Asia

Ditch the overpriced travel guides and stop treating cheap flights to Thailand like a myth. From the chaotic, delicious street eats of Bangkok to chasing paradise on the dreamy, Instagram-perfect islands of Phuket and Krabi, Thailand is waiting—and we've got the insider articles and outrageous Flights to get you there without breaking the bank. Whether you're looking for last-minute flights or planning your perfect Thailand travel adventure for next year, this page is your ultimate cheat sheet for unlocking the Land of Smiles on a budget.

London Gatwick

Forget the stereotype that England is nothing but endless gray drizzle, overpriced tourist traps in London, and people obsessing over the weather. We’re here to help you get past the postcard clichés and uncover the real magic, from the rolling hills of the Cotswolds and the moody peaks of the Lake District to the buzzing, eclectic streets of Manchester. We’re always hunting down the best England flight deals so you can save your cash for the actual essentials—like proper pub grub and a decent pint. This is your insider’s guide to booking cheap flights to England, and proving that the best of the UK is well within reach if you know how to search for it.

England

We’re here to help you get past the postcard clichés and uncover the real magic, from the rolling hills of the Cotswolds and the moody peaks of the Lake District to the buzzing, eclectic streets of Manchester.

Phuket

Thailand

Ditch the overpriced travel guides and stop treating cheap flights to Thailand like a myth. From the chaotic, delicious street eats of Bangkok to chasing paradise on the dreamy, Instagram-perfect islands of Phuket and Krabi, Thailand is waiting.

Phuket 🏖️ at £394 rtn from London Gatwick

Cheap Asia fares with a 5-star airline? That's our kinda treat! 

Edinburgh

Scotland is far more than shortbread, bagpipes, and weather that requires three waterproof layers, and you're about to see that for yourself! Finding cheap flights to Scotland is entirely possible, whether you’re planning a culture binge in the historic streets of Edinburgh, catching a gig in buzzing Glasgow, or heading straight for the mystical Scottish Highlands. This is your definitive insider's guide, packed with everything you need to outsmart peak season pricing, uncover epic castles, sample the best local whisky, and turn that bucket list trip into a budget-friendly reality.

Scotland

Scotland is far more than shortbread, bagpipes, and weather that requires three waterproof layers, and you're about to see that for yourself!

Bangkok

Shanghai

China is a country that defies a single definition, blending ancient history with futuristic urban innovation in a way few other places can match. We're tracking the best China flight deals to get you from the ancient grandeur of the Great Wall to the neon-drenched skylines of Shanghai without needing a corporate travel budget. Whether you’re dreaming of wandering through the Forbidden City in Beijing or hunting for the ultimate dim sum, we've got the insider intel to help you find cheap flights to China. Stop overpaying for your seat, pack your bags for the Middle Kingdom, and prepare for an adventure that’s every bit as epic as the history books promised.

China

China is a country that defies a single definition, blending ancient history with futuristic urban innovation in a way few other places can match.

Beijing

Manchester

Chengdu

Shenzhen

Xi'an

Chongqing

Changsha

Fuzhou

Xiamen

Wenzhou

China & Thailand 🐉 in £390s-£520s rtn

You might actually arrive more refreshed than when you left!

Toronto

Forget everything you thought you knew about Canada being a polite, freezing expanse. This place is seriously epic, stretching from Vancouver's gorgeous coastline and the towering Rockies right over to the hip coffee shops of Montreal and the rugged East Coast. 
The only problem? It’s massive. Luckily, this is where we step in. We find those great-value Canada Flights that prove you can tackle this stunning country without turning your bank account into a frozen wasteland.
Whether you're flying in from overseas or grabbing a domestic flight for a quick poutine run, our in-house Canadian crew is here to lend their expertise. So stop guessing when to book and where to go: our guides are your secret weapon for getting the most bang for your loonie, eh!

Canada

Forget everything you thought you knew about Canada being a polite, freezing expanse. This place is seriously epic, stretching from Vancouver's gorgeous coastline and the towering Rockies right over to the hip coffee shops of Montreal and the rugged East Coast.

Phuket, Thailand 🌊 in $9300s RT

Wanna fly in fancy first class for a fraction of the price? We've got a hack for that!

Amsterdam

If you’re still picturing the Netherlands as just one giant postcard of windmills and wooden shoes, you’re missing out on one of Europe’s most dynamic corners. This is the place where historic canal-side cycling meets cutting-edge urban design and a bar culture that’s second to none. We’re scouting the routes to land you the best Netherlands flight deals, whether you’re plotting a culture-heavy weekend in Amsterdam, exploring the industrial cool of Rotterdam, or getting lost in the medieval charm of Utrecht. Don’t just scroll through photos—book the cheap flights to the Netherlands and find out why this place is so much more than just the stereotypes.

Netherlands

This is the place where historic canal-side cycling meets cutting-edge urban design and a bar culture that’s second to none.

Manila

Let’s be real: with over 7,000 islands to choose from, your biggest travel stress in the Philippines will be the crushing FOMO of realizing you can’t possibly island-hop to all of them in one go! We’re tracking down the best Philippines flight deals to help you narrow it down, whether you’re heading for the colonial charm of Manila or the legendary lagoons of Palawan. Snag some cheap flights to the Philippines, pack your strongest reef-safe sunscreen, and get ready for a world of turquoise water and friendly locals that make the long flight feel like a quick hop.

Philippines

Let’s be real: with over 7,000 islands to choose from, your biggest travel stress in the Philippines will be the FOMO of realizing you can’t possibly island-hop to all of them in one go!

Chennai

India isn't just the chaotic, colourful, and curry-fuelled whirlwind you see on postcards—it’s a continent packed into a country, and we’re here to help you get there without emptying your travel fund. Forget paying full price for your flights to India; whether you’re chasing non-stop trips to Mumbai (the Gateway of India), searching for soul-stirring moments in the shadow of the Taj Mahal, or mapping out a chaotic country road trip for the ages, we curate the best India flight deals and travel guides. Our navigators are on the hunt for the genuinely good value airfare that unlocks the magic of the subcontinent, giving you the insider tips you need to book smarter, bolder, and cheaper.

India

India isn't just the chaotic, colourful, and curry-fuelled whirlwind you see on postcards—it’s a continent packed into a country, and we’re here to help you get there without emptying your travel fund.

Kochi

Mumbai

The Philippines, India & more ☀️ in €1580s-€1820s rtn

Did someone say backpacking through Southeast Asia? 👀

Phoenix

The United States is a travel heavyweight, packing everything from dazzling skylines and buzzing neon cities to natural wonders so epic they make your camera feel inadequate. It's the land of big ideas and even bigger distances—which is precisely where Jack’s Flight Club comes in. We’re here to help you skip the seriously long bus rides and the soul-crushing flight search by finding the cheap flights for you and proving you don't need to break the bank just to cross a few time zones.
Whether you're planning a swift weekend trip to the Big Apple, a surf session on the West Coast, or a grand tour of the national parks, we've got your back. Our Navigators love sprinkling in a generous helping of insider knowledge to make your trip count—because life’s too short to pay silly money for flights you can’t even brag about.

United States

The United States is a travel heavyweight, packing everything from dazzling skylines and buzzing neon cities to natural wonders so epic they make your camera feel inadequate. It's the land of big ideas and even bigger distances.

Hanoi

Vietnam is a sensory overload in the best possible way—a land where chaotic, motorbike-filled streets somehow harmonize with serene emerald waters and world-class street food that costs less than your morning coffee. And whether you’re dreaming of the bustling energy of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, cruising the limestone pillars of Ha Long Bay, or cycling through the ancient, lantern-lit streets of Hoi An, we’ve got the insider intel to get you cheap flights to Vietnam. Ditch the premium price tags, snag the best Vietnam flight deals, and finally make your Southeast Asian adventure happen without breaking the bank.

Vietnam

Vietnam is a sensory overload in the best possible way—a land where chaotic, motorbike-filled streets somehow harmonize with serene emerald waters and world-class street food that costs less than your morning coffee.

Ho Chi Minh City

Thailand & Vietnam 🛵 in $760s-$780s RT

Posh fares to Bangkok are finally back! AND they're in the high season...

Birmingham

Bangkok 🍜 at £1126 rtn

I went to Thailand with my best friend, which was my first trip outside Europe, in 2015. We travelled across the country, and it was an adventure that really opened my eyes to the beauty of the world. This photo was taken on Ko Lanta during the final days of the trip that changed my life. I have since travelled to 50 countries and have no intentions of stopping any time soon!

One final view from the trip that changed my life

It was the first night of my first ever solo trip, in Bangkok. It was just me and my digital camera, taking my first walk alone through the big city at 18 years old. It was such a new, magical feeling. When I walked past the Wat Suthat Thepwararam temple, I had to capture it. This photo reminds me of the start of a trip that changed me forever. It has a special place in my heart that I&rsquo;ll treasure forever.

The start of a trip that changed me forever

Phi Phi Island, Phuket, awesome night feels

Nighttime Phi Phi feels

I am really happy that I booked the flight 2 months ago because now it literally tripled in price.

Postcard from Maria

Excellent flight and staff very good.

Emirates Review from VigorousWanderer29161

Amazing direct flight to Bangkok. Budget, but comfortable with my own snacks. Had a dreamy month away.

Postcard from DynamicCosmopolitan40434

Poland

Romania

Hungary

Albania

Mexico

It&rsquo;s a tale as old as time: you leave high school, gain newfound independence, and before you know it, your days are spent searching for cheap student travel destinations. Sound familiar?
Even though you&rsquo;re working with a tight student travel budget, we reckon you should still be able to go out and see the world. So, we&rsquo;ve rustled up a list of the best places for students to travel on a budget, no matter what kind of trip you&rsquo;re planning.&nbsp;
Whether you&rsquo;re looking for the cheapest European cities, the best solo travel destinations, or just some cheap beach holiday destinations, you&rsquo;ll definitely find something that takes your fancy.
Ready? Okay, here are six cheap places for students to travel this year:
<h2 dir="ltr">Cheapest European Cities for Students</h2>
<h3 dir="ltr">Krak&oacute;w, Poland</h3>
With pubs and bars on every corner and streets steeped in history, Krak&oacute;w makes the perfect budget weekend trip for students.
If you&rsquo;re just looking to let off some steam, the city has one of the best and most affordable nightlife scenes in Europe. And if you know where to go, buying yourself a <a href="https://budgettraveller.org/10-budget-tips-for-krakow/#:~:text=Cheapest%20beer%20is%2010zl%20(%20%E2%82%AC2.38%20)">beer for less than &euro;2.50</a> is totally doable; nothing screams &ldquo;student-friendly&rdquo; like &euro;2 beers!
Then for the students who wanna see more than the inside of a pub, a free walking tour is a great way to see the city on the cheap, and attractions like <a href="https://www.liverpoolguildstudentmedia.co.uk/2025/11/05/four-days-in-krakow-pierogi-pints-and-plenty-of-history/#:~:text=St%20Mary%E2%80%99s%20Basilica%3A%20Right%20in%20the%20heart%20of%20Market%20Square%2C%20St%20Mary%E2%80%99s%20Basilica%20is%20one%20of%20Krak%C3%B3w%E2%80%99s%20most%20iconic%20sights.%20You%20cannot%20miss%20the%20opportunity%20to%20go%20inside%20(for%20%C2%A33!!)">St Mary&rsquo;s Basilica won&rsquo;t cost you the world</a> to get into either.
You&rsquo;ll find plenty more recommendations in our <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/jfcs-guide-to-krakow">Krak&oacute;w travel guide</a>, including where to find a good meal on the cheap.

