A very Indian experience in Varanasi

Varanasi is the most fascinating, spiritual, confusing and frustrating destination we have ever visited. Nestled on the banks of the sacred River Ganges in the north of India, a few hours’ travel east of New Delhi, Varanasi (previously Benares) claims to be the oldest continually inhabited city in the world.

Our introduction to the city was symptomatic of both its majesty and its infuriating chaos. Arriving on a short-haul flight from Delhi due to all of the trains being booked out, the first part of our journey seemed blissfully simple. We picked up a set-price taxi from Varanasi’s tiny airport into town, lounged in the back of the old but surprisingly well maintained Ambassador car, and were unceremoniously dumped at the point where the ‘new’ and ‘old’ cities meet – no motorised vehicles are allowed anywhere near the old town, in order to protect the ‘ghats’ , the various sets of riverside steps, some of which are dedicated to the cremation of dead Hindu believers (known as the ‘Burning Ghats’). Trying our best to make head or tail of the unsurprisingly useless map provided by our Lonely Planet guide, we attempted to navigate our way through the early evening throng to the tiny lane where our guest house was set.  Arriving in the middle of a Hindu festival, though colourful, loud and hypnotic did not help us in our mission to seek out our digs as we were crushed by throngs of dancing, prancing devotees.

Despite having already had a couple of weeks to acclimatise to the melee of sights, smells and sounds that is India, the culture-shock hit us badly as, laden-down with heavy rucksacks, we were buffeted left and right and accosted at every step with offers of a guide, boat trips, ‘strong ganja’, cheap rooms and cheap women (despite walking within two feet of my wife!). With any number of shopkeepers  having made it clear that they had absolutely no idea where to find our guest house, we made the cardinal error of hopping into a couple of cycle rickshaws (they couldn’t fit both of us, and our bags into the same one). On giving the address of our guest house, we found our drivers heading off in separate directions into the throng of festival goers, before meeting up again to begin an impassioned and furious argument as to who was heading up in the right direction.

We made the wise decision to scarper at this point and fortunately found ourselves under the wings of a couple of German guys who knew where our hotel was. They led us down a series of narrow pathways and lanes, dodging any number of sadhus (holy men) and holy cows until we arrived the entrance to our hotel, the lads resisting our offers of a thank-you beer and disappearing off into the surrounding lanes like a couple of teutonic travel angels. One more unpleasant surprise awaited me, as having taken Amanda’s rucksack on my front as well as my own behemoth bag on my back, I realised that I had no way of seeing where I was putting my feet and had managed to connect with a large and seemingly very fresh cow pat twenty metres from the entrance to the guest-house. Thank you Mr Cow!

Checking in with no problem and mounting the four sweaty flights of stairs to our well-appointed budget room, we made straight for the roof terrace restaurant for some much-needed Kingfisher beers and veggie curries. Taking in the sights and sounds the river, the puja ceremonies, the boisterous gangs of monkeys and the smoking funeral pyres at dusk was jaw-droppingly different and distinctly otherworldly. Of all of our travels, we have never visited such an amazingly atmospheric place, with such character and such verve. A genuine must-visit, though pack patience in vast amounts and a very open-mind.

Great things to do in Varanasi:

• Take a Ganges boat trip. Best done in the evening or early morning. The boatmen will take you along the various ghats. Not many speak a great deal of English, so unless your Hindi is up to scratch take a good guide book for commentary on what you’re seeing. Watching people swim, wash, brush their teeth and do their laundry in some of the most toxic river water in the world is extraordinary!
• Watch a Ganga aarti ceremony at Dasaswamedh ghat at dusk – beautiful lights, hypnotic music and an incredibly spiritual atmosphere, even if you’re as cynical and world-weary as they come.
• See what goes on at the burning ghats but make sure you do so from a respectful distance – the Hindu faithful are cremating their dead and you should ensure that this remains a private, family ceremony for them. Respect the dead.
• Chill out – Varanasi has some great restaurants, cafes and bakeries, most of which either have river views or rooftop restaurants – this is as good a place as any to watch the world go by.

We stayed at Ganga Fuji Home (800 Rupees/night for an air con private double) and would recommend it. We would also recommend the following places to eat/drink:

• Brown Bread Bakery - it supports a local school, runs a women’s empowerment group, uses organic produce, and refills your water bottles for you (Rs5) – the food is also brilliant.
• Dolphin restaurant - great riverside views and excellent veggie food.

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.

funtotravel.info TIPS: How Will I Get My Laundry Done on the Road?

Your're probably laughing reading this, thinking 'why the hell would I think about that?', but...

...this is the kind of issue that we never really thought about before we went away, but it is information that is vital if you’re away for anything more than a couple of weeks. If you are travelling around Australia, Western Europe or anywhere similar, expect to spend a surprising amount of time doing your laundry over the course of your trip! The situation with laundry depends which part of the world you are in, we would summarise the situation as follows:

Southeast Asia, India, Nepal: most guest houses and hotels will take in your laundry and have it washed for you, typically for around US$1 and less per kilo. It will usually come back smelling sweetly and be ironed. If your guesthouse is one of the few not to provide the service, ask at reception and you will no doubt find a place within a couple of minutes walk that will do your laundry for you for similar if not cheaper prices. Expect to have your laundry back within 24 hours. Bear in mind that if it happens to be raining then laundry will not dry as quickly since it is dried out in the open.

