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One of the best places to see nature and animals in Thailand is at the Khao Sok National Park, which is not too far from Phuket and Krabi. We spent 3 days at Khao Sok and had a blast. The turquoise lake is really nice, and it’s easy to see animals in the park. We even saw wild elephants! The best way to experience Khao Sok is to spend several days at the park, exploring the lake by boat, trekking to see animals and caves in the jungle, and staying at least one night in a floating bungalow on the lake. In this travel guide, I’ll explain how to visit Khao Sok with or without a tour, and all of the top things to see and do there! Table of Contents show Dusky Leaf Monkey Spectacled Langur With Baby In Khao Sok National Park Thailand Dusky leaf monkey & yellow baby How Many Days To Spend At Khao Sok The first thing to figure out is how much time you want to spend at the park. Here are your options: Day Trip – You can do a day trip to Khao Sok from a touristy area like Phuket, Krabi, Khao Lak, or Surat Thani. This is the quickest and easiest option, but you won’t have as much time to see the park. It’s too short, in my opinion. Package Tour (2-4 days) – This is another easy option because it includes everything: transport, guide, meals, and lodging. This may be a good option for some people, because it’s convenient and it gives you enough time to see the main highlights of the park. Stay In Khlong Sok Village – This option gives you the most flexibility and it’s also more cost efficient. By basing yourself directly at the Khlong Sok village near the park, you can stay as long as you like, and do excursions for the things that interest you most. It’s the best way to visit the park if you’re not limited on time. Based on our experience, you need at least two days in the Khao Sok area to really make the most of it, and three or four days is better. Cheow Lan Lake Drone Khao Sok National Park Thailand Drone pic of Cheow Lan Lake Cheow Lan Lake Boat Ride In Khao Sok National Park Thailand Longtail boat ride Best Khao Sok Tours GetYourGuide has 2 day tours to Khao Sok from Phuket or Khao Lak that include hotel pickup and drop-off, meals, accommodation, and tours in the park. Or, if you’re really limited on time, they also have 1 day tours to Khao Sok from Phuket, Krabi, or Khao Lak. Alternatively, if you’re staying in Khlong Sok village directly by the park, they have day tours to the lake, jungle trekking, elephant tours, and more. We’ve used GetYourGuide for lots of tours and activities around the world, and they’re great. Highly recommended! How To Get To Khao Sok National Park • From Phuket It’s easy to get to Khao Sok independently if you don’t want to use a tour package. From Phuket, you can get to Khlong Sok village by public bus, shared minivan, or private taxi. The bus has 5 departures per day, and it’s a 4 hour ride. The minivan has up to 8 departures per day, and the ride takes anywhere from 2.5 to 4.5 hours, depending on where you start in Phuket. A taxi ride will take 2.5 to 3.5 hours. You can check the schedules and book tickets for any of these online here. 12Go minivan transfer how to get to Khao Sok Minivan Van seats inside Van seats We got a private taxi and had a good experience. They brought us from the Phuket airport to Khao Lak, where we stayed for a few days, and then from Khao Lak to Khao Sok National Park. Everything went smoothly. After we were finished at Khao Sok, we took a shared minivan back to Phuket, which was arranged by our hotel in Khlong Sok. • From Krabi From Krabi, you can get to Khlong Sok by minivan or taxi. There’s no big bus. They have lots of minivan departures every day from either Ao Nang or Krabi town, and the ride takes about 3 to 4 hours. You can book here. • From Khao Lak From Khao Lak, you can get to Khlong Sok by bus, minivan, or taxi. The bus ride takes about 2 hours, while the minivan or taxi ride is a little over 1 hour. You can book here. Bus seats inside Bus seats • From Surat Thani From Surat Thani, you can get to Khlong Sok by bus, minivan, or taxi. This is the closest airport and starting point for visiting the park. The bus ride takes about 2 to 3 hours, while the minivan is 2 to 2.5 hours. A taxi takes 1.5 to 2 hours. You can book any of these here. • From Bangkok From Bangkok, the quickest option would be to fly or take a train to Surat Thani, and then get ground transport to Khlong Sok from there. Getting Around In The Khao Sok Area Once you reach Khlong Sok village, there are several ways to get around. You can arrange tours of the park through your hotel or one of the local agencies, or you can do some things independently like we did. Many of the hotels in Khlong Sok are located within walking distance of the national park entrance (map here), so it’s easy to do the jungle trekking. For transport outside the village, we rented a motorbike through our hotel. The lake access is a 1 hour drive from the village and the main park headquarters, and it can only be explored by longtail boat, so your options are more limited there. You can see it without a tour, but you’ll still need a boat guy. Drone Cheow Lan Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand Fingers of

