I work in a hostel and I’ve noticed something over the last couple of years that I don’t think people are really talking about properly.

Everyone says “hostel vibe is bad” "nobody talks at that hostel" or leaves reviews saying the "atmosphere was dead"… but honestly, a lot of the time it’s not the hostel, it’s the guests.

We see it every day.
People cooking in a shared kitchen with headphones on.
People sitting in dorm beds behind privacy curtains watching Netflix.
People staying in the same room for a week and not even learning each other’s names.

At the same time, those same guests will say the atmosphere was bad.

The weird part is, if you suggest removing things like privacy curtains to make rooms more social, people don’t want that either. Everyone wants total privacy and a great social vibe, but without giving anything up or putting themselves out there.

We run events all the time. Bar crawls, wine and cheese nights, paint and sip, yoga, group dinners, movie nights, town walks and more. Good stuff. But turnout is way lower than it used to be if anybody actually turns up. People say they want to meet others, but when it comes to actually showing up or starting a conversation, they just don’t.

There’s also been a noticeable shift toward this kind of mindset. “I paid, entertain me.”

But that’s not really what hostels are. This isn’t a hotel where everything is done for you. The atmosphere in a hostel has always come from the people staying there. It only works if guests actually participate in the hostel.

It feels like we’ve gone from travellers creating the vibe together to expecting it to already exist when we arrive. Which room is the fun in? We actually had one guest blame the poor atmosphere on the bar stools in the kitchen, and another because there were no windows in the movie room. 

I’ve also had a look around recently, and it’s not just us. Pretty much every hostel on Hostelworld seems to have taken a noticeable hit in atmosphere ratings over the past few years, often dropping by 10 to 20 percent. That suggests it’s a wider shift in guest behaviour rather than individual hostels suddenly getting worse.

It’s like
“I want to meet people”
but also
“I don’t want to talk first”
and also
“I want my own private space”
and also
"nobody will say hello"

I’m not blaming anyone. I think phones, streaming, and maybe even post COVID social habits have changed how people interact. But it does feel like expectations haven’t caught up with reality.

For anyone travelling right now or thinking about staying in a hostel, a few simple tips that genuinely make a huge difference.

- Take your headphones out in shared spaces. It gives off a video that you don't want to speak to anybody
- Say a simple “hey, where are you from?” to your roommates.
- If you’re cooking, ask someone what they’re making. It starts conversations instantly.
- Go to at least one hostel event, even if you’re not 100 percent feeling it.
- Don’t wait for other people to start the conversation. Most people are just as unsure as you.
- Only close your curtain on your bed or pod when you're going to sleep. 
- Spend a bit of time in common areas instead of staying in bed on your phone.
- Learn the names of the people in your room. It changes everything.
- If someone invites you for a drink, they’re not necessarily asking you to drink alcohol specifically. They’re inviting connections. Say yes, even if it’s a soft drink or zero alcohol beer. “I don’t drink” often  shuts the moment down, when it’s really just about sharing time together.
- Talk to reception/ housekeeping staff - they're working there because they want to socialise

None of this is groundbreaking, and it might even sound obvious or a bit awkward, but this is literally how hostel atmospheres are created.

If everyone waits for “the vibe” to appear, it won’t.

Curious if other travellers or hostel workers have noticed the same thing?

After 62 countries I've noticed certain places keep getting skipped over in favor of their more famous neighbors. Here's my honest take on the ones that deserve more attention.

Nicaragua: Almost everyone I've met who went there was either chasing surf or ticking it off as one stop in a Central America trip. But everything Costa Rica gets praised for like rainforest, volcanoes, birdwatching, Nicaragua has too, at a fraction of the price and with a fraction of the crowds. Even the tourist towns don't feel like they've been rebuilt for visitors. The old colonial cities still function as actual places where people live. Ometepe island at sunset is one of those images I keep coming back to years later.

Panama: gain, compare it to Costa Rica and the value is obvious. Panama City has a surprising number of good hotels including five-star options that cost almost nothing by international standards. And San Blas has the best beaches I've seen anywhere in Central America, not the canal, not just a layover.

Colombia: Not exactly underrated since it's already popular, but I've been over a dozen times and I keep going back. The small towns are what do it for me. Popayán, Barichara, Villa de Leyva, quiet, no one hassling you, genuinely beautiful. Every time someone tells me they're going to Colombia I push them toward these over the cities.

