Asia
-
Best Time to Visit Brunei: What to Expect Each Season (2026)
If you’re planning a trip to Brunei, you’ve probably wondered what the best time to visit Brunei actually is. Unlike many destinations in Southeast Asia, Brunei doesn’t have four distinct seasons, but the weather can still make a big difference to your experience. Most of Brunei’s highlights are outdoor experiences — exploring Bandar Seri Begawan, visiting the beautiful mosques, walking around Kampong Ayer, and taking a boat trip through the mangroves to look for proboscis monkeys. Because of that, choosing the right time to visit can make your trip much more enjoyable. I visited Brunei during my first trip around Southeast Asia, when I was backpacking alone and Brunei became…
-
Is Brunei Safe for Solo Female Travelers? My Experience as a Woman Traveling Alone
I’ve now traveled to 62 countries, mostly alone, and Brunei was country 36. When I booked my flight to Brunei, I didn’t really know what to expect. I was backpacking Southeast Asia alone for the first time, and the only things I knew about Brunei were the headlines you see online about the country’s strict laws and conservative culture. As a woman traveling alone, that made me nervous. I had no idea what it would actually feel like to arrive there by myself. Would I feel comfortable walking around alone? Would I have to be constantly worried about doing something wrong? Would traveling as a solo female traveler be difficult?…
-
Is Brunei Worth Visiting? My Experience Visiting One of the World’s Least-Visited Countries
Brunei became my 36th country, and funnily enough, I wasn’t even planning to visit it. At the time, I was backpacking Southeast Asia alone on my very first trip around the region when a friend convinced me to book a last-minute flight from Kuala Lumpur. I knew almost nothing about Brunei except the controversial headlines online, and honestly, I was pretty nervous. As a solo female traveler, I had no idea how strict the country would be or what to expect once I arrived. I ended up spending two days in Bandar Seri Begawan, exploring the capital, visiting its beautiful mosques, taking the famous boat trip through the mangroves, and…
-
Perfect 3-Day Kochi Itinerary For First-Time Visitors
I just spent six months traveling solo around India, and out of everywhere I visited, Kochi was the place I ended up calling home for almost three months. So if you’re planning a trip to Kerala and wondering how to spend your time there, this 3 days Kochi itinerary covers everything you actually need — what to do, where to stay, the best cafés, practical tips, and how to make the most of your time in Fort Kochi and beyond. How to get to Kochi By Plane The easiest way to get to Kochi is by flying into Cochin International Airport (COK), which is around 1–1.5 hours from Fort Kochi…
-
Best Hotels in Kochi: Options for Every Budget
Before coming to Kochi, I thought I would stay for 4 or 5 days. Instead, I ended up staying for almost 3 months. After spending that much time there, I got to know the different areas pretty well and realized that choosing the right hotel and location can make a big difference to your trip. In this guide, I’ll share some of the best hotels in Kochi for every budget, from affordable homestays to 3-star, 4-star and 5-star hotels. Hotels in Kochi: Quick Answer If it’s your first time in Kochi, I recommend staying in Fort Kochi. That’s where I stayed for most of my time in the city, and…
-
Is Kerala the best place for solo travel in India?
Before coming to India, I was genuinely scared. Everything online made it feel like pure chaos — traffic, scams, noise, crowds, stress — and as a solo female traveler I had no idea if I was even going to handle it well. And to be fair, some parts of India ARE overwhelming. But Kerala completely surprised me. Fort Kochi was the first place where I actually relaxed into India instead of feeling constantly overstimulated. It felt slower, calmer, easier to navigate, and much softer than what I expected India to feel like. So if someone asked me what I think is the best place for solo travel in India, especially…
-
Complete Kochi Guide For First Time India Visitors
I flew into Kochi as my very first stop in India, planning to stay for just a few days. Almost three months later, I was still there. I arrived nervous because India had built itself up in my head as this overwhelming, chaotic place where everything would be difficult. Kochi turned out to be the complete opposite of what I expected. Fort Kochi felt calm, easy to navigate, tourist-friendly and much less intense than the India I had imagined before arriving. That’s a big reason why I think Kochi is such a good place to start if it’s your first time in India. It gives you time to adjust without…
-
One day trip to Kochi: How to Spend 24 Hours in Fort Kochi
If you only have one day in Kochi, you can still see a lot without trying to squeeze in absolutely everything. I spent almost three months in Fort Kochi, and this is the route I’d follow for a one day trip to Kochi if I wanted to fit in the main places while still actually enjoying the day. One Day Trip to Kochi: Quick Itinerary Morning Afternoon Evening How to Get to Fort Kochi Cochin International Airport is quite far from Fort Kochi, and the drive can take around an hour depending on traffic. If you’re arriving by plane and only have one day in Kochi, I’d seriously consider arranging…
-
Things to Do in Kochi: What I Actually Loved After 3 Months
I had planned to spend four days in Kochi. I ended up staying for three months. Kochi was my first stop during six months traveling around India, and somehow it became the place I called home for half of that trip. After more than 10 years of traveling, it was also one of the hardest places I’ve ever had to leave. So if you’re looking for the best things to do in Kochi, these aren’t just places I rushed around seeing in two days. They’re the places, experiences and everyday things I actually enjoyed after spending months there. What is Fort Kochi like? Fort Kochi is slow, relaxed and very…
-
Is Kochi Safe For Women Traveling Alone? A Solo Female Traveler’s Honest Answer (2026)
By the time I arrived in India, I had already traveled to 61 countries — most of them alone. But India felt different. It was one of the few places that had always sounded genuinely intimidating as a solo female traveler. It’s a massive country with over 1.4 billion people, and between the safety concerns I’d heard over the years and the logistics of figuring things out on the ground, it had built itself up in my head as something overwhelming and unpredictable. I didn’t really know what to expect, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t at least a little worried about my safety before arriving. So…
