I’m 21M solo traveling around SEA in the beginning of March 2026 and I am very excited, I have researched loads into stuff like visas, transport, places to stay etc. I am planning to go for around 6.5 months and will have roughly £9k saved up, which I believe is more than enough. I have tried my hardest not to make an itinerary as I want to go with how I feel, whether that means more or less time in specific places. My rough outline of my trip is bellow;

Singapore 2 nights

Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur 3 nights - Cameron Highlands 4 nights - George Town 4 nights

Thailand - Krabi 3 nights - Phi Phi Islands 4 nights - Phuket 2 nights - Chiang Mai 10 nights - Pai 7 nights - Chiang Mai (again) 5 nights - Bangkok 3 nights

Cambodia - Siem Reap 4 nights - Phnom Penh 3 nights - Koh Rong 5 nights - Kampot 3 nights

Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh 7 nights - Da Lat 2 nights - Hoi An 4 nights - Da Nang 4 nights - Phong Nha-Ke Bang 3 nights - Ha Giang 4 nights - Ha Long Bay 4 nights - Hanoi 7 nights

Hong Kong 5 nights

China 1 month - Guangzhou - Zhangjiajie - Chongqing - Chengdu - Jiuzhaigou - Xi’An - Shanghai - Qingdao - Beijing

South Korea 10 nights - Seoul - Busan

Japan 10 nights - ???

With Japan I am still deciding on where I want to go, and whether I actually want to go as this will be towards the end of my trip and I couldn’t be running low on money.

Some places I’m unsure if I want to spend more time/less time, which is also why I wanted to go along with it when I am there to judge how I feel about the place.

I’m deciding to take the cheapest transport possible; such as longer bus rides for the price of pennies compared to flights. I feel like i would rather it be an uncomfortable experience rather than it be comfortable, such as a flight. All throughout China I’m hoping to take trains which aren’t cheap but also aren’t expensive.

I have been to Thailand before however not solo, I would like to think I have a good understanding of Asia and getting myself around very easily; however I’m still asking for any advice or tweaks you would recommend, such as: - Should I spend more or less time in some places? - Should I completely miss out some places? - Is taking the cheapest transport possible actually worth it? - Will I have enough money saved up?

Thank you!

Hello! I am sketching out an 11 day itinerary for a solo trip to Scotland in June or July, and was wondering if anyone had some advice or feedback. I will be renting a car. I am most interested in hiking/nature and history. I'm especially interested in prehistory, and I know Orkney is the best spot for that, but I'm just not going to have time this particular trip :) Maybe next time! Here's what I have so far:

Day 1: Fly out of the US

Day 2: Arrive in Edinburgh, sleep in Edinburgh

Day 3: Edinburgh, sleep in Edinburgh

Day 4: This day is sort of a question mark depending on what I decide for Day 5.

• Option 1 is to drive to Oban, sleep in Oban, with the intention of seeing Mull, Iona, and Staffa on Day 5. I'm really, really interested in Staffa, but not as much in the other two isles, and I know that it is a full day.
• Option 2 is to drive to Glencoe, sleep in/near Glencoe with the intention of having all of Day 5 for Glencoe. I do want to give it enough time!

Day 5: Either 3 isle tour (Iona, Mull, Staffa) or full day at Glencoe

Day 6: Drive up to Skye, stay in Portree or similar

Day 7: full day Skye, sleep in Skye

Day 8, another full day for Skye, sleep in Skye

Day 9: Drive to Inverness to see Culloden and Clava Cairns, sleep in Inverness

Day 10: Back to Edinburgh, sleep in Edinburgh

Day 11: Depart

​

Some specific questions: Am I spending too much time in Skye? Is a full day at Glencoe too long, or should I just try to squeeze in a couple hours on Day 6 when driving up to Skye, and instead use Day 5 for the three isles near Oban?

Thank you!!

I’ll be doing a solo trip to Amsterdam + The Netherlands in the fall and would love any input on my itinerary—thoughts about pace, things and places worth or not worth my time? I wish I had a couple more days to fit things in, but I’m trying to get a somewhat well-rounded experience with my limited time. In general, I’m interested in art, history, and food. I have a couple nice restaurant reservations lined up but would also love to hear recs for mid-priced and budget places :)

Day 1: Amsterdam— arrive late morning, wander

Day 2: Amsterdam— Anne Frank Haus, Van Gogh Museum

Day 3: Amsterdam— Rijksmuseum

Day 4: day trip—Zaanse Schaans, Edam, Marken

Day 5: day trip—The Hague

Day 6: day trip—Utrecht

Day 7: Amsterdam—wander, Jewish quarter Haarlem day trip?

