 Sensible Ways to Balance Full-Time Work & Travel More appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

As I flew back to Goa, I wasn’t sure how I felt. I was excited to go back but also wondered how it would feel to come back as a tourist, without my home and my dogs, and if it would still feel like it did for all the years Ben and I lived there. I started my trip in India on a safari and was pretty tired and jetlagged plus really excited to see friends – when I walked out of Goa airport, it was literally as if I’d been away on a two-week vacation. It was just all the feels, everyone yelling “taxi, taxi”, pushing through to our driver, like always and then taking the same winding roads home that I could do with my eyes closed.

The first week there, I kind of bounced around. I stayed with Priyanka at first. She owns Jamboree Creek and saved me a cabin. Then, I headed over to my friend Tia’s for a few nights. She just had a baby, Zyon, and I’m his godmother. It was so perfect to crash with them and get to know him. He’s such a bubbly happy baby. It was really like no time had passed. He’s not on social media yet, so I won’t share photos but trust me, he’s adorable.

Jamboree Creek

Our old house in Asssagao was ready for us to come back and stay and our landlord kindly let us stay for free (no one has been in it since we moved!) but I didn’t want to stay until Ben came. I thought it would be too weird to be there on my own, no Ben, no dogs, no cat. Ben was working in Mumbai and Pune but once he reached Goa, we moved to our old house.

The monkeys have taken over our house even more than before and really put on a show!

my balcony

Remember when I spent a monsoon re-vamping it? I bought/made curtains, rugs, re-upholstered furniture, Ben made a couch, painted all the chairs and tables, and so much. It was all still there just as I left it – even the house plants and art. Walking back in that was a shock! I figured the landlord would have been there and changed things. But it turns out, no one had and it was literally still our home. While it might have been sad without the pets, our other favorite dogs came to play. I warn you, this post is mostly about Goa dogs haha! I can’t help it. I love them!

Snowy, who is Happy Bar’s dog, kind of stayed with us for a year when we had Huck. They were good buddies and he spent a lot of time at our house, taking naps next to us on the couch. But Shanti one day took a piece of pizza out of Snowy’s mouth and that started a bitter feud that kept Snowy from coming around so much. We still saw her at Happy Bar along with Elvis and Question Mark but she didn’t sleep at our house anymore.

She must have realized that our dogs weren’t around because she came back – nearly 11 years old, she’s really struggled with her age and when I woke up in the morning she was sleeping on the back porch and came into the kitchen like she did in 2013. It was so crazy how dogs remember these things! She even walked me everywhere like she used to, leading the way and looking back every 10 seconds to make sure I was coming. Back in the day, we would drive our Omni van to Mapusa and she would follow us the whole way there running behind the van. Her, Elvis, and Question Mark the Happy Bar Dogs would walk Huck with us all in a big pack when Huck was alive.

Her and Blackey Whitey dog hung around a lot. We went and saw Three-Legged-Dog (the dog we took to get amputated when he was hit by a scooter outside Cream Choc, it was such a crazy day) and he didn’t remember us sadly but was still cute as ever perched on his bench.

When we first took him into the animal aid to fix his leg

“trippy” now

Then there’s Puppy. Puppy was a street dog outside our house that we found in a box in the jungle. We tried to feed him but he was so scared of people and skittish. The next time we found him, he had a plastic bottle on his head. We decided to tie him up to keep him safe and then let him be in our gated area when we were home. He loved Omni and Shanti and even Kitkat and eventually, he started coming in the house, sleeping on the couch, and eventually the bed! I took him to get neutered before we left Goa and our friend Sonu took Puppy into his house to live. It was really sad to leave Puppy behind but he has a good home.

Puppy and Blackey Whitey Dog

Puppy when we left in May on the left (in my bed), Puppy now on the right

When we first saw him, he was as scared as he always used to be until he smelled us and realized who we were and I swear it was so cute he started squealing and making squeezing noises and jumping on us. It was all we could do not to cry! He’s such a cute dog and his new family loves him so much! He came over every evening with Sonu to hang out.

Overall Goa was just how we left it. Thalassa might have a new location, and Antares burnt to the ground, there are some new shops and some new party places but it’s all still the Goa we know and love. We planned out our meals to make sure we could eat all our favorite food, of course. That meant going to Thalassa (which also meant going to Mariketty’s house for a homemade lunch), Caio Bella, Artjuna, Baba Au Rhum, Villa Blanche, Gunpowder, Banyan, La Plage, and more. It’s also nice to see the owners of some of these places who became friends over the years.

Managed to get to Gunpowder twice, yum! It’s actually my favorite restaurant in the entire world

local food at Vinayak just down the road from my house, a restaurant that we ate at once a week at least

I might live in Mexico but I still got the tacos at Vaayu’s Prana cafe, no mango is as good as the Indian mango!

Popped into Villa Blanche most mornings for a coffee and lunch at Artjuna is a must

Beautiful Garden of Dreams

We were lucky to get to see all of our best friends while we were in Goa who made time to meet up with us. Some babies are now little kids running around and growing up so that was a change, but my friends are all the same and while we were apart for so long, it didn’t seem that way. It was so nice to hang at the beach, go shopping, wander around Mapusa market, have long drawn-out lunches, and of course, have some late nights partying. Can’t go to Goa and not have a party! Can’t have a party without it ended up at our house haha!

Holi paint

Bought a Ganesh which is now on my car here in Mexico (pictured above) and also got the fabric I needed for my wedding in Mapusa with Jules!

Went to the flea market for tea and spices – something I actually never did when I lived there! (And never will again, what a rip-off haha!)

I’ll be updating the Goa ebook for next season with all the things that have changed in Goa and tips on a few new places I checked out. A couple that are special are my friend Saffron’s new art gallery, Studio Arpora, and the new Goa Collective Bazaar at Hilltop on Friday nights. The market has great shopping and some of the best restaurants in Goa are represented there. Must try: Eddie’s Khow Suey. The full-size new Flame store was quite well-curated. Rangeela moved to Assagao last year and their shop has gotten even bigger and better! Tia and Rachel from Fara now have a second Alchemy Shop in the new Sublime in Assagao which is in a friends old house – that was fun to visit and just a stones-throw from my house so I can walk there.

Studio Arpora & the Hilltop Market

Rangeela & the Flame Store

When it was time to leave, it felt like time had moved way too fast. Everyone kept asking “did you make the right choice, do you wish you hadn’t moved?” and while I LOVE Goa, we feel like we did make the right choice in moving. Goa is paradise, and there is nowhere else like it. I will always come back to Goa every year and hopefully for a month each year – but Merida is “home” now and it’s kind of like “real life” while Goa is our Neverland.

I have some photos from the day we moved:

The crew.

It was so awesome to see all of our friends again, and we can’t wait to go back next season. When it was time to leave, I was at the house on my own beause Ben had left a day ahead of me. I was all packed up and Babu was outside waiting to take me to the airport. I looked around pretty sad looking at the empty house that was our home for five years and then through the front door bounces in (literally) Blackey Whitey shaking her tail to say hi so fast that her whole butt was shaking. It was the perfect goodbye!