One of the best places to see nature and animals in Thailand is at the Khao Sok National Park, which is not too far from Phuket and Krabi. We spent 3 days at Khao Sok and had a blast. The turquoise lake is really nice, and it’s easy to see animals in the park. We even saw wild elephants! The best way to experience Khao Sok is to spend several days at the park, exploring the lake by boat, trekking to see animals and caves in the jungle, and staying at least one night in a floating bungalow on the lake. In this travel guide, I’ll explain how to visit Khao Sok with or without a tour, and all of the top things to see and do there! Table of Contents show Dusky Leaf Monkey Spectacled Langur With Baby In Khao Sok National Park Thailand Dusky leaf monkey & yellow baby How Many Days To Spend At Khao Sok The first thing to figure out is how much time you want to spend at the park. Here are your options: Day Trip – You can do a day trip to Khao Sok from a touristy area like Phuket, Krabi, Khao Lak, or Surat Thani. This is the quickest and easiest option, but you won’t have as much time to see the park. It’s too short, in my opinion. Package Tour (2-4 days) – This is another easy option because it includes everything: transport, guide, meals, and lodging. This may be a good option for some people, because it’s convenient and it gives you enough time to see the main highlights of the park. Stay In Khlong Sok Village – This option gives you the most flexibility and it’s also more cost efficient. By basing yourself directly at the Khlong Sok village near the park, you can stay as long as you like, and do excursions for the things that interest you most. It’s the best way to visit the park if you’re not limited on time. Based on our experience, you need at least two days in the Khao Sok area to really make the most of it, and three or four days is better. Cheow Lan Lake Drone Khao Sok National Park Thailand Drone pic of Cheow Lan Lake Cheow Lan Lake Boat Ride In Khao Sok National Park Thailand Longtail boat ride Best Khao Sok Tours GetYourGuide has 2 day tours to Khao Sok from Phuket or Khao Lak that include hotel pickup and drop-off, meals, accommodation, and tours in the park. Or, if you’re really limited on time, they also have 1 day tours to Khao Sok from Phuket, Krabi, or Khao Lak. Alternatively, if you’re staying in Khlong Sok village directly by the park, they have day tours to the lake, jungle trekking, elephant tours, and more. We’ve used GetYourGuide for lots of tours and activities around the world, and they’re great. Highly recommended! How To Get To Khao Sok National Park • From Phuket It’s easy to get to Khao Sok independently if you don’t want to use a tour package. From Phuket, you can get to Khlong Sok village by public bus, shared minivan, or private taxi. The bus has 5 departures per day, and it’s a 4 hour ride. The minivan has up to 8 departures per day, and the ride takes anywhere from 2.5 to 4.5 hours, depending on where you start in Phuket. A taxi ride will take 2.5 to 3.5 hours. You can check the schedules and book tickets for any of these online here. 12Go minivan transfer how to get to Khao Sok Minivan Van seats inside Van seats We got a private taxi and had a good experience. They brought us from the Phuket airport to Khao Lak, where we stayed for a few days, and then from Khao Lak to Khao Sok National Park. Everything went smoothly. After we were finished at Khao Sok, we took a shared minivan back to Phuket, which was arranged by our hotel in Khlong Sok. • From Krabi From Krabi, you can get to Khlong Sok by minivan or taxi. There’s no big bus. They have lots of minivan departures every day from either Ao Nang or Krabi town, and the ride takes about 3 to 4 hours. You can book here. • From Khao Lak From Khao Lak, you can get to Khlong Sok by bus, minivan, or taxi. The bus ride takes about 2 hours, while the minivan or taxi ride is a little over 1 hour. You can book here. Bus seats inside Bus seats • From Surat Thani From Surat Thani, you can get to Khlong Sok by bus, minivan, or taxi. This is the closest airport and starting point for visiting the park. The bus ride takes about 2 to 3 hours, while the minivan is 2 to 2.5 hours. A taxi takes 1.5 to 2 hours. You can book any of these here. • From Bangkok From Bangkok, the