<h3 dir="ltr">Bucharest, Romania</h3>
If you&rsquo;re looking for a cheap European capital city, Bucharest has got to be on your list.
Your student travel budget will be very grateful for the affordable street food, accommodation, and cheap public transport over there &mdash;&nbsp;a <a href="https://romaniatourism.com/guide-to-public-transportation-in-bucharest.html#:~:text=three%2Dday%20pass,%C2%A0%20%C2%A0%20(approx.%20%244.45)">three-day pass</a> for unlimited buses and trams will cost you less than &pound;3.50/&euro;4.00.
It&rsquo;s not just us saying it&rsquo;s cheap, either. Earlier this year, the Post Office ranked Bucharest as the <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/cheapest-cities-in-europe-review/">second cheapest city break in Europe</a>, with Sarajevo just nipping it by a tenner.
And don&rsquo;t worry about it being cheap but boring because the city&rsquo;s got a lively Old Town, great museums, and its nightlife is world-renowned. Seriously, you&rsquo;ll find somewhere to suit everyone there: from extravagant clubs and live music venues to rooftop bars and cosy pubs.

<h2 dir="ltr">Best Solo Travel Destinations for Students</h2>
<h3 dir="ltr">Chiang Mai, Thailand</h3>
When it comes to solo student travel, Chiang Mai is often ranked as one of the best destinations in Asia &mdash; specifically for <a href="https://halyourtravelpal.com/solo-travel-asia/#:~:text=Chiang%20Mai%2C%20Thailand">female solo travellers</a>, too!&nbsp;
Of course its location plays a part: it&rsquo;s got it all, including busy night markets, an Old City, lush green national parks and ethical elephant sanctuaries nearby.
But it&rsquo;s also known for having a huge community of backpackers and digital nomads making the most of the city&rsquo;s laid-back vibe, so you&rsquo;ll find plenty of like-minded travellers in the local hostels &mdash;&nbsp;there are lots of options for <a href="https://www.hostelworld.com/hostels/asia/thailand/chiang-mai/f/private-rooms/">private rooms under &pound;10 per night</a>.
And if you want to take a bigger solo trip to Thailand and see more of the country, you can still keep things cheap. By doing a few key things (e.g. swapping big tourist hubs for somewhere a little quieter, taking public transport rather than taxis, considering a shoulder season trip) visiting <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/thailand-on-a-budget">Thailand on a budget</a> is totally doable &mdash; if not easy!&nbsp;
How to get there
Flying into Chiang Mai (CNX) is the easiest way. But it may work out cheaper to fly into Bangkok (BKK) and travel between the two via bus, train, or an internal flight booked separately &mdash; get a rough idea of how much each option will cost and how long it&rsquo;ll take <a href="https://www.google.com/travel/flights/search?tfs=CBwQAhogEgoyMDI2LTA5LTIyKABqBwgBEgNEVE1yBwgBEgNCVFMaIBIKMjAyNi0wOS0yNigAagcIARIDQlRTcgcIARIDRFRNQAFIAXABggELCP___________wGYAQE&amp;tfu=EgYIABAAGAA&amp;hl=en-US&amp;gl=DE&amp;curr=EUR">here</a>.

<h3 dir="ltr">Budapest, Hungary</h3>
Budapest has everything you could want as a budget solo traveller: it&rsquo;s super walkable (though public transport also works well), it&rsquo;s <a href="https://budapestcollege.hu/is-budapest-safe/">one of Europe&rsquo;s safest cities</a>, and there is plenty of affordable accommodation, with private hostel rooms for <a href="https://www.hostelworld.com/hostels/europe/hungary/budapest/f/solo-travel/">as little as &pound;10-&pound;15 per night</a>.
Sticking to your student travel budget is easy for meals too, since <a href="https://mini-adventures.com/budget-cheap-food-budapest/">cheap food in Budapest</a> is super accessible, and you can expect to have a proper dinner for less than &pound;15!&nbsp;
But don&rsquo;t just take our word for it. <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/postcards/694ebbd54865226977bfb278">Jack&rsquo;s member Sam</a> took an impromptu solo trip to Budapest, and while they weren&rsquo;t exactly the traditional student age (sorry Sam!) they say it&rsquo;s a journey they&rsquo;ll cherish forever.

<h2 dir="ltr">Cheap Beach Holiday Destinations for Students</h2>
<h3 dir="ltr">Albanian Riviera</h3>
As I&rsquo;m sure you&rsquo;ll have seen all over socials, Albania is really having a moment, and rightfully so!&nbsp;
While most travellers flock to the already busy Amalfi Coast and the South of France, the Albanian Riviera has beautiful spots that lots of people are still sleeping on, which makes it a much cheaper alternative.
Ksamil in particular is stunning, with sandy coves, nearby islands, and water so beautifully clear it&rsquo;s often compared to the Maldives &mdash; just without the luxury price tag!&nbsp;
You can also get a 2-for-1 on your trip and tick off another country by jumping on a ferry over to the Greek island of Corfu from nearby Sarand&euml; &mdash; it&rsquo;ll cost around <a href="https://finikas-lines.com/#:~:text=Generally%2C%20prices%20range%20from%20around%20%E2%82%AC10%20to%20%E2%82%AC25%20per%20person%20for%20a%20one%2Dway%20trip">&euro;10-&euro;25 each way</a>.
How to get there
Fly to Tirana (TIA) and take the <a href="https://albaniatourguide.com/how-to-get-to-albanian-riviera/#:~:text=By%20bus%2C%20it%20takes%203%20%E2%80%93%205%20hours%20and%20it%20costs%204%20%E2%80%93%2011%20euros.%20By%20taxi%2C%20it%20costs%20between%2086%20%E2%80%93%20165%20euros">bus or a taxi to the coast</a> &mdash; the bus will cost considerably less than a taxi.

Pro tip: It&rsquo;s also worth looking at flights to Corfu (CFU), and doing the reverse of what we suggested above by taking the ferry over to Sarand&euml; instead. This might work out cheaper, especially if your local airport doesn&rsquo;t cover Albania.

<h3 dir="ltr">Isla Mujeres, Mexico</h3>
Now this is a prime example of somewhere worth spending a little extra to reach.
Of course, flights to Mexico aren&rsquo;t exactly cheap from the UK and Europe, but TUI does usually pop up a couple of times each year with last-minute bargain fares to Canc&uacute;n &mdash; we&rsquo;re talking <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/flights/cancn-in-350s-550s-rtn">&pound;300-&pound;500 return</a> for non-stop flights. Canc&uacute;n itself can get very pricey with all the resorts, but it&rsquo;s a great starting point for more budget-friendly destinations nearby, like Isla Mujeres.&nbsp;
There you&rsquo;ll find a range of affordable accommodation, with a good amount of cheap hostels aimed at budget backpackers &mdash; you can expect to pay anywhere <a href="https://www.booking.com/hostels/city/mx/cancun.en-gb.html?selected_currency=GBP">between &pound;25-&pound;115 per night</a>. And even though the island is much more laid back than Canc&uacute;n, it still has a great nightlife scene, and is a favourite among US college students looking for a cheap spring break vacation.
The most important thing with Mexico really is to just steer clear of the tourist traps where the prices are bumped up. Luckily for you, Navigator Kash has a whole list of <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/8-lesser-known-destinations-in-mexico-that-most-travelers-miss">lesser-known destinations that most travellers miss</a>, including a great spot in Oaxaca with accommodation for $5 a night!&nbsp;
How to get there
Fly into Canc&uacute;n (CUN), drive or take local transport to the ferry docks, and hop on a&nbsp;<a href="https://isla-mujeres.net/getting-to-isla-mujeres/">ferry over to Isla Mujeres</a>.

<h2 dir="ltr">Budget Student Travel: Frequently Asked Questions</h2>
Hopefully you're full of travel inspiration now, but before you go running off to pack your bags, it helps to think about any other costs that may pop up; we're talking extra baggage fees, how to find the best airfares, and if there's any bonus discounts out there for students. So to help you plan your perfect trip, we've answered some of the most common questions about how to travel cheaply as a student:
How do I find cheap student flights? That&rsquo;s what we do every day here at Jack's Flight Club! But if you want our top tips on where to look, what to avoid, and all things error fares, read through our&nbsp;<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/find-cheap-flights-to-anywhere">guide to finding the best flight deals</a>.
How do I avoid paying extra for baggage on low-cost airlines? There&rsquo;s an art to cramming all your worldly goods into 1 teeny tiny bag, and you&rsquo;ll find our top tips on how to do just that in our <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/one-bag-packing-hacks-to-change-the-way-you-travel">guide to minimalist packing here</a>.
What&rsquo;s the best carry on bag? Osprey is one of our favourite brands of backpacks for student travellers since their bags are practical, supportive, and last a long time. Find our <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/the-best-underseat-and-carry-on-bags-for-travel">roundup of the best travel backpacks here</a>.
What airlines offer student flight discounts? Quite a few major international airlines offer student flight discounts and other perks, including SAS, United, and Iberia. Read through our rundown of <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/which-airlines-offer-student-flight-discounts">airline student discount programmes here</a>.
What should I pack for a budget backpacking trip? From power banks and travel adaptors, to packing cubes and Birkenstocks: find our top tips on things you do and don&rsquo;t need in our <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/what-to-pack-when-backpacking-around-europe">backpacking packing list</a>.