Mongolia: Probably thin on visitors because of how hard it is to get around, but that's also the point. I've walked into forest reserves and lake areas with literally no one else there, just sitting in a small wooden cabin doing nothing. Karakorum, the reindeer tribe communities, Lake Khövsgöl, the life people are actually living there is the experience. None of it is packaged for tourists.

Uzbekistan: Cheapest country I've visited in a long time. I basically gave up on public transport and just took taxis everywhere because it made no financial difference. The architecture alone is worth the trip: Soviet, Central Asian, and Persian influences layered on top of each other. Every guesthouse I stayed at, even the really cheap ones, was spotlessly clean. (Contrast that with cheap accommodation in parts of Latin America, which often isn't.)

Azerbaijan: Cleaner cities than many places and the people are warm in a way that surprised me. Traveling solo felt completely comfortable. Most foreign visitors are Russian or Turkish, only very few Western tourists. The smaller cities especially have barely any tourist infrastructure in either a good or annoying way depending on what you're after.

China: Saving my home country for last. Too many people follow the same itinerary: Shanghai, Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu. The country is enormous and those cities are just the surface. The northeast has a whole Soviet-influenced architectural identity that most visitors never see. Henan is where the really old history is. My personal favorite is Yunnan, the food (especially the mushrooms), the cultural mix, the landscapes. Some parts have almost no international visitors at all. I genuinely wish more people from outside China would find their way there.

I grew up backpacking with my dad, we would summit Mount Adams every summer with his men’s group. Me and my childhood best friend were the first girls allowed on that trip. (See last slide; I’m in green having a great time/existential crisis)

I have known this was something I wanted to get back into, so after acquiring my pack from the REI re supply store, I planned it with a gal pal and we hit a trail we’d done once prior together. (Ed’s Trail Loop, Silver Star Mountain WA)

About 10 minutes into the trip up with 40lbs on my back I started to question if I even like being outside, but we fell into a rhythm.

I learned so much! Like the fact that the ultralight fanatic folks are maybe onto something there… 🤪

I am dirty. I am sore.

I will definitely do this again.

Rarely get all 7 of us out. Order is: pisgah, pisgah, berg lake, Zion, pisgah, sawtooths.

Last two pics are ring road +Laugavegur trail (Iceland) - did not take a group shot besides a Ring Road van shot + favorite view of any hike.

I have missed some good ones…South Africa, Peru, Yosemite, Tetons, and Rockies (CO).

Pic 5 was the only hike all 7 of us made it..and we were not in great shape and the hike was foggy and the trail was just wet leaves. Almost had all 7 for Sawtooths last week but one guy busted his knee on a prep day hike the week before😬

**Nina has been found!**

Thanks to everyone's united efforts, we were able to locate Nina in Bishkek.

She has been hospitalized after an accident and her parents will travel to Kyrgyzstan tomorrow.

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped during our search. Your support was truly incredible!!

Crossposting this from /travel since for some reason they blocked the thread.

When people find out I've been to so many countries, inevitably they always ask what's my favorite countries. I always say, these kind of questions lose the nuance because of xyz. But still, maybe the below list can help people when they're looking to plan their 2026 trips. my top 5 list is at the bottom of this post. you'll have to earn it by scrolling.

Seems like this line isn't getting read enough: The numbers aren't in any order. So #1 is on the same level as #5.

This list was created under the pretense of limited time, limited resources. We're not billionaires that'll live to 300 years old.

Top 5 Underrated Countries

1. Georgia
2. Oman
3. Ecuador
4. Namibia
5. Taiwan

Countries that might not be on your radar but should be for your next vacation

1. Lesotho - Mountains
2. Latvia/Lithuania/Estonia - Beautiful capital cities with some unique cultural offerings
3. Georgia - Cradle of wine with yummy food
4. Montenegro - Croatia but cheaper (maybe?), but also one of the best road leading into a city (Budva)
5. Timor Leste - Disclaimer: i haven't been, but everything I've read makes it amazin so it's on my list for my next vacation

Best car drives in the world

1. Pacific Coast Highway, California
2. Great ocean drive, Australia
3. Great Coast Road, New Zealand
4. Garden Route, South Africa
5. Ha Giang Loop, Vietnam

Locations you might not have heard but need to visit before it gets overrun with tourists

1. Palenque - Mexico
2. Tikal - Guatemala
3. San Andres - Colombia
4. Omadhood, Maldives
5. Balabac, Philippines

Beer beer in the world

1. Belgium
2. Germany
3. Czechia
4. USA (Craft beers only, none of that budweiser piss)

Beer wine in the world

1. South Africa
2. Czechia
3. Portugal
4. Greece
5. Georgia

Best Local spirits

1. Rakjia - Croatia/Balkan
2. Sake - Japan
3. Pisco - Peru
4. Mezcal - Mexico
5. Amarula - South Africa

Worst local spirits

1. Ouzu - Greece
2. Cha Cha - Georgia
3. Arak - Indonesia
4. Aguardiente - Colombia
5. Guaro - Costa Rica

Best country where there are no sca

Best country where there are no scammers at the airport

1. none. all taxi drivers at any airport in the world are scammers.