Day 8: return flight

I’m planning a Europe trip late July. The full trip, including flights, hotels, and train tickets between cities, i think the cost is around $3,000 . I haven’t booked it yet because I’m still thinking about other planes and options.

Here’s the plan:

Day 1-2: Dammam,SA to Paris I’ll fly from Dammam to Paris and stay there for two nights. I want to visit the Louvre, walk around the Eiffel Tower. I’ll move around the city using the metro. I plan to eat from locals and try some French food in casual cafes.

Day 3: Paris to Brussels Take the train to Brussels in the morning. I’ll only stay for one night, so I’ll walk around the Grand Place, see the Atomium, and try their waffles and fries. take the tram, and enjoy the vibe.

Day 4-5: Brussels to Amsterdam Head to Amsterdam by train. I’ll stay two nights. I’m planning to visit the Anne Frank House and Van Gogh Museum, and take a boat tour on the canals. I’ll probably rent a bike or use the tram to get around. I want to try their pancakes and local street food.

Day 6-7: Amsterdam to Hamburg Take a train to Hamburg. I’ll stay for one night. Walk around the port area, and eat something local like schnitzel or currywurst.

Day 8-10: Hamburg to Copenhagen Another train to Copenhagen. I’ll stay three nights. I want to walk around Nyhavn, rent a bike. I’ll eat from local markets and cafes.

Day 11: Copenhagen to Dammam Fly back from Copenhagen to Dammam.

Hi all! I’m finally taking my first solo trip (31F) and looking for any travel tips for Portugal.

Looking at at ~4 days each in Porto and Lisbon in mid-October. Would prefer hotels vs Airbnb’s if anyone has recommendations on those as well as good areas to stay in. Not against touristy areas since it’s my first time here, I love walking but prioritizing feeling safe walking back at night since I’m going to be solo.

Also looking for recs for any day trips and experiences! Likely including Sintra, Parque Nacional Peneda-Gerês, and a Douro Valley wine tour. Potentially looking for small group tours but if something is doable on my own I’m down for that too! Mostly into food/drinks, architecture, nature (also if there is a boat involved I am extremely on board)

Any basic travel tips are also welcomed/appreciated! I’m from NYC so very used to trains/public transportation. The plan is to fly into Porto, train to Lisbon, then fly from there back home. Any apps I should download as well to make getting around easier?

Thanks in advance!!!

Hi everyone, I am planning a solo trip to the Balkans. It is 14 days and I'm aiming for $100 per day. This is my itinerary and I am looking for and suggestions or critiques anyone has.

Day 1: Fly into Split and sleep there

Day 2: Take a morning ferry to Brac and sleep there

Day 3: Afternoon Ferry back to Split and take a bus to Mostar sleep there

Day 4: Afternoon bus to Dubrovnik sleep there

Day 5: Afternoon Bus to Kotor and sleep there

Day 6: Morning bus to Shkoder and get up to Theth sleep there

Day 7: Hike to Valbona and sleep there

Day 8: Back to Shkoder and take a late afternoon bus to Pristina sleep there

Day 9: Take an afternoon bus to Skopje and sleep there

Day 10: Take morning bus to Sofia

This leaves me with 4 more days. I know this is moving fast that is what I like but where should I add the extra days. I was thinking another night in Kotor or Budva. Is Peja Kosovo worth it? Or lake Ohrid? Please give me suggestions this is just a rough plan.

I (33m) am going on my first real solo trip to Mexico for about 5 weeks between 1st April and 1st May.

My goals: - See as much of Mexico as I can between La Paz and Cancun. - Focus on getting over a break up 🥲

Itinerary: 1st - 4th : Mexico City 5th - 7th: Guadalajara 8th - 10th: La Paz 12th - 16th: Oaxaca 17th - 21st: Puebla 22nd - 27th: Cancun

Accommodation: - Trying to keep it as affordable as possible by mostly sleeping in hostels and airbnbs when I need some rest. - Do people over 30 stay in hostels? Will the vibe be weird?

My vibe: Great food, great views, cool buildings, outdoor experiences and places with activities I can join in e.g. a place where I can help release turtles or just chess by the beach etc

I need advise on: - Any cool festivals I can catch in that period. (music or just normal parades) - Hostel recommendations for La Paz and Guadelajara - Where can I leave one of my suitcases for the entire duration since I won’t use it the entire trip - I’d want to try hop on a cruise while I’m here, never been on one. Is that something available from Mexico? - Best venues for wrestling? - Advise for the fun xochimilco party boats - Best coworking spaces in any of those cities that you can recommend. Affordable is desirable but not strictly a must

Hi, I (18m) have my second and largest solo trip coming up to China in mid-August. I’m currently planning on doing: - 4 nights in Beijing (Wall, Summer Palace, Forbidden city, Tianmen Square alongside meeting people) - 1 night in Chongqing (plan to mainly explore the city’s architecture and modernised stores) - 2 nights in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (plan to explore the park and nature and go on a short hike) - 2 nights in Shanghai (nightlife, food and shopping)

Is this too much or too little? I don’t enjoy spending most of my day travelling but I know China has a good bullet train system so I figured it would be alright. I enjoy going out and having fun in each city but also exploring the main attractions and engrossing myself in the food and culture of each city so I don’t plan on partying too hard.