Cheap Student Travel Destinations

Cuba

Ghana

Portugal

Japan

Q:&nbsp;"Can you do an article on best places to go for Black solo travellers please! It would be a really useful article. I always have to Google search before booking holidays."

We&rsquo;ll do our best to answer this one for you, reader!
We'd also start by saying that you're already doing the right thing. When it comes to prejudice, racism, or concerns about traveling safely abroad, it&rsquo;s always best to carry out your own research, frustrating and time-consuming though it is.
After all, this is your adventure, not anybody else's, and you want to be sure that you're setting off on your travels feeling confident and reassured.
And as Stephanie Yeboah points out in her&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/best-places-for-black-female-solo-travellers">&lsquo;Best places for Black female solo travellers&rsquo;</a>&nbsp;piece for Lonely Planet, there&rsquo;s sadly no such thing as a country that&rsquo;s entirely free of racism.
The risk of having a bad experience can also vary wildly within a country&mdash;for instance, Stephanie herself recommends Thailand specifically as a top pick for Black women who are solo traveling thanks to its gorgeous spa hotels, heritage sites and beaches (which is a great recommendation!).
But Thailand is also a country with a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.allure.com/story/color-and-colorism-in-thailand">complex history of colorism</a>, and some travelers of color&mdash;and particularly Black and Indian men&mdash;have reported experiences of being blocked from entering Thai nightclubs, receiving poorer treatment in bars, or being turned away from budget hotels when attempting to make a spontaneous booking. So we wouldn't necessarily leap to recommend it for a male traveler who's planning on doing a lot of backpacking or taking in the nightlife.
In short, spending some time reading personal blogs on sites like Travel Noire, which has a&nbsp;<a href="https://travelnoire.com/tag/traveler-story">fantastic selection of traveller stories</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.blackandabroad.com/">Black And Abroad</a>&nbsp;while checking those recommendations against first-hand experiences on Reddit (<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/blacktravel/">r/blacktravel</a>&nbsp;is a great starting point) or groups like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.blacktravelersnetwork.com/">The Black Travelers Network</a>&nbsp;is the best way to make sure you&rsquo;ve got all of the facts.
It can also be pretty reassuring to read the experiences of experienced solo travelers like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/black-solo-traveller/">Diane Petterson</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/she-visited-every-country-on-earth-heres-what-she-learned">Jessica Nabongo</a>&mdash;officially the first Black woman to have visited every country in the world&mdash;whose main takeaway from their experience is that most people across the globe are essentially welcoming and kind.
With all of that said, here are just a few of the countries that we&rsquo;ve seen come up most often in Black solo travelers&rsquo; recommendations.&nbsp;

<h2 id="ghana">Ghana</h2>
We&rsquo;ve written more broadly before about visiting glorious Ghana&nbsp;<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/top-tips-for-visiting-glorious-ghana">right here</a>&nbsp;(and we saw a lot of reader responses agreeing that it was a fantastic destination), and we thoroughly think it deserves the top spot!
From Vanessa Kanbi, who moved to Ghana for a year from Edinburgh,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i69mIa3BJY">here are some specific tips</a>&nbsp;for solo travelers, including hostel and tour recommendations.
Ghana also has a thriving heritage, culture and sankofa (&lsquo;return to your roots&rsquo;) tour scene for travellers from the West African diaspora&mdash;<a href="https://ashantiafricantours.com/ghana-heritage-tours/">Ashanti Tours</a>&nbsp;is one operator with strongly positive reviews that specialises in them. The Culture Trip also has&nbsp;<a href="https://theculturetrip.com/africa/ghana/articles/a-solo-travellers-guide-to-ghana/">a solo travel guide to Ghana</a>&nbsp;with some helpful hostel recommendations if you&rsquo;re traveling on a budget!
Every two years in July, the fishing port of Cape Coast also hosts&nbsp;<a href="https://panafest.org.gh/">Panafest</a>&mdash;a pan-African arts and culture festival where Africans and travelers of African descent are invited to come and celebrate together. And, of course, in December, there&rsquo;s the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.afrofuture.com/">AfroFuture festival</a>&hellip;

<h2 id="japan">Japan</h2>
A few caveats apply here; we have read experiences of Black travelers to Japan and Black ex-pats, particularly in rural and less touristy areas, who&rsquo;ve encountered unwanted curiosity or attention in the form of strangers on the street trying to touch their hair, or locals making catcalling comparisons to famous Black celebrities (who do not, of course, at all resemble the traveler).
However, most Black travelers (some examples from bloggers&nbsp;<a href="http://www.culturedblackpearl.com/solo-travel-tokyo-japan/">here</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://choplifeandtravel.com/asia-travels/traveling-as-a-solo-black-female-in-east-asia#:~:text=in%20East%20Asia.-,Tokyo,-TOKYO">here</a>, and an interesting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/comments/59kfwq/black_guy_anxious_about_travelling_alone_to_japan/">Reddit discussion here</a>) speak warmly about the lack of racial hostility in Japan, the kindness and friendliness of locals, and perhaps most importantly for a solo traveler, the firm sense of safety all around them.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/TheBlackExperienceJapan">The Black Experience Japan</a>&nbsp;is a YouTube channel that shares interviews and news from Black people who are resident in Japan&mdash;if you have the time, it&rsquo;s a fascinating watch!

<h2 id="p">Portugal</h2>
Notably, Portugal is the only European country that comes up time and again across lists of recommended destinations for Black travelers.&nbsp;
Aside from its fantastic cuisine and all-around good vibes,&nbsp;Nana-Ama Danquah highlights in <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/why-lisbon-became-a-top-destination-for-black-travelers">her piece for National Geographic</a> that Portugal offers something for African American travelers in particular that is rare among former colonizing countries: facing its historical role in the slave trade head-on and actively fostering the deconstruction of racist mindsets.&nbsp;
The consensus among reddit threads (<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/LisbonPortugalTravel/comments/1s1fwsw/black_man_going_to_portugal_for_the_first_time/">like this one</a>) as well as the <a href="https://blacktravelview.com/blog/k1rju06mibx5j3eeuavksi6drf3ll0">Black Travel View blog on Lisbon</a> is that locals are welcoming and helpful, and there's a genuine sense of blending in. No stares, no microaggressions, no sense of feeling unsafe. Yes, racism still exists among locals; however, visitors are unlikely to experience it.
The large international population from around the diaspora adds another layer to the Portuguese experience, meaning you can actually find yourself immersed in many different cultures during a single trip. Be it soaking up the sounds of Cape Verdean&nbsp;morna&nbsp;or sipping on the finest Brazilian&nbsp;caipirinhas&nbsp;this side of the Atlantic, there's always a fun and friendly spot that'll suit you.

<h2 id="cuba">Cuba</h2>
We&rsquo;ve been waiting to mention Cuba on The Detour for a while&mdash;so thank you for giving us the perfect opportunity, reader!
One of Fidel Castro&rsquo;s key ambitions after the 1959 Cuban Revolution was an end to racial inequality and discrimination, implementing a series of policies to radically empower the lives of the Afro-Cubans who&rsquo;d suffered as second-class citizens under the previous government&mdash;and while it&nbsp;<a href="https://raceandequality.org/cuba/">didn&rsquo;t lead</a>&nbsp;to the racism-free utopia that Castro hoped for, it did at least ensure by the mid-1980s that Afro-Cubans were equally represented in the professional sector and the education system. (From Travel Noire, here&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://travelnoire.com/16-afro-cuban-businesses-havana">16 of Havana&rsquo;s Afro-Cuban-owned businesses</a>.)
Black travellers from abroad have also been a commonplace sight in Cuba since the Revolution itself&mdash;one of Castro&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/perspectives-global-african-history/african-americans-and-cubas-first-experiment-tourism-joe-louis-commission-post-revoluti/">other smart ideas</a>&nbsp;was to advertise Cuba as a tourist destination for the African-American middle class who were still being restricted from domestic holidays due to Jim Crow laws in the USA.
Combine all of this with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.essence.com/lifestyle/discovering-afro-cuban-culture/">Afrocubanismo movement</a>&nbsp;of the 1920s which enshrined Afro-Cuban art, music, dance and culture at the heart of the Cuban identity, and you&rsquo;ve got a beautiful, fascinating country that is certain to be welcoming and warm to Black solo travellers. (Make sure you head to Havana&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147271-d318995-Reviews-or20-Callejon_de_Hamel-Havana_Ciudad_de_la_Habana_Province_Cuba.html">Callejon de Hamel</a>&mdash;the rumba shows begin every Sunday from noon.)
Travel writer Amara Amaryah covers her experience of solo travel in Cuba&nbsp;<a href="https://travelnoire.com/what-i-wish-i-knew-before-solo-traveling-to-cuba">here</a>, and she offers a really lovely quote about why she feels it&rsquo;s so special:
"Being in a space where I could navigate Havana without being stared at, even being confused as Cuban was refreshing, new &hellip;&nbsp;Mostly, I enjoyed the invisibility to enjoy the country without feeling like an impostor, instead I felt seen which allowed for a whole new standard for future solo travel trips." 
As of 2026, Cuba continues to suffer a crisis of fuel and food shortages amid ongoing US blockades. Tourism has taken a nosedive since the situation worsened, with many airlines cancelling flight routes to the island altogether. However, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/03/cuba-tourism-us-oil-blockade">some say travelers should continue to visit</a> at this time when the local economy needs a boost most.&nbsp;
Whether or not you decide to visit now or bank it for later, Cuba and its people are warm and open, and you'll be greeted with a smile regardless.
 We hope that's some help, reader! Wherever you choose, we hope you have an absolutely fantastic adventure and safe travels!