The post Picking Up Where We Left Off in Goa appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

I’ve been on a few safaris as a backpacker in India but hadn’t seen a tiger yet, so was stoked to get to visit Bandhavgarh Park – the park with the highest density of tigers in India. I wasn’t sure what to wear on safari, though! As a backpacker, I just threw on what was in my backpack but I’m not really rocking ali baba pants anymore and as this was a boutique safari lodge it required what they call “smart safari clothing”.

I actually had some cute safari outfits in mind from pieces I had picked up, so I didn’t need to go shopping for this trip. I’m going to share a detailed safari packing list and some exact women’s safari clothing that is stylish AND comfortable while still being “smart”.

You’ll also need some safari gear to go along with your outfits, so I’ll share all those details, too! I’m going to start out with some tips on just want to expect on safari in terms of the dirt, sun, weather, colors to avoid, and other things to make note of.

What to Wear on Safari | My Safari Packing List

Just how dirty will you get?

The roads are so dusty! Most safari parks are shut during the rainy season, so you’ll likely be on a safari when the roads are dusty. With an open-air vehicle, you’ll have the dust get on your skin, hair, and face plus of course all your clothes. Add on top of that there will be more Jeeps around that are kicking up dust.

Beyond dusty roads, there are some times when you might be able to get out of the safari vehicle (when it’s safe) so you’ll want to make sure you’re covered from your ankles to your collar bones! It just will make it so much nicer when you strip off your dirty clothes at the end of the day. Basically, this is not the time for a silky white dress! If you take a backpack, camera, hat, or anything – just know it’s ALL going to be covered in dust.

One other thing to avoid? Fleeces. They just attract the dirt in a big way! Fabrics that are similar to a windbreaker are best. You’ll likely wear the same jacket again and again. and it’s nice to just shake the dirt off so it’s fairly clean the next time you put it on.

What should I expect from the weather?

You are going to need layers. Safaris are usually sunrise and sunset that means it can be cool at the start of a morning safari and the end of an evening safari. But, when the sun is high in the sky, it’s HOT. It’s not a big problem; layers are key.

Don’t forget sun protection!

I wore a baseball hat the whole time. It protects from the sun but it also keeps my hair from getting tangled from the wind. I wore Sun Bum face stick sunscreen.

What colors to wear

You have to wear neutral earth-tone colors. Don’t be the person in a bright pink dress scaring off all the animals! You want to blend in. Tans and browns are good. Don’t wear white.

What about when I’m back at the hotel?

My resort was pretty luxurious, and if yours is too, you want to wear something “smart”. A nice midi dress, culottes with a button-up, or jeans and a linen top would be good options.

What Safari Gear You’ll Want to Bring

Safety/First Aid

Your safari car will likely have all the basic first aid things you might need but it doesn’t hurt to take some to have in your room or in your backpack (or in my case, fanny pack). One thing you need? bug repellant. I love the [easyazon_link identifier=”B004NRPD7G” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]mosquito wipes[/easyazon_link], so much easier to use than spray.

Camera Equipment

My camera is the [easyazon_link identifier=”B079VDF7ZG” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Panasonic Lumix GX85[/easyazon_link] and for the safari, I used my favorite zoom lens, the [easyazon_link identifier=”B01MU3WOVP” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Lumix G Vario 35-100mm F2.8[/easyazon_link]. This is zoom but not one of those intense ones that are huge. It’s small, and I carry it in my purse. I also recommend using a [easyazon_link identifier=”B07CGTVKSP” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]MegaGear leather case[/easyazon_link] to protect it from dust and dirt.

You safari might have [easyazon_link identifier=”B06XT7M6P5″ locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]binoculars[/easyazon_link] you can use, but if they don’t you DO want to have some yourself. You will also want an [easyazon_link keywords=”travel alarm clock” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]alarm clock[/easyazon_link] in case you don’t use your phone and for the lodge grounds, [easyazon_link keywords=”headlamp” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]a headlamp[/easyazon_link] is so helpful.

My Safari Outfits in India

Cooler Weather Safari Outfit

I am a fan of Anatomie clothing. It is lightweight, takes up essentially no luggage space, is wrinkle-resistant, can be hand-washed in cold water with hardly any effort, and dry in five minutes with a hair drier. According to their site, two pairs of pants weigh less than a banana. That saves a lot of space compared to two pairs of jeans! Plus, they are comfortable, neutral, and look safari-smart.

It’s expensive, and it’s something that you should invest in if you will be traveling a lot and want something you can pack without thinking. I wore these same outfits in Panama for all my adventure days and it’s nice to just have it for future trips.

This outfit is the “Kenya Safari Jacket” in Khaki. The pants are the “Luisa” in Khaki.

Not pictured, I also took the metallic Merika windbreaker.

I wore my FAVORITE UGG sneakers which I’ve shared about over and over, the “Tye” ones in the color “Slate”. I wore a black Free People bandana shirt with the Rolling Stones on it so it would look more chill and not like a “safari outfit”. I also took my NY Yankees hat, which is on every trip with me. I wore my Ray-Ban Wayfarer’s because they are big and cover a lot of my face. Take a scarf with you as well for on the car to protect your face.

Warmer Weather Safari Outfit

The above outfit is also Anatomie. The pants are the “Techno Chino” in grey and the top is “Melissa” tee in Grey. Again, I wore my UGG Tye tennies, Ray-Ban Wayfarer’s, and my NY Yankees hat. With this, I wore the same Merika windbreaker I mentioned above.

You might do four safaris on a trip (there are two a day at most places and many people do 3 nights/2 days on safari because it’s kind of pricey to do more), so I wore these two outfits twice each, except I changed tee shirts! But the same pants and jackets because they are that Anatomie fabric that you just brush off the dirt and it’s fine. They are so thin that you don’t sweat in them but also protect from the chill in the mornings.

Our safari gave us blankets to cover up with when it was cold!

Sleepwear

I also just throw in my Homebodii monogrammed pink satin PJ’s. I’m sure now you’ve seen them in basically all my packing posts! I almost always travel with a hair scarf these days and I’m wearing an Anthropologie ones in the photos above. I wore it up to the lodge with jeans and a linen button up one evening and it dresses up any outfit.

Hotel Lounging

I have two Free People “Love to Love You Midi Dresses”. I have a yellow one I loved but they went on clearance (and still are) so I got this sage green one which was $39 (steal) and perfect for a safari lodge. I took my UGG Kari Slides.

Really the UGG Tye sneakers and Kari slides are all I need these days when I travel in terms of shoes!

I didn’t take more photos at the lodge, but I did wear other clothes. My lodge safari clothes were:

• The midi dress picture above
• Levi’s that I wore with a GAP linen button-up in a cream color
• Linen overalls in navy blue that I wore a long-sleeve shirt underneath
• A long maxi dress from Lulu’s – maxi dresses are great, and the linen button-up over it

Pool Day

I took two swimsuits only because I was also on vacation going to other places. I took my favorite Melissa Odabash swimsuit, the “Mexico” which I have in black and brown. I also took my L*Space “Crossroads Texture” bikini with the Rebel top and Frenchi bottom.