quickest option would be to fly or take a train to Surat Thani, and then get ground transport to Khlong Sok from there. Getting Around In The Khao Sok Area Once you reach Khlong Sok village, there are several ways to get around. You can arrange tours of the park through your hotel or one of the local agencies, or you can do some things independently like we did. Many of the hotels in Khlong Sok are located within walking distance of the national park entrance (map here), so it’s easy to do the jungle trekking. For transport outside the village, we rented a motorbike through our hotel. The lake access is a 1 hour drive from the village and the main park headquarters, and it can only be explored by longtail boat, so your options are more limited there. You can see it without a tour, but you’ll still need a boat guy. Drone Cheow Lan Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand Fingers of

Ternate is a small, cone-shaped volcanic island in the North Maluku province of Indonesia. It isn’t likely to ever become a big vacation spot for tourists, but it has some interesting sights and history. During the 16th century, Ternate was one of the most important kingdoms in the ‘Spice Islands’ of the Moluccas, and European powers fought over control of the spice trade here. Even today, this little island is still the main gateway to the North Maluku province. If you ever happen to be passing through Ternate on the way to somewhere else in Indonesia, it’s worth checking out. Here’s a travel guide for some of the best things to see and do on the island! Table of Contents show How To Get To Ternate Island There’s an airport in Ternate (TTE) with direct flights from Jakarta, Surabaya, Makassar, Manado, and Ambon. If you’re coming from Bali, then you’ll need to transit in one of these places first. You can shop for flights on Skyscanner, but it’s worth noting that all of the flights in Maluku tend to be a bit pricey by Indonesian standards since this area is only served by a few airlines. Alternatively, you can take a boat from Halmahera to Ternate, which is what we did after hiking Mount Dukono. The speedboat ride from Sofifi harbor only takes about 45 minutes and tickets are reasonably priced. Ternate Island Ngade Lake Maluku Indonesia Ngade Lake is one of the most famous views on Ternate How To Get Around The Island It’s very easy to get around on Ternate (pronounced ‘ter-nah-tey’) because of how small the island is. There’s a good paved road that wraps around the island in a circle, and it only takes about 1.5 hours to drive the whole loop. Some of the side roads can be a bit steep, like the road to Ngade Lake, but the main road is tame and flat. You can rent a scooter from your hotel, or hire a private driver with a car. That’s what we did. Ternate also has the Grab app, which is convenient for short distance trips. Tolire Lake Drone Drone pic of another lake in Ternate, the Danau Tolire. Best Things To Do & See In Ternate • Tolukko Fort The Tolukko Fort was built by the Portuguese in 1512 to control the spice trade in Ternate and the rest of the Maluku islands. Throughout the years, it was controlled by the Portuguese, the native Ternate Sultanate, the Dutch, the British, and the Spanish. You can visit the fort for a small fee and climb to the rooftop for views of Mount Gamalama. It’s a photogenic and interesting place to see. Benteng Tolukko Fort Ternate Island Maluku Indonesia Fort Tolukko • Kalamata Fort This is another colonial fort that was built by the Portuguese in 1540, and subsequently traded hands between the local sultanate and the other European colonial powers. It’s located on the south side of Ternate, so it has nice views of the Tidore and Maitara islands across the sea, especially if you go up to the roof of the fort. • Kastela Beach This beach is one of the best sunset spots on the island, with a group of photogenic trees that looks kind of like the dancing trees in Sumba island. We only watched the sunset here one time, but the colors were incredible! Be careful if you wade out to the trees for a closer photo. The water is shallow enough, but I almost stepped on a sea snake that was swimming around the rocks. Pantai Kastela Beach Sunset Ternate Maluku Crazy sunset colors at Kastela Beach • Ngade Lake This lake has one of the most amazing views in Ternate, with the volcanic peak of Tidore island in the distance. A similar picture was featured on Indonesia’s 1,000 Rupiah cash notes. The scenery was almost ruined by an ugly, silly bicycle zipline that was installed at the viewpoint, but thankfully it’s still possible to take pictures without it blocking the view. They charge a fee for drone use, which we didn’t see until it was too late. There’s also a swing you can use for a small