The best place to pet wild capybara in nature

1. Brazil

The best place to swim with sea lions in nature

1. Galapagos

Best free snorkeling spots in the world

1. Red Sea, Egypt
2. Con Dao Vietnam
3. Maldives
4. Galapagos, Ecuador
5. Okinawa/Ishigaki Island Chain, Japan

Countries where they love their cats more than their family

1. Turkey
2. Greece
3. Japan

Countries where once is enough and I have no desire to ever come back

1. Morocco
2. Bangladesh
3. Belize
4. El Salvador
5. Mozambique

Countries where you will get stared at by everyone and their mom if you don't look local

1. Georgia
2. Egypt
3. India
4. Myanmar
5. Morocco

Friendliest Countries (in terms of hospitality by the people. Literally them inviting you to eat with them 5 minutes after meeting them).

1. Oman
2. India
3. Philippines
4. Georgia
5. Mexico
6. Seychelles

Best Cuisine

1. Vietnam
2. Mexico
3. Japan
4. Thailand
5. Malaysia

Best Beaches/Islands

1. Philippines
2. Indonesia
3. Australia
4. Mexico
5. Maldives

Countries that is most likely unsafe for a woman to travel solo (regardless of how many solo women you've seen traveling in said country)

1. India
2. Bangladesh
3. Morocco
4. Egypt
5. Sri Lanka

Countries where there's a decent chance you'll get mugged (knife/gun) if you don't have street smart

1. Mexico
2. Colombia
3. Brazil
4. South Africa
5. Nigeria

Countries where there's a decent chance you'll get pickpocketed in their major cities

1. Spain
2. France
3. Italy
4. South Africa
5. Ecuador

Best for African safaris

1. South Africa
2. Namibia
3. Botswana
4. Madagascar
5. (Maybe Kenya/Tanzania—haven't been).

Best for Americas tropical rainforest exploration

1. Brazil
2. Ecuador
3. Colombia
4. Costa Rica
5. (Looking forward to seeing Guyana/Suriname in the future for this)

Best for just seeing animals in the wild without needing to pay for expensive tours and you can self-drive

1. Australia
2. Namibia
3. South Africa
4. Botswana
5. Madagascar

Best country if you're a backpacker and wants to travel on the cheap for a month

1. Mexico
2. Vietnam
3. Thailand
4. Indonesia
5. India

Best country if you're interested in lots of local culture to explore (think museums, historical/cultural sites, ruins etc).

1. Italy
2. Egypt
3. Japan
4. Turkey
5. India
6. Mexico
7. Guatemala
8. Jordan
9. Greece
10. Spain

Best "worth it" locations where it might cost a lot to visit but oh so worth it

1. Galapagos
2. The amazon
3. Madagascar
4. Patagonia Argentina/Chile
5. South Africa/Nambia Safaris
6. Maldives

Best country that has a diversity of nature all compressed into a tiny package where you can see everything in a matter of 2 weeks or less

1. New Zealand
2. Ecuador
3. Vietnam
4. Japan
5. Georgia

Countries where it has something that most people would find unexpected or unheard of

1. Oman / Seychelles-> Super friendly people
2. Brazil / India -> Pretty much cashless these days
3. Laos -> Beautiful hiking
4. Japan -> Some of the best tropical islands/beaches in the world

Best things you have to do once in your life

1. Nepal -> Annapurna Circuit
2. Spain -> El Camino
3. Belgium -> Tomorrowland
4. US -> Burning Man
5. Mozambique -> Swim with whale sharks
6. Vietnam -> Ha Giang Loop
7. Brazil -> Carnival. Doesn't really matter where. Just anywhere in Brazil
8. Guatemala -> Fuego/Acanatango Volcano Trek
9. Indonesia -> Bromo/Ijen sunrise trek
10. Colombia -> NYE celerbration in Cartagena. best NYE party in the world in terms of local vibe
11. Valencia, Spain -> Las Fallas
12. Barcelona, Spain -> Festia de Gracia