A Sample Safari Packing List

Bags

Luggage & Carry-On

For luggage, I took my large Ebags Fortis bag and my small Ebags Fortis Pro (review of this one here). I’ve been such a Delsey luggage fan for so long, but lately have been gravitating to this set. The carry-on especially is my favorite by far right now. It blows away the “Away” bag!

Personal Item / daily bag

I took my current favorite backpack, the Lo and Sons Hanover, as my personal item on the plane (review of the brand here). This is IDEAL because it has all my electronics in it but they are in the organized, pocketed inner-shell. You then unclip that and take it out, leaving an empty backpack and all your stuff that was in it, still in the inner-shell, in the hotel room. I then took the outer shell as my safari bag! It was perfect. I threw in my hat, scarf, sunglasses, ID (you need to take ID for parks!), bug repellant, camera, and lenses.

Safari Clothing

• 4 Shirts (two long-sleeve and two short-sleeve)
• 2 jackets (one heavier than the other)
• 2 Safari pants
• 1 linen button-up shirt
• 1 Leggings for layering if it’s very cold
• Baseball Hat
• Tennis Shoes for the safari
• Sunglasses
• Scarf (large for face and small for hair)

Hotel Clothing

• PJs
• Jeans
• Pantsuit (linen is nice because it’s warmer than cotton and looks nicer)
• Culottes (I love the chinos from Anthropologie)
• 2 maxi dresses
• Button-up shirt
• 1 long-sleeve shirt
• 1 tee shirt
• Sandals
• Bikini
• Swimsuit cover-up

Toiletries

• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• It’s a 10 (you’ll need detangler from all the wind!)
• Lotion (you need some serious body lotion because the dust dries you out, I like Aveda)
• Because it’s dry, also Vitamin C serum and a face mask (loving the Milk mask from Patchology)
• BB Cream or Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer

Tech Gear

• [easyazon_link identifier=”B079VDF7ZG” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Panasonic Lumix GX85[/easyazon_link]
• [easyazon_link identifier=”B01MU3WOVP” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Lumix G Vario 35-100mm F2.8[/easyazon_link]
• [easyazon_link keywords=”Headlamp” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Headlamp[/easyazon_link]
• [easyazon_link identifier=”B07CXG6C9W” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Kindle[/easyazon_link] (so much downtime and many lodges won’t have WiFI!)

Overall, the thing that made my trip easy was the Anatomie outfits. If I had the budget, I’d get one more to take with me but they are pricey – I’m happy I have the two I do, and they take up NO space and are so nice to throw on and feel totally “ready” and looking good and “smart” but also cute and blending it safari-style!

Shop the Post

For more packing tips:

• The Only Beach Vacation Packing List You Need
• Packing For Finland in Winter: Don’t Make the Mistakes I Did
• Packing for Various Regions of Long-term Travel in One Suitcase

Pin what to wear on safari for later!

The post What to Wear On Safari: A Complete Packing List & Outfit Examples appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Going on a safari in India is on so many India travel bucket lists. After doing it and seeing a tiger, I can say it is really SO worth it – even if you have to fly half way across the world. I have done many safaris in India, but the Bandhavgarh National Park safari as the best because I finally saw a tiger. It is one of the most amazing memories I’ll have from being in India. I have traveled all over India and lived there for five years, but this might be the most special experience I’ve had in India.

There are some things to know before you go on a safari in India, so I’m going to share some tips so you are as prepared as you can possibly be! You might already know, but Bandhavgarh has more tigers than any park in India.

Getting to Bandhavgarh: The park is in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The easiest way is to fly into Jabalpur and then take a four-hour car journey into the area of the park. The nearest village is Tala. Your hotel will probably arrange this for you. I flew Spicejet but Air India fly there as well. It’s a tiny airport! You can also take local buses (do not recommend as it will be a lot of bus changes and take ages!) or take a train to Umaria then a taxi.

things to know before you take a Bandhavgarh National Park safari

1. You really should book a hotel before you go

It’s best to have a hotel set up ahead of time so they can help with tickets and book them for you. You can book your tickets online at the MP Park website if you want and decide on a hotel, but it’s not always accepting foreign cards without issues. You can book a safari lodge that includes your drives in the tariff which is what I recommend. You can book up to three months ahead of time and you should make sure to at least book a couple of weeks ahead because there is a limit to how many cars can come into the park.

Bandhavgarh National Park safari accommodations range from super budget to super luxury. I stayed at Samode (review here) and they include the safari in the price and book it for you. It’s by far the most luxurious (and expensive) in the area. The Taj Mahua Kothi is luxury but pretty mid-range in comparison, priced at under $300/night. Pugdundee Safaris King’s Lodge is less than $200 a night and very very nice. If you look at these places, you’ll see that most luxury ones like this include the safari in the price (and food and drinks) so make sure you think about the inclusions to see what the best deal will be).

If you look on hotels.com and booking.com with Tala searched (it is on those links) you can see a wide variety of Bandhavgarh hotels and resorts from around 2,000 INR and up (under $50). Typically these budget ones will not arrange your park tickets.

2. Park tickets need to be booked way ahead of time

There are limited tickets for the parks. You must plan ahead of time for a safari. Bandhavgarh safari cost is the same for foreigners and Indians, even though it didn’t use to be. It’s 1,500 INR for the permit fee for a whole Jeep and then you have to rent the Jeep (and driver) which is 2,500 INR. You also have to take a government guide with you which is a few hundred rupees.

If you aren’t coming in a group, the permit fee is 250 (not taking a whole Jeep for 1,500. Bandhavgarh National Park charges aren’t that high in my opinion and even for a budget backpacker, this is something to make sure you put in your itinerary!

So if you are backpacking and want to go on your own, then you will get a single person permit fee of 250 then when you arrive, you will have to split the cost of the Jeep hire with whoever else is in the Jeep.

3. The park isn’t open all year – AND it does get very cold

The park isn’t open all year and closes for the monsoon months of July, August, and September. In May and June, it’s likely to see more tigers because it’s hot and they search for water, but it’s very hot on the safari for the visitors. December and January are peak months and so it’s crowded. I went in March and it was perfect, but honestly still crowded. The park is always closed on Wednesdays and some holidays.

It will be cold in the morning and evenings pretty much all of the open months except maybe April and May. Mid- March was still cold in the mornings and evenings when I was there. The mornings at 5 AM were cold enough we needed blankets and hot water bottles on our laps. I recommend layers – and will be putting up a packing post soon!

4. It’s more crowded then you might imagine

The park is 105 square meters and divided into three “core” zones. Each zone can have 20 cars maximum in it at a time. The park is closed for lunch so you can do a morning safari or an evening safari. If you want to do an all-day safari it costs a lot more and you’ll need to get a special permit.