The Best Destinations for Black Solo Travelers

Spain

Mauritius

Costa Rica

Gambia

Cambodia

Laos

South Africa

As soon as the temperatures begin to drop, the requests for winter sun recommendations start piling up in our inbox. And we don't blame you at all; winter sun holidays are about the only thing that get us through those dark and dreary months!
Some of you are just in need of a quick, cheap winter break, while others are on the hunt for good spots to combine a vitamin D top-up with a bit of remote working.
As a general rule, we&rsquo;d suggest you head south for extra daylight and temperatures above 16 &deg;C (well known for being the point at which it becomes&nbsp;<a href="https://www.taps-aff.co.uk/#search">&ldquo;Taps Aff&rdquo; weather</a> here in Scotland). If you want a little more to go on, we&rsquo;ve drawn up a short-list of exciting winter sun spots beloved by the Jack's team and Community alike.
<h2 id="cadiz">Cadiz, Spain</h2>

Temperatures: 16-18 &deg;C in January - March
Why should I visit?&nbsp;It's supposedly the oldest city still standing in Europe, dating back to the 12th century. Beautiful cathedrals, Roman ruins and authentic&nbsp;<a href="https://www.manvsglobe.com/best-taps-restaurants-bars-where-to-eat-cadiz-spain/">tapas bars</a>&nbsp;are tucked away around every corner in the narrow alleyways of the Old Town.
The locals also know how to throw a party, rehearsing all year for their world-famous&nbsp;<a href="https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-cadiz-carnival/">Carnival</a>&nbsp;that takes places over 11 days in late February - March.
<h2 id="mauritius">Mauritius</h2>

Temperatures:&nbsp;22-27 &deg;C in November - March
Why should I visit?

"What&rsquo;s not to like with Indian and East African influences mingled in with British and French culture? People are hospitable, weather is great (remember it&rsquo;s summer in January) rum tastes good, and I&rsquo;d be happy to return tomorrow!" - Avril

Temperatures&nbsp;- 16-17 &deg;C in November - March
Why should I visit?&nbsp;- You'll find it hard not to rush outdoors and breathe in the Azores&rsquo; fresh mountain air. The islands are <a href="https://www.muchbetteradventures.com/magazine/hiking-in-the-azores-a-guide-to-the-best-hikes-in-azores/">made for hiking</a>, with trails leading you to waterfalls, around volcanic craters, and along the craggy coastline. And although you may never have heard of a&nbsp;<a href="http://grutadocarvao.amigosdosacores.pt/en">lava tube</a>, we bet you&rsquo;ll want to snoop around inside one now that you know it&rsquo;s possible on S&atilde;o Miguel Island.
We&rsquo;d also recommend&nbsp;<a href="https://www.winetraveler.com/portugal/azores-islands/">visiting a local winery</a>&nbsp;or two - just for science, of course. Despite the extreme growing conditions out there in the middle of the Atlantic, wine has been made there for hundreds of years.
<h2 id="c">Costa Rica</h2>

Temperatures&nbsp;- 16-27 &deg;C in January - March, depending on the area
Why should I visit? Sorry to be clich&eacute;d, but there genuinely is something for everyone in Costa Rica. Sun, sea, surf, and sand? Check. Mountains, rainforests, volcanoes, and lakes? Check. Colourful birdlife, howling monkeys, and <a href="https://www.slothconservation.org/blog/with-a-little-help-from-my-friends-sloths-moths-and-algae">green-tinged sloths</a>? Also check.
Plus, the Jack's team is&nbsp;obsessed&nbsp;with <a href="https://puravidamoms.com/what-is-salsa-lizano-from-costa-rica/">Lizano Salsa</a>!

&ldquo;We enjoyed Costa Rica this past January, although we only stayed in Tamarindo for a week. If we had more time we would travel to other areas in Costa Rica. In January, we had little rain if any and it was hot. Perfect time to go on boat cruises and lounge around the pool.&rdquo; - Sharrie

Temperatures&nbsp;- 32-34 &deg;C in January - March
Why should I visit?&nbsp;- For one thing, the people of Gambia are famously friendly, earning it the nickname &ldquo;The Smiling Coast of Africa&rdquo; (okay, that may have something to do with the&nbsp;<a href="https://face2faceafrica.com/article/ever-wondered-why-the-gambia-is-called-the-smiling-coast-heres-why">shape of the country</a>, too).
Despite being reliant on tourism, the country&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gambia.co.uk/blog/a-beach-lovers-paradise">beaches remain uncrowded</a>, and you don&rsquo;t have to hike for hours to find a secluded spot. You can have all the luxury of a Caribbean resort for much less. Then again, it&rsquo;s easy to immerse yourself in local life by staying in&nbsp;eco lodges&nbsp;and hitting non-touristy spots like Tanji, with its <a href="https://www.mewithmysuitcase.com/2022/09/tanji-fish-market.html">fish markets</a>.
Word to the wise: if you&rsquo;re not into fish guts and strong aromas, sit this one out.
<h2>Cape Town</h2>

Temperatures&nbsp;- 25-29 &deg;C in November - March
Why should I visit?&nbsp;

&ldquo;It has everything. We used to spend three months there for many years. Cape Town has masses of things to do apart from 1000 wine estates to visit. Then there are amazing safaris to go on. The food and wine scene is fantastic.&rdquo; - Christine

Oh, and the <a href="https://onegirlwholeworld.com/africa/boulders-beach-foxy-beach-penguins-south-africa/">tiny penguins</a>, obviously!
<h2 id="s">South East Asia</h2>

Temperatures&nbsp;- 15-30 &deg;C in November - March
Why should I visit? Okay, okay, we know this is a whole region, but we find it hard to pick just one spot. Northern regions of Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam will offer cooler jungle vibes, while central areas will be a little warmer, just right for checking out some temples. And then there are the coastal spots, and all those famous Thai beaches.&nbsp;
If we had to choose, we'd say: don't! Take your time, and work in some winter sun on the beach as well as the jungle fun.

&ldquo;Thai beaches are always a good idea, especially in January. It certainly isn't the rainy season in, e.g., Phuket then! Koh Lanta and other nearby islands, plus beaches North of the airport, have a slower pace than the racier party beaches in the South, near Phuket town. Or for cheaper, more developing options: Cambodia or Vietnam.&rdquo; - Catherine
<hr>
"Asia is a very good option to spend January in! Countries like Vietnam (the only one I have been to Asia so far, which I absolutely loved), Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, see temperatures around 30C which can make it appropriate for swimming! The other perk of Asia compared to other areas in the world is it's cheap!"&nbsp;- Marilena

There you have it, readers - our top suggestions for trips to wash away the winter blues.
Where's your favourite winter sun destination? Let us know in the comments!

Jack's Top Winter Sun Destinations

Iceland

Peru

United Kingdom

Estonia

Latvia

Lithuania

Italy

Greece

Austria

<h3>Slowing Down the Speed of Our Wanderlust. This is how tourist fines ask us to pause.</h3>

You&rsquo;ve heard the protests, seen the headlines, &ldquo;The new tourist fines sweeping Europe&rdquo;.&nbsp;
But depending on who you ask, the new rollout of tourism rules and regulations can feel like a total killjoy or long-overdue protection against an industry that&rsquo;s been eating itself alive.&nbsp;
Reading the list below, it&rsquo;s easy to roll our eyes when we&rsquo;re the ones passing through. But how would you feel if the beach you grew up hearing the waves at night now echoes with drunk tourists music and drones overhead? That street you grew up on where you learned to ride your bike? It&rsquo;s now blocked with selfie-stick traffic impeding your route to work.&nbsp;
And your favourite caf&eacute;, the one that knows your order by heart? They tell you that you&rsquo;ll have to wait longer because tables are being saved for tourists that tip better and stay all day.&nbsp;
Through this lens, it&rsquo;s easier to see that these new waves of tourist fines are less about punishing visitors, and more about meeting a destination and its locals on their own terms. So, presuming you want to be a conscientious traveller and not become enemy #1 in your chosen destination, here&rsquo;s everything you need to know.

<h2 dir="ltr">Flip-flops behind the wheel in Europe</h2>
Rule / Fine: Up to &euro;200 if police deem your footwear unsafe, despite no outright ban.
In countries like Spain, drivers are expected to maintain proper control of the vehicle at all times. Loose footwear like flip-flops can jeopardize pedal control, so officers can fine you if they judge your sandals to compromise safety.
Traveller Tip: Always pack a pair of light sneakers or secure sandals to slip on when you hit the open road.
<h2 dir="ltr">No Swimwear Off the Beach (Europe, including Barcelona, Sorrento, Albufeira, Cannes, Venice)</h2>
Rule / Fine: Up to &euro;1,500 for walking around in swimwear outside beach zones. It's just polite, really!
 Traveller Tip: Keep a lightweight cover-up handy &mdash; say, a breezy shirt or sarong &mdash; for when you step ashore and into town.
<h2 dir="ltr">Public Drinking (Spain, UK, Baltic states, Canada &amp; more)</h2>
Rule / Fine: Up to &euro;3,000 for alcohol consumption in non-designated public areas.
Party hotspots like Ibiza and Mallorca in particular are trying to curb rowdy public behaviour by outlawing open-air drinking away from bars and restaurants. But beyond that, many countries or local authorities have blanket bans on carrying open containers of alcohol in public.&nbsp;
Traveller Tip: Check the local laws at your destination before cracking open a nice cold beer. If in doubt, sip your sangria indoors, at a bar&rsquo;s outdoor terrace, or in your hotel.

<h2 dir="ltr">Sunbed Reservation Abuse (Spain)</h2>
Rule / Fine: Around &euro;250 for reserving a sunbed with a towel and abandoning it.
Resorts are cracking down on the old 6am towel trick to keep things fair and tidy for all beach-goers.
Traveller Tip: We&rsquo;re not sure what to say about this one&hellip; Don&rsquo;t get lost?&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">Collecting Shells or Pebbles (Greece &amp; Sardinia)</h2>
Rule / Fine: Up to &euro;1,000&ndash;&euro;3,000 depending on location.
Coastal ecosystems are fragile. Pocketing natural souvenirs threatens biodiversity and local ecosystems.
Traveller Tip: A picture says a thousand words. Take one, take a thousand &mdash; just leave the shells be.&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">Swimming in Venice&rsquo;s Canals (Italy)</h2>
Rule / Fine: Around &euro;350 fine &mdash; and up to &euro;1,000 if other violations apply.&nbsp;
Repeat after me, &ldquo;Canals aren&rsquo;t for swimming, they&rsquo;re for boats and sewage!&rdquo; Banning swims protects both visitors and historic waterways &mdash; and probably protects you from at least a dozen infectious diseases.&nbsp;
Traveller Tip: Stick to gondolas, or <a href="https://gillianlongworthmcguire.substack.com/p/gillian-knows-best-guide-to-beaches">head to the Lido</a> if you must get your feet wet.

