Unseen Cities that you Must See

Sometimes travel makes you miss things that you never knew you appreciated before. Like being able to read a menu, or not being stared at while you walk down the street. You know what else I miss? The immigration kiosk at the airport. I’m serious! Sadly, airport immigration wasn’t a reality for the rest of our trip from Ecuador to Peru as we chose to take the route less traveled! After spending a month backpacking through Ecuador it was time for us to make our way to Peru. To get there we decided to cross the La Balsa border by bus , rather than plane. It was long. It was bumpy. It was exhausting. But it was incredibly scenic and quite the adventure! This guide on how to get from Ecuador and Peru details everything you need to know about crossing the border via the La Balsa border crossing using public transportation. * 2019 Update: Some of our lovely readers have contacted us with some updates they found on their more recent crossing, so keep an eye...

By Becca Hensley Satisfy your sweet tooth with these ten delicious desserts from around the globe. Sacher Torte | Vienna Original Sachertorte chocolate cake at Cafe Sacher in Salzburg, Austria (Photo: STEFAN POLITI MARKOVINA/ALAMY) Befitting its regal past, penchant for Cinderella balls, and café culture, Austria’s imperial city gave the world this elegant chocolate torte with sponge cake, apricot jam, and a fudge fondant top. Sweet Spot: Try it at Hotel Sacher Wien’s Café Sacher, which claims to use Franz Sacher’s original, secret recipe, dating back to 1832.  (4 Philharmonikerstrasse) Beignets | New Orleans Coffee and beignets at Cafe du Monde in New Orleans (Photo: JIM WEST/ALAMY). Bite into a hot, fried, chewy, pillow-shaped beignet and be immersed in the Big Easy’s French fusion past. Expect swirls of powdered sugar to settle on your face and clothing, but that’s nothing a napkin can’t remedy. Sweet Spot: Locals and tourists alike gather at storied Café Du Monde in the Fren...

Aruba is a small island in the southern Caribbean and belongs to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is part of the Dutch Antilles. The Divi Divi tree defines Aruba: they all point to the same direction because of the trade winds. The trees do not grow anywhere else on the planet, making it the symbol of the island. The beaches in Aruba are said to be the cleanest and widest in the Caribbean. Eagle Beach and Palm Beach are considered to be the best beaches among many others. Besides relaxing by the sea, the guests are offered water activities, horseback riding, mountain bikes and golf. Why to go there? Many hotels, resorts and wonderful climate make Aruba a very appealing holiday destination. When to go there? The temperature is warm and beach friendly all year round. It is dry and the winds from the sea keep it pleasant. How to get there? Many airlines and some cruises go to Aruba. The newest flights are from New York and Montreal. Read more or book: Visit Aruba, Holiday Inn Reso...

(This post contains affiliate links, for more information read this  privacy policy ) As for every big trip I try to document my expenses throughout my travels in order to provide you with a good overview of what costs you might encounter. And this time we will cover beautiful Colombia.  So if you are planning on traveling to Colombia here is a short overview trying to answer the following question: How expensive is Colombia?  But first of all a little bit about my style of travel so you can get an idea to what extent your travel style and expenses will be similar to mine. I always stay in Hostel dorms but I do not always opt for the cheapest hostel around. As a social atmosphere is my priority when traveling I sometimes spend a little more just because a hostel has a better review. I like to eat street food but occasionally also go out to eat if I know the trip is only lasting a limited amount of time. This trip was only about five weeks and...

Reading Time: 10 minutes I was overcome with a wave of relief as locals literally waved at our tourist bus weaving the unpaved roads to the rural town of Coupe in the Dominican Republic. So here I am today discussing the uncomfortable topic of volunteering abroad. “They want us here,” I thought with content. I’m one of the most skeptic travelers when considering the role of big brother and/or disrupting foreign cultures. I’d signed up to volunteer in the Dominican Republic, to join Americans seeking to “make a difference” in a beautiful black-Latino community. I watched thirty Americans awe-eyed by a culture so different than their own, attempt (and succeed) in teaching English. Finally, a program that’s doing it right! As I introduce an overview of English courses offered by Impact,  Fathom Travel  offers volunteer experiences in entrepreneurship with local artisans (making chocolate or craft art), reforestation and environmental education...