The core zones are called Tala, Magdhi, and Khitauli. There are also buffer zones. You don’t get to pick your zone if you go through a hotel, because they do it for you and it was explained to me it’s almost like a lottery and they don’t find out until the night before. You want Magdhi zone – it is the best currently. Tala was closed when I was there so they re-routed those cars to the other two main zones so it was extra-crowded but this happens often with the zones.

If you book online, you should be able to pick your zone from what I understand.

When a tiger is spotted within a zone, word travels fast and all the Jeeps go off quickly to get to the point the tiger is located. Imagine twenty Jeeps all speeding off together, then stopping altogether in the same tiny space.

I was pretty surprised by how loud the fellow tourists were and that no one told them to be quiet. After all, we are paying a lot for this experience – because it’s MAGICAL – and it to me, should be common knowledge to be quiet and respectful. Yet, there are Jeeps that were full of tourists who were yelling, laughing, playing music on their phones, and arguing with other cars about views being blocked. I lived in India for years and am used to the noise and such but I guess I thought people would have been better behaved during such a special moment. I just wanted to shush everyone because all the yelling was ruining the moment, to be honest.

5. It’s also very very dusty

All the Jeeps make a LOT of dust and you’ll likely have a Jeep in front of you – the drivers sometimes spin the tires out and create more when going quickly to find a tiger that has been spotted. You will want a scarf to put over your face and maybe even hair. We didn’t have one on our first drive and luckily Samode had medical face masks. We looked crazy, but we didn’t care.

Check out my packing post (coming soon) for tips on what to pack and how to protect yourself from all the dust.

6. Tigers are hard to spot and you *might* not see one

It’s no guarantee that you see a tiger! While sometimes they come into the open and you can have a clear view, it isn’t always the case. The first sighting we had, I couldn’t SEE the tiger at first, after all tey are good at camouflage. I saw three one one safari ride and on another one, saw zero.

Can you see the tiger below? He’s there!

7. A government forest guide will go with you

Even if you stay with a luxury hotel that has it’s own guides and safari vehicles, you will still have a government guide go with you in the car. This is to keep things safe and make sure you leave the park when you are supposed to, don’t get out of the car, and they will help find the tigers.

8. Yes, it’s an open Jeep and no, the guides don’t carry guns for protection

The cars are Gypsy’s and they are open. There is nothing there for protection. If a tiger wants to attack you, it will. They HAVE jumped on the hood of Jeeps before – my guide told me! But, that was once so don’t worry. There is a limit of how close you can be to the tiger and while it could sneak up by you and has walked right up next to cars, that is so so rare.

When you see a tiger coming toward you, it is the driver’s responsibility to then drive off. There is a distance they need to keep and the tiger is in charge so if it comes toward you, you must back away.

9. It’s not only tigers

You’ll also see sambar, spotted deer, leopards, birds, monkeys, sloth bear, and jackals. Yes, the tigers steal the show!

10. There are no wild elephants – and if they come, the zone will close

This park isn’t known for wild elephants. They just haven’t been in this area – but that doesn’t mean they don’t come sometimes. They are having their land taken and so they get displaced but it sort of messes up the vibe of the zones and is dangerous for the tourists because they will charge vehicles. They closed the Tala zone while I was there because a wild elephant came into the zone.

If you do a full-day tour, they might offer you an elephant ride. There are elephants that the patrol guides use to make sure the tigers are in the zones and not going out to the villages. They have tamed elephants for this reason forever and always will – but taming this for tourism isn’t cool. While I’ve read there are elephant rides, I did not see any there and none were offered so I hope they have stopped them. Avoid the elephant rides if it is offered to you.

Pin these tips for Bandhavgarh National Park safari in India for later!

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There are so many apartments for rent in Mexico City that are boho-chic or modern or have an old fashioned feel. The options are limitless for where to stay in Mexico City. It can feel overwhelming at first when you start to look. You have to really think about the area you want to stay in before you start to look to help you narrow it down. It would be like going to NYC and not knowing if you want to be in Queens or Manhattan – you should figure that out first then look for a hotel. In this post, I’m going to share where to stay in Mexico City based on a few places I’ve stayed and others that are on my list after extensive research – as I know I’ll be back for years to come!

Read More:

• 20 essential tips for Mexico City
• 3 day Mexico City itinerary

Airbnb’s are a great option! You can get them from $30 a night, or a very cute one for around $50, and a super stylish one for $80, while a luxury one would be closer to $200. Boutique hotels start at $100 and go up to around $400 and there are some really amazing world-famous ones I’ll share about. There are also budget hostels that are perfect for backpackers. I’m going to break the post down into categories and share with you the best of the best in each one!

Where to stay in Mexico City: Which Neighborhoods and Hotels are Best for You

In general Roma and La Condesa are the best. They are trendy, cute, safe, and have awesome cafes and popular restaurants. They also host most of the best nightlife. They are for sure the most fashionable right now. Juarez is just near here and also a good option – some say it’s the next Roma.

For a fancier area, you can look at Polanco which has all the luxury shopping and very rich people hanging out. If you wanted, you could stay at the historic center, but it’s not what I would choose personally as we only went there for a day of shopping and sightseeing. It’s also called El Centro and mostly around the Zócalo area is where you’ll get such a bustlin’ real life Mexican scene like cantinas and crowded markets.

If you want a more local borough that is cute and safe, then look into Cuauhtémoc and San Rafael. Coyoacán is another area we explored a little that has some museums and markets and is pretty much residential but I think it’s best to do just a day trip here.

Overall, Rome and Condesa are the winners and Juarez is a great option, too, if you find a perfect place to stay there. If you want to be in the thick of it, then El Centro but I don’t recommend that.

Where to stay in Mexico City: Airbnb’s in Mexico City

When you search for an Airbnb, just look for Condesa, Roma, and Juarez. Realistically this is where you’re going to find the cutest and most popular Airbnb options. Downtown you’re going to get more average homes that won’t be as “cute” or “trendy” but are real-life homes or modern business-like apartments, while in the areas I listed you’re going to get more upscale apartments that were designed by millennials who probably did so with Airbnb in mind and are set up well for guests. For Airbnb’s, you’re looking at around $40-$100 for a cute, fun one or up to $200 for a luxury one. I’ll share where I stayed plus a few I had found and starred for later trips. I spent so many hours finding the perfect places!

If you book an Airbnb, you can sign up with a new account using my link and get $40-$52 off your booking. That is a night free for a lot of these options! You can also just sign up now and use the credit on a later trip to anywhere.

Cute Roma Apartment, 3 BR, $80

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I loved this little 3 bedroom apartment. It was in Roma, on the main street, located near Lalo and all the coolest cafes. The living room was cute as you can see and the bedrooms were cozy and comfortable with big closets. The bathroom was fairly small and standard, but clean. The kitchen had a nice coffee machine and coffee for us to use. It was $80 at the time of booking.

Luxe Casa Dovela Apartment 1 BR in Condesa $180

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Our last night, we splurged out in this apartment in La Condesa. It was $180 at the time of booking. It was such a dream, I wish I could have stayed longer. It was a one bedroom huge apartment with a big living room complete with Netflix. The kitchen had snacks, water, coffee, and soft drinks. But let’s be honest the bathtub was the best. It had heaters which were very luxurious in the winter here and not the usual – and having a nice hot bath then staying warm in the heat was amazing. I’ll be staying here again!