<h2 dir="ltr">Entry Fee for Day-Trippers (Venice, Italy)</h2>
Rule / Fine: &euro;5&ndash;&euro;10 entry fee; failure to pay can lead to &euro;300 fine.
Overwhelmed by mass day-trip tourism, Venice is trying to manage crowd flow and encourage longer stays by offering fee exemptions to hotel guests.
Traveller Tip: Book your visit in advance, or stay overnight, and keep your receipt handy.
<h2 dir="ltr">Selfie Zones &amp; No-Linger Spots (Portofino, Italy &amp; Hallstatt, Austria)</h2>
Rule / Fine: Up to &euro;275 for blocking walkways with a selfie; Hallstatt uses &ldquo;selfie fences&rdquo; to curb crowding.&nbsp;
Europe&rsquo;s quaint and cute villages are overloaded with visitors lining up for the same shot. This measure aims to restore flow and reduce stress for locals trying to get to work on time.
Traveller Tip: Capture your pic, then move on. Who knows, you might just find a hidden corner!
<h2 dir="ltr">Beach Behaviour Campaigns (Spain &amp; Portugal)</h2>
Rule / Fine: Ranging from &euro;750 for public urination to &euro;2,000 for beach smoking. Malaga&rsquo;s Improve Your Stay campaign enforces up to &euro;873 fines for bad conduct in the port city.&nbsp;
Fines can be as high as &euro;30,000 for anti-social behaviour like vandalism or street drinking; attending (or throwing!) unlicensed events can set you back a similar amount, while hitching a lift in an unlicensed taxi can result in penalties of &euro;600. And before you decide to go for a nighttime dip Benidorm, just consider whether you have &euro;1,000 to spare.&nbsp;
Traveller Tip: Follow the local code snippets posted in your hotel lobby or on billboards, or simply ask a local. But let&rsquo;s be honest &mdash; it&rsquo;s always better to just find a toilet, smoke away from others, keep the noise down at night, and generally not be a nuisance.

<h3 dir="ltr">Proof of Travel Insurance (Spain)</h3>
Rule / Fine: Fines for British travellers of up to &euro;6,900 for not having proper travel health insurance documentation when entering Spain.&nbsp;
To protect its healthcare system and keep tourists from becoming walking liabilities, Spain can now request proof of travel insurance at the border.
Traveller Tip: Buy travel insurance! And just in case your phone battery dies, pack a printed copy of your insurance documents so you can pull them out at passport control.
<h3 dir="ltr">Visitor Caps in Europe&rsquo;s Ancient Icons (Greece, Italy)</h3>
Rule / Fine: Acropolis (Athens) is capped at 20,000 visitors/day; pre-booking required, high heels banned with fines up to &euro;900. Pompeii (Italy): also limited to 20,000 visitors/day and the Colosseum (Rome): capped at 3,000 visitors at a time.&nbsp;
These heritage sites want to stay standing, not crumbling under the footfall. Regulating access protects their history (and makes your visit more enjoyable).
Traveller Tip: Book your tickets for the first thing in the morning to avoid the rush, and leave the stilettos at home.
<h3 dir="ltr">Tourism Balance (Japan)</h3>
Rule / Fine: Mount Fuji: &yen;2,000 entry fee (&pound;10/$13.50/&euro;11.60) with a cap of 4,000 climbers/day. Kyoto: &yen;10,000 fine for taking photos of geisha without permission; some alleys are even off-limits. Tokyo: A year-round ban on public drinking from 6pm-5am.&nbsp;
Traveller Tip: Book early. Ask before snapping. Stick to bars and caf&eacute;s, not the streets.
<h3 dir="ltr">Hiking Restrictions (Machu Picchu)</h3>
Rule / Fine: Timed-slot tickets are now mandatory &mdash; no more spontaneous hikes to Machu Picchu!
Peru is slowing tourism to protect both the trail and the ancient ruins from overuse and degradation.
Traveller Tip: Book your slot online well in advance. Check out Flight Finder Lauren's <a href="https://jacksflightclub.com/detour-145-machu-picchu">top tips for visiting the site here</a>.

<h3 dir="ltr">Digital Arrival Card (Thailand)</h3>
Rule / Fine: As of May 2025, all foreign visitors must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card at least within 72 hours before arrival. Earlier isn't possible.
This replaces the old paper form, and can be submitted online before you travel. You won't need to do this if you're just transiting in Thailand.
Traveller Tip: Set a reminder on your phone to do this 3 days before you arrive, save the confirmation, and breeze through immigration!
<h3 dir="ltr">Eco-Tax (Iceland)</h3>
Rule / Fine: A nightly, per-room eco-tax is in place nationwide to support environmental conservation to protect its glaciers and geysers.
Traveller Tip: Factor this small extra (approx. $5-$8) into your hotel budget; you&rsquo;re investing in the island&rsquo;s future. 
<hr>
 Follow these guidelines, and hopefully you won't find yourself stepping on any toes on your next trip.
Wear the right shoes in Cinque Terre, not because Italy wants to control your packing list, but because those paths are centuries old and prone to erosion. Skip the selfie in a geisha district, not because Kyoto wants to spoil your carefully curated feed, but because a working woman shouldn&rsquo;t be turned into a prop or have her picture taken without consent.&nbsp;
The result? A subtle but meaningful shift: travel is becoming less about extraction &mdash; how much you can see, collect, or post in a few days &mdash; and more about exchange: &ldquo;You bring the curiosity and respect, we&rsquo;ll reveal our truer selves beyond the tourist brochures.&rdquo;
And if that feels restrictive, maybe the question isn&rsquo;t whether the rules have gone too far, but whether the speed of our wanderlust has burned through the soul of the streets before we even noticed.&nbsp;

Navigating New Tourism Rules: The 2025 Traveller's Cheat Sheet

Western Sahara

Egypt

France

Uganda

Sri Lanka

Nepal

Hey there, JFC-ers,
This edition of The Detour comes to you from the comfort of an SBB train through the Swiss Alps! Team JFC is full of beans this weekend, as many of us wing our way to Italy for our first-ever in-person team meet-up. But of course, true to the name, I&rsquo;m taking a little detour en route to stop by Liechtenstein and spend the 10 Swiss Francs left on my Revolut card.
After 8 years of hard work finding thousands of awesome flights for you, dear readers, this trip is well deserved. But it won&rsquo;t be all fun and games &mdash; we&rsquo;re also looking forward to brainstorming exciting new ideas for JFC! Most importantly, though, we can finally put to bed the question of how tall all our colleagues are, having only ever seen most of them through a webcam lens!
Happy travels and safe landings,

Katy - Editor of The Detour

JFC's Eleven Most Chaotic Cities in the World - As Chosen By You

It&rsquo;s official, dear readers &mdash; you have been to some very chaotic destinations indeed. After my escapades in Ho Chi Minh City brought back more than a few memories for Detour reader Avril, she suggested we all put our heads together and come up with a list of the most chaotic cities in the world.
As always, you obliged. So, without further ado, here are Jack&rsquo;s Flight Club&rsquo;s top 11 most chaotic cities around the globe&hellip; well, technically it&rsquo;s thirteen. Oops.
<h3 dir="ltr">11. Paris, France</h3>

She&rsquo;s busy and bustling, the City of Light, and it seems that a lot of that light comes from headlamps. Considered one of the world&rsquo;s most congested cities, getting in a car there can feel like a whole adventure &mdash; especially if you&rsquo;ll be <a href="https://youtu.be/-2RCPpdmSVg?si=rMjSG-6Kw1TSsKlV">passing by the Arc de Triomphe</a> or tackling <a href="https://fabricofparis.com/2022/11/18/the-last-wall-of-paris-the-story-of-the-boulevard-peripherique">Europe&rsquo;s busiest urban motorway</a>.
Personally, I&rsquo;d rather just hop on the Metro, but even there it&rsquo;s a wild ride. The stations are notoriously smelly, the trains jam-packed like a tin of sardines or cancelled at short notice.&nbsp;
And then there&rsquo;s going by foot. Size-wise, Paris is fairly walkable, but the rules of the road for pedestrians may well confuse any level-headed visitor. In theory, jaywalking is illegal in France &mdash; but only if there&rsquo;s an official pedestrian crossing within 50m &mdash; and the fine if you get caught breaking the rules is a whopping &euro;4. Unsurprisingly, most locals don&rsquo;t care and just cross where they like.
Reasons to visit anyway: It&rsquo;s Paris, of course! It&rsquo;s iconic, having long been a shining star of stage and screen. Aside from seeing the major sights, there&rsquo;s something about the art, culture and history oozing from the city&rsquo;s pores that make it undeniably appealing. You could say, it&rsquo;s got a certain je ne sais quoi. 
<h3>10. Rome, Italy</h3>

Much like Paris, Rome is a bustling European capital. This time, with added mopeds!&nbsp;
Crossing the road here is often a challenge, as the scooters weave in and out of the cars, hurtling across pedestrian crossings without much care for those on foot.&nbsp; But this site offers up some handy tricks you can employ to make sure that you reach the other side in one piece:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Make eye contact with drivers or politely hold your hand up to signal to them that you want to cross</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Once you step out into the street, commit! There&rsquo;s no turning back.</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Find an older person to cross with (sure, drivers might respect them more, but they&rsquo;ve also been doing it for a good while</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Find a nun to cross with &mdash; they have God on their side, after all!</li>
</ul>
Reasons to visit anyway:&nbsp;Pizza, pasta, the Colosseum! Rome is brimming with alluring sights going far beyond the ones you&rsquo;ve heard of. Want to see where Caesar was murdered? Or maybe you just like cats? Either way &mdash; head to the <a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/torre-argentina-roman-cat-sanctuary">Torre Argentina</a>. Or how about visiting an old-school <a href="https://anamericaninrome.com/2018/05/boccione-forno-in-romes-jewish-ghetto/">bakery in the Jewish Ghetto</a> that&rsquo;s been serving up ricotta and cherry cake for 210 years?&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr"> 9. Bangkok, Thailand</h3>

&ldquo;The article about crossing streets in HCMC brought back memories of trying to cross streets in Bangkok. We deployed a similar strategy: wait on the side of the road until a critical mass of people is achieved, and then all move across at the same time. It was scary/exhilarating! We arrived back at the hotel each night covered in grit from the diesel exhaust.&rdquo;
<hr>
&ldquo;No list would be complete without Bangkok!&nbsp; You've just got to run and hope for the best!&rdquo;