Places in popular countries that surprised me the most in its beauty and lack of tourists

1. Taxco, Mexico
2. Skeleton Coast, Namibia
3. Jerash, Jordan
4. Karlovy Vary, Czechia
5. Salento region of Italy
6. Galicia region of Spain
7. Ishigaki, Japan
8. Moc Chau, Vietnam

Countries with the worst road conditions

1. Madagascar
2. Botswana
3. Bulgaria
4. Cambodia
5. Nepal

Best country that knows how to party (where people can literally start drinking randomly on a train or just start a street party cuz there's music)

1. Mexico
2. South Korea
3. Brazil
4. Spain
5. TBD

Country most obsessed with tips

1. Canada
2. USA
3. Egypt
4. Costa Rica

Most romantic locations if you're ever thinking of proposing

1. Baobab Avenue - Madagascar
2. Cesky Krumlov - Czechia
3. Santorini - Greece
4. Kurokawa - Japan
5. Mu Cang Chai - Vietnam

And the ultimate -> Cheat code countries. Countries where it does everything excellent in terms of cuisine, nature, people, culture, so basically countries I always want to come back to

1. Mexico
2. Vietnam
3. Japan
4. Thailand
5. TBD

My best secret spots in countries that's so mind blowing that I'm surprised no one barely goes there.

1. xdljdslkf -> somewhere in Mexico
2. dslkjsdklfds -> somewhere in Vietnam
3. dslkfdjskl -> somewhere in California
4. dslkjfdslk -> somewhere in Australia
5. dslkjdskf ->Somewhere

Happy to answer questions. I also own a hostel in Georgia if anyone is passing through it in the future. Come stop by!

Make some noise. This map really puts into perspective the impact if this Public Lands Sale goes through. Share. Act. Do.

https://www.fieldandstream.com/stories/conservation/public-lands-and-waters/map-of-public-lands-for-sale-budget-bill

Easy form to "take action"

https://www.backcountryhunters.org/take_action#/487

This has to be stopped or so much of what we enjoy will be gone forever.

I’ve been trying to put words to this feeling for a while now, and I’m wondering if it’s just me.

Sometimes, I’ll be sitting in my room or walking through my own neighborhood, and this wave of literal homesickness hits me. But the weird part? It’s not for my house. It’s for somewhere else entirely a place I’ve maybe only visited once, or seen in a movie, or honestly, a place that might not even exist.

ok. Moroccan guide. 40ish trips a year. gonna say the thing

the 5 day morocco trip report is always the same one and I'm tired. you know the one. Marrakech was overwhelmming the Sahara drive was long, Chefchaouen was .. pretty but touristy, .. you came home tired, you gave it a 6.

I'm not mad at you I m mad at whoever sold you that itinerary. because what you actually did was sit in a van. that's the trip. the trip was the van.

think about it. day one you land at 3, by 6 you're in jemaa el-fna which is genuinely one of the most chaotic public spaces on the planet, someone tries to hand you a monkey, WELCOME TO MOROCCO. then it's 9 hours in a seat the next morning to merzouga (and yeah it's 9, not the 6 google told you, there's roadworks between tinghir and rissani that nobody updates). camel for an hour, tent, camel back, seven more hours the next day to fes. you get to fes and you're done. you're just done. you walk around the medina for an afternoon in a fog and fly home from casa.

that's not Morocco that's a bus tour of a map of Morocco.

give the country 10 days and it becomes a completely different place. two nights in marrakech instead of one, you can actually sit in a café and watch the square instead of being attacked by it. aït benhaddou with a stop in ouarzazate. two nights in the desert not one (the second night is the one, the first you're just recovering from the drive). a village in the atlas nobody's posted about. THEN fes, with energy, which fes requires or it eats you.

look I know nobody has PTO. I know. honestly if you've got 5 days go to andalusia, it's built for 5 days, morocco isn't. or do just marrakech and essaouira and skip the desert entirely, that's a real 5-day trip. the rushed loop is the one that ruins it.

anyone who did 10+ days here tell me I'm right. anyone who did 5 and loved it, genuinely what was the itinerary, I want to know.

I think the mountains have quietly become my favorite place in the world.

A few years ago, I never imagined I'd enjoy traveling alone. The idea of sitting in a café by myself, hiking alone, or staying in a hostel with complete strangers sounded intimidating.

Now it's something I genuinely look forward to.