Minimalist and clean Roma apartment 1 BR for $72

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Industrial loft in Roma $100

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Brick hipster 3 BR in Juarez $105

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Boho secret garden 1 BR $79

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Luxury Modern Roma studio $98

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Colorful chic 2 BR in Roma $120

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Vintage architectural 1 BR gem in Roma $120

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Colorful bright 2 BR Roma apartment $129

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Wooden loft in Roma $119

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AMAZING 3 BR Art Deco Beautiful House in Roma $300

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Best Deal: cute boho 2 BR Roma apartment for $37

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Where to stay in Mexico City: Boutique Hotels and B&B’s in Mexico City

Mexico City has some of the most incredible boutique hotels. It was hard to decide between Airbnb and the hotels but I just love the charm of staying in someone’s home and they were so well-located. Plus, a bit cheaper. But if you want the true hotel experience you will be in heaven at these world-renoned boutique hotels that are featured over and over on everything from CN Traveler to Goop. It was hard to narrow down this list, but this is my personal list of favorites. These range from $100 for a lowest room at a couple of these hotels to up to $500 and rates vary a lot by room and time of year so I will not add rates, but a link where you can see images and get rates!

Condesa DF

 

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Mornings at #HotelCONDESAdf! @nealbeckstedt #habitaLOVESyou

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The most popular boutique hotel (and maybe hotel of all time) in a neoclassical building in Mexico City is Condesa DF, in Condesa. It’s a mix of Mexican and French design. There are 40 rooms. See more photos and get rates.

Busue

 

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A post shared by BUSUE MX (@hotelbusue) on Apr 6, 2018 at 3:29pm PDT

This is your chance to stay in a Hacienda styled luxury hotel room with the tiles, wooden beams and all. This is in Polanco, the very fancy neighborhood with all the shopping nearby. See more photos and get rates.

Chaya B&B

 

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A post shared by Chaya B&B Boutique (@chayabnb) on Feb 10, 2019 at 7:35am PST

This is a dreamy place to stay downtown. The suite has a bathtub in it, and while the other rooms are small they are designed in a beautiful way. This is a younger scene and more vibrant than the other traditional boutique hotels. There are 11 rooms and it’s a place to splurge on the suite. See more photos and get rates.

Hippodrome Hotel

 

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On the edge of La Condesa, you can have breakfast on your balcony overlooking the park. This hotel is very modern with geometric designs and bold colors. See more photos and get rates.

Las Alcobas

 

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This is a Luxury Collection Hotel and there are huge standing bathtubs in each room – complete with fancy massage jets. It’s all about the personalized customer service and tiny details like Bose speakers, complimentary coffee wake up service, and a turndown service that includes a shoe-shine! See more photos and get rates.

El Patio 77

 

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A little lesser known, this is a very cute hotel that has each room decorated for an area of Mexico like the butterfly Michoacan room! It’s the most affordable on this list (each room is a different price) and that is because some are suits but a couple of rooms have shared bathrooms. See more photos and get rates.

Nima Local House Hotel

 

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In Roma, this hotel has just four stunning rooms. They have huge windows with wrought iron frames that open to standing balconies. The rooms are light, bright, and have cozy things like fur throws. See more photos and get rates.

Hotel Habita

 

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#thismustbetheplace #Habita @vinecents #habitaLOVESyou #CDMX #DesignHotels

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Romantic and very classy and modern, this Polanco hotel is for those who want a luxurious fancy escape. It’s a gorgeous hotel even from the street. See more photos and get rates.

Downtown Mexico

 

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Right in the heart of Mexico City, on Isabel la Católica 30 you will find #DowntownMexico by #GrupoHabita part of the @smallluxuryhotels collection. @mirosleidys #habitaLOVESyou

A post shared by Grupo Habita (@grupohabita) on Dec 7, 2018 at 6:48pm PST

If you want to be in El Centro, near Zócalo, then this is the trendiest best place to stay. It also has a bar and rooftop pool. This is owned by the Habita group, who also own the hotel listed above (Hotel Habita) and Condesa DF. See more photos and get rates.

La Valise Hotel

 

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Hidden away in Roma, each room is a unique and pure luxury in this 1920’s building. The “Terraza room” has a bed that slides out through the open balcony doors so you can sleep outside! This hotel is very exclusive. See more photos and get rates. PS: there sister hotel in Tulum looks epic!

Where to stay in Mexico City: Hostels in Mexico City

There are tons of hostels in Mexico City, but these are the top five most popular with some being old classics and others being adorable boutique hostels.

Casa Pepe, El Centro, $25 

 

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Rooms are so cute and comfortable. This is the best hostel on the list for cleanliness and comfort but has style too and bathrooms are per 6 people dorms. There are private rooms for $100 that are very cute and have bathtubs! They have a cool bar scene and even rooftop yoga.

Mexique Zocalo, Cuauhtemoc, $15

Amazing rooftop views of the city. Simple dorms with lots of color and art, a kind of hipster vibe in a restored 1950’s building – so holding that cool Mexico City charm.

Hostel Home, Roma, $10-15

 

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Cute and colorful entrance but very basic beds and rooms. You’re in Roma, though, which is awesome! The building is a restored old colonial.

Gael Condesa, La Condesa, $15

This is a quiet, simple no-frills place in La Condesa, a trendy neighborhood like Roma. It isn’t a party place but has a nice common room.

Metro Hostel Boutique, Roma, $15

 

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Don’t you love a good interior!? Check out the hostel I stayed in during my visit to Mexico City ( felt much more like a bed and breakfast).

A post shared by Stamps In Stilettos (@stampsinstilettos) on May 28, 2017 at 3:36pm PDT

Super cute place, cute rooms, beds, and decor. Quiet area in Condesa, not a party They also have private rooms for 2 or 4 people for $40-$70.

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After 10 months away from India, the longest I’d been away since 2012, I was dying to get back to “Mother India” and there was no better place to start my time there than a safari with Samode Safari Lodges, the most luxurious of the Bandhavgarh resorts. I’m going do a little Samode Safari Lodge review and share about seeing a tiger for the first time. Next week, I will put up a post with things to know before visiting Bandhavgarh National Park plus what to pack and wear in another upcoming post.

When I first came to India, I knew nothing about the country but really wanted to see a tiger. I lived here for five years, but alas, no tigers were seen – not due to lack of safaris! There were several reasons I chose to go on safari in Bandhavgarh, but the main reason is that it’s the most densely populated area of tigers in India so your chances of seeing one on safari are very high. Samode Hotels have a safari lodge there and staying with them was a no-brainer. I have stayed with them in Jaipur at the Haveli and the Palace and they are the most luxury over the top hotel in India when it comes to small touches and personal attention from staff. There are just twelve rooms at the lodge so it’s a really cozy environment.