fee. Ngade Lake Ngade Lake with the neighboring Tidore island in the distance • Tolire Lake Tolire is a bright green volcanic lake at the base of Mount Gamalama. It was formed by a strong eruption of Gamalama in 1775 that killed 141 people and buried one of the nearby villages, creating this lake in the process. According to local legends, Tolire is supposedly home to a white crocodile that guards the lake. We didn’t see any crocodiles when we were there, but the locals told us about how people have been attacked by them while fishing in the lake. Tribun News shared a video in 2022 of a crocodile that was spotted in the lake, although no one knows how it got there, considering the steep edges of the crater. We did see lots of lizards at the viewpoint, including the first iguana we’ve seen in Indonesia. Danau Tolire Lake Tolire Lake Danau Tolire Lake Drone Drone pic of the lake • Tolire Beach This is a cool beach with black sand from the volcano, and views of Hiri island in the distance. It’s very close to Lake Tolire. We saw a big red crab scuttling across the beach, and he paused long enough for me to take a picture. Pantai Tolire Black Sand Beach Tolire Beach Crab on the black sand beach Crab on the black sand • Batu Angus Batu Angus is a small park where you can see a field of jagged black volcanic rocks that were deposited by Mount Gamalama. It’s a reminder of how the volcano’s constant activity over the centuries has continued to shape Ternate island. Gamalama has erupted dozens of times in recorded history, sometimes violently. • Gamalama Volcano At the center of Ternate island sits Mount Gamalama, an active volcano.

Mount Rushmore is one of the most famous landmarks in the United States, and it’s well worth a quick visit if you’re traveling through the Black Hills of South Dakota. This national memorial features the colossal faces of four U.S. presidents carved into the rock. Aside from being visually impressive, it also has some neat history behind it. Here are 11 tips for your first visit to Mount Rushmore! Table of Contents show 1. Morning Is A Great Time To Visit The best time to visit Mount Rushmore is in the morning. It’s less crowded, less hot (in the summer), and the lighting is great for photos. This is the ideal time to take pictures of the monument. In the middle of the day, the lighting is more flat, and at sunset, the faces are covered in shadow. We got there at 8 AM and this was perfect. We had plenty of time to wander the grounds almost alone, and take pictures without people in them. By 10 AM, the monument was already getting pretty crowded. Avenue of the Flags Avenue of the Flags 2. The Entrance Fee Is A Bit Confusing Even though Mount Rushmore is administered by the U.S. National Park Service, the way it works is slightly different from the rest of the national parks and monuments. There’s not an entrance fee at Mount Rushmore, but there is a parking fee. This fee is not covered by the annual or lifetime U.S. park passes, which seems a bit unusual. You can check the current parking fee on the NPS website here. It’s well worth the cost, and you only need one ticket per vehicle. You can pay for it with cash or credit card at the gate. How To Visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial Tips Mount Rushmore National Memorial 3. There’s A Night Lighting Ceremony If you want to see a unique view of Mount Rushmore, the faces are lit up after dark every night of the year. During the summer months, there’s also a lighting ceremony that includes a ranger talk about the presidents and the history of the United States. You can check the seasonal hours for this on the NPS website here. Note: Your parking fee at Mount Rushmore is valid for one year from the date you buy it, so remember to hold onto it if you plan to come back again later. Night lighting ceremony Night lighting ceremony (© Wikimedia / Public Domain) 4. It’s An Impressive Feat Of Engineering The sculpture at Mount Rushmore is a huge and impressive feat of engineering. Each of the heads are 6 stories tall. The noses are about 20 feet tall, and the eyes are about 10 feet wide. Sculpting the monument in granite took 14 years, from 1927 to 1941. It involved almost 400 workers, and 90% of the mountain was carved using dynamite. Even though the work was often dangerous, they managed to complete it without any of the men dying in the process. Aerial view of the sculpting process old photo Aerial view of the making of Mount Rushmore (© NPS / Public Domain) Gutzon Borglum sculptor old photo Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor of Mt Rushmore (© NPS / Public Domain) 5. There’s Some Neat History Behind It Mount Rushmore was sculpted by Gutzon Borglum, who dedicated it to four key presidents of the United