South and Central America: a minority of guest houses will have in house laundry services for a reasonable amount (again think around US$1 per kilo), but if you’re in a more upmarket hotel, stay away from the laundry service as they are likely to do a stupidly expensive per-item wash (i.e. $1 for a t-shirt, 50c for a pair of underpants etc). Your best bet is to ask the staff where you’re staying where the local launderette is and take it down there. Launderettes in this part of the world tend only to deal with service washes – i.e. you take in your washing, the staff will take it off your hands and wash it for you and typically you pick it up the next day. Again this will cost around US$1 per kilo of laundry.

There are easier ways of getting your clothes clean - the banks of the River Ganges, Varanasi, India

Europe, the US, Canada, China, Japan, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand: bad news I’m afraid – unless you are willing to shell out a lot for item by item hotel laundry services, you are going to be washing your clothes yourself. Many hostels (and even campsites in the case of Australia and New Zealand) have in house laundry rooms with coin operated washers and dryers. If this is not the case, the hostel will be able to tell you where the local launderette is – most of these will be of the coin operated variety so plan on having a few hours spare to do your laundry as and when necessary!

Africa: outside of South Africa the situation with laundry is, pardon the pun, a real mixed bag. A lot of hostels and guesthouses have a laundry room where you’ll be able to wash your own clothes (most likely coin operated), while others will have a laundry service that should be fairly inexpensive and saves you the time taken to sort it out yourself.

funtotravel.info TIPS: Should My Career Stop Me From Travelling?

The Pros and Cons of a Career Break

We at funtotravel.info think that taking a career-break to hit the road for a period is a great idea, not that that will surprise you much! It is very easy in this day and age to feel like you are going stale in a job or that you are unappreciated in the workplace. Taking a break to visit a new country or countries can be just the tonic that you need to reassess your career and think about what you want to do for the rest of your life. You should not assume, as many do, that a period travelling will be a stain on your CV or that prospective employers will look on it badly – in the majority of cases this is simply not true.

In terms of making the big decision, only you know whether it would be the right or wrong time to head off, and whether in fact you really want to take a break at all. Your decision depends entirely on what your career is, how long you want to take off and how long you've been in your current role: every person's circumstances are different. Our best advice would be to discuss the possibility with your boss, or ask your human resources department if the company has a policy for sabbaticals or extended unpaid leave.

Better than a sandwich at your desk?! Ko Lipe, Thailand

We are writing this during a period of economic difficulty for the western world, and it seems like crazy advice telling people to pack in their jobs when millions are losing theirs or being made redundant. Assess your options carefully! If you have been unfortunate enough to have been made redundant, then it could be the perfect time to have a break and decide what you want to do next. Travelling can give you the time and space to assess this properly: how happy were you in your job and is it really what you see yourself doing in the long term?

Bear in mind also that a career break doesn't just have to be a long holiday. It's a great chance to add something extra to your CV by learning a new skill, helping with volunteer work or learning a new language.

Many of our friends have chosen to take career breaks and have either gone back to the same job as they had before, or had a moment of inspiration and decided on a change of career. It can give you the fresh impetus, distance and clear head to think about what you really want to do with your life.

As stated above, employers are unlikely to look at travelling as a negative thing. Indeed often they will see it as a benefit in terms of what it brings the person with regard to life experience and maturity. In reality, a period of travelling will do no harm to your CV/résumé as long as you can explain what your reasons were for going.

Our advice: think long and hard, assess your situation and speak to your boss or your human resources department. A career break can be a wonderful opportunity to improve your quality of life, so don't rule it out just because you are either starting or in the middle of your career.

funtotravel.info offers help to anyone looking to travel the world. Going on a Gap Year and not sure where to go or how to start planning? Want to go travelling but in need of some inspiration and tips? Use our advise me page for FREE, ON-DEMAND, UNBIASED travel advice written JUST FOR YOU!  

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Photo of the Day 25 November 2010

Beautiful Iguazu Falls, Argentina

funtotravel.info PLACES: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Quite simply one of the most naturally beautiful and fun cities on the planet. Yes it has its problems with violent crime and drugs, but the world can prepare itself for one hell of a party when the Olympics and World Cup come to town during the next decade.

With so much to see and do and so many amazing things on offer, it's not called the cidade maravilhosa (marvellous city) for nothing. The best way to guide you through this simply fantastic city destination is to let you know what we'd do if we had a weekend to kill here. Note that we have recommended throughout that you take taxis - they are a safe and inexpensive way of getting around. We would normally recommend taking public transport, but for many of the sights in Rio it is just not very convenient.

Remember that if you are a sensible traveller and keep your wits about you, the worst thing that will happen to you in Rio is that you'll have a pretty bad hangover. Be aware that English is not very widely spoken (this may change with the Olympics and World Cup coming), so take a good phrasebook, smile, be polite and patient and you'll be fine!

The funtotravel.info guide to Brazil can be found here. Click here for the funtotravel.info members' guide to Rio de Janeiro.