When you stay at Samode, you pay a daily tariff like any hotel but this will include your meals, drinks, and safaris. You can book online to see the full breakdown of the rates and inclusions/exclusions. To get to and from the easiest way is to fly into Jabalpur and take a taxi to the property, which they can arrange.

Samode Safari Lodge Review

I’m going to share about the lodge itself, the food, the rooms, and the actual safari, all of which were amazing! One thing that is so important on a safari is having great guides and we were blown away with how awesome ours were.

Samode Safari Lodge Review: The Lodge and Grounds

There is the main lodge at the center of the property with a beautiful pool next to it. In the lodge are a games room, library, a main gathering area with sofas and fireplaces, and then the back patio for meals which was offering the best views. They have so much amazing vintage furniture (like all Samode properties) and everything from the napkins to the sugar dishes for coffee is all so cute and well thought out.

I love all the wooden rafters on the roof and the beautiful fabrics they’ve chosen for all the furniture. There was WiFi in the lodge, so I did come here in the mornings (so early, jet-lagged) to get some work done. They have a coffee bar set up for those going on safari. I also got time to use the pool after the morning safaris, where of course they come bring you cold towels and drinks while you relax.

Samode Safari Lodge Review: The Food

On the night I arrived at nearly 10 PM, I was so tired and they offered to bring me food to the room. They brought me the most amazing thali and butter naan, which I devoured (of course eating with my hands!) then had a bath and passed out cold for the night.

All the dinners are thalis. Their butter chicken was so good, I had to have seconds and every time I finished a naan, they brought another to the table. Dinners are sit down and they have them either on the patio, by the pool with candle-light, or inside a second lodge room. Sometimes they do fun alternatives like walking down a candle-lit path to tables set up near a movie projector, which they played a film about tigers on. Before dinner, there are cocktails and such down by the pool!

For breakfast, they have a buffet set up at the patio of the lodge, and you can also order fresh juice, coffee, tea, and egss, bacon, and sausage.

Breakfast and lunch are both a mix of Indian and Western cuisine and I went for the Indian food on most occasions! I loved chole bhatura was so mouthwatering (pictured above).

Lunch was all kinds of yummy things like baked chicken, pad thai, and a wide range of food. The bannoffie pie was so good – someone bring me another slice!

Samode Safari Lodge Review: The Rooms

Relaxing in the room without WiFi was actually amazing because it was so nice to unwind and enjoy the surroundings. The rooms are huge and the back patio, pictured below was so perfect to watch the jungle from.

The main living room was huge and had a little coffee bar, couch, TV, and a second bathroom. I love that they had a second bathroom – so great when you’re traveling with a friend.

Samode is all about the small touches. They put a little note and chocolates on my bed at night and after the evening safaris (which got cold) they had a warm foot bath waiting in the room. Perfection!

I loved the kantha quilts, hand-woven rugs, and all the traditional Indian touches in the room. I sat on the bed in the morning looking out at the jungle hoping to see a tiger. I didn’t, but it COULD have happened. They have tigers on the property and saw tracks one night while we were there.

The bathroom was HUGE. There was a shower, bath, and closet, plus two vanities. But then, because one bathroom wasn’t enough, there was a SECOND bath outside! I actually used it like a pool and filled it with cooler water and laid out and got a tan.

Samode Safari Lodge Review: The Safari

Your safaris are included in your room tariff and they take care of setting up everything for you with Bandhavgarh park, you just need to take your ID with you. It’s important to have good guides on safaris who can track the tigers and find them – and Samode has the best naturalists!

There are two safaris, each lasting around five hours. There is sunrise and sunset. The park is closed at lunch time. Both have equal amounts of visitors so it’s not that one is better than the other, although they said it’s more likely to see a tiger in the morning than evening.

Not just tigers are there, but leopards, jackals, deer, sambar, monkeys and more. There actually aren’t wild elephants here usually but lately, they have started coming into this park – but it’s not something that has been in the past so it causes issues with the safari meaning sometimes a zone will need to be shut. Wild elephants can be dangerous. The elephant above is a rangers – these are used to make sure tigers stay in the park and it helps keep the villagers safe.

Our first tiger sighting was so cool. First off, they are hard to see! They really do blend in – those stripes work! But, our tiger was sitting there while a buffalo walked up to it. At first, I thought that the tiger would attack but it actually ran off scared! Blurry shot I know, but it happened so fast.

On the morning safari, all the cars come together (not just Samode) and have a little breakfast snack at a meeting point. there is a real breakfast when you get back to the lodge but it’s nice to have some fruit, sandwiches, coffee, and just relax a second. Samode set up such a cute picnic.

Right before leaving the first morning, we went to the water hole and saw a tiger walk up for a drink. It was magical – we watched him for ten minutes!

I have two more posts coming about what to expect on the actual safari and then what to pack and wear for safari so stay tuned. If you want a boutique or luxury stay, then look no further than Samode. They are my favorite hotel chain in India (they have just four properties) and a safari is a once in a lifetime experience so spending a bit more for the time of your life to be absolute bliss, is 1000% worth it to me!

Seeing tigers and the safari is amazing, but the lodge, the food, the room and the people you are around make up the experience as a whole and Samode offers it all at their best.

The post Bandhavgarh Resorts: Samode Safari Lodge Review appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

“Quit your job, go abroad, find love, don’t come back” is the quote that pops up all the time in my Pinterest and the dream of many. But are people really doing this?

Life isn’t always like the movies, but it could be, right!? When traveling, it’s not always the Eat, Pray Love experience people dream about where they find love when they weren’t even looking – but does it happen? Absolutely. In fact, I know a lot of people who have found love abroad. But these days, when traveling, many people are using travel dating sites and apps to kind of help that luck along.

I met Ben (who I’ve been with for 6 years and am now engaged to) while I was doing a solo backpacking trip in India. But how rare is finding love abroad and moving abroad for love to India like I did? I really don’t think it’s as rare as people think. When you are traveling, staying in hostels, or meeting other travelers you already have something huge in common: a love for travel, and often that means similar lifestyles and life views.

While you can start dating abroad by chance – one American friend is now engaged and living in Sweden with a guy she met on a G Adventures tour in Cambodia, often people are using the internet to make these things more likely to happen and there’s nothing wrong with that. I know so many friends personally who have met their current long-term boyfriends on apps like Tinder while traveling.

When you’re in a new country, all your experiences seem better, heightened, more exciting. Dating is no different – and things tend to move faster because of that whereas back home you might be text messaging for months before you go on a date, then date for months before you really take the next step to be a couple. When you’re abroad on limited time without jobs and in person (no messaging) it means that things are definitely going to move in a different pace.

While I was lucky to meet Ben in a bar, and 6 years ago didn’t even have internet on my phone while traveling ( Nokia flip phone for the win!), now you can use travel dating sites and apps to meet someone whether it be a fellow traveler in that country or a local.

Travel Dating Sites and Apps

I thought I’d share some travel dating sites that I have been hearing about in the travel world. As a travel writer, I follow so much travel news that I can’t help but be in the loop on literally all things travel even though I’m not single! If you want to go abroad, fall in love, and shake up your life a bit, maybe check out these websites and app.

