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The 5 Best Hostels in Bocas del Toro, Panama
I spent time in Bocas del Toro while traveling through Central America with a friend. This time, I didn’t actually stay in a hostel — we found a cheap private room at Hostal Hansi, which made more sense for the two of us. I normally stay in hostels when I’m traveling solo, so I still wanted to include the hostel options I would personally compare if I were visiting Bocas del Toro alone. In this guide, I’m sharing 5 hostels in Bocas del Toro worth looking at depending on whether you want something social, somewhere right on the water, or simply a cheaper place to stay. Best Hostels in Bocas…
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The 4 Best Hostels in Kochi, India
I spent 3 months living in Kochi, India. What was supposed to be a quick 3–4 day trip ended up with me staying until my visa finally forced me to leave. As someone who has been traveling for 10+ years and has now visited 62 countries, I’ve managed to travel this much by keeping things on a budget, and hostels have been a huge part of that. In this guide, I’ll share the 4 best hostels in Kochi, including the one I stayed at during my time there and the others I’d recommend to anyone visiting the city. Best Hostels in Kochi: Quick Picks I wrote this post to help…
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Where to Stay in Riga: My Top Areas and Hotels in 2026
I’ve been to Riga three times, and I’ve stayed long enough that I’ve experienced the city as more than just a tourist passing through. My first visit was as a backpacker traveling through the Baltics, and the other two were completely different — I was working as a flight attendant and based in Riga for about a month each time. So if you’re trying to figure out where to stay in Riga, I’m not basing this on a weekend visit or just looking at a map. I’ve spent more than two months in the city altogether, stayed in different parts of the Riga area, used the buses, walked around constantly,…
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How Many Days in Riga Do You Really Need? (2026)
I’ve been to Riga three times. Not three weekend trips — more than two months total, including two separate stints where I was based there for about a month at a time, working as a flight attendant. So when someone asks how many days in Riga they actually need, I’m not guessing based on one quick visit. I’ve had Riga as a backpacker passing through, and I’ve had it as somewhere I actually lived for a while. That makes a difference here. How many days in Riga you need depends on what kind of trip you’re planning. If you just want to explore Riga itself, you don’t need a huge…
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The Best Time to Visit Riga (And What Three Stays Taught Me) 2026
I’ve been to Riga three times, and none of them were a quick weekend trip. The first time was during my first solo backpacking trip around Europe, when I traveled through 13 countries in three months. I’d met a group of Portuguese people in Slovakia doing Erasmus in Poland, ran into them again in Poland, and ended up traveling with them through Poland and all three Baltic countries by bus. We came into Riga from Lithuania and I stayed at Cinnamon Sally Backpackers Hostel. The other two times were different. I was working as a flight attendant, based in Riga for about a month each time. That’s not visiting a…
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Is Riga Safe for Solo Female Travelers? My Experience After Spending Months There
I’ve visited Riga three times, and I’ve spent more than two months there altogether. My first visit was during my first solo backpacking trip around Europe, when I traveled through 13 countries in three months. I later returned twice while working as a flight attendant, when I was based in Riga for about a month each time. That means I’ve experienced Riga in a few very different ways — as a solo backpacker passing through and as someone who had weeks to actually live there and get to know the city. In this guide, I’ll share my personal experience of is Riga safe for solo female travelers, including how I…
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Is Riga Worth Visiting? I’ve Spent Months Here — Here’s My Take
I’ve been to Riga three times, and I’ve spent more than two months there. My first visit was during my first solo backpacking trip around Europe, when I traveled through 13 countries in three months. I later returned to Riga twice while working as a flight attendant, when my company based me there for about a month each time. I’ve experienced Riga both as a backpacker passing through and while spending weeks there for work, and I’ve visited in both winter and summer. In this guide, I’ll be answering the simple question: is Riga worth visiting? I’ll share my personal experience, what I liked and didn’t like, and some practical…
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Bocas del Toro Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go
I visited Bocas del Toro during a fast backpacking trip through Central America with a friend, so I only had a limited amount of time to explore the area. Still, I got to experience Bocas Town, Isla Colón, the beaches, and some of the islands around Bocas del Toro. If you’re planning a trip here, this guide covers the things I think are actually useful to know before you go, from how to get to Bocas del Toro and where to stay to the best things to do, how many days you need, when to visit, and what to expect once you’re there. Bocas del Toro Guide: Overview Bocas del…
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Best Things to Do in Bocas del Toro: The Best Beaches, Islands & Activities
Bocas del Toro was one of the stops on my three-week backpacking trip through Central America, where I was traveling on a tight budget and moving through eight countries in a short amount of time. I didn’t have weeks to explore the islands, so I had to be selective about what I spent my time and money on. If you’re looking for things to do in Bocas del Toro, this guide focuses on the experiences I actually had and what I thought was worth doing. I’ll also tell you what I would prioritize if you’re backpacking on a budget or only have a short time in Bocas. Best things to…
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Bocas del Toro Itinerary: How to Spend 1 to 4 Days on the Island
I visited Bocas del Toro as part of a fast backpacking trip through Central America, so I didn’t have the luxury of spending a full week exploring every island. I also don’t travel like someone who arrives at a destination after a relaxing vacation and immediately wants to book a full day of activities. After constantly moving from one place to the next, I usually want to get settled, walk around, figure out where I am and actually see the place before jumping into excursions. That’s exactly how I approached Bocas del Toro. I started by exploring Bocas Town and Isla Colón before getting into the bigger activities and trips…
