Day 1
After a quick breakfast in your hotel/hostel (Brazilians don't seem to be big on breakfasts really, much like the rest of South America), take a taxi (plentiful and inexpensive in Rio) to Rua Cosme Vehlo 513: you are about to visit a wonder of the world. We know that we've put it first up on our itinerary, but we really don't think that a visit to see Christ the Redeemer on his lofty perch should be delayed by even a second. It's just a jaw-droppingly brilliant experience, though not cheap at around US$12 for the return cable car ride. Take your time at the top, as crowds are likely to be pretty big. The view needs to be seen to be believed:

View from Christ the Redeemer

Take in the sweeping view over Sugarloaf mountain, Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, Botafogo, Ipanema and Copacabana beaches and and if you have the time, pause for a coffee at the unsurprisingly expensive cafe at the top - it's well worth taking your time! Steel yourself for the bill and one last look up at Christ (literally), before taking the tram back down to earth. Don't be surprised if you're serenaded by a samba band on the way down - you should give them some of your change.

Jesus: big in Brazil.

Find yourself a cab and head down to Ipanema beach for a spot of lunch and some sun-bathing. Rio is chock full of excellent eating options, but being the gluttons we are suggest you head for one of the excellent 'por kilo' restaurants in Ipanema. These are buffet restaurants where you pay depending on the weight of food on your plate. Dismiss any sniffy thoughts you might have about buffet food: the fodder on offer is fresh, tasty and varied with great meats, pastas, fried foods, sushi, salad etc on offer. We would recommend the Frontera, which is slightly more upmarket than most, but with a great range of food. Prices are reasonable in what can be a very expensive city (about US$12-15 per kilo - a hell of a lot of sushi!).

Having stuffed yourself silly take the short walk to Ipanema beach and pick yourself a spot. We were reliably told by a number of cariocas (Rio locals) that Copacabana is for tourists and Ipanema is for locals. We think it's prettier and a bit less seedy. You are free to just find yourself a free stretch of sand and throw down your beach towel (harder than you think with huge crowds at weekends!), but you'd be well advised to keep an eye on your things as petty theft is rife. We'd recommend taking up one of the Godfather-like beach vendors on their offer of  a couple of deckchairs on their 'patch': spend the afternoon being waited on hand and foot (as well as feeling like your things were being watched for you) - well worth the slightly-inflated price for drinks and snacks as well as the charge for the chairs (around US$5). 

Ipanema beach: stunning. Speedos everywhere: not so stunning.

Having spent a few hours sunning yourself, indulging in some of the most fascinating people watching on the planet (speedos are just plain wrong wherever you are though!) and marvelling at the sheer range of goods being hawked by the beach sellers, it's time to head back to your hotel/hostel to get ready for a night on the tiles.

Before sunset, take a taxi to the bondinho (street car) station on Rua Profesor Lelio Gama and take the tram up to the beautiful district of Santa Teresa, a hillside area full of charm and colonial architecture, with a slightly rough and ready feel. The tram costs around US$0.40 and takes about 15-20 minutes, though expect a wait around at the station for departure as they only leave every half hour - find a guide here. Don't be alarmed if locals run alongside and get a free ride by hanging off the side - it's normal! Get off at Largo de Guimaraes, a square with some great cafes and restaurants.

The Bondinho tram in Santa Teresa

Find a restaurant that takes your fancy (we like Bar do Mineiro at Rua Pachoal Carlos Magno 99) and stay for some delicious and filling food as well as a few cachaça (cane sugar liquor) cocktails before taking a cab on to Lapa for dancing (don't walk - the neighbourhood isn't the safest after dark). Lapa is THE area of the city to head to if you fancy dancing the night away - getting your groove on to some samba beats is a must-do experience in Rio. We recommend checking out Carioca de Gama - our favourite of the samba venues in Lapa and a great place for first timers. If you don't fancy dancing then stay in Santa Teresa and check out the bars around Largo de Guimaraes and Largo das Neve for a good drink. Definitely take a cab home - there are hundreds around Lapa around kicking out time so you won't have a problem getting home safely!


Day 2 
Bit of a hangover? Start your day with brunch at the brilliant Caroline Cafe near the Botanical Gardens to help lift the fog around your head. If you can't face moving that far then we suggest trying one of the many amazing fresh juice bars around the city - try an acai juice if you want to be like a local. It's purple, blended with honey, sugar, banana or even nuts and it's quite delicious.


Having sated your appetite, do something that will get you under the skin of the 'real' Rio a little more. Rocinha is the first and biggest of Rio's favelas (shanty towns), and you can take a fascinating half-day tour around the neighbourhood with a local guide (do NOT go into any of the favelas on your own). You'll be safe, well-informed and looked after on your trip around this fascinating city within a city. We'd recommend Exotic Tours for their excellent attitude to sustainable tourism. An incredible way to spend half a day, and it will teach you something about how the city really works away from the glitz and glamour of Ipanema and Copacabana.


If day 2 happens to be a Sunday as we've planned, ask your guide to drop you near Copacabana beach, which is brilliant to explore on this particular day because the Avenida Atlantica (the beach road) is closed to traffic since it's Shopping Day! 