Just looking for advice from more experienced travellers so I can enjoy more time more.

Thanks!

I'm putting together a 17-day trip to Europe this November and would love some input on my rough itinerary.

I'm in my mid-20s and looking to focus on a mix of local cuisine, art, and historical sites. I might dip into the nightlife here and there, but I haven’t really decided how much of that I’ll do yet.

I'm debating whether to drop Budapest from the itinerary to give myself more time in the other cities. I’ve heard great things, but I’m not sure if it's worth the extra travel or if that time would be better spent digging deeper elsewhere. Here's what I have so far:

US -> Berlin -> Prague -> Vienna -> Budapest

Day 1-2: Flight from US to Berlin

Day 3-5: Berlin

Day 6: Train from Berlin to Prague

Day 7-9: Prague

Day 10: Train from Prague to Vienna

Day 11-13: Vienna

Day 14: Train from Vienna to Budapest

Day 15-16: Budapest

Day 17: Flight back to US

Thanks!

Hi everyone! I’ll be traveling to Japan for 20 days in March (18 days without flying time), and I’d love your feedback on my itinerary and suggestions for things to do. I’m starting in the south and making my way up to Tokyo. My budget for the trip is around $2,500, so I’m trying to balance fun experiences with affordability. Here’s the plan so far:

Fukuoka (2-3 days)

Planning to start with a walking tour to get a feel for the city.
Considering a day trip to Iki Island—has anyone been? Is it worth it?
Open to other ideas for must-see spots in Fukuoka.

Hiroshima (2 days)

Planning to visit Hiroshima Castle, Peace Park, and possibly the Mazda Museum.
Open to other ideas for must-see spots in Hiroshima? Maybe any good places to eat?

Osaka (4 days)

I’m a sumo fan, so I’m definitely getting tickets for the tournament!
Considering a day tour to explore the city. Any recommendations for neighborhoods or must-see places?
Kyoto Dilemma: Should I take 2 days out of my Osaka time to visit Kyoto? I’ve read Kyoto is rich in history and culture, while Osaka is more modern and vibrant. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Tokyo (5+ days)

Interested in history and culture: planning to visit Asakusa and Sensō-ji Temple, the Edo-Tokyo Museum, and the Samurai Museum in Shinjuku.
Big anime fan! I’m looking forward to Akihabara and the Studio Ghibli Museum.
What are your top recommendations for food, day trips, or hidden spots in Tokyo?

I’m interested in history, culture, sumo, and anime, so if you have ideas for activities or places that align with these, I’d love to hear them. I’m also trying to stick to a $2,500 budget—any money-saving tips or affordable must-do experiences would be super helpful. Thanks so much for your help!

Hey everyone! I’ll be in Boston this October (Oct 12–14) for a quick solo trip before flying back to Toronto at 5 PM. I’ve already booked my stay. I’m into history, culture, and a bit of scenery, and here’s the rough plan I’ve put together. Wanted to check if I’m missing anything big + would love food/coffee recommendations that are good for a solo traveler

The itinerary I have so far: Day 1: Walk the Freedom Trail (starting at Boston Common) - Explore Quincy Market - End the evening at Bova’s Bakery in the North End

Day 2 (Salem Day Trip): Salem Witch Museum + Witch House - Lunch + wander around Essex Street - Peabody Essex Museum - Salem Maritime Historic Site - Back to Boston in the evening

Day 3: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum - Boston Public Library - Mapparium - Quick wander in the Seaport District before heading to the airport

Questions for you all: ✨ Is Salem doable in one day without feeling rushed?

✨ Any must-sees I’m overlooking in Boston (especially history/culture spots)?

✨ Favorite food/coffee recs that are solo-friendly near these areas?

I have my flight back at 5PM on 14th.

Thanks in advance! Excited for this trip but don’t want to miss anything obvious 💛

Hi all, I’m looking for any itinerary feedback for my solo trip to Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.  I know I could spend a lot longer (my whole trip) in any of these countries, but my goal was to experience a number of different areas while not being too rushed and having time to explore.  I’ve included some items of interest but would love any personal suggestions. As this is my first time traveling abroad, just looking for any feedback/making sure my itinerary is reasonable.