The city&rsquo;s hectic roads are only part of the chaos, though &mdash; the glowing neon billboards and huge malls next to ancient temples are enough to give you whiplash. The stench of durian and street food stalls mix with exhaust fumes from the city&rsquo;s 7 million cars. It&rsquo;s a lot by any standards!
Reasons to visit anyway: 9th place may not seem like it gives Bangkok enough chaos credit where it&rsquo;s due, but the main thing that offsets it is the <a href="https://youtu.be/NFw-WizIt50?si=w1giE5keLa5t5DeQ&amp;t=704">cracking public transportation</a>. Getting around the city is easy once you know how, so you&rsquo;ll have no problem whizzing between the markets and temples &mdash; probably not <a href="https://farandwild.travel/wilder/article/temples-of-bangkok">all 400</a> though, that&rsquo;s a stretch even for us!
Plus, we JFC-ers loooove all the other <a href="https://www.google.com/travel/explore?tfs=CBwQAxoZKABqBwgBEgNCS0tyDAgEEggvbS8wNzNxMRoZKABqDAgEEggvbS8wNzNxMXIHCAESA0JLS0ABSAFgyAFwAoIBCwj___________8BmAEBsgEEGAEgAQ&amp;tfu=GioaKAoSCbQXY2AIFTNAEcTVEHxtilxAEhIJF17BaFHbEEARxNUQfMVkV0A">cheap Southeast Asia flights</a> you can pick up once you&rsquo;re there!
&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">8. Phnom Penh, Cambodia</h3>

&ldquo;Hello there. Regarding traffic chaos, I have to include Phnom Penh. It's crazy enough as it is, but come 4pm and the "rush" hour, it gets particularly bonkers with both moto riders and tuk tuk drivers mounting the pavement to make a right turn more quickly.&nbsp;
I'd advise either viewing this spectacle from above with a drink or actually in a tuk tuk. Both much safer than being on the back of a motorbike trying to weave a path through the chaos. Enjoy!&rdquo;

Much like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Phnom Penh seems to take a &ldquo;good luck out there&rdquo; approach as it waves you off to cross the street. Then there&rsquo;s the added fun of tuk tuks, and the extra challenge of a lack of marked crossings. But all in all, <a href="https://youtu.be/bHvlYCULD3s?si=B9BpQg3mLBGJzQ6l&amp;t=123">this guy</a> makes it look pretty simple.
Reasons to visit anyway: Cambodia&rsquo;s history is intense and at times grim, but visiting the Killing Fields and learning about the Khmer Rouge will give you a real insight into the country&rsquo;s people and culture. It&rsquo;s also home to&nbsp;<a href="https://helloangkor.com/the-ancient-temples-near-phnom-penh/">ancient, intricate temples</a> that are way less touristed than famous Angkor Wat, so take the time to explore them with a little more breathing room. 
<h3 dir="ltr">7. Kampala, Uganda</h3>

&ldquo;There are almost as many motorcycles as other vehicles, and they:
1. drive down the middle of traffic in both directions,&nbsp;
2. drive on the pavements
3. carry dangerous cargos - I have seen the passenger carrying huge mirrors
4. drive through traffic lights
The roundabouts are road carnage - no sense of giving way to the right, so a total snarl
Traffic lights often are not working, but the police man major junctions to direct traffic (ignored by motorcycles)&rdquo;

Reasons to visit anyway: If you&rsquo;ve been a JFC-er for a while, you&rsquo;ll no doubt know exactly why you should head to Uganda. The clich&eacute;d thing would be to<a href="https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/gorilla-trekking-in-uganda-a-complete-guide/"> go gorilla trekking</a> (we're not knocking it, it's genuinely fantastic), but you might also want to spend a minute exploring<a href="https://moafrikatours.com/lake-victoria/"> Lake Victoria</a> by boat. It's the largest lake in Africa and just teeming with wildlife. We'd suggest not swimming in it, however, unless you don't mind sharing the waters with a few hippos and crocodiles.
&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">6. Kathmandu, Nepal</h3>

&ldquo;I traveled there by myself 10 years ago, just before the big earthquake of 2015. Imagine a metro area of 1.5 million people, where many of the "main" roads look like the last time they were paved was maybe 30 years earlier: remains of asphalt surrounded by dirt, deeply rutted.&nbsp;
The main roads were a non-stop stream of cars, trucks, motorcycles, tuk tuks, and bicycles. It's hard to describe how many traffic lanes there were; every vehicle is weaving in and out, maybe 4 or 5 or 6 deep in each direction. With cows standing in the middle of the road chewing their cud. I have no idea how THEY got there.&nbsp;
I hired a driver one day to take me to a couple of shops that were right across the street from each other. When it was time to cross the road, he simply took my elbow and steered me through the moving traffic. I still don't know how he did it. It felt like the Red Sea parting for Moses and the Israelites. Except the traffic never stopped flowing.&rdquo;

Reasons to visit anyway: You don&rsquo;t have to be into Himalayan trekking to enjoy Kathmandu (although, that helps). From <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/travel-hub/detour-173-cheapest-safari-in-tanzania">temples to tigers and the &lsquo;Toothache Tree</a>&rsquo;, Kathmandu is more than just your starting point for the long road to Everest Base Camp &mdash; it&rsquo;s a whole experience in its own right. 
<h3 dir="ltr">5. Ho Chi Minh City &amp; Hanoi, Vietnam</h3>

Okay, I&rsquo;m biased here because I&rsquo;ve lived through it &mdash; Ho Chi Minh City was an assault on the nerves and senses. At times, we found ourselves weaving on and off pavement between mopeds, people enjoying a coffee, and actual free-roaming chickens. In the middle of the city!&nbsp; It sounds like Hanoi isn&rsquo;t much different:

&ldquo;I feel Katy&rsquo;s pain with HCMC but another assault course is Hanoi. The narrow roads are no better even though you think you&rsquo;ll be safer &mdash; they come from all angles rather than travelling in the same direction!&rdquo;

And JFC-er Avril isn&rsquo;t the only one who thinks so &mdash; every traveller I met in Ho Chi Minh who had been to Hanoi agreed that the Vietnamese capital was just as bad. Somehow, I&rsquo;d imagined the ancient city with its traditional Old Quarter to offer a little respite. Apparently I was way off, and getting around there also requires <a href="https://www.contiki.com/six-two/article/cross-road-hanoi/">Jedi mind tricks</a>.&nbsp;
While Hanoi&rsquo;s Metro is still a relative novelty with only a few lines, that is a couple more than Ho Chi Minh has to offer at this point. One tip I can offer is using those Metro underpasses to get across big junctions, if you can!
Reasons to visit anyway: Both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi offer a great introduction to Vietnam&rsquo;s history and cuisine. The War Remnants Museum in HCMC was a tough visit, but essential to understanding the lasting effects of the Vietnam war on the country. They&rsquo;ll also give you a crash course in Vietnamese coffee and tea culture, with every second shop front hosting at least a few people with a cuppa in hand.&nbsp;

<h3 dir="ltr">4. Colombo &amp; Kandy, Sri Lanka</h3>

We&rsquo;ve already heard from you about hectic Colombo, so let&rsquo;s turn to nearby Kandy:

&ldquo;I live in Sri Lanka, near Kandy, which is much worse than Colombo. Sri Lanka has way more tuk-tuks per head of population than does India, and I would suspect more than anywhere else on the planet. In Kandy, they infest the streets, along with nose-to-tail buses belching black fumes.&nbsp;
Pedestrian crossings exist in theory but in practice are just road decorations, completely ignored except the single one which is light-controlled. The one way system was designed by a madman, in order to maximise the length of time vehicles spend stationary or near-stationary.&nbsp;
The walk around the otherwise picturesque Kandy Lake is spoilt by the continuous traffic jam next to you. Add to that the fact that the city lies in a hollow surrounded by mountains, a magnet for air pollution, and you have plenty of ingredients for chaos.
Nonetheless, although we're always glad to retreat to our home in the delightful Hanthana mountains half an hour away, I'd still miss Kandy. It's a fine line between positive bustle and negative chaos, I guess, and Kandy bestrides it.&rdquo;

Reasons to visit anyway: The lush jungle, epic views, stunning temples, and mouthwatering curries are incredibly popular among the JFC team &mdash; so much so that our Business Analyst Tara has returned to spend several months there yet again! You can read all about <a href="https://jacksflightclub.com/detour-140-sri-lanka">her 2024 visit here</a>, and take a look at some snaps from Flight Finder <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DHJkgxHInxV/?hl=en">Lauren&rsquo;s recent trip here</a>. 
<h3 dir="ltr">3. Delhi</h3>

There are nearly 35 million people living in Delhi, so it&rsquo;s hardly surprising that things get a little busy. Add in the tourists flocking to the same major sites, all attempting to tackle the same stretch of road but with little understanding of how local drivers operate, and it&rsquo;s sheer chaos.
You want an idea of what it&rsquo;s really like to cross the road in Delhi? I feel like <a href="https://youtu.be/H6bPVEUwnhc?si=34Lta5sWHZEDMEeo">this video</a> sums it up nicely. It&rsquo;s not a case of standing by the side, looking out across the pedestrian crossing, and waiting for a window. There will be no window. You can hardly see the other side for the moving walls of tuk tuks that stand between you and your goal.&nbsp;
Most of that chaotic energy can be found in Old Delhi, where livestock, vehicles, and street food vendors all weave frantically between one another. This truly is a city where the early bird catches the worm, and that worm is a gap in the traffic.
Reasons to visit anyway: Spectacular spots like the <a href="https://www.transindus.co.uk/highlights/red-fort-delhi/">Red Fort</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Jami-Masjid-mosque-Delhi-India">Jama Masjid</a> make the buzz worthwhile. And you can even escape for some peaceful moments in <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g304551-d324106-Reviews-Lodhi_Garden-New_Delhi_National_Capital_Territory_of_Delhi.html">Lodhi Gardens</a>. It&rsquo;s also an essential stop on the <a href="https://jacksflightclub.com/newsletter-2024-15-03">Golden Triangle</a> route, a veritable trip of a lifetime.
<h3 dir="ltr">2. Mexico City, Mexico</h3>

&ldquo;Having got back from Mexico City last week, it is on another level compared to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi! Everyone literally barges their car past everyone else and we saw two actual fights almost break out. Half the cars had broken windshields too. Absolutely chaotic.&rdquo;