Sundays: No traffic on Copacabana beach

Drink some fresh coconut juice or a caipirinha if that takes your fancy, grab a snack from one of the roving food venders or cafe cabins on the beach then take a taxi to the cable car station for Pao de Acucar (Sugarloaf Mountain in English). A return ticket to the top costs about US$12, and not only are the views back over the city stunning, but it's an incredible place for sunset.

View from Sugarloaf Mountain

Come back down to street level on the cable car and make your way back to Ipanema, where for your last supper you will sample a Brazilian eating tradition: the churrascaria. If you're a vegetarian, this isn't for you (though there is a seafood version if that's your bag) - these are all you can eat barbecue restaurants. You pay a set price (not including drinks and sometimes desserts) and are seated at a table with a reversible red/green card. As long as you have the green side showing, the waiters will continue to bring you whatever delicious type of meat the kitchen grills up that second, which will then be carved at your table: gorge yourself on every cut of steak you can think of, sausage, chicken, pork etc until you take mercy on your stomach and show the red side of your card. At this point they will stop serving you meat. Help yourself to the delicious buffet of salads/potatoes/sushi etc, which is included in the price. If you get hungry again, just flip your card to green and let the orgy of eating continue! You'll find many of these restaurants all over Rio but our favourite was Carretao. We saw one woman there cry because she loved the meat so much but couldn't fit any more in. Honestly.


If you still have room in your stomach, head to the obligatory Irish Pub, Shenanigan's, which is popular with tourists and locals, and is a great place to watch sport. After this collapse exhausted following a fun-filled two days.


We hope you've enjoyed your brief virtual tour around this incredible city. We've barely scratched the surface and there is so much more on offer - go for yourselves, explore and report back to us! We haven't even mentioned carneval! We'll save that for another time....


To read the funtotravel.info guide to Brazil, click this link

funtotravel.info PLACES: Luang Prabang, Laos

Without a doubt one of our favourite places in the world is peaceful, laid back Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage city on the banks of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. We think it's the most beautiful city destination in South East Asia, although it feels more like a small town, and is a world away from bustling metropolises like Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Ho Chi Ming City.

Situated in North Central Laos, about 425km north of Vientiane, Luang Prabang offers a stunning mix of beautiful temples, gorgeous French colonial architecture, fantastic fusion food and some fascinating markets. There are also some great bars and an increasingly upmarket restaurant scene. Make sure you have plenty of room left on your camera's memory stick when you visit - it's an incredibly photogenic place.

We think the best way of giving you an idea of what you can do in this fabulous city is to give you a run down of what we'd do if we had 24 hours to play with in Laos's jewel in the crown - Luang Prabang.

Morning

Head to L'Etranger for a fantastic breakfast and some great local teas and coffees. Pick up something to read from the wonderful downstairs book shop, or flick through one of the myriad National Geographic magazines that line the walls upstairs where you'll eat. This top cafe/bookshop also shows art movies at night.

Having sated your hunger temporarily, head out to explore some of the city's many cultural jewels. We recommend a visit to golden, ornate Wat Xieng Thong (a wat is a temple, and Luang Prabang has over one hundred of them) and then to the fascinating Royal Palace Museum. We also love pretty Wat Xieng Maen.

One of the great things about the city is that you are constantly surrounded by delicious and tempting snacks, so when you're all templed out, why not stop at one of the outdoor riverside cafe/restaurants that line Th Khem Khong and enjoy a drink and a snack while you watch life on the Mekong slide gently past. This is the perfect opportunity for you to hail one of the many boatmen who ply their trade on the river(s) - they hire out their boats for trips up and down the Mekong, so take an hour-long cruise and enjoy the tranquility (boat ride costs around US$3-5). 

View Larger Map

Afternoon

Return to Th Sisvangvong (the city's main tourist thoroughfare) and eat lunch at one of the many great restaurants there. We'd recommend Yongkhoune Restaurant for excellent people-watching and decent food. With all that fodder in your belly it's time to work some calories off. There are a number of local travel agents to be found on Sisvangthong who can arrange activities for you , but we'd recommend White Elephant. They arranged a brilliant trip for us mountain biking, swimming in the stunning Tad Sae waterfalls, riding elephants and kayaking back into town. A range of other trips are on offer, from forest trekking to overnight village stays and trips out to the Kuang Si waterfalls (equally beautiful). Return to your accommodation for a well earned shower and eat out for your evening's entertainment.

Evening

The perfect start for an evening in Luang Prabang is watching sunset on Phu Si hill. It takes a rather sweaty 15-20 minutes to hike up to the top (expect crowds!) but the view is well worth it - see the picture below if you don't believe us!

Once you've witnessed one of the greatest sunsets in South East Asia and made your way down from Phu Si, you will have definitely earned a drink. We recommend a bit of a splurge, so head to Pack Luck wine bar on Th Sisavangvong for a delicious glass of wine while you watch the world go by. Although Luang Prabang has a tremendous range of restaurants offering dishes from around the world, we recommend a trip to the night market to indulge in some delicious street food. As well as selling some great crafts and clothes from throughout the region, we think that the best thing about the market is the sheer range of delicious (and plain weird!) dishes on offer, from grilled meats to noodle dishes, fried insects on sticks, curries, soups, fried rices and filled baguettes. All for ludicrously cheap prices and perfect to wash down with a few wonderful Beer Lao. 