States: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. Washington represents the birth and foundation of our country. Jefferson reflects the expansion of the country with the Louisiana Purchase, doubling the country in size. Lincoln was chosen for the preservation of the country through the Civil War; and Roosevelt, for the development of the country as a world power leading into the 20th century. Originally, Borglum’s plan was to sculpt the presidents with complete bodies down to the waist, but after he passed away in 1941, the monument was finalized with only their heads. Smithsonian Magazine has an interesting article about the making of Mount Rushmore if you want to read it before you go. I want to create a monument so inspiring that people from all over America will be drawn to come and look and go home better citizens. Gutzon Borglum, sculptor of Mount Rushmore How To Visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial Tips The 4 presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, & Lincoln 6. It’s Pretty Easy To Get There Mount Rushmore is a 30 minute drive from Rapid City, South Dakota, which has plenty of hotel options and a regional airport. There’s lots of parking space at the monument since most people choose to drive to it. There isn’t any public transportation to Mt Rushmore, but some companies offer guided tours if you want a live tour guide to handle the transportation, navigation, and itinerary for you. Face of George Washington Face of George Washington 7. It Doesn’t Take Long To Visit If you’re in a hurry, it really doesn’t take much time to visit Mount Rushmore. You can do it in as little as 30 minutes. Start your visit by walking through the Avenue of the Flags, which has 56 flags representing the 50 states, the District of Columbia, three territories (Guam, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands), and two commonwealths (Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands). Next, see the iconic view of the presidents’ faces from the main terrace, take some pictures, and get back on your way. Even a quick visit like this is much better than nothing! If you have 1 or 2 hours, do all of the above and then walk the Presidential Trail, and top off your visit by spending some time at the Visitor Center to learn about the making of the monument. How To Visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial Tips Mount Rushmore is a famous icon of the USA. It was fun to see it! 8. Ranger Programs Are Available There are ranger programs at the memorial throughout the day, and you don’t need a

Mount Karangetang is an awesome Jurassic Park-looking volcano that dominates the remote island of Siau in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. You can’t go anywhere on tiny Siau island without seeing this majestic volcano and its twin smoking craters. If you’re lucky, you may even get to see it spouting molten lava and rock bombs at night, which it does pretty often. In this guide, I’ll share my experience hiking the Karangetang volcano in 2021, and I’ll give some tips in case you plan to climb it yourself. Table of Contents show Mount Karangetang Volcano In Siau Island Sulawesi Indonesia Drone Drone picture of Mount Karangetang volcano Is It Safe? First of all, let’s talk about safety. Karangetang is a highly active volcano — probably one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The local guides are knowledgeable and any seismic activity is monitored by the Indonesian government, but there’s still plenty of risk involved in climbing this mountain. It may erupt at any time. You can climb to the top of Karangetang if you’re feeling extra crazy, but to be safe most people only hike partway up this mountain and peep at the smoking craters from a distance (and even that is a bit risky). Climbing any active volcano carries some danger obviously, but this one is unusually active, so proceed at your own risk. Mount Karangetang Volcano Smoking Twin Craters In Siau Island Sulawesi Indonesia Drone Smoking dual vents at Gunung Karangetang My Local Guide: Dominik I would highly recommend going with a local guide for this hike, because the trail is hard to navigate otherwise. I did this hike with Dominik, a local guide in Siau island with many years of experience climbing Karangetang. His brother also joined us for the hike and helped clear vegetation with a machete, and their dog came along too. You can contact Dominik by WhatsApp at ☎ +62 853-9866-6999. I paid 600k Rupiah for this hike, although that was during Covid and the prices are higher now. He can also help arrange other tours and activities in the area, although we set those up through the Kalea Beach Resort, where we stayed in Siau. Local Hiker Guides Climbing Mount