In the city where drivers &ldquo;<a href="https://mexiconewsdaily.com/mexico-living/pedestrians-in-mexico/">consider a red light to be a mere suggestion</a>,&rdquo; crossing the street on foot is inadvisable, but likely unavoidable. Lanes of traffic won&rsquo;t always be going in the direction you expect, so taking your time to assess the situation in full is essential.
The Metro is a cheap and fast option for getting across the city. But there are lots of lines and, as you&rsquo;d expect in a city of nearly 23 million, it&rsquo;s pretty darn busy at peak times. 
Reasons to visit anyway:&nbsp;&ldquo;Mexico City can be overwhelming &hellip; One of the cheapest sightseeing things to do is ride the <a href="https://youtu.be/Mwz7MikjAcA?si=A4MpccCbr3FrEiQB">cablebus public transport cable car</a> over the top of the city and see all the painted roofs and people going about their lives. Super fascinating, and there is <a href="https://www.blondevoyagenashville.com/home/mexico-city-from-taquerias-to-fine-dining-where-to-eat-in-mexico-city">tons of good food</a> to be had for cheap everywhere!&rdquo;
<h3 dir="ltr">1. Cairo, Egypt</h3>

&ldquo;There aren't [pedestrian crossings] in Egypt (at least not in Cairo) - nor are there really any traffic lights (I saw three when I was there last year - two were near the airport). People also run across motorways!&rdquo;
<hr>
&ldquo;I agree with Cairo as one of the most chaotic cities.&nbsp; We got an Uber to the new Egyptian museum from our city hotel. 270 (Egyptian) pounds. Coming back, the taxi drivers were waiting, and the negotiations started at 800 pounds. We agreed on 500 including tip, and the driver said "follow me". We were by the side of a motorway. The "taxi" was on the other side. The cars were coming thick and fast. We had to cross it.&nbsp; What to do???
Looked the other way and there were the police. They will stop us, I thought. But no. &ldquo;Come on,&rdquo; said the taxi driver, so we stepped out and followed him across the motorway without looking either way. Survived, despite horns blowing. "We shouldn't have done that," said my husband. I was just relieved to get across.&rdquo;
<hr>
&ldquo;I was in Cairo a few years ago and the taxi I was in missed a motorway turn, so he just reversed up the motorway (into a bus!) - we were all alright, so no worries really. I have been to Cairo a few times before and thought I had it down with the road crossing etc, but reversing up a motorway is a new one for me!&rdquo;

Reasons to visit anyway: Pyramids are where most of us start when we plan a trip to Egypt. And the pyramids themselves may be breathtaking, but the crowds, the pushy street sellers, and the intensity that come with them can be a bit much. Thankfully, Flight Finder Kristi shared fantastic tips on escaping Cairo&rsquo;s chaos in a previous edition of The Detour &mdash; you can read all about her <a href="https://jacksflightclub.com/newsletter-2024-09-02">escape to Egypt&rsquo;s nature here</a>. 
That&rsquo;s your lot, readers! We had several more suggestions, too, including Lagos, Johannesburg, Dhaka, and Beijing. And if there's one thing I've learnt from this, it's that you can always find an instructional road-crossing video on YouTube to prepare yourself for the madness before touching down!

Reader's Corner

No, not Dakha in Bangladesh. This time we&rsquo;re talking about Dakhla in the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14115273">disputed Western Sahara region</a> to the south of Morocco. &ldquo;But why?&rdquo; you might ask. Well, it just got a whole lot cheaper to travel there, so you know that our Flight Finders have suddenly become obsessed.
Ryanair recently launched flights from Spain to Dakhla, so now you can combine a Madrid city break or a Lanzarote beach week with a few days rambling the Western Saharan sand dunes and catching the waves.
The city is squeezed between the waters of the Atlantic and the Sahara desert. With <a href="https://www.iksurfmag.com/travel-guides/africa/morocco/dakhla/#:~:text=Dakhla%20is%20known%20for%20its%20constant%20wind%2C%20an%20estimated%20340%20days%20per%20year">300+ windy days</a> a year, this is the place for anyone who appreciates a sprinkling of adrenaline atop their breach holiday. Kite surfing aficionados and newbies alike will want to make a beeline for the <a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/en/style/article/2022/07/11/dakhla-a-windswept-lagoon-in-morocco_5989759_40.html">Dakhla lagoon</a>, if only to try and look as cool as <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@stighoefnagel/video/7225899792101133595">this guy</a>.&nbsp;

Next stop, the white dunes. Now, this one isn't strictly for you adrenaline junkies &mdash; I mean, who could say &ldquo;no&rdquo; to a stroll&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Chzvv1fP_x0/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==">along this beauty</a>? But don't leave without trying your hand at <a href="https://youtube.com/shorts/OAcVymvtJG8?feature=share">sand-boarding</a>, too! After a long, hard day of fun, head to the local oyster farm to sample the local speciality.
Beyond the adrenaline and aphrodisiacs, the region is also home to the Sahrawi nomadic people. The harsh desert heat sees them migrating towards the coast during summer months, while winters are spent further inland. For a traditional desert experience while there, a guided camel trek to a Bedouin camp is likely on the cards.
So if you&rsquo;re in the mood for somewhere more than a little different, but not too far from the usual European suntraps, perhaps Dakhla is your next stop. And if you&rsquo;ve already been, we&rsquo;d love to hear all about it! Hit &lsquo;Reply&rsquo; to share your experience with your fellow Detour readers :-)

Travel Tips

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across web this week.
<ul></ul>
<ul></ul>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Note to self: <a href="https://eu.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2025/03/12/tsa-turtle-mans-pants-newark-liberty-international-airport/82304392007/">remove turtle from pants</a> before travel. </li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">After a number of incidents involving overheating power banks on planes, some airlines are cracking down and <a href="https://www.executivetraveller.com/news/singapore-airlines-power-bank-battery-ban">banning use</a> on board. </li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">From ghost towns to graveyards, check out these <a href="https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2015-11-18/the-most-stunning-abandoned-places-on-earth?_sp=4df24eff-b5dc-4c90-857a-c025195fd1ba.1742040541031">creepy and fascinating abandoned spots</a> around the world. </li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">And finally, today we bring the joyous (and, let&rsquo;s face it, unsurprising) news that the EU&rsquo;s ETIAS entry &ldquo;visa&rdquo; has been <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/news/europe-travel-visa-etias-what-to-know/">pushed down the line</a> yet again. Non-EU visitors should still expect their biometrics to begin being collected from October this year, but current forecasts suggest the electronic travel authorisation won&rsquo;t be mandatory until the end of 2026. Hooray?</li>
</ul>

Travel News

11 Most Chaotic Cities Around the Globe

New Zealand

Australia

Hey there, JFC-ers,
I&rsquo;m hopeful that by the time you receive this edition of the Detour, you're all safe and well, and none of us have been blown away by the latest storm barrelling through the UK and Ireland. Needless to say, the red weather warnings for high winds, snow and torrential rain are not filling me full of optimism for a weekend free from travel chaos.&nbsp;
But thankfully, in just a week&rsquo;s time, I should be heading off to sunnier climes in Vietnam. And when I get there, I&rsquo;ll be armed with a gazillion recommendations from you, lovely readers!&nbsp;
Having taken&nbsp;<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/travel-hub/detour-165-big-tour-little-tour-pros-and-cons">your suggestions</a> to heart, we&rsquo;ll be spending a few days in Ho Chi Minh City before heading north to Hoi An, staying at An Bang beach. One of the most remarkable things I found when booking accommodation in Vietnam is just how far your money goes. I&rsquo;d always heard it was very affordable for visitors from Europe and North America, but I hadn&rsquo;t quite realised I&rsquo;d be getting rooftop pools, welcome drinks, and afternoon teas included!

On top of a spot of luxury at bargain prices, I&rsquo;m really looking forward to experiencing&nbsp;<a href="https://vietnamtour.in/hoi-an-lantern-festival/">Hoi An&rsquo;s lantern festival</a>, which takes place each full moon. The town switches off electrical lighting for the day, illuminating the streets instead with colourful paper lanterns hung between its historic buildings.
Outside the city, we&rsquo;ll be heading to the dramatic <a href="https://whereangiewanders.com/marble-mountains-vietnam/">Marble Mountains</a> and their caves, as well as dragging ourselves out of bed early for a sunrise trip to the ancient <a href="https://vietnam.travel/things-to-do/explore-global-cultural-and-historical-values-my-son-sanctuary">My Son Sanctuary</a>. While I&rsquo;m not one for comparing apples and oranges, one review did call it &ldquo;the Angkor Wat of Vietnam,&rdquo; so I&rsquo;m expecting to be impressed!
But there&rsquo;s another place that comes up in lots of tours and blogs that I&rsquo;m just not sure will be worth the hype &mdash;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/things-to-see-giant-hands-unusual-bridge-da-nang">The Golden Bridge</a>. Sure, a long bridge held up by giant hands looks cool in drone pictures, but is it as awesome when you&rsquo;re standing on top of it? The fact that it&rsquo;s also part of the <a href="https://rollercoastertraveller.com/sun-world-ba-na-hills/">Sun World Resort amusement park</a> makes me even more sceptical.&nbsp;
That said, I do love a cable car ride! And it would be wasteful of me not to go and bring back a full review for you all, for better or worse.
Happy travels and safe landings,

I Planned for New Zealand (So You Don&rsquo;t Have To)

Based in California, Flight Finder Jake loves nothing more than traveling, saving money, and doing both things at once!

Written by Jake

I come from a long line of procrastinators and improvisers, so planning for a trip is&hellip; not exactly my favorite thing. Don&rsquo;t get me wrong, I love to travel! I just hate making plans.
It&rsquo;s been six months since I booked my flight to New Zealand, and I spent about five of them wishing a travel angel would come down from the heavens and deliver me a perfect pre-made itinerary for my visit.&nbsp;
That never happened, sadly. But I did sit down and plan my trip. So, to all the other New Zealand-bound lazy planners out there: Let me be your travel angel. Use my outline as your own.

<h3 dir="ltr">North Island</h3>
I knew I wanted to hit both the North and the South Island, especially since I had a full two weeks to work with. That left me a little rushed, so I broke one of my usual rules and skipped the post-flight rest day.&nbsp;
Instead, I&rsquo;ll be landing in Auckland around 9 AM, picking up my rental car, and immediately heading out to Rotorua. The landscape there is supposed to be pretty incredible, shaped by some wild geothermal activity. We&rsquo;re talking geysers, hot springs, sulfur pools, all kinds of stuff. You can book guided tours of the coolest spots, but I decided to just pick up a ticket to <a href="https://www.waiotapu.co.nz/">Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland</a> and do some wandering on my own.
Rotorua is also pretty close to the next two places on my list: Hobbiton and the Waitomo Glow Caves.&nbsp;
You could probably do a whole Lord of the Rings-themed itinerary in New Zealand, but I decided to limit myself to the <a href="https://www.hobbitontours.com/">Hobbiton set</a>. You can&rsquo;t just walk around here, unfortunately, and the tour slots fill up pretty quickly, so I wouldn&rsquo;t procrastinate on this booking.
As for Waitomo, how could I possibly pass up a subterranean cave lit by eerie blue glowworms? That&rsquo;s a unique experience!
There are actually a <a href="https://www.waitomo.com/glowworms-and-caves">few different caves</a> at Waitomo, each of them requiring a reservation. You can supposedly bundle the main glowworm cave with another one, but their website wouldn&rsquo;t let me do it. More power to you if you can figure that out, though.
I&rsquo;ll be wrapping up my time up north by driving down to Wellington and catching the ferry to the South Island. That&rsquo;s about six hours from Rotorua, so I&rsquo;m making it a travel day&mdash;If you happen to know that area, hit me with some recommendations for places to stop along the way!

