One of the most asked questions, after I came back from the Galapagos Islands, was, “How much did it cost?”. As Galapagos is one of the top destinations in South America, I understand why people have the idea that the final price is more than what they are willing to pay; it’s basically the same idea for Machu Pichu and Patagonia. However, if you are willing to do a little more research and hard work, you will see that (just like any other place) there is a way to do the Galapagos Islands on a budget. I was there for 7 days and I managed to spend around 600 USD…

During my travels along the coast of Ecuador, I came across the name of Los Frailes. Playa Los Frailes is basically a beach located in Machalilla National Park, and it is said to be one of the best beaches in Ecuador. This beach, however, seems to be very much underrated. So, I’m here to basically give you more information on Playa Los Frailes and how to get there. Things to remember before going: The park opens at 8AM until around 4PM. Go early to avoid the heat and the crowd! Bring water, sunscreen, a hat, and some snacks. Don’t forget your camera! More people visit on the weekends. There is…

Long-distance relationships are hard. And I’m not saying that because people have been saying that to me, but because of first hand experience. It is also even harder because of my love for travel and his ambitions for his own plans. I’m not trying to put blame, but I’m merely stating that we are two people with different ambitions and different dreams. We struggle in many parts of our relationship, and things keep popping up: I was in Taiwan, then I moved to the United States. He was in the United States, then he moved to China. By the way, this happened at the same time. Communication is key, but…

Hi all! So, it has been more than a week since I arrived in Ecuador for my solo travel adventure. I did a lot of things after getting to this amazing country, including flying to the Galapagos Islands, spending the New Years with amazing individuals, eating my first lobster, and also taking my first ever surfing class, which I just did a few hours ago and now I’m actually ready for bed. However, before I tuck in and sleep at 7 PM, I thought I would share what I learned from my solo travel trip so far: 1. I learned how to be alone Usually, I find myself alone and…

As a fan of literature, it was a pleasant journey for me to learn about the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda during my stay in the country. It all began when I was in the process of planning my travels to Valparaíso when a friend suggested I go to La Sebastiana, one of the houses of Pablo Neruda. At that time, I didn’t really know much about this poet and his work, so I decided to follow through. Later on in my small research, I found out that there are three houses of Pablo Neruda in Chile: La Chascona, La Sebastiana and Isla Negra. Unfortunately, I only had the chance of…

Rainbow Village, Taichung, is a real colorful village located in Taiwan. Once upon a time, it used to be a small housing village for veterans, and now it is a favorite spot in Taichung City. Rainbow Village is definitely one of my favorite destinations in the country and I hope that it will be yours as well once you’ve read this blog post. But before getting in to it, you might be wondering: why should I go to Rainbow Village, Taichung? Here’s why: It’s totally free. No need to pay an entrance fee. You can get there by taking public transportation. You can meet the man who painted the village known as…

I’ve heard the many stories about the Taipei 101, the tallest building in Taiwan and possibly one of the tallest building in the world. However, despite living on the island for four years, I couldn’t find the will to pay 500 TWD to get up to the observatory. Some of my friends did, but I knew I could get a better view for free. Where exactly? On Elephant Mountain, or more commonly known as Xiang Shan (象山). My first hiking trip to Elephant Mountain I first found out about this hiking trail when my friend and I visited Taipei early 2014. We had time to spare and he suggested that…

since I started to travel here and there, multiple comments and questions came up about how I managed to save money for travel. I was a student, and still am until this very day, so how did I manage to travel more than the average student would? My friends and family would implicitly and explicitly comment: How are you traveling all the time? Don’t you have school? So, you must be rich, huh? Isn’t it expensive? I envy you, you can travel all the time. Okay, let’s be realistic here. I don’t travel all the time. I am a student, that is my full-time job, and I have obligations to my…