Karangetang In Siau Sulawesi Indonesia Climbing the volcano with my guides Smoking crater summit and old lava field Summit view from the old lava field • Starting The Hike My guides and I started this hike very early because I wanted to be sure to get clear views of the volcano. That turned out to be a good decision, because when we exited the treeline some thick clouds began to roll in, slowly obscuring the summit. There was a 30 minute scooter ride to the trailhead on the south side of the volcano, and then we started hiking at 3:15 AM. Jungle covered Siau bay We could see most of the island once we got out of the jungle Our progress was slow because of the crazy terrain. It was dark and the path was solid jungle! There was extremely dense foliage since the trail had basically been abandoned during Covid, which meant my guides had to hack through it with a machete. Every step required another swing with the machete. Along the way, we saw lots of giant green millipedes, which were harmless, but we also ran into a giant centipede, which was more threatening since they can bite. He raised up in an attack position, and the guides told me their bite really hurts. Navigating the trail was complicated by the fact that it was so steep, muddy, and slippery. We fell a lot. It was never dangerous in terms of drop-offs, although I was a little worried about one of us falling on my guide’s machete or something like that. Hiking out of the jungle and into the steep lava rocks Out of the jungle and into the lava rocks Bloody scraped legs from hiking Got some scrapes from falling in the jungle After about 2.5 hours of hiking, we reached an old lava field below the summit, just in time for sunrise. Climbing these lava rocks wasn’t much better than going through the jungle. Some of them were mossy and extremely slippery, and I bloodied my shins from falling on the rocks multiple times, even though I was wearing good grippy shoes. For safety reasons, we stopped in the lava field. We were about two-thirds of the way to the summit and didn’t mean to go any farther since the volcano is notoriously active. Mount Karangetang Volcano Hike In Siau Island Sulawesi Indonesia Views from the old lava field. This is where I stopped and flew my drone. From here, I spent about an hour flying my drone and checking out the summit. This volcano is really interesting because it has dual smoking cones at the summit. So cool! By the time we started our descent at 7:25 AM, the summit was already mostly covered in clouds. Going down was easier since the path was already cleared, but it still took about 1 hour and 45 minutes. If I had nine lives, I’d love to climb all the way to the summit and see the craters up close. Even though we stopped before the summit, Karangetang was a great hike and we got some great views! Mount Karangetang Volcano Hike in Siau Island Sulawesi Indonesia Drone What a place! Siau island has a tropical rainforest climate similar to Manado and the rest of North Sulawesi. The driest months are July to October, and those are the best months to hike Karangetang. We visited Siau in June and the weather was good during our trip.

When people tell me they hate Bangkok and don’t find a lot of things to do there, I totally understand. It’s a love/hate city that most people aren’t a fan of on arrival. In fact, when I first visited Bangkok in 2006, I despised the city and couldn’t wait to leave. It wasn’t until I lived in Bangkok that I really fell in love with it. Almost twenty years later, Bangkok is still one of my favorite cities in the world. It just takes a little time to get to know and love. Bangkok is not a city that opens itself up easily, and most people spend just a day or two here before leaving to go to the islands or the jungle. That said, there are a lot of things to do and see in Bangkok. Cheap things, expensive things, unique things, and outdoor things. Bangkok has a bit of everything. To help you plan your trip and make the most of your visit, below is my suggested itinerary for Bangkok. It will help you tackle this sprawling, hectic city in a way that gets you on and off the beaten track so you can peel back the onion that is Bangkok and discover why I love it so much. Bangkok Itinerary Day 1: Grand Palace, Khao San Road, & more! Day 2: Floating Market, Muay Thai Fight, & more! Day 3: Chatuchak Weekend Market, Lumpini Park, & more! Day 4: Bangkok Art and Culture Center, National Museum, & more! Other Things to See and Do: Museum of Siam, Lake Taco, & more!   