1. Misstravel.com

This site has been in the media a lot both negatively (basically implying that girls who use them are escorts) but also positively with journalists sharing experiences of trying it themselves. With this site, you find people to travel with, host people in your hometown to show them around, or just visit someone in their hometown and stay at a nearby hotel. But, the truth is that you don’t always go on a trip with someone who is going to pay your way, you can also set it to book your flights and accommodation separately. The premise of this dating site is to find someone who also loves travel that you can travel with regardless of who pays – it’s not a “sugar daddy site” like the media portrays it be from what I’ve read. They recommend meeting in your own country first before going abroad together. This is a paid subscription website.

2. TravelHostDate.com

Travel Host Date has a big bit about how everyone on their site is verified as a real person with their version of background checks which they say keeps away catfishing and scams. You can also do a VIP membership where your account will be secret. You can host people, meet people abroad, and find travel buddies to date when you’re abroad. To be honest, it looks a little sketchy to me – with photos of girls holding up signs (they have to do this to get verified as a real person while apparently men do not have to), and mentions of Chatroulette (if you remember that from years ago!). They have meet-ups and events around the world you will be invited to as a member. It is a paid subscription website.

3. Yourtravelmates.com

This isn’t technically a dating site but many people use it as one. It’s similar to Miss Travel (without the negative press). You can find a travel buddy on this site using filters and see who has similar interests as you do. It’s also its own social media platform where you can get advice and share your travel knowledge with more than 50,000 members. This site isn’t just to meet someone from home to travel with, but to meet locals abroad and hang out with them, too. I’ve done this in a just friends way with Couchsurfing and it makes all the difference in your travels to hang with someone local – so for dating I’d imagine it would be awesome as well. This is a free app and website.

4. Bumble

I’ve talked about Bumble BFF on here before to meet someone who is just a FRIEND to travel with when you are abroad or an expat. Bumble is the main app and it’s for dating. It’s kind of a more upscale version of Tinder and people use it when they are abroad. In fact, Tinder is often used as well – but more as a hookup app according to my friends. If you want something a little more laid back with swiping left and right rather than an online dating site where you have to make a profile and take it more seriously, then think about Bumble and Tinder. Both apps are free.

4. Tourbar.com

Tourbar is a way to find a travel buddy or date ahead of your trip and set it up to meet them when you arrive. They focus on both saying there are “singles” to meet as well as “buddies”. Apparently they have verified profiles only and over a million members. They say they are better than “just a dating app” and better than a “free local guide” because they do both. You can also find someone on there to plan a trip with. They are here to help you “find your soulmate abroad”. The app is free but also offers more with a subsription.

5. Flipthetrip.com

This site also allows you to find either just a friend or a “companion” and is used as a dating site for travelers. It’s more to meet locals abroad rather than finding someone to travel with like MissTravel. They focus on meeting locals, getting a more authentic experience, and maybe finding love while they are at it. This is a free app. Two other very similar free apps are Skout and Airtripp.

Should You Try These Dating Dating Sites? Are they safe?

There are SO many more travel dating sites than this but some are sooo creepy and focus on weird stuff.  A lot that sounded cool like “Meet Me Outside”, a dating app for adventurers, have websites that are no longer active. These ones seem semi-normal and have good reviews so if you’re bored abroad, need to change up your life, and are already into Tinder or dating apps, then why not check it out?

Research actually says that 1 in 8 men want to meet their significant other while traveling and so do 1 in 20 women and they are cool with long distance relationships. With travel being such a priority for millennials its no surprise that research says 1 in 11 post-graduates surveyed met their SO while traveling.

In regards to safety, it’s just like using a dating site at home. You have to have your wits about you. You need to really check out their profile, talk ahead of time, ask for their social media handles, stalk them lol. Make sure you set up boundaries ahead of time, meet in a public place – all the obvious things. Always make sure to tell people where you are going and who you are meeting.

While I didn’t find Ben from an app, I did find him abroad, and I know that so many travelers are looking for that as well but are nervous to initiate a conversation with a stranger (especially when it’s not in a party environment) so these apps can help you get in touch with people who might never have met before. Time is short when you’re meeting people traveling, so it will be a totally different experience than dating someone back home – give it a go!

The post Dating Abroad: Should You Try Travel Dating Sites? appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

There is so much to do in Mexico City and while you are researching and getting excited about all the good food, museums, markets, and day trips, you might also be starting to wonder what to wear in Mexico City. Don’t worry I’ll help you with packing for Mexico City; writing packing tips are my favorite posts ever to write! I will touch on when you might want conservative clothes, walking shoes for visiting pyramids, and the temperature changes – it does have a high elevation! I’ll go over what to wear in Mexico City in December (when I was there last) but also just the winter in general. I’m also going to start this conversation with a few tips on safety.

Packing For Mexico City: | Outfit Ideas & What to Wear in Mexico City

Is Mexico City Conservative?

The first thing to note for women is whether or not Mexico City is at all conservative or you can show as much skin as you want. From what I noticed, it is not conservative and you could wear what you like. I was told that there are some harassment issues when downtown on transportation (which is why there is a women’s compartment on the metro). Because of this, you might want to cover up to avoid any extra attention as a woman (not specifically as a tourist).

I had no issues in this regard and was not cat-called or anything. I found all the men to be totally respectable and friendly! I also can say this isn’t like going to Asia where being a blonde girl, I stand out as a tourist – I felt no one looked twice at me and local girls had every color of hair imaginable so you couldn’t tell a tourist from a local for sure.

My point is, do not worry about how you dress in terms of looking too sexy or too touristy. You’ll be fine in whatever you wear! It’s not unlike any other cosmopolitan city.

Is Mexico City Safe?

Let’s also do a quick chat on safety. I am told there is a lot of pick-pocketing. On a tour I did, the email for booking confirmation said “do not wear flashy jewelry or clothing. Do not bring an expensive camera”. It made me worry a little before I went – so I left my engagement ring at home. Once I was there, I realized it was no different than somewhere like Barcelona or even London.

Pick-pocketing can happen anywhere (and has happened to me before if you remember!) If you plan on going into local markets and the metro, then you need to be aware of your surroundings and keep your purse closed and in eye site. For those who want an anti-theft bag, you can’t find a better one that the Ebags PacSafe purse which I used most recently in Panama. You can read a full review here.

I also recommend that you avoid the areas which are noted as unsafe in Mexico City. You can read a full list of them here. I did not go to the areas on this list. It’s a HUGE city. Maybe bigger than you are picturing – so try picturing New York City. They both have around 8.7 million people living in them. Could you cover Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx, etc in NYC on a quick trip? Not really, and you can’t cover all of Mexico City. There is so much cool stuff to see and do in the safe areas, that it’s not worth venturing out to these others especially on a first or second trip. All the main touristy things, best cafes, and shops are in the safe areas which are all listed in my Mexico City itinerary. For more tips on Mexico City, check out my essential guide to Mexico City which goes into detail on transportation, lodging, budgeting, and more!