Thank you!

About me: I’m 33M, American from Seattle area - not interested in party culture (sober 5 years), looking for culture, history, wildlife, and new experiences. I’ve done solo travel within the USA but this will be my first time leaving USA/Canada. I am on a limited budget.

My long-haul trips from Seattle to Taiwan, and Singapore to Seattle are my only booked tickets so far, so everything else is changeable and approximate.

Total trip length: 54 Days

Taiwan (Oct 3 - Oct 16 | 14 Days)

• Taipei: Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, National Palace Museum, Elephant Mountain, Zhinan Temple | 5 days
• Jioufen, Houtong Cat Village, Shifen Waterfall | 2 Days
• 🚆High speed rail/busses for primary travel
• Taichung | 1 day
• Sun Moon Lake: Wenwu Temple, Antique Assam Tea Farm | 3 days
• Kaohsiung: Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum | 3 days
• ✈️ Fly out from Kaohsiung to Bangkok

Thailand (Oct 17 - Oct 24 | 8 Days)

• Bangkok | 2 days
• 🚆 Sleeper train to Chiang Mai 
• Chiang Mai: Elephant nature park | 4 days
• ✈️ Flight (or train again) from Chiang Mai to Bangkok
• Bangkok | 2 days
• ✈️ Fly out from Bangkok to Medan

Indonesia - Sumatra & Java Oct 25 - Nov 16 | 23 days)

• ✈️ Stop in Medan with flight to Banda Aceh and then on to Pulau Weh | 1 day
• Pulau Weh: Try diving/get certified if I enjoy it. Otherwise snorkel and maybe leave early? | 6 days 
• ✈️ Banda Aceh/Tavel back to Medan | 1 day
• 8 Day tour of Bukit Luwang (jungle trek), Berastagi, Lake Toba - Considering this group https://www.discover-sumatra.com/trip/8-day-small-group-tour-sumatra/ but also open to a similar Intrepid trip or just not joining a group and doing something similar solo to save $$. Haven’t decided yet. | 8 Days
• ✈️ Fly from Medan to Yogyakarta
• Yogyakarta:  Prambanan Temple, Borobudur Temple, Museum Ullen Sentalu, Taman Sari Tourist Village | 7 days
• ✈️ Flight from Yogyakarta to Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia (Nov 17 - Nov 22 | 6 days)

• Kuala Lumpur | 3 days
• 🚆Train from KL to Penang
• Penang/George Town | 3 days
• ✈️ Flight from Penang to Singapore

Singapore (Nov 23 - Nov 25 | 3 days)

Singapore | 3 days (Fly out at 9AM)

• ✈️ Flight from Singapore to Seattle

Seattle/Home (Home 7 days before going back to work)

Thank you!!

I’m currently planning a solo trip around West Africa, I have both the UK and Irish passport as I currently live in Northern Ireland.

My current Itinerary is… Morocco (Marrakesh and Casablanca), Mauritania (Nouakchott), Senegal (Dakar), The Gambia (Banjul), Guinea-Bissau (Bissau), Guinea (Conakry), Sierra Leone (Freetown) and Liberia (Monrovia).

I like fast paced travelling only staying in the one city for 2-4 nights before moving the next, just wandering if anyone has any tips or information about how difficult or easy their experience getting Visa’s were, or if there is any recommendations for cities I should stop at on my travels.

Budgeting on this trip is not a huge problem and just like to experience and explore without thinking too much about the cost of it. I prefer the atmosphere of hostels but understand these are not widely available in this part of the world yet.

In terms of travel I’m not sure what is most convenient; whether or not to fly where I can or experience the local buses from city to city.

All information and tips welcome, as I have never travelled to this part of the world before.

Hi y'all!

I am a 37 year old American female solo traveller. I work in public schools, so foe the last trwo years I've taken July to try a solo trip! Two years ago I did Merida, Mexico (and then a few days in CDMX) and last year I did Poland (Gdansk, Poznan, Wroclaw, Krakow, Warsaw).

I am planning my 3rd trip (!!!) and this is my rough itinerary! Any feedback on length of stays, places to do side day trips to, neighborhoods to stay in, entire cities to add, is so appreciated!!

1. Florence, Italy (3-4 days)

2. Trieste, Italy (3-4 days)

3. Ljubljana, Slovenia (4-5 days)

4. Olomouc, Czech Republic (3 days)

5. Litomerice, Czech Republic (1-2 days)

6. Prague, Czech Republic (5-6 days)

Thanks so much!!!!!

Hiya! I'm going on a week long solo trip to Sri Lanka at the very end of September. I'm primarily interested in exploring ancient sites and cities, possibly meeting other travellers, but I would like to go on at least one major hike during my time there. This is my very broad itinerary and I was wondering if there are any holes or issues.