Bangkok Itinerary: Day One The Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and Wat Arun The stunning exterior of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand on a bright and sunny day The first place you should visit in Bangkok is the Grand Palace (Royal Palace) and neighboring Wat Pho, home to the famous reclining Buddha and massage school. The Royal family doesn’t live in the palace (it’s only used for official state functions) and you can’t go into any of the buildings, but wandering the grounds and open temples is worth the visit. It’s beautiful and the craftsmanship in the architecture is amazing. Go first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds. Afterward, wander down the street to Wat Pho and the famous reclining Buddha (as well as the famous Golden Buddha). It’s the largest reclining Buddha statue in the country at 46 meters (150 feet) long. The Wat Pho complex fills a city block so while seeing the statues doesn’t take long, you could spend a solid hour wandering the maze-like temple grounds. Next, head across the river to Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn). This is a gorgeous Buddhist temple on the Chao Phraya River opposite the Grand Palace. It has one main spire and four small ones and is so iconic that it’s on Thai money. From the top of the main spire, you get to see sweeping views of the city. It’s my favorite temple in Bangkok. If you want a deep-dive into the temple and palace, take a guided tour. You’ll learn about the history of each temple and the palace from an expert local guide who can answer all your questions and provide a much more nuanced experience. Note: When visiting these places, be sure to wear clothes that cover your legs and shoulders; it’s considered disrespectful to wear revealing clothes. That means no short skirts, no tank tops, nothing that shows your stomach, and no ripped pants. The Grand Palace is located on Na Phra Lan Road; royalgrandpalace.th/en/home. Open daily 8:30am-3:30pm. Admission is 500 THB. Wat Pho is located on 2 Sanamchai Road, Grand Palace Subdistrict, +66 083-057-7100, watpho.com/en. Open daily from 8am–7:30pm. Admission is 300 THB. Wat Arun is across the river at 158 Wang Doem Road, +66 2 891 2185. Open daily 8am–6pm. Admission is 200 THB. Take a River Cruise Cruise on the river in Bangkok, Thailand with a historic temple across the river in the background Take a tour of the Chao Phraya River, a relaxing and beautiful experience that shouldn’t be skipped. Don’t take an overpriced tour, though (they cost over 2,000 THB). You can ride the water taxi up and down the river for around 35 THB. Start at the central pier, go to the end, and come back. Presto! Instant tour for a fraction of the price! Tour More Temples The gorgeous Wat Benchamabophit temple in Bangkok, Thailand Bangkok has a lot of beautiful temples. Hire a tuk-tuk driver to take you around for the day to see the temples. This is often the cheapest and most efficient way to see the temples throughout Bangkok. You can even split the cost with other travelers to save money. My favorite temples are: Wat Saket – The Golden Mount has an enormous, 100-meter-high, 500-meter wide chedi (mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics). This is one of my favorite temples in the city because of its beautiful golden temple and wonderful views of the city from its top. At the base of the mountain is an overgrown cemetery for 18th-century plague victims. Open daily 7am-7pm. Admission to the temple is free while the chedi costs 100 THB. Wat Benchamabophit – This temple is pictured on the back of the 5-baht coin. The white marble used to contrast the building was imported directly from Italy, and there is a unique blend of both Thai and European architecture and design. In the courtyard, there are 53 Buddha images representing every mudra (gesture) and style from Thai history. This makes it a good place to visually see how Buddha has been represented in Thailand over time. Open daily 8am-5:30pm. Admission is 50 THB. Just make sure your tuk-tuk driver doesn’t take you shopping along the way — drivers get kickbacks if they bring customers into certain shops. Ask your hotel/hostel staff for a reputable driver; they will likely know someone. Visit Khao San Road The lively, bustling, and crowded