After filling your stomach, no doubt you'll be ready for a few drinks, so we recommend heading to Lao Lao Garden on Th Kingkitsarat (see this blog entry for a run down on the bar's delights) to get your groove on in their fantastic bonfire filled garden. Be aware that all bars in Luang Prabang close at midnight, so if you're not ready to call it a night then take a trip to the bowling alley (yes, really) for late night carousing! It's the best (and only) late night venue in town.

So there you have it, a great and fun-packed day in this jewel of a town. Pay it a visit and prepare to leave your worries and stresses behind.

Practical Stuff

Country: Laos

Currency: Kip (though US Dollars and Thai Baht are also widely accepted)

Accommodation: The best area for budget digs is on the streets off Th Phommatha near Phu Si - ask for the Merry Guesthouse and there are lots of options around.

Budget: $10-20 on a shoestring, $24-50 on a mid range budget with a few drinks and excursions thrown in.

Next destination: from Luang Prabang you can head south to Vang Vieng (a drunken Disneyland for backpackers) and then on to Vientiane (the country's sleepy capital) or head West over the border to Chiang Mai in Thailand (by boat or plane).

To read the funtotravel.info guide to Laos, click here.

funtotravel.info TOP 10: PARTY HOSTELS

Here's our selection of outstanding places to stay if you want to have a riotously good time while you're travelling the world. You might not get much culture or a good night's sleep, but you will have a damned good time!

1. The Flying Pig, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

The Flying Pig actually own two spots in the City – Uptown and Downtown. Downtown is the place to go if you want to have the time of your life: situated in a great part of the infamous party city that is Amsterdam, it’s a top spot to meet travellers, with a buzzing bar, top tunes and even a smoking room (this is Amsterdam after all) if that’s you’re thing. It’s also a great spot from which to explore this fascinating city, if you can drag yourself away from the bar!

http://www.flyingpig.nl/index.php
To read our guide to the Netherlands, click here

2. La Casa Roja, Santiago, Chile

A real blast whether you’re beginning or ending your South American odyssey, the Aussie owned Casa Roja is an absolute must-stay on this list. Not many city hostels have a pool and a hot tub, but even less have a cricket net! The bar seems to be open every hour of every day – drinks are cheap and plentiful and it’s not unusual to find people sinking a few beers when you come down to make breakfast! The hostel is based in a restored mansion in a pleasant suburban area of Santiago, with a supermarket and some cheap restaurants nearby. As well as offering the standard pasta, party and barbecue nights La Casa Roja offers Spanish lessons, a great kitchen and some good value tours. A fantastic place to meet people and very hard to leave!

http://www.lacasaroja.cl/
To read our guide to Chile click here


3. Loki, Cusco, Peru

Our favourite of the small chain of hostels set up by backpackers in South America (others in Lima, Mancora, and La Paz), this is THE place to stay if you want to party after Machu Picchu! In a stunningly restored 450 year old house in the historical centre of stunning Cusco, people come here to party. The bar is fantastic, and offers live music, quiz nights and a great garden for drinking and sunning yourself. All the amenities are top notch, and the place has clearly been put together with party-loving backpackers in mind. Though the beds are very comfy (proper duvets!), don’t expect to get much sleep!

http://www.lokihostel.com/en/cusco
To read our guide to Peru click here

4. Pink Palace, Corfu, Greece

This infamous place on the green island of Corfu is a must-visit on the 21st century European ‘Grand Tour’ for backpackers. It’s essentially a giant pink fun-house built on the cliffs of Agios Gordios Beach where you’re given a free shot of Ouzo on arrival. This sets the tone for your stay in surprisingly decent digs – drink, volleyball, drink, beach, drink, booze cruise, drink, toga parties, drink, pool parties, drink etc. You can also (when sober!) hire quad bikes, cars and mopeds to explore the beautiful island. Though open in the off-season, expect a much more chilled out experience: come in high-season for a slice of frat-party life in the Greek sunshine. Utter, utter debauchery.

http://www.thepinkpalace.com/index.html
To read our guide to Greece click here

5. Siam Hut, Ko Chang, Thailand

OK, so it’s not on perennial party favourites Ko Phangnan or Ko Phi Phi, but in our humble opinion it’s still one of the best beaches left in Thailand to party. Siam Huts is located on the south end of Lonely Beach on the tropical Island of Ko Chang. Built on ramshackle wooden platforms jutting out over crystal clear waters, the crazy bar here offers frequent live music, nightly fire shows and wild cocktail-bucket parties pretty much every night of the week. If the scene here isn’t loud enough for you, then we’re sure that you’ll find a party to suit your mood somewhere along the beach! The huts here aren’t bad at all, ranging from basic to mid-range, but don’t expect to get a great night’s sleep if you come here in high season – parties rage on pretty much until sunrise.

http://www.siamhutkohchang.com/
To read our guide to Thailand click here

6. Balmer’s, Interlaken, Switzerland

Backpackers flock to Interlaken for skiing, canyoning, bungy, hiking, rafting and sky-diving all through the year. And they come to Balmer’s famous hostel to party. It has the most popular bar and nightclub town which throngs with backpackers from around the world, as well as its own beer garden which is a great place to chill out after a day of activities. It’s a must stop on the European party tour. If you want to experience real Swiss culture and hospitality, don’t stay here, but if you want to drink around the clock with other backpackers from around the world then go for it. This place can eat money if you’re not careful – Switzerland is not a budget destination. Not for the faint-hearted!