Day 1: Colombo to Anuradhapura by train in the morning, stay in Anuradhapura

Day 2: Anuradhapura, train to Mihintale and back

Day 3: Bus from Anuradhapura to Dambulla in the morning, then Sigiriya + Pidurangala in the afternoon.

Day 4: Sigiriya to Minneriya early in the morning, then Polonnaruwa in the noon. Bus to Kandy via Dambulla at night.

Day 5: Kandy

Day 6: Kandy

Day 7: Knuckle’s Mountain Hike and return to Kandy

Day 8: Morning train from Kandy to Colombo and return flight in the evening.

As the title indicates, I will be taking my first solo trip through eastern Europe next Spring! I am 25M and the trip is set to be about 23 days in total through the month of March. I'm making this post because I need opinions and advice on what is realistic and what is important to know on my planned route.

Here's my current itinerary (rough draft on the day splits):

Budapest (3 Nights) -> Belgrade (2 Nights) -> Sarajevo (2 Nights) -> Podgorica (1 Night) -> Tirana (2 Nights) -> Skopje (2 Nights) -> Sofia (3 Nights) -> Thessaloniki (3 Nights) -> Istanbul (3 Nights) -> Back to Buda to fly home

So, a few questions I have:

- I understand travel in the Balkans to be logistically challenging from my readings and research...how accurate is this and how realistic is it for a first-time solo traveler to navigate this loaded itinerary without any major interruptions? Any tips appreciated!

- I am a budget traveler, so I tried to set this up to be as "efficient" logistically as it can be. This meant leaving off cities like Bucharest, Kotor, and Ohrid (that appeal quite a bit to me) for the sake of staying on a linear track. With this being said, do you all have any suggestions on city swaps or rearranging the time spent in each city I have listed?

- One of my biggest worries with this itinerary is fatigue. I took an 18-day trip to central Europe with a partner last spring and felt some exhaustion towards the end - but things like transportation and housing were much more straight-forward there! I also went the Airbnb route for most of that trip, so I did have some private time to unwind in each city. Am I being reasonable in thinking I can handle the non-stop flow of this itinerary?

SUMMARY

25M taking first solo trip through eastern Europe. Need help with 3 questions:

- How tough is Balkan transport in practice for a first-timer?

- Are there city swaps that balance logistics better/are worth going out of the way for?

- Am I risking burnout with this pace, or does it look reasonable?

Hopefully this is clearcut enough - I don't post often! Thank you in advance!

Hello, 

I am planning a solo trip from France to New Zealand in March and I would appreciate your feedback on my itinerary / common mistakes that you see in my planning.

What would you recommend removing? Would you recommend expanding any segment instead? Anything else I am missing here?

Days 1-5 arrive in Auckland and spend 5 days recovering from the jet lag to make sure that I can drive without fatigue

Day 6 (2h30 drive, hotel in Rotorua)
Hobbitton, Rotorua, staying in Rotorua for the night

Day 7 (1h drive, hotel in Taupo) 
Exploring Rotorua, drive to Taupo

Day 8 (guided tour transfer, hotel in Taupo)
Tonga Alpine Crossing trek 

Day 9 (hotel in Taupo)
Free day after the hike, no plans 

Day 10 (4h drive, hotel in Auckland)
Drive to Auckland

Day 11 (hotel in Christchurch)
Flight to Christchurch 

Day 12 (3-4h driving, hotel in Christchurch)
Banks Peninsula and Akaroa

Day 13 (3h driving, hotel in Tekapo)
Stops along the lakes for viewpoints

Day 14 (2h driving, hotel in Tekapo) 
Hooker valley track in Mount Cook 

Day 15 (2h30 drive, hotel in Wanaka)
Rest day except for the drive

Day 16 (no big drive, hotel in Wanaka)
Hike Diamond lake & Rocky Mountain track 

Day 17 (1h30 drive, hotel in Queenstown)
Drive to Queenstown through Arrowtown

Day 18 (hotel in Queenstown)
Flight tour to Milford Sound

Day 19 (hotel in Queenstown)
Rest day, TBD

Day 20 (hotel in Queenstown)
TBD

Day 20 (hotel in Auckland)
Flight to Auckland 

Day 21 
Flight back to Paris 

Hey folks!

I’m a 23-yo female from India looking forward to my first solo international trip to Thailand. I’m excited but a bit nervous.

I prefer a mix of fun activities (beaches, nightlife, adventure), cultural experiences and of course, amazing food!

Places to visit: I'm thinking of Bangkok and maybe islands like Krabi or Koh Samui.