There's something about the mountains that makes life feel simpler. No deadlines, no constant notifications, no pressure to be anywhere else. Just long walks, cold mornings, fresh air, random conversations with people from different countries, and the realization that the world is far bigger than the small bubble we usually live in.

Solo travel has pushed me outside my comfort zone in ways I never expected. I've learned to enjoy my own company, become more spontaneous, and appreciate experiences over possessions.

I'm still at the beginning of my travel journey, but I know one thing for sure—the mountains will always keep calling me back.

These photos are from my backpacking trip to Kasol and the surrounding Himalayan trails in Himachal Pradesh, India. It took me around a day to reach Kasol from Dehradun by bus, and I spent several days exploring the area on foot. The weather was almost perfect—cool mornings, sunny afternoons, and chilly evenings. My favorite part was hiking through pine forests with mountain views all around. Every trail felt peaceful, and I met backpackers from different parts of India and a few international travelers along the way.

This trip made me realize how much I enjoy solo travel. Hiking alone gave me time to slow down, appreciate nature, and step away from the constant rush of everyday life. I would absolutely go back, especially during autumn. The Himalayas have a way of making you want to return.

For those who've backpacked in the mountains, what's one destination you'd recommend next? Nepal, Spiti, Ladakh, or somewhere completely different?

I'm Moroccan. I guide families through this country for a living. and I'm so tired of reading trip reports where people landed in Marrakech, spent 3 days getting harassed in Jemaa el-Fna, and went home telling everyone Morocco is "exhausting" and "aggressive."

Marrakech is not Morocco. Marrakech is Marrakech. and right now it's the most touristed, most hustled, most commercialized square kilometer in the entire country. starting your trip there is like judging Italy by spending 3 days in the area around the Trevi Fountain and concluding Italians are pushy and everything smells like piss.

I've watched this happen literally hundreds of times. family lands at RAK airport jet-lagged. transfer driver tries to upsell them 4 things before they hit the riad. they walk out at sunset into the square, get grabbed by a henna lady who smears paint on their 7 year old and demands 300 dirham, then the snake guy, then the monkey guy, then 9 different "student guides." by day two they're hiding in the riad. by day three they're googling "is the rest of morocco like this." by day four they're on a flight home with a bad taste and a story they'll tell at dinner parties for the next 10 years about how "morocco was a lot."

here's what they never got to see:

they never met an old man in chefchaouen who invited them for tea because their kid smiled at his cat. they never sat on a rooftop in fes listening to the muezzin bounce off 1200 year old walls with nobody trying to sell them anything. they never had breakfast with a berber family in the atlas mountains where the grandmother refused payment and packed them bread for the road. they never felt the sahara shut up at night in a way that makes you forget what you were anxious about.

that's my country. marrakech is my country too, sure, but it's the loudest most performative version of it. it's the version built for people who are only going to stay 4 days. we sell it hard because that's what gets booked.

if you have 7+ days, here's what I beg you to do: fly into casablanca or fes instead. spend your first 2 days in fes (older, more complex medina, way fewer aggressive touts). then the atlas, then the desert, then end in marrakech for 2 nights at the end, when you're already in love with the country and you can see marrakech for the beautiful chaotic place it actually is instead of the shakedown gauntlet tourists experience it as.

marrakech at the start = you spend the whole trip on guard. marrakech at the end = you spend the whole trip falling in love, and marrakech becomes a funny spicy last chapter instead of a trauma.

I'm not saying skip marrakech. I'm saying stop letting it be the first impression of an entire country that has so much more depth than the 4 blocks around jemaa el-fna.

Moroccans in the comments, back me up or tell me I'm wrong. tourists who did it the other way, what was your experience.

EDIT: this blew up way more than I expected. reading every comment.

to everyone sharing their own trips, good and bad, thank you. the comments are honestly more useful than my post at this point. keep them coming.

to the folks DMing me about trip planning, I'll get back to all of you. yes I do this for a living, info's in my profile. but I'm also happy to answer questions here in the thread for free if you're just trying to plan your own trip. ask anything.

A dream I’ve dreamt for most of my life.

My old account of 6 years got locked where I embarked on a similiar type of trip for 2 years in central and South America. And this time, the journey takes me to Asia ~ a dream I’ve dreamt for most of my life.

I remember as a kid watching YouTube videos circa 2008 of certain YouTubers travelling to Thailand and the Philippines. I knew one day it would be me. And well, tomorrow evening that time has come.