http://www.balmers.com/en/

7. Che Lagarto, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Surely one of the most fun destinations in the world, Rio de Janeiro has its fair share of party hostels but Che Lagarto has to be our favourite. It’s in a brilliant location, just a couple of blocks from infamous Copacabana beach, and possesses a fun, loud and very lively bar. It’s a great place to base yourself in Rio (especially during Carnaval), and as well as hosting some fine events in-house (pizza nights, samba nights etc), they will give you a steer as to where is good to go afterwards.

http://www.chelagarto.com/index.php/en/hostel-in-copacabana.html
To read our guide to Brazil click here

8. The Yellow, Rome, Italy

Brilliantly located near Termini station in the centre of Rome, The Yellow is one of the greatest party hostels in Europe. This is thanks to two things: firstly, the popularity of its cheap (well, cheap compared to the rest of the city!) bar, which is a brilliant place to hook up with other backpackers, and secondly, it runs some of the biggest and most fun pub crawls in Italy (chock full of free drink offers). A really fun place to stay in one of the most memorable cities in the world.

http://www.the-yellow.com/
To read our guide to Italy click here

9. St Christopher’s Village Inn, London, England

Quite simply, this is London’s premier party hostel. In a great destination not far from wonderful Borough Market, the Village Inn has its infamous Belushi’s bar (a brilliant place to meet people) as well as a comedy club. It also benefits from a great number of pubs, bars and clubs within walking distance. This is a really fun place to stay and sample some of the UKs top-notch beers. Oh, and when you get bored of the bar and the comedy club, the Village has its own pumping nightclub – don’t stay if you fancy an early night!

http://www.st-christophers.co.uk/london-hostels/london/london-bridge
To read our guide to the UK click here

10. Hostel Inn Iguazu, Puerto Iguazu, Argentina

The fact that this fantastic hostel used to be a casino says a lot! Don’t be put off by the fact that this is an official HI Hostel (with their rather straight laced reputation) – it’s in a beautiful position with a giant pool and a great outside bar (as well as one inside). They run regular barbecue nights, five a side football, samba and tango nights and pizza nights where the booze flows. They will also help you run trips out to the truly incredible Iguazu Falls. It’s a great place to stay and a lot of fun.

http://www.hostel-inn.com/?idioma=2&seccion=hostels&id1=11&le2=0&id2=0&le3=0&id3=0&le4=0&id4=0
To read our guide to Argentina click here

funtotravel.info ISSUES: ¿Habla usted inglés? Getting by if you don't speak the language

The truth is that as an English speaker, you are likely to be spoiled language-wise when you travel in a lot of areas around the world. English has become the language of travel, and in areas like Southeast Asia, India and Nepal, English is spoken by many people associated with the tourist industry, meaning that staff in hotels, guest houses, restaurants, tourist sights and travel agents (as well as the numerous touts) are used to speaking to tourists in English. Lucky you if you speak English (and we assume you do if you’re reading this!). This does not mean though that you should ignore your obligations as a visitor in another country: make an effort to learn at least a few words of the local language wherever you go (hello, please, thank you and goodbye should be the bare minimum). Not only does it show that you are making an effort to communicate in the local language, but it shows respect for where you are and means you are much more likely to be treated favourably by whoever you are speaking to.

Please DO NOT make the classic mistake that English-speaking travellers abroad make: if someone does not seem to understand you when you speak to them in English then please, please, please do not just speak louder and slower in English while gesticulating wildly. You will be amazed how many times you will see this bewildering behaviour from tourists on their travels – it’s rude and embarrassing. So please make an effort and have a go at speaking the local language: it will also help you feel less intimidated or paranoid in situations where you are not sure exactly what is going on.

There are certain areas that you will travel in where people will have no understanding of English whatsoever, and why should they. This is where it pays to speak some of the language. South and Central America are perfect examples of this, since Spanish (except in Brazil where it’s Portuguese) is the common language. Here you cannot expect to be understood if you speak English, other than in the most touristy areas (Cuzco in Peru for example), so it pays to learn some Spanish before you head over there. If you have the time and the money why not take some lessons when you’re over there – it’s a really rewarding thing to do, and by immersing yourself in the experience you are bound to learn the language faster and more efficiently.

How do you say 'No, just a trim please!' in Spanish?!

You may face similar linguistic problems if you are a non-French speaker in parts of western Africa where French is the official language. If you plan to travel here then try and learn some French before you arrive as it will get you a long way.

If you plan to travel around somewhere with a different alphabet (i.e. Japan, China, Russia or Korea to name a few), then our best tip is to take a guide-book that has the symbols for each destination or sight printed in them next to the English name. This is unbelievably useful and practical for things like asking for directions or giving instructions to a taxi driver if you can’t find an English speaker and are really struggling with the language. Pointing at the symbol, intimating that you don’t know where to go and smiling may seem a little rude, but it’s far better than simply speaking loudly and slowly in English! It’s worth noting though that even in these regions (maybe with the exception of Russia), at least some English will be spoken in most hostels and guesthouses.