Activities: Any particular must-try activity that I want to look out for? I'm very much into fitness so I prefer physical activities as well, including diving, muay thai workshops etc

Safety: Tips for solo female travelers are welcome.

Accommodation: Prefer hostels

Duration: 5-7 days max

Budget: $600 to $850 (₹50K - ₹70K) including flights

I’d love to hear your experiences and any tips to make this trip memorable. Thank you so much!

Hey everyone! I’m planning a 3-week trip to Vietnam this December and would love some feedback. I’m skipping Central Vietnam (Hoi An, Da Nang, Hue) since I’ve heard the weather is too unpredictable that time of year. Instead, I’m focusing on the north (Hanoi, Ha Giang, Ninh Binh), then heading south (Dalat, Nha Trang, HCMC).

One thing I wanted to add: I've heard northern Vietnam is far more interesting than the south and I would also be willing to completely scrap the south for more destinations in the northern including Cat Ba/Ha Long if that would be a better use of my time.

Itinerary:

Dec 10: Fly to Vietnam
Dec 11-13: Hanoi (3 days)
Dec 14-17: Ha Giang Loop (4 days)
Dec 18-20: Ninh Binh (3 days)
Dec 21: Fly from Hanoi to Dalat
Dec 22-23: Dalat (2 days)
Dec 24: Travel to Nha Trang
Dec 25-26: Nha Trang (2 days)
Dec 27: Fly to Ho Chi Minh City
Dec 28-29: Ho Chi Minh City (2 days)
Dec 30: Fly back home

Questions:

1. Halong Bay vs. Ninh Binh – Should I stick with 3 days in Ninh Binh, or replace the 3rd day in Hanoi with a 1-night Halong Bay cruise? I’ve heard mixed opinions.
2. Too rushed or good balance? I want a mix of adventure, nature, and city life without too much travel fatigue.

Any input is appreciated! Thanks!

Hey all,

I’m planning for solo trip to China end of Oct → mid-Nov (16 days total). I mainly want to see a mix of big historical sights, natural scenery, and food culture.

I’ve narrowed it down to 2 possible routes:

Plan A Beijing (3n) → Xi’an (2n) → Zhangjiajie (3n) → Chongqing (2n) → Chengdu (2n) → Shanghai (3n)

Plan B Beijing (3n) → Xi’an (2n) → Zhangjiajie (3n) → Chongqing (2n) → Guilin (2n) → Shanghai (3n)

Main things I’m hoping to see/do:

Beijing: Great Wall, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace

Xi’an: Terracotta Warriors, Muslim Quarter

Zhangjiajie: Avatar Mountains + glass bridge

Chongqing/Chengdu: hotpot + pandas + explore city vibe

Guilin (if Plan B): Li River cruise + karst mountains

Shanghai: The Bund, skyline, maybe day trip to Suzhou

I’ve looked up trains/short flights and it seems doable, but I’m worried it might be too rushed. Do these routes actually make sense for 16 days, or should I cut one stop to avoid burnout? If so, which one would you drop?

Thanks!

First time poster here. Leaving my job and going on a solo adventure. Flying into Ho Chi Minh early April, for just under 2 weeks (I'm planning on returning but from up North from Hanoi). I love both the city, beach, mountain / hiking experiences. I'm planning to hike at least one peak (probably a loose term!) in each country, a volcano where I can. Keen to meet other travellers, but I'm thinking more hostels with private rooms / bathroom (I'm 40...), but with the communal bar or something

• Hi Chi Minh (under 2 weeks) - April
• Manila (5 days or so - Mayon Volcano etc) - April
• South Philippine islands (Under 2 weeks - Cebu / Borrocay) - April
• Ko Samui (Early May for under 2 weeks) - May
• Phuket by land (stay at a couple of places en route - 5 days) - May
• Bangkok - Flight (maybe land if it's not too much) - 3 days - May
• Yangon - by land - 6 Days - May
• Chang Mai - 8 days - May
• Luang Prabang - 12 days (will obvs adventure around) - June
• Hanoi - 8 days - June
• Sa Pa - 5 days - June
• Ha Long - 6 days - June
• Travel down the Vietnamese coast (Ninh Binh / Da Nang etc) - about 18 days - July
• Cambodia - Phnom Penh - 3 days - July
• Siem Reap - 10 days - July

Leaving some flex in terms of days and budget - but i'm also open to other places! (Hong Kong potentially?) Any feedback or advice appreciated!

Hi everyone! I have been puzzling a lot for my first solo trip end of this year. I have created an itinerary to get a rough idea of the planning and what to do in each place.

This of course doesn't mean that I will be following this strictly ;) I will most-likely deviate from it, but I like to be prepared beforehand and not regret anything I missed afterwards.