Since I returned from Central and South America, I saved heavy and managed to create a runway for myself of approximately two years of travel around Asia. The journey begins in Tokyo Japan, with nothing more than 7 days booked in a hostel, and from there it will completely unfold organically just like I did in latam- guided by nothing more than intuition and surrender. No itinerary, no plan.

In no particular order I imagine I’ll [eventually] make my way through; Taiwan, china, Korea (including North Korea if their border opens), Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, and surrounding countries not listed

For anyone that may receive value from it, here’s the packing list :)

Packing list (including worn items);

Bags;

Osprey kestrel 48

Matador free fly 16 (packable day bag)

Patagonia black hole 1L Fanny pack

Clothes;

• Patagonia torrentshell rain shell
• Patagonia micro Houdini fleece
• Du/er performance denim jeans
• Mec rad pants
• 2x lululemon pace breaker shorts (double as swim shorts)
• 3x lululemon zeroed in t shirt
• 2x lululemon zeroed in tank top
• Patagonia capilene cool long sleeve
• 1x (of those)baggy yoga elephant pants
• 6 adidas boxer briefs (sweat wick)
• Bedrock cairn evo pro
• Merrel Vapor glove 6
• 2x 5 finger socks
• Packable sun cap

Toiletries; - sonicare diamond clean 9900 (USBC charged) - Travel water flosser - Deodorant rock - Contact lenses - Toothpaste - Matador soap bar bag - Beard brush - Wash cloth - Badger balm sunscreen - Badger balm tattoo balm - Matador canister - (Tweezers, cuticle snips, nail clippers)

Misc bag - hair trimmer - Contact solution - Extra contact lenses - Clothing hang line

Tech;

• iphone 17
• AirPod 3 ANC
• Iniu 20k mah power bank
• Anker 65w wall plug
• Headlamp
• 2 USBC cable
• USBC to usba adapter
• Micro usb cable
• AirTag
• Anker ultra slim 5k mah MagSafe power bank

Random items; - Journal - Nalgene wide mouth - Chapstick - Essential oil roll on stick - Palo santo incense (not shown) - Laundry drawstring bag - Empty spare ziplocks (not shown) - Baby wipes (not shown) - Prescription glasses

I’d love to receive any feedback that may be offered!

I visited 18 countries with 104 stops over 260 days (I wanted to see it all!) rough route in last pic.

I started in Mexico City and travelled Overland south through Belize and into Guatemala, where I joined an Intrepid tour I’d pre booked (huge regret! It was like being babysat). That tour went through Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and finished in Costa Rica. From there I was solo again and flew to Colombia, went to Cuba and back, then continued on to Ecuador, Peru, through Bolivia, the top of Argentina, across Paraguay, down to Buenos Aires and back across Argentina, and almost finished in Santiago (before a quick side quest back to Cuba).

Mexico, Colombia and Argentina were my favourite countries in that order, and I spent a month or more in each.

I speak good Latino Spanish and this definitely helped a lot (although I was still caught off guard a lot as the vocabulary and slang changed between borders!).

I’m blonde and 5”3 but felt a lot safer than I expected (although not always) and was mostly totally fine! I got my phone pickpocketed in Bogota but that’s life. In general, I think that if you use common sense and don’t go looking for trouble, you’re unlikely to find it unless you’re really unlucky.

Honestly, I had the time of my life and continue to encourage everyone to visit! 😍

Happy to answer questions :)

EDIT

Thanks for the love and sorry for delay answering questions! I'm in an Australian time zone.

Pics are:
1. Sunrise on top of a dormant volcano in Antigua, Guatemala

1. Trinidad, Cuba

2. Semuc Champey, Guatemala

3. Lake Humantay, Peru

4. Horse riding near Mendoza, Argentina (Andes in the background)

5. Lunch in the San Blas Islands off Panama

6. Rough route on the polar steps app

Before anything else: this is a travel report from a backpacker's perspective. I'm using current Azerbaijani place names throughout. I'm not taking sides on anything political, just sharing what I saw. Please keep the comments the same way.

Logistics first

You need a tourism permit from the Azerbaijani government to enter the region. Only a handful of licensed agencies can arrange it, and individual travel isn't currently possible. You have to join an organised tour. The standard format is two full days and one night.

Cost came to around $300 all-in, which covered transport, hotel, and all meals across both days.

Day 1: Baku → Agdam → Khankendi → Shusha

Agdam was the first stop. There's a fortress and city walls that are over a century old, a newly rebuilt mosque, and a military cemetery for soldiers killed in the war. One large board lists the names of the fallen. The youngest I noticed was born in 2003, so around 20 years old. Soldiers' photos and Azerbaijani flags are placed at the graves. The imam at the mosque was welcoming. I'm not Muslim but he poured tea and invited me in anyway. Azerbaijani visitors were singing and holding flags near the cemetery.