If you are planning on taking an Interrail/Eurail trip around Europe then you are likely to be passing through countries where a lot of different languages are spoken. Make an effort to learn the basic words in German, French and Spanish and as many other languages as are relevant for the countries that you are visiting, but note that English is becoming increasingly widely spoken in tourist areas. This does not though give you an excuse to be lazy or rude and go shouting English at staff in train stations/restaurants etc!

Another tip that might come in handy if you are really struggling to breach the language barrier is to ask the staff in your hostel for help (assuming of course that they speak English!). Whether you are wanting to book a train ticket, have your hair cut or order a particular dish in a restaurant, ask the guys in your hostel to write down what you’re after in the local language on a piece of paper and take it to wherever you need to use it. We’ve done this in countries as diverse as Brazil, Egypt, China and Bolivia and it has worked like a charm every time.

Don’t forget, if worst comes to worst and you are really struggling to make yourself understood, then smiling and using sign language can sometimes work. At best you’ll get your point across and get what you want, and at worst you’ll look like a bit of an idiot but at least you’ll give anyone watching a good laugh. Keeping a smile on your face and your sense of humour intact will get you through almost everything!

funtotravel.info TOP 10: DRINKING SPOTS

We love to travel and we’re fond of a drink, so what better way to mesh two of our loves together than by listing ten of our favourite places worldwide to enjoy a drink. Some are at the ‘flashpacker’ end of the market, and some you could afford on the most meagre of budgets, but all have something very special about them. Let us know if you agree.

In no particular order:

1. Il Palazetto, Rome, Italy
This boutique hotel’s stunning terrace overlooks the Spanish Steps and Piazza di Spagna in one of Rome’s most beautiful spots. Drinks aren’t cheap, but the view is out of this world, the cocktails are delicious and the DJs spin funky, laid back tunes. Great people watching!

http://www.ilpalazettoroma.com/
Vicolo del Bottino, 8, 00187 Roma, Italy, 066 9202055

To read the funtotravel.info guide to Italy click here

2. Bia Hoi Corner, Hanoi, Vietnam

This crossroads in the Old Quarter of Hanoi has become a meeting point for travellers and expats from all over the world. Come here to drink freshly brewed and surprisingly light beers for 5000 Dong (about 15p UK) at any of the four little outdoor ‘bars’ . We say bars, but they’re more like tiny shop fronts with primary school sized plastic furniture outside. Chat to new friends as cyclos, cars, mopeds and hundreds of street vendors zoom past you. It’s a lot of fun! If you get hungry, there’s a great restaurant called ‘Little Hanoi’ just up the street.

Corner of Pho Ta Hien / Pho Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Vietnam

To read the funtotravel.info guide to Vietnam click here


3. Carioca de Gema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

One of Rio’s most celebrated samba bars, Carioca de Gema is situated in the lively district of Lapa, an area famous for samba. Though Friday and Saturday are obviously the busiest nights, it’s one of the few places in Lapa that you can guarantee a good crowd on weeknights. It serves up great mojitos and caipirinhas as you’d imagine, as well as some decent snack food if all the samba makes you hungry. Head down here, grab a Bramha, SKOL or Bohemia beer and dance the night away!

http://barcariocadagema.com.br/bar.htm
Rua Mem de Sá, nº 79, Lapa, Rio de Janeiro, Tel.: 2221-0043

To read the funtotravel.info guide to Brazil click here

4. Lao Lao Garden, Luang Prabang, Laos

We love Luang Prabang and pretty much everything about this laid back and beautiful town on the banks of the Mekong in Laos is simply wonderful. Our favourite spot, especially on one of the cooler nights in the ‘winter’ months, is at Lao Lao Garden.

As the name suggests it’s a bar and restaurant set in a beautifully lit, terraced, multi-level tropical garden. At the bottom is a nightly bonfire, great for sitting around and meeting new people, while each of the 30 or so smaller stone tables on the higher levels comes with its own firepit in the centre. These fires are great for keeping your hands warm while you sip on budget cocktails (many of which are made from the infamous rice whisky lao lao) or on a truly delicious Beer Lao. Their main purpose though is to use to cook the house speciality – Laotian Barbecue. This tasty food is like a cross between a Chinese hot pot and a Korean barbecue, and is surprisingly light.

Beautiful lighting, chilled out music, a buzzing yet intimate atmosphere, warm fires and great drinks make this a must visit if you’re in Luang Prabang.

Tip: If you’re nursing a hangover try L’etranger on Ban Aphay (booksinlaos@yahoo.com), selling many different kinds of teas, shakes and smoothies. It stocks a small library with books that can be hired for a fee. Upstairs screens art house films most nights and its walls are covered with old copies of the National Geographic, which we love! Breakfasts are awesome.

Th Kingkitsarat Old Town, Luang Prabang

To read the funtotravel.info guide to Laos click here

5. KuDeTa, Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia

Of all of the venues listed here, this is without doubt the flashiest and most pretentious. This pretension does not however stop it from being an incredible place to go for a sunset drink (or even dinner – the food is fantastic).

Built on a prime beach-front location in upmarket Seminyak, it is stunningly designed and houses an open air restaurant, a few different and extremely stylish bars, a pool and some gorgeous beach side recliners.

