How to Travel?

How to travel cheap

Have you ever wondered how to travel the world for free? or where to get the cheapest flight tickets? how to discover places which are not overrun by tourists? then you are on the right site here! While i have traveled to every continent on earth (except Antarctica) i visited hundreds of different cities, thousands of hotels, restaurants and perfect spots. While this adventure i learned so many useful things. From travelling on low budget to staying in luxury resorts i share all my hacks, tips and tricks in this series.

Planing & Booking

  • Planing
  • Budgeting
  • Booking
    • Flights
    • Hotels
    • Airbnb
    • Hostels
    • Couchsurfing
  • Packing
    • Luggage
    • Minimalism
    • Compression pack
    • Packing for cold weather
    • Fold techniques
      • Roll technique
      • How to fold Sweaters & Hoodies
      • Pants & Trousers (Marie Kondo)
      • Shirts / Socks / Stockings
  • Preparation
    • Cloud storage
    • Timeplan
    • emergency infos

Travelling & Exploring

  • Style
    • Cheap / on a budget
    • Backpacking
    • Mixed
    • Luxury
  • Airport
  • Transportation
    • Airplane
      • Fear of Flying
    • Bus
    • Taxi
    • Uber
    • Public transport
    • Scooter rental
    • Car rental
  • Accomodation
    • Check in
    • Upgrades
  • Sightseeing
    • Research
    • locals
  • Gastronomy
    • Restaurants
    • Cafes
    • Bars
      • Find
  • Safety
    • Safety Rules
    • Pocket picking
  • Scams
    • Typical Scams

Capture & Present

  • Storytelling
    • Fundamentals
  • Camera Gear
    • Camera
    • Lenses
    • Sound
    • Stabilization
    • Tipps
  • Storage
    • SD Cards
    • External Hard Drive
    • Cloud
  • Present
    • Youtube
    • Instagram

Latest Episodes

Masterplan

Travel Map

Research Spots

Travel Vaccines

This is the agenda of all the topics ill be covering in this series. You can see there is a lot to talk and teach about. This Series should be interactive so if you have any questions or you know a very useful travel tip do not hesitate to write me a comment wherever you are (Blog post, YouTube, Instagram... etc.). If you bring up a good feedback or input i will cover it in a video for the series. this should be an interactive process and the list above keep on changing. So basically this site is the index for the "How to Travel" series, means you will find all the content linked here and you will get an overview here.

I will produce the "How to Travel" in three different Media types:

  1. Video | YouTube & IGTV
  2. Text | Blog posts
  3. Audio | Spotify

 

travel tool board

What do you wanna know about Travelling?

Do you have a good travel hack?

 

Life on Gili Trawangan

ship wreck gili islands

A full week on Gili Trawangan in Indonesia means really a full week of relaxing and slowing down. Already the fact, that on the island no engines are aloud and only bicycles, horses and your own feet bring you from A to B, proves that you will really slow down. But that's not the only thing. Gili Trawangan is the most populated of the three Gili Islands, that means you will find lots of nice restaurants and bars there. Gili Trawangan has a lot of nightlife to offer as well. Boats bring you to the more deserted neighbor islands Gili Meno and Gili Air. Lots of beautiful reefs for snorkeling and diving around.

The Video Log on Youtube. Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube Channel

How to get to Gili Trawangan?

We purchased our Gili Boat ticket online. Actually there are a lot of different options to get over to the islands. In peak season i can recommend you to buy a couple of days in advance, otherwise you could miss your preferred departing day and time. But whilst low season you can actually book a day before departing or even on the same day you want to leave. If you decide to buy from a street seller always negotiate the price and compare different offers. You can choose between private boats, which are the