Machu Picchu is one of those bucket-list activities people dream about. While most people visit on a day trip, you can also visit via the Inca Trail, a challenging multi-day hike through the jungles of Peru. In this guest post, my friend Gillian divulges the details of her trek while sharing some tips and suggestions to help you plan your trip to Machu Picchu. Hiking to Machu Picchu along the Inca Trail in Peru remains the highlight of my year traveling. Looking out over the peaks of the Andes, and knowing that I hiked to get there filled me with joy and awe. I didn’t want to be anywhere else. I won’t lie, though — it took some work. A lot of work, in fact. But it was totally worth it. Sitting some 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) above sea level, Machu Picchu was an Inca citadel built in the 15th century. The citadel was built as a royal estate, though it was used for less than 100 years before being abandoned due to the arrival of the Spanish, who were set on conquest. It wasn’t until 1911 that the ruins were re-discovered by archeologist Hiram Bingham III. While the locals were familiar with the ruins, it wasn’t until Hiram trekked up the mountain for himself that he realized just how spectacular his (re)discovery was. To slow the damage caused by tourism, the entrance of Machu Picchu is “limited” to 4,500 people per day heading into 2024, divided into 3 time slots of early morning tickets (6-8am), morning tickets (9-11am), and afternoon tickets (12-2pm). While that seems like a lot, tickets often sell out months in advance (especially for the hike). There are now 4 main different circuits, and you must be accompanied by a guide. For that reason, you’ll want to make sure you plan ahead, do your research, and book early! Hiking the Inca Trail: Itinerary A section of the Inca Trail path, a long distance hike leading to Machu Picchu in Peru To start things off, here is a detailed overview of what the actual hike is actually like: Day 1 They broke us in easy on the first day with a gentle start along a wide path that passed through the Sacred Valley. Described as “Inca Flat,” the trail starts alongside the Urubamba River and meanders through the trees and scrub brush, slowly gaining altitude. Our guide, Marco, stopped us at various points along the way to tell us the history of the trail, the ruins along the trail, and also the Incan people and their struggle to survive. Marco was passionate about his ancestors’ story, and as time went on, we realized that he was not just telling us stories that come from guidebooks but that his knowledge was much deeper. He had spent time at university studying and also in the mountains with the Incan descendants and so had a unique perspective on the area. Day 2 We woke up at 5am to the sounds of hustle and bustle outside. As I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, a porter appeared with hot tea and another brought a bowl of hot water and soap for me to wash up with. I drank my tea, washed up, and packed up the few things I was responsible for (the porters dismantle and carry everything except your personal belongings). It was cold as we set out on the day’s hike; frost clung to the sides of the trail and I could see my breath with every labored exhalation. We were already feeling the altitude and still had more than a thousand meters ahead of us. We quickly climbed above the tree line and were rewarded with the stunning views of mountains and valleys that would be our companions for the rest of the day. A path winding through the Sacred Valley in Peru The climb to Dead Woman’s Pass was relentless. Up and up and up and up along the ancient Inca pathway made up of enormous stone steps. My heart was beating wildly, my lungs were tight and seemed too small for the task, and my legs felt like cement as I tried to lift them over and over again up onto the next step. Then it was down the other side, a 600-meter (almost 2,000-foot) drop along a beautiful stone pathway cutting down into the valley below. If I thought this was going to be the easy part, I was wrong. Controlling those floppy, leaden legs was an exercise in concentration. The afternoon saw us climb another 400 meters (1,300 feet) before dropping into another valley that was more jungle than scrub. We crossed the valley to find our campsite overlooking a set of astrological ruins. Fog set in just as the light faded, lending an eerie feel to the landscape but also providing some insulating warmth. After 16 kilometers (10 miles) of hiking through two passes, it didn’t take much of the special “rum tea” to send us all off to a restful night’s sleep. Day 3 As much as Day 2 was about climbing, Day 3 was about descent — overall we dropped almost 800 meters (2624 feet). I’m not sure which is more difficult, but I know that my legs were sorer after a day of going down than they were after Day 2. This is where the walking stick I had been carrying all along really proved its worth! We dropped back down through the tree line, entering into jungle-like scenery, where we could start to understand how Machu Picchu was hidden by jungle for so many years. We shared camp that night as other groups joined up at the campsite before entering the site. We enjoyed much-needed showers and beer before a late dinner and early bedtime. Tomorrow would take us to the Sun Gate and our first glimpses of the lost city. Overlooking the ruins of Machu Picchu on the Inca Trail in Peru Day 4 Reaching the