It’s achingly hip, and prices and service reflect this. Take a look at their site and you’ll see what we mean. It’s a real experience going there, and we definitely think it is worth a splurge if you’re in Bali.

http://bali.kudeta.net/

Jalan Laksmana 9 Denpasar, Bali 80361, Indonesia, Tel: 62 361 736969

To read the funtotravel.info guide to Indonesia click here

6. KozyBar, Marrakech, Morocco

Hidden away in the medina of Marrakech, this gem of a bar is one of the most atmospheric places we have ever drunk. It’s one of the few places within the medina itself that has a licence, and we’d recommend that you head to the roof terrace for a sunset drink and watch the sky change over the storks' nests and rooftops of the old city. Be warned though, this is not a place to visit on a budget…

There’s a piano bar downstairs where some decent jazz is performed on certain nights, and Moroccan and Asian fusion food is served throughout the bar. It’s not cheap, but listen to the call to prayer echoing over the rooftops from the Koutoubia Mosque and you’ll realise why it’s so special. Oh, and Casablanca beer’s not half bad….

47 Place des Ferblantiers, Marrakech, Morocco

To read the funtotravel.info members’ guide to Morocco click here

7. Opera Bar, Sydney, Australia

Touristy, fairly expensive and a bit of a cliché, yes, but it’s a bar that just couldn’t be left off the list. Built into the lower concourse of the Opera House, it’s a truly spectacular setting, with stunning views of the Harbour Bridge, Circular Quay and the Opera House itself, along with everything in-between.

It’s an amazing, if expensive place to see in the New Year and enjoy a firework spectacular. The bar has a great range of beers, wines and spirits and also serves some great modern Australian dishes if you get peckish.

But even though the food and drink are both spectacular, the views will have you coming back time and time again.
http://www.operabar.com.au/
Lower Concourse Level, Sydney Opera House, Sydney 2000, Australia, 61 2 9247 1666

To read the funtotravel.info guide to Australia click here

8. Tubing, Vang Vieng, Laos

Not strictly a bar, per se, but a bar crawl with a twist that’s unrivalled in terms of fun. Love it or hate it, Vang Vieng is like Disneyland for backpackers and has become one of the 'it' destinations of South East Asia. For the uninitiated, tubing involves floating down the beautiful Nam Song river in a tractor tyre inner tube, stopping for numerous drinks and taking on some ridiculous rope swings.

After a lift on a tuk-tuk, you begin a few kilometres upstream of town with a strong cocktail at the organic farm (the profits from which help educate local kids), and then drift downriver. Expect to be pulled in (literally – they have ropes and sticks!) by the owners of various bars that have set-up on the banks. As well as areas for dancing and heavy drinking, the owners have set up increasingly ridiculous slides and rope swings for the brave/stupid/heavily intoxicated to try. Delicious Beer Lao runs at about $1.50 for a large bottle, cocktail buckets (yes, buckets) are about $3, and shots of rice whisky are dished out liberally. At last count there were ten-plus bars on the float back to town, and most people have a drink at each, as well as indulging in a bit of mud-wrestling/volleyball/swinging/dancing. It’s a very fun, very heavy, and pretty dangerous day all in all – health and safety isn’t big in Laos.

We don’t want to sound like your mother, but perforated eardrums, broken ribs and permanent hearing damage are common injuries resulting from tubing going wrong, so don’t go too hard too early – tubing is a marathon not a sprint!

It’s the must-do activity in this part of the world – yes it's shamelessly tacky and more than a little dangerous but for a lot of people it's the highlight of their trip. If you can't beat them, join them!

Tubing starts and ends in Vang Vieng, Laos.

To read the funtotravel.info guide to Laos click here

9. Sunset View Terrace, Fateh Prakash Palace Hotel, City Palace, Udaipur, India

In India’s most romantic city, head to the City Palace for a sundown gin and tonic and be treated to truly enchanting views across Lake Pichola towards the white marble Lake Palace Hotel. The other bonus is that you won’t be made to watch Octopussy for the 150th time like at every other restaurant in town!

Get here early for a prime table and prepare to pay steep prices (for India anyway) for your drink. It’s well worth it though - watching the sunset with such a stunning view and an ice-cold gin and tonic in hand is truly a magical experience.

City Palace, Udaipur 313001, India

To read the funtotravel.info guide to India click here

10. The Pawn, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

If you have the cash to splash, Hong Kong is a drinker’s paradise with many fantastic venues on offer. Despite the handover to China back in 1997, many parts of HK retain a colonial feel and perhaps that’s why we felt a hankering for a proper pub with real ale on our travels: this stylish and beautifully renovated pub ticked all the boxes.

Situated in a converted tenement house in buzzing Wan Chai, the stylish Pawn serves as a pub and restaurant serving British gastro-pub food with a great selection of beers and lagers on tap.

It’s not cheap (far from it in fact), but it has a fun yet laid-back atmosphere, great beers and decent food, all served in a beautiful old building. It also has good views along Johnston Street, and is in the centre of the Wan Chai action. Recommended.

http://www.thepawn.com.hk/
The Pawn, 62 Johnston Road, Hong Kong, China, 2866-3444

To read the funtotravel.info guide to Hong Kong click here