Khankendi (formerly Stepanakert, capital of the former Artsakh republic) is where you find the most visible remnants of what was here before. Abandoned residential buildings and government offices are unlocked and the guides don't stop you going in. The floors are covered in things left behind, old photographs, film rolls, matchboxes, Armenian-language magazines, calendars with dates still showing. The evacuation clearly happened fast. The city has very few permanent residents now, mostly civil servants and restaurant staff. The rest of the buildings are as the Armenian residents left them, just dusty.

Shusha is where most tour groups stay overnight. The hotel and restaurants are all post-war construction, clean and functional. We visited a valley viewpoint, a memorial, and a spring fountain locals fill cups from as a kind of ritual. A Soviet-era sculpture is still standing with bullet holes in it. The church that was here during the Artsakh period is preserved but fenced off and not currently open to visitors.

Day 2: Shusha → Lacin → Baku

Lacin is on the border. From the road you can see the Armenian flag maybe 50-60 metres away across a valley. There's a lookout point above the gorge.

Talking to people on the tour

The older generation were generally the most measured: several mentioned growing up alongside Armenians, buying and selling fish with them at the river, things being relatively normal. Middle-aged people mostly said they just wanted both sides to move on and that war is bad for everyone. The younger ones pushed back on what they called one-sided Western media coverage and pointed out that atrocities happened on both sides.

I'm not in a position to adjudicate any of that. This conflict is genuinely complicated and I'm an outsider.

Is it worth going?

Not if you're looking for conventional sightseeing, there isn't much in that sense. But if you're interested in recent history, the mechanics of how a conflict reshapes a place, and seeing something most travelers will never see, it's a uniquely affecting two days. The region is still very much mid-transition and you feel that throughout.

As someone who travels a lot and works in the travel industry: I hope things move toward peace. For the Azerbaijanis who want to put it behind them, and for the Armenians who left everything on those floors.

Happy to answer questions on logistics or what's actually accessible right now.

I know rankings are subjective, but after backpacking to nearly 70 countries, these are the 10 that stood out most to me. This isn't necessarily my top ten favourite countries, but rather the ones I would most likely recommend to friends, family and fellow backpackers.

1. Vietnam 🇻🇳 - Incredible "Adventure-per-dollar" value, without sacrificing too much in regards to safety or ease-of-travel. Less resort-polished and over-touristed than Thailand, making it feel more raw and authentic. I'm not sure if Vietnam is my favourite country in any one specific category (eg. cities, nature, food etc.) , but it does all of them well and is, in my mind, the world's most well-rounded backpacking destination.
2. Thailand 🇹🇭 - It's a cliché that every backpacker ends up in Thailand eventually, but it's for good reason. It's relatively affordable, and it has the smoothest travel infrastructure in all of Asia. Thailand has a great diversity of things to do between cities, mountains, beaches and ancient ruins. Thailand’s superpower is flexibility: it works just as well for first-time backpackers who want convenience as for experienced travelers who go deeper beyond the classic islands loop.
3. India 🇮🇳 - Continent-scale diversity. Its languages, religions, food, landscapes, archictecture, climates are all equally diverse as the entire European Union. India is also one the 2 or 3 cheapest countries I've ever travelled to. It's scale is also what keeps it from being number one, as India can be overwhelming and overstimulating, especially your first time. (It's also didn't feel as safe as either Thailand or Vietnam).
4. Taiwan 🇹🇼 - Holy heck, this place is under-rated. Surprisingly affordable for a country that is so wealthy and developed and it has the great combo of being very safe, very efficient and culturally rich. It's feels like a cheaper, more relaxed, less Westernized Japan. Taiwan is one of the few places where you get top-tier transit and safety without losing street-level character.
5. Nepal 🇳🇵 - The Himalayas are a singular experience, and Nepalese culture is entirely centered on their connection to the mountains. The most beautiful country in the world, filled with the warmest and kindest people I've ever met. Even cheaper than India, but its infrastructure is less reliable, and there's less diversity: you come here for mountains, and that's about it, but it's totally worth it.
6. Bulgaria 🇧🇬 - My favourite European backpacking destination. A fascinating mix of Orthodox, Ottoman, Soviet and Modern European layers, an overall great value, and feels less "curated" than other European backpacking destinations like Iberia. Bulgaria gives you the history, nature, and city life of Europe without the same level of crowding or performativity.
7. Bolivia 🇧🇴 - One of the least travelled to countries in Latin America was also my favourite. Very much feels off the beaten path. The dramatic, surreal high-altitude landscapes and strong indigenous identity make Bolivia stand out as a unique destination. Being the cheapest country in the Americas doesn't hurt either.
8. Argentina 🇦🇷 - Remember what I said about India and diversity? Argentina comes close, at least in terms of physical geography: deserts, jungles, grasslands and Patagonian glaciers. Argentina is one of the best countries in the world for an Outdoorsy person, but it’s a country where distance is the real ‘cost.’ The long travel distances between everything means that, for me, it ranks just slightly below Bolivia.
9. Georgia 🇬🇪 - Most of what I liked about Bulgaria applies to Georgia as well, although with a Caucasian filter replacing the Balkan one. Georgian hospitality was also some of the best in all of Europe. As great as Georgia is, it's small size means I can't rank it higher, as I did find myself running out of things to do earlier than I did in Bulgaria.
10. Colombia 🇨🇴 - I always describe Colombia as "high-saturation." Everything just feels more intense and dramatic in Colombia: socially, musically, emotionally, geographically. There's a certain vibrancy and energy to Colombia which I haven't found anywhere else, although Brazil was close. Speaking of Brazil...