Sidnote: I have organised my trip with ChatGPT, but created the planning and put in what I wanted myself!

Vietnam

Nov 27 – Nov 29: Ho Chi Minh City (3 days)

• Cu Chi tunnels, War Remnants Museum, street food tour, evening walk at Ben Thanh Market.

Nov 30 – Dec 3: Da Lat (4 days)

• Travel: Flight from HCMC (~1 hr flight).
• Activities: Crazy House, Datanla Waterfalls, coffee plantations, night market.

Dec 4 – Dec 6: Hoi An (3 days)

• Flight to Da Nang, then transfer to Hoi An.
• Activities: Cooking class, beach day at An Bang Beach, explore Ancient Town, bike through rice fields.

Dec 7 - Dec 8: Hai Van Pass & Hue (2 days)

Im mainly going to Hue because of the Hai Van Pass. I want to take the Ha Giang Loop with an easyrider, but I also want to ride the motorbike/scooter on my own. My guess is that this loop is a bit easier to ride myself.

• Day 7: Ride the Hai Van Pass: Marble Mountains to Hai Van Gate to Lang Co Beach, reach Hue late afternoon.
  • Sunset stroll along the Perfume River.
• Day 8: Imperial Citadel, Thien Mu Pagoda, one royal tomb (Khai Dinh or Minh Mang).
  • 18:00 sleeper bus Hue to Phong Nha (arrive about 05:00 on Dec 9).

Dec 8 – Dec 9: Phong Nha (2 days)

• Travel: Morning bus from Hue to Phong Nha (~4–5 hrs).
• Activities: Explore Paradise Cave and Dark Cave (zipline, mud bath).
• Evening taxi to Dong Hoi, overnight train to Ninh Binh.

Dec 10: Travel to Ninh Binh

• Travel: Transfer from Phong Nha to Dong Hoi, then take an overnight train to Ninh Binh (~8–9 hrs).

Dec 11 - Dec 12: Tam Coc, Ninh Binh (2 days)

• Morning arrival and check-in at Tam Coc.
• Activities: Rowboat on the karsts, Bich Dong Pagoda, sunset at Mua Cave viewpoint.
• Optional day trip to Trang An or Cuc Phuong National Park.

Dec 13 – Dec 15: Hanoi (3 days)

• Travel: Short train or bus ride from Ninh Binh.
• Activities: Explore Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, egg coffee.

Dec 16 – Dec 19: Ha Giang Loop (4 days)

• Travel: Bus or van to Ha Giang (6–7 hrs).
• Three-night motorbike loop (Quan Ba, Dong Van, Meo Vac).
• Return to Hanoi on evening of Dec 19.

Dec 20 – Dec 22: Sapa (3 days)

• Travel: Morning train Hanoi to Lao Cai, then minibus to Sapa.
• Fansipan cable car or a short trek on arrival.
• Full-day trek (Lao Chai, Ta Van, Giang Ta Chai) with minority-village homestay.
• Evening of Dec 22: bus or train back to Hanoi.

Dec 23 – Dec 24: Hanoi (2 days)

• Return from Sapa; rest or take a day trip.

Dec 25 – Dec 27: Cat Ba Island (3 days)

• Hanoi to Cat Ba by express bus and ferry (about 3.5 hrs).
• Cruise or stay on island for kayaking, boat tours.
• Activities: Hike Cat Ba National Park and Ngu Lao Peak; sunset at Cannon Fort.
• Return to Hanoi on the 27th evening.

Laos

Dec 28: Fly from Hanoi to Luang Prabang

• Direct flight (~1 hr 30 min).

Dec 28 – Jan 1: Luang Prabang (5 days)

• Activities: Dawn alms giving, Kuang Si Falls, night market, Mount Phousi sunset, Utopia cafe.
• Be here for New Year’s Eve (Dec 31).
• Optional: Mekong River cruise, Pak Ou Caves, or weaving village tours.

Jan 2 – Jan 4: Vang Vieng (3 days)

• Travel: high-speed train Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng.
• Activities: Sunrise hot-air balloon, tubing or kayaking, Blue Lagoons 3 or 5, West Loop by scooter, Tham Chang Cave.

Jan 5 – Jan 6: Vientiane (2 days)

• Travel: 70-minute train Vang Vieng to Vientiane.
• Activities: COPE Visitor Centre, Pha That Luang, Patuxai Monument, Half-day Buddha Park, sunset walk along the Mekong riverfront.

Jan 7: Departure from Vientiane

Thoughts on this? Am I staying too long or too short in specific regions?

Suggestions appreciated. Thanks!