<h3 dir="ltr">South Island</h3>
The South Island is the bigger of the two, so this part of the trip involves a lot more driving. As soon as the ferry lands in Picton, I&rsquo;ll be hopping back in the car and driving down to Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. The sun will be down by the time I arrive, most likely, but that just gives me a chance to do some <a href="https://www.mackenzienz.com/explore/stargazing-and-astrophotography/">stargazing in the dark sky reserve</a>.
The area around Aoraki/Mount Cook is one of the prettiest places in New Zealand, right in the middle of the Southern Alps. I&rsquo;m giving myself a whole day to poke around the park and do some hiking before moving on to&hellip;
&hellip;the next national park, Fiordland. While Aoraki has your typical gorgeous alpine views, Fiordland features more varied landscapes, with mountains, waterfalls, and even some rainforest. Oh yeah, and fjords. Milford Sound is the most famous one, but there are a handful of others if you&rsquo;re pining for a fjord-heavy vacation.
After wrapping up the fjords, it&rsquo;s time to make the drive&nbsp;allllllll the way back up to Picton. That&rsquo;s a 12-hour schlep spanning nearly the entire South Island, so I&rsquo;m splitting it up into two days. Consider this another shameless request for recommended places to stop!

<h3 dir="ltr">North Island (Part 2)</h3>
After taking the ferry back to Wellington, I&rsquo;ll have a couple of days to make it back to Auckland before my flight home. That&rsquo;s just enough time for one more big stop: Tongariro National Park.
I&rsquo;m technically breaking my promise here &mdash; Hobbiton was supposed to be my only Lord of the Rings stop, and the volcanic landscapes of Tongariro are where they shot the Mordor scenes. But hey, it&rsquo;s not my fault Peter Jackson chose to film at <a href="https://www.newzealand.com/us/feature/the-lord-of-the-rings-trilogy-filming-locations/">all the prettiest places</a> in New Zealand!
From there, it&rsquo;s just a drive up to Auckland and a 13-hour flight back to San Francisco. Easy-peasy.
This itinerary is my gift to you, lazy planners. You&rsquo;re welcome!

Travel Inspiration

Aus-some Tips for Breaking Up the Trip Down Under

"Hi, I am planning a trip to Sydney in February and wondering which is the cheapest route (avoiding Chinese Airlines). I would like to stay a 2/3 nights on the way out and then a week's holiday in Thailand on the return journey. Can you suggest anything? Thank you for your help. Kind regards, Mike"

Flight Finding Team Lead Larissa is an Aussie expat from Sydney who only sometimes misses the beach. Based in London, when she's not busy checking for brunch spots in her next trip, she's writing about flight deals for Jack's Flight Club.

Answered by Larissa

Hi Mike! You&rsquo;re not alone in asking us this kind of question recently, and it&rsquo;s one that can get pretty complicated. From someone who is very familiar with the route between the UK and Sydney (AKA my adopted homeland and my, well, actual homeland) I&rsquo;ve got a few tips for you.&nbsp;
In the past, when I&rsquo;ve wanted to save a few pennies, I&rsquo;ve turned to Chinese airlines to get me from A to B &mdash; they are generally a lot cheaper than European, Middle Eastern and other Asian options. And while they do often fall down in convenience (<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/travel-hub/jfc-honest-airline-reviews-saudia-airlines-and-more#China%20Southern">my 8-hour-long stop in Guangzhou airport</a> comes to mind), they are, in my experience, a fairly comparable inflight experience to their long-haul counterparts.&nbsp;
But I know not everyone wants to fly via China, and so for your question I&rsquo;ve turned to the other routes to get Down Under. You&rsquo;ve essentially got 3 options &mdash; stopping over in the Middle East, Asia, or North America (or if you&rsquo;re made of money, in Perth). 
The first two options are likely your best bet, price-wise &mdash; once we take away Chinese airlines, the cheapest prices we see on the London to Sydney route are with Emirates (stopover in Dubai) and Singapore Airlines or Lufthansa (which both take you via Changi airport). But you can also stop over in Hong Kong or Istanbul, depending on when Cathay or Turkish put their prices down.&nbsp;

Because you&rsquo;re hoping to stretch out your stop-overs, Turkish Airlines is particularly worth a mention. They&rsquo;re the only airline of those above that has a dedicated <a href="https://www.turkishairlines.com/en-gb/flights/stopover/">stop-over program</a>, where you actually get a free 1-night hotel stay in Istanbul. To apply, you must have a 20+ hour layover in IST, and you must apply at least 72 hours before your first flight via email. They did have other perks included in the past, but these have vanished post-Covid. Qatar Airways also has a similar <a href="https://www.qatarairways.com/en-gb/offers/qatar-stopover.html">stop-over program</a>, but instead of a free stay, your night&rsquo;s accommodation is heavily discounted.&nbsp;
To work out which option will work best for the dates you&rsquo;re planning, use Google Flights&rsquo; &lsquo;Multi-City&rsquo; tool, which lets you play around with stop-over length and sub out different cities to see which may come up cheapest. You can check our article on <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/travel-hub/how-to-find-and-book-cheap-multi-city-flights">building multi-city</a> trips for more.&nbsp;
What I will say, though, is that adding long stop-overs into what can also be done as a simple round-trip ticket will almost always jack up the price of the overall trip. Even if you do manage to snag a free hotel room, it&rsquo;s likely that you&rsquo;ll be paying more overall on the return leg. 
For example, if you decided to plan your 2-3 day stopover in Singapore or Hong Kong, it&rsquo;s likely you&rsquo;d be flying with Singapore or Cathay Pacific. But a week in Thailand on the way back will mean you&rsquo;re likely at the mercy of Thai Airways (unless, of course, you don&rsquo;t mind extra layovers along the way). All these mixing and matching of airlines will, in general, be more expensive than just choosing one airline and sticking with them.&nbsp;
That being said, I think the idea of splitting up what is a very long trip (and gets longer every time, it feels like!) is definitely the best way to go if you have the time! Another option for you could be a more DIY approach, similar to what we explain in the multi-city trip guide. This could look something like booking return flights to Asia, and then onwards flights to Sydney and back between your Asian dates.&nbsp;

Using the Google Flights map view, you just need to add your dates and see what takes your fancy. <a href="https://www.google.com/travel/explore?tfs=CBwQAxpREgoyMDI1LTAyLTExKAI6Ak1VOgJDWjoCWkg6AkNBOgJXNDoCVzY6Alc5OgJVMjoCSFVqDAgDEggvbS8wNGpwbHILCAQSBy9tLzBqMGuQAegCGlESCjIwMjUtMDMtMDEoAjoCTVU6AkNaOgJaSDoCQ0E6Alc0OgJXNjoCVzk6AlUyOgJIVWoLCAQSBy9tLzBqMGtyDAgDEggvbS8wNGpwbJAB6AJAAUgBcAKCAQQIARADmAEBsgEEGAEgAQ&amp;tfu=GioaKAoSCdwWEhiy4z9AEdLUUc_7bGFAEhIJJpd3vFO7EsARpamjnjeMUkAiAA">In this example</a>, I&rsquo;ve used the airline filter to exclude low-cost European airlines, as well as Chinese airlines, to help you get an idea of the routes and prices available.&nbsp;
Bangkok is a great jumping-off point for the rest of Southeast Asia. And since you&rsquo;re hoping to spend some time in Thailand on the way home, it could offer you the most flexibility in terms of destinations and timing, without forcing you to spend a crazy amount. From Bangkok, you can take advantage of the <a href="https://www.google.com/travel/explore?tfs=CBwQAxpREgoyMDI1LTAyLTExKAA6Ak1VOgJDWjoCWkg6AkNBOgJXNDoCVzY6Alc5OgJVMjoCSFVqDAgDEggvbS8wZm4yZ3ILCAQSBy9tLzBqMGuQAegCQAFIAXACggEECAEQApgBArIBBBgBIAE&amp;tfu=GioaKAoSCUI_yJgYlDpAEXenjXqq4GJAEhIJThmJY_ttJcAR7k4b9ZRzVUAiAA">cheap one-way fares</a> to see somewhere else en route to Sydney.
This approach definitely involves a lot more logistics when it comes to planning, but you might avoid the hiked-up prices of the more traditional carriers that operate on these routes. Best of luck in planning, and have a wonderful time in Aus!&nbsp;
 Do you have a question for our Flight Finders? Let us know below!

<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Beware all those who dare to fly Spirit Airlines, in particular <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/23/travel/spirit-airlines-dress-code-removal/index.html">those who picked up questionable tattoos</a> in their younger days. </li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">While Storm &Eacute;owyn may have brought disruption across the UK and Ireland, it did offer a silver lining for passengers flying across the Atlantic this week. A BA flight from <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/storm-eowyn-flight-wind-speed-british-airways-b2685672.html">LA to London reached near subsonic speeds</a> of over 800mph, cutting the flight time by an hour! </li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">A new obsession for travel-loving public transportation nerds has entered the room: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2025/jan/20/why-chongqing-china-is-my-wonder-of-the-world">welcome, Chongqing</a>. </li>
<li>And finally, if you think you find air travel stressful, spare a thought for <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/mittens-cat-becomes-accidental-frequent-flyer-getting-mistakenly-left-rcna188690">Mittens the Maine Coon</a>, who found herself making three trips across the Tasman Sea in just 24 hours. Just imagine the tails she must have to tell!</li>
</ul>

Thailand

£426 rtn

China & Thailand in £390s-£520s rtn

Phuket, Thailand in $9300s RT

The Philippines, India & more in €1580s-€1820s rtn

Thailand & Vietnam in $760s-$780s RT

Bangkok at £1126 rtn