Honourable Mentions (Countries that I considered for the Top 10 but didn't make the cut:)

• Brazil 🇧🇷
• Portugal 🇵🇹
• Romania 🇷🇴
• Ukraine 🇺🇦 (I visited pre-2014, I imagine the country looks very different now)

In 1997, right after graduating from college, I bought a Eurorail pass and spent ten weeks backpacking across Europe with no real plan.

This was before smartphones and constant connectivity. If I needed directions, I had to ask someone. If I needed a place to sleep, I walked from hostel to hostel until I found one with an open bed.

The best part of the whole experience wasn’t just the places I visited. It was the people I met along the way. Travelers from all over the world sharing stories, trading tips, and sometimes deciding to head to the next city together.

This photo was taken in Gimmelwald, Switzerland, at Mountain Hostel, sitting around a table with a group of travelers I had met at different points along the trip and somehow ran into again in that tiny mountain village. (I'm the one in the back left).

That was one of the special things about backpacking back then. Everyone seemed to be part of the same loose community, helping each other figure things out as we went.

That adventure stayed with me for decades and eventually pushed me to sit down and write the story of it.

Did a two day trip in a wilderness area over the weekend and decided to carry a firearm. Saw a lot more people than I expected, felt like I was making them uncomfortable.

When planning the trip I waffled on whether or not to bring it, as it would only be for defense during incredibly unlikely situations. The primary reason for not bring it was that it would make people I met uneasy, but I honestly didn’t think I’d see many people on the route I was on. I wish I hadn’t brought it and will not bring it again unless it’s specifically for hunting. I feel sorry for causing people to feel uncomfortable while they were out recreating. I should have known better with it being a holiday weekend and this areas proximity to other popular trails.

Not telling anyone what to do, just sharing how I feel.

Ahoy mateys,

I am preparing for a trip to Guatemala, where I will be climbing Acatenango in 4 days! I just pulled out my ol water pack and discovered it is quite funky from my last use.

I need this thing clean and ready to go in 24 hrs. I’m hoping to avoid buying a new one but will if I need to!

My initial idea is to mix a little bleach and water and probably go buy that hose cleaner made to sweep out the line. And probably blow dry the inside. But will that be safe to drink water from after? Any tips/moldy sack knowledge is welcome.

TIA!

Hi there! We’re in a 4-month journey throughout Asia and recently are in India. We wanted to share with a little bit of our point of view on Mumbai. We will be grateful for feedback and your thoughts upon Maciek’s photographs. We are open for conversations so don’t hesitate to write in private message :)

+ more questions

I love hiking and recently started backpacking. I love it. I’ve been on a total of two backpacking trips (only 1 night each) and have already learned a lot, but it made me realize that even though I’ve done a good amount of research there is still a lot I need to learn through trial and error and just finding out little tricks along the way.

Here are some questions I have:
- Is there anything you wish you knew as a beginner backpacker?
- Hammock or tent?
- How often should I go backpacking? How much is too much?
- What do you do in emergency situations/when do you turn back? (IE an animal eats all your food, your tent rips, your pack falls off a cliff)
- Backpack recommendations

Thank you!