amyallcock

Thailand has so many beautiful beaches, and Hua Hin isn’t one of them. From what I recall, the beach wasn’t very clean and had lots of jellyfish. If your looking for a nice quiet beach close to Bangkok I’d recommend going east towards Ko Samet.

This was my first, and perhaps only, volcano climb. It was an interesting trip – we had break problems in the van on the way to the volcano, it rained the entire trek up, and while at the top the volcano began spitting out sulphur and other gases, and I honestly thought that was end of it as I gasped for air.

Despite having my life briefly flash infront of me, I would still recommend this trip if only because I like the challenge of climbing stuff, even if those things do happen to be volcanoes. If you’re going to do this, make sure you go with a reputable tour guide (it’s well worth the extra money, as it wasn’t particularily comforting when the van breaks were on the fritz…) and when the weather is good and the volcano isn’t particularily active. Be sure to bring rain gear and some snacks, as the climb is a bit taxing on your energy reserves.

I spent two weeks here studying Spanish, which was not nearly long enough to learn Spanish or to fully appreciate the charms of Antigua. Surrounded by volcanoes, the city is made up of cobblestone streets and beautiful colonial architecture from cathedrals to pastel-colored homes.

Tikal is one of my favourite places in the entire world. It’s a beautiful place, and the ruins are phenomenal. I found it really interesting to see the temples in various stages of excavation – from fully restored temples, to temples being resorted, to ones that have been completely grown over.

I stayed at a 3-star in Guadalavaca – the beach was really nice with lots of trees, white sand, and clear water but the resort left much to be desired. I did a tour of Holguin and the surronding area – although there wasn’t much to the city itself, I found it interesting to see what life in Cuba was like outside of the resorts, even if the tour guide was selective in what they showed us.

I wouoldn’t exactly say that Holguin is “Worth Visiting!” (I wish there was a neutral option) but if you’re looking for a nice, quiet beach then I’d recommend Holguin, although there may be other places in Cuba or the Carribean that have more to offer.

I live in Kan. for 6 months and loved it! Makes a great side trip from Bangkok – lots of nice guesthouses along the river and a stop at the Erawan waterfalls is well worth it as it’s a great place to cool off.