What to wear in Mexico City in December (Winter) | Is it really that cold for a jacket?

Yes! The thing you need to know is that in general Mexico City isn’t that warm of a place. It’s at a very high elevation and that keeps it cooler. The hottest month is May, and it peaks at around 27 Celsius (80 Fahrenheit) but still gets as low as 13 (or 55 F) at night. You’re going to need a little jacket no matter what time you visit Mexico City just for that evening breeze.

But, if you come in the winter, you need more than a jacket! I froze my butt off in my Airbnb in Mexico City in December – the old buildings get cold (too cold to even wash my hair!). It was 25 (77 F) during the day and down to 8 (46 F) at night.

That means LAYERS. Layers are so key! In the day time, we were in tank tops and pants and at times feeling very hot wear long pants with the sun shining down. While the heat doesn’t get too high there, the sun is strong, so you still need sunscreen and a hat at times – like when visited the pyramids or standing in long lines for museums outside.

What I Wore at Night

At night, I needed tennis shoes/boots, a tank, a tee, a sweater, and a jacket all layered up. The weather is really wonderful if you’re packed correctly for it. I only had one sweater so had to wear the same one every night with the same pair of jeans!

This was my look every day past 6 PM. During the day: cute outfits. At night, we would go back and shower up and change for dinner into warmer clothes. Now, this was my mistake not really realizing what 50 degrees was going to feel like. You can definitely bring cuter clothes!

You could do skinny jeans, various sweaters, or sweater dresses with leggings and boots. I wore my absolute favorite Blank NYC tan suede jacket most nights and also a black leather jacket. I took my Tye sneakers from UGG which are all time favorites and my Steve Madden ankle boots, which I take everywhere.

What to Wear Clubbing

At night time, you will want to look cute for bars and clubs. I had bronchitis so wasn’t bothered about all that! I recommend taking some “warmer” dress clothes. I didn’t see any girls walking around in club dresses. I think you’d look a little crazy with a short dress on, to be honest. I’d do dressy pants or a maxi dress, or a leggings/dress combo with a cute jacket over it. If you aren’t worried about clubs, jeans are totally fine here and you can do jeans, boots, and a jacket and look very chic and cool.

DO make sure to take comfortable clothes for the chilly Airbnbs. I brought fuzzy socks and warm leggings and was very glad that I did.

So now that we’ve covered that, let’s just talk about packing for Mexico City for the day time and go over what to wear in Mexico City.

What to Wear in Mexico City

Outfit # 1 and Outfit #2: Cute day dresses

By all means, pack a couple of dresses to wear during the day! I packed longer ones that had a little more coverage and always carried my favorite linen button up in my purse in case I got cold in an A/C shop or restaurant.

The dresses I took were my ASTR the Label one and the Love to Love Me Midi from Free People. I also took a favorite C/MEO dress but didn’t get a photo in it. I think in general, cute midi-dresses or jumpsuits are your best bet in Mexico City to look stylish! Here are some more options:

I paired these with my UGG Kari Slides which I take on just about every trip now and have in three colors: black, tan, and orange. They are my favorite sandals for traveling (review here). I took just two purses, both from Madewell. The mini tote in brown and the medium tote in Black. The medium tote was great for when I might do some shopping. The mini tote is good for just daily use because it fits my camera, phone, sunglasses, wallet, and lip stuff just fine. I tied a little cotton scarf onto the purse, which I wore on another day. Such a good accessory!

Outfit #3: Visiting the Teotihuacan pyramids

You’re going to be going up and down steep steps so I do not recommend a dress. Instead, a loose cropped jeans, a jumpsuit or shorts would work great. I did jeans and a simple tee shirt and tried to cute it up a little with a scarf around my ponytail. I wore my Tye tennis shoes. My friend Laura wore really cute cotton overalls and a long-sleeve shirt. We were both very comfortable! It was cold in the morning but got toasty as the day wore on. Not too hot, though in the summer the 80-degree heat will feel way stronger! You’ll want sunglasses and a hat for sure.

Outfit #4: Culottes and a tank

I love this outfit! It was so colorful. I wore the “Pintucked Chino Pant” from Anthropologie. They are a cropped flare and at $110 an investment. But, they are high-quality and always make a go-to outfit for me when I travel. I love the yellow color. The white would also be very cute and Mexico City is very clean and totally okay to wear white pants. I wore an old colorful woven tank from Free People with them. My Madewell tote was perfect for the markets!

PS: I wore a linen button-up over this and all other outfits during the day when needed, and although I have one from GAP, you can get them so many places. I love having a natural color one when I travel.

Another fun accessory is a hat! Mexico City is cosmopolitan and trendy and a great place to wear a wool hat. I love the ones from Wyldaire and Lack of Color. I’ll link a few cute ones! It took a while to feel comfortable in a hat, but after Panama, I was hooked:

Outfit #5: Colorful jumpsuit

I always pack the same types of outfits: a few dresses, a culotte/tank combo… and a jumpsuit! I freaking love them! This is a lovely linen one from Indian Summer. I like the blush color and have others I often pack like this Amuse Society one and some favorite from Studio Tia. I like cotton and linen ones the most as they are relaxed for everyday wear. Nearly every brand makes them! I like to wear a cute tank underneath or even a tee shirt. My UGG Kari slides were what I wore with this but I also took my James Smith Stevie Stacks. Mexico City is a lot of Uber’ing around so while comfortable shoes aren’t that important if you are more of a walker than you might want to wear something more like the UGG sandals.

More Mexico City Packing Tips:

Above are 5 cute options but if you’re going more days just add more dresses, jumpsuits, or another cute cropped jean. For accessories, the Madewell purses and Anthropologie hair scarves were perfect. Adding in a wool hat is great, too! I didn’t wear much jewelry as to not look too flashy (but like I mentioned, I don’t think it would have been a big deal). Overall the UGG Kari slides and Tye tennies were enough, but having a boot for the evening is a good shout. If you’re going in winter add in a leather or suede jacket and some sweaters.

Shop my shoes below

What I didn’t need?

A swimsuit, towel, or swim coverup! Most top Airbnb’s and boutique hotels do not have pools nor are there popular day trips nearby where you might need one. I can’t imagine that you’d want shorts either in the winter but they would be a good choice if you go for the summer, although I prefer dresses. Dresses for wandering around the city were perfect and in the heat are usually more comfortable than shorts. They also just look more put-together than jean shorts.

I took a checked bag for this trip and thank goodness because I did some shopping! I’d make sure to bring a checked bag and not overpack so you can take things back with you. For a personal item, I used my Lo & Sons Hanover backpack for the plane journey (it’s one of my absolute favorites).

It’s a very laid-back city and you don’t need a lot to visit, which is great. I took the bare minimum for beauty supplies: Smashbox concealer, Benefit bronzer, Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer, and chapstick.

For More Packing Posts:

• Packing for New Orleans: Cute and Practical Things to Wear
• What to Wear in Mexico: The Ultimate Guide + Sample Packing List
• London Packing List for the Fall / Autumn

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