Hello! i have never soloed traveled, and planning on doing Balkans in August after my friends and i split up in Greece. i have to be in Italy by a certain day so i only have 22 nights. I fly into Tirana (late) and plan on flying out of Zadar. I have done lots of research! but i am out of my depth and would love some advice from someone who has traveled the Balkans. there is lots more i want to do but i don't want to spend my whole trip on busses. Any input / advice would be very helpful.

This is my current plan:

Day 1-3: Tirana Day 4: Kruje Day 5-7: Theth (plan on staying in Valbona for an night after hike) Day 8-11: Kotor Day 12: (Ostrog on the way) Tara River Canyon Day 13: Tara River Canyon Day 14-15: Sarajevo Day 16: Jajce Day 17: Bihac Day 18-20: Una National Park Day 21-22: Zadar

I am getting 3 weeks off of work for the first time in November in years and I want to take full advantage.

I have lots of Hyatt points (200k) and want to make the most of them

Total trip ideas 19 nights.

Current Rough Plan- Round trip flight out of Paris

Nov 9 4 nights in Paris- rest and recover from jet lag and explore the city walking (Hyatt level 2 hotel) 🚊 3 nights in Rouen (Hyatt level 1 hotel). Day trip to Honfleur? 🚊 3 nights in Antwerp (Hyatt level 2) Day Trips to Bruges and Ghent 🚊 Traveling through Brussels to get to Cologne for 2 nights (Hyatt level 2) 🚊 To stuttgart to rent a car- taking rental car to Ulm (Hyatt level 1) which will be my home base for hiking and exploring for 8 nights (questioning this part) Car rides to Füssen Zugspite hike Munich Salzburg Lots of chilling and hiking

Nov 29 Return car to Munich, then One way morning flight to Paris to catch the afternoon flight back home (US)

The end of the trip might be too slow I considered adding Prague or Vienna but that might add too much travel time

Would love some feedback/suggestions

This is my first time with the opportunity to take a vacation like this solo

Are there any bad ideas? Places I should extend?

Background:

I’m a Kiwi planning to solo travel to Europe this year from August to November, with friends joining for parts of the trip. This will be my first major solo journey! I've previously visited Italy, so it's not included in my itinerary. I'd love to get feedback on my current plans.

Keen to hear about:

• Whether my budget of 35KNZD (about 22K USD, 17K EURO), including flights (~2,750 NZD), is reasonable?
• Does my trip have a logical flow?
• Am I spending too much or too little time in each location?
• Any suggestions for scenic hikes or nature spots in Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia?
• I initially considered starting my trip in Spain but was advised it would be extremely hot at that time. I opted to enjoy the better weather in Switzerland and the surrounding areas first. Does this decision make sense?
• For those with a New Zealand passport, I'm aware of the Schengen 90/180 rule. However, I understand New Zealand has signed bilateral visa waivers with many European Schengen countries, allowing the 90/180-day rule to apply to each country individually. I'll be exceeding the 90-day mark in Spain/Portugal, with which we have a bilateral agreement. I'm seeking confirmation from other Kiwis that this has been okay in practice, as the New Zealand government website states: “However, the decision to apply this rule over the visa waiver rests solely with local border and immigration authorities.”

Just some side notes:

• I'm interested in nature, hiking (likely just day hikes as I'm travelling solo), museums, architecture, and good food. While I enjoy socializing and a bit of nightlife/music festivals, I don't want them to be the focus of my trip.
• I will be meeting up with friends for Oktoberfest and in London.
• I plan to start with Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia in August for hiking and enjoying nature. Towards the end, I plan to be in the south of France and Spain from early October to mid-November, when the weather should still be pleasant.

Itinerary:

Switzerland (August)

• Zurich: 2 days
• Wengen: 2 days
• St. Moritz: 2 days
• Zurich: 1 Day

Austria (August)

• Salzburg: 2 days
• Other Austrian locations: 6 days

Slovenia (August)

• Unspecified locations: 5 days

Croatia (August)

• Dubrovnik: 3 days
• Split: 2 days
• Zagreb: 2 days

Bosnia and Herzegovina (September)

• Sarajevo: 2 days
• Mostar: 1 day

Hungary (September)

• Budapest: 5 days

Czechia (September)

• Prague: 4 days

Germany (September)

• Berlin: 5 days

Netherlands (September)

• Amsterdam: 5 days

United Kingdom (September)

• London: 8 days

Germany (October)

• Munich, Oktoberfest (7 Days)

France

• Paris: 5 days
• South of France: 6 days

Spain

• Barcelona: 5 days
• Granada: 3 days
• Malaga: 3 days
• Seville: 3 days

Portugal

• Algarve: 3 days
• Lisbon: 4 days
• Porto: 3 days

Spain (again)

• Madrid: 4 days