backpacking

Hoi An, Vietnam: Tourism & Shopping, but also stuff that doesn’t suck.

japanese bridge hoi an vietnam
The Japanese Bridge in the ancient town of Hoi An, Vietnam

The Story – Hoi An, Vietnam

I have to admit, the first time I was in Hoi An I didn’t like it. The main reason: The tourists. I didn’t come to Vietnam to see westerners. The whole town is centered around tourism. Locals are aggressive when it comes to getting your business. The beautiful buildings are all shops selling — well, it doesn’t matter what they’re selling — I’m not here to shop. Truth be told, Sara and I were in and out of Hoi An in only a few hours. The heat and the harassing was just too much for your favourite budget travel couple. This time around though, I would be stationed in the city for 3 days. I’d have to do things differently if I wanted to keep my cool, so I brought my mom… She thinks I’m cool.

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Ipoh, Malaysia: Seriously Bad Ass.

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concubine lane in Ipoh, Malaysia
Ipoh, Malaysia – Concubine Lane
It’s easy to take a bus from Kuala Lumpur to the Cameron Highlands (4.5 hours), or Penang (about 4 hours) buzzing right past Ipoh like it was a solicitor on a sidewalk, but don’t underestimate the 4th largest city in Malaysia. I know, the name Ipoh looks like it’s an acronym for something boring — International Party of Humdrum or something, but it actually gets its name from a tree. Yes, trees are boring too, but this particular tree, the Pokok Ipoh, is notorious for killing people. It’s sap is highly poisonous and was used by indigenous people to coat the tips of their darts for general killing purposes. The Chinese have a saying about the tree that translates to: “Seven up, eight down, nine no life”. It means that if someone is poisoned by it they’ll only be able to take seven steps uphill, eight steps downhill, or nine steps on level ground before falling to their death. Yeah man, Ipoh is bad-ass.

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The Best Travel Insurance for Backpackers

“No Mom. I’m invincible. I don’t need travel insurance.” *Mom smacks me in the head and makes me cry.

For the longest time, I was against travel insurance. I rarely get sick. I don’t have accidents (including the ones that happen in your pants). I’m generally a pretty safe guy. What I didn’t think about was the different lifestyle that I’d be adopting while traveling the world.

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The Best Way to Visit Cuc Phuong, Vietnam’s Largest National Park

Cuc Phuong National Park, Vietnam
Cuc Phuong National Park on a hazy/smokey morning.

The Story – Cuc Phuong National Park, Vietnam

Conservation in Vietnam started at Cuc Phuong National Park. It was consecrated by Ho Chi Minh in 1962, right in the middle of the Vietnam War. The bombs dropped and the defoliants used during the war, destroyed much of Vietnam’s forests and fauna. Ho Chi Minh told the people that protecting the environment is protecting their future. Since then, 29 other national parks have been created in Vietnam, but Cuc Phuong remains the largest.

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Where to go in Slovakia: A Visitor’s Guide by Someone Who Lived There

If you are planning a trip through central Europe, you might be tempted to put a quick stopover in Bratislava, Slovakia’s capital. This seems like the logical place to visit, since there isn’t much information out there about the hidden gems that the country has to offer. We lived in Slovakia for a year, so we’ve explored the country in depth, and we’ve discovered a lot of great places. Here are some of Itchy Feet’s suggestions for where to go in Slovakia.

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So how much does it cost to travel South America for 50 days?

In an effort to make this blog useful, what follows is a spending summary to give fellow travelers an idea of how much it cost us to travel through Peru, Chile, and Argentina. We are frugal travelers which means we don’t spend a lot of money on things like souvenirs, fancy meals, fabulous hotels, or first-class tickets. We do, however, like to maximize the bang for our buck; this requires planning and research on our part. We are a couple, and this gives us an advantage when traveling as we can split everything 50/50. In fact, a shared double room often tends to work out cheaper than the cost of a dorm bed.

“Day Trips” includes admission fees, taxis, public transit fares, etc.
“Transport” is the cost of transportation between cities: buses, trains, boats, etc.
“Spending money” includes things like beer money, gifts, laundry, and sundries.

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How We Conquered Half the Pan-Am Highway in 2 Months for $2000

Backpacking South America: 2 Months, $2000

Welcome to the origin of Itchy Feet on the Cheap. This blog originally started as a way to share all the planning we did to make our first backpacking trip as a couple as budget friendly as possible. In this post, you will find the videos and links to the guides that outline the specifics of our journey.

If you are planning a trip to South America, you’ll find the guides helpful with your planning, and the videos will give you a preview of what’s to come.

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I ♥ Buenos Aires, Argentina (even when it’s covered in garbage!)

Disclaimer: some of the following photos contain large piles of garbage; yet, despite the ongoing garbage strike that occurred the week that we visited Buenos Aires, it still managed to be beautiful (albeit a little stinky at times).

Casa Rosada Plaza de Mayo where Eva Perón often used the balcony to address the people.
Casa Rosada Plaza de Mayo where Eva Perón often used the balcony to address the people.

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Mendoza, Argentina

A typical street in Mendoza
A typical street in Mendoza
There are several possible buses that make the daily run from Valparaiso, Chile (originating in Vina del Mar) to Mendoza and they cost about CLP9000/$19 for the 15 hour bus ride. I suggest either Tas-Choapa or El Rapido as they both offer good service, reasonable price, and safe buses.

Crossing the Chile-Argentina border was a breeze; just make sure to eat all your fruit before you get there.

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Santiago, Chile

View of Santiago from Cerro San Cristobal.
View of Santiago from Cerro San Cristobal.
We took TurBus from La Serena to Santiago. The trip was about five hours and cost CLP8000/$17. It was amazing how similar Santiago seemed to Toronto on the drive in on the highway through the outskirts. We had read some negative things about Santiago, particularly about the pollution problem. Unfortunately, in the winter months a thick layer of smog drapes the city creating scenes like this.

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