Hanoi & Cat Ba Island

The Basics Hanoi Upon arrival in Hanoi, we took bus 86 towards the historic center for $35,000 each. We exited the terminal, passed the taxi signs and followed signs to Minibus. A man in an orange shirt helped us choose a minibus based on our destination. Getting around for us was easy. We mostly stuck …

Malaysian Borneo: KK & Sandakan

The Basics Getting into town from the airport in Kota Kinabalu was simple. Taxis have a flat rate of RM30, and many others use the app Grab to call a car. Within 20 minutes, we were at our hotel! We stayed at Hotel Gaia 95, not far from the coast and nightly markets. Upon arrival …

Ilha Grande from Rio

The Basics Getting to the dock was simple! From Copacabana, we hired Easy transfer. They charge $30 each way per person for 2.5 hour bus and 45 minute ferry to the island. They will pick you up at your hotel in a one-hour time frame. Reserve on their website in advance and choose one of …

Iguazu Falls: Both Sides

The Basics We flew from Rio’s international airport into Aeroporto Internacional de Foz do Iguaçu. We went with LATAM airlines, and got discount tickets for $50 USD each way. These tickets did not include checked bags, so I recommend double checking with the airline you fly with. From the airport, we took a taxi straight …

Copacabana: Rio de Janeiro

The Basics We arrived at the international airport, which is about 40 minutes to Copacabana. Since we landed in the night, we ordered a Radio taxi for R$90-130, which is known to be safer (and more expensive!). We started our trip with a hotel stay in Copacabana, which we enjoyed for its location. Later in the …

Bolivia: Lake Titicaca, La Paz, Uyuni, & Amazon

The Basics We arrived to La Paz via bus from Copacabana on Lake Titicaca. Mini buses gather at Plaza Sucre and leave every 1/2 hour. Tickets are 25B. At one point, we needed to exit the bus and take a ferry across the straight (5B), to then reconnect with our bus after. This process was …

Machu Picchu for Couples

The Basics Before arriving to Peru, we bought a train ticket with PeruRail from Cusco to Aguascalientes. The station in Cusco is about 30 minutes from the city center, so we ordered a taxi to pick us up early. Upon arrival in Aguascalientes, we bought our bus tickets for the next morning to take us …

Cusco, Peru

The Basics We flew internationally and arrived at the airport about 20 minutes from the city center. We paid S20 for a taxi into town, which I think is way overpriced (oh well!). Taxis don’t have meters here, so bartering is necessary. We chose to stay in 2 different areas: near the Plaza de Armas …

Jericó: Gem of Antioquia, Colombia

The Basics From Medellin, go to the South Terminal. There is one ticket booth for buses to Jericó. Buses can fill up, so if you're going on a puente weekend, try to get there before 9am or book in advance. We typically buy return tickets at the same time to save the trouble. To Jericó, …

Chile: City, Coast, and Wine Country

Chile is the perfect place to get a taste of it all! You can take the subway to a museum, go skiing, tour a vineyard, walk on the beach, or wander the coastal towns. Spend at least five nights to get the variety of experiences. Santiago: The Basics We flew into Santiago from Medellín via …