Photo of the Day - Mount Bromo, Indonesia

The moonscape surrounding Mount Bromo as the mist spreads over the otherworldly Sea of Sand

Mount Bromo - Java, Indonesia is situated at the Eastern area of Java, this magnificent volcano (or group of volcanoes to be precise) is a must-see on the route across from Jakarta to Bali. Bromo is accessed from Cemoro Lawang and is best seen at sunrise as the mist across the sea of sand clears to reveal an incredible lunar landscape. The crater itself can be reached by jeep, horse or foot and seeing its sea of rock, lava and sand truly is an experience of a lifetime.


Click here to read our FREE guide to backpacking in Indonesia

Photo of the Day - Peaceful waters off Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Sihanoukville, Cambodia: Relax, kick off your shoes and take a break from temple-spotting and the heart-rending sights of Phnom Penh. The beach at Sihanoukville is a great one, lined with low-rise thatched beach bars and restaurants: the night-life, though years behind its brasher neighbours in Thailand, is fun and buzzing. Take boat trips out to uninhabited tropical islands, indulge in some decent diving or visit Ream National park to spot monkeys and dolphins amongst the mangroves.


For our free guide to backpacking in Cambodia, please click here.

Photo of the Day: Isla del Pescado, Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

Whether you chose to explore the area from Uynui or Tupiza, you will see more incredible landscapes on your trip to south west Bolivia than you could ever imagine. Stunningly beautiful in a very barren and rugged way; expect to see volcanoes, flamingos, geysers, hot springs, and of course the world famous salt plains (the Salar) themselves. Most backpackers touring the area choose to take a trip in 4X4 complete with local driver/guide and cook – prepare yourself for a few days where you will be constantly wowed by the scenery and also by just how brain-numbingly cold it can get at 5000m above see level!


Click here for our free guide to Bolivia.

funtotravel.info TIPS: How much money do I need to go travelling?

An answer to this question is a real moving feast! It depends on a few different factors (not an exhaustive list):

 · Where you choose to travel to.

· What kind of accommodation you require.

· Whether you intend to go out and party a lot.

The best advice we can give you is to look at the funtotravel.info Country guides for each place you plan on visiting on your trip for an idea of a daily budget. If you want to stay in a basic private room, eat out once a day in a cheapish restaurant and have a few drinks in the evening, we would give these figures as a very, very rough guide:


· If you plan to travel in South East Asia, India, Nepal, Bolivia, most of East and West Africa or most of Central America, then a realistic daily budget is US$50 a day.

· If you are going to travel in Western Europe, the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand or Brazil, the expect to get through up to US$100 a day and quite possibly beyond.

· For other countries and regions expect that figure to be somewhere between the two.


At the bottom end of the scale, if you really wanted to live on a shoestring budget then you could probably halve all of the figures listed above. This would mean sleeping in a dorm room in a hostel or camping, self-catering and either walking or travelling by public transport. You would also struggle to get out in the evening for a few beers in a bar on this limited budget.


Of course every day is different – with these figures we have tried to take into account those budget-busting one-off fees, like a skydive in Australia, a trek in Nepal, a trip to Machu Picchu in Peru or a visit to the Taj Mahal in India. Remember to account for these one off expenses when you are budgeting – they tend to be the things you remember forever.


To balance these big expenses out there are bound to be days when you end up doing very little: days sat on the beach, days nursing a hangover, days spent in transit etc. What we’re trying to say is that every day will be different, but make sure you have enough cash available to ensure that you don’t miss out on the things that make your trip so special.

Photo of the Day - Huacachina Sand Dunes, Peru

Vast sand dunes near Huacachina, Peru - great for sandboarding!

Lacking historical importance and cultural charm, Huacachina is the kind of place to kick back, pass a couple of days under the sun and replenish your travelling zest. Near the city of Ica (where the buses will bring you) and on the road between Lima and Arequipa, Huacachina is a small village of hotels and backpacker hostels built around a manmade lake and in the midst of colossal sand dunes. The ‘oasis’ feel may be a bit contrived, but this is a town built for travellers, with plenty of activities of the adrenaline-boosting (dune buggies and sandboarding amongst others) or more sedate (vineyard tours) variety, as well as the option of just sitting by the pool all day. It is also a great base for exploring the enigmatic Nazca Lines carved into the sand about 60 miles south – the nerve-racking plane ride is the best way to marvel at the bizarreness of these pre-Incan drawings.

For our free guide to travelling in Peru, please click here.

Photo of the Day - Beach scene in Langkawi, Malaysia

Beautiful Pantai Cenang beach, Langkawi Malaysia

We loved the beautiful beaches on modern Langkawi, but not necessarily the rampant development in parts of it. Most of the budget islands are on or around the pretty beach at Pantai Cenang (as well as quieter Pantai Tengah), so bring your sunscreen and enjoy the duty-free beer. It's a beautiful island, with plenty on offer from mangrove tours and eagle feeding as well as diving, island hopping and the chance to take a trip up the Langkawi cable car to admire views over the mountains and beaches.

Click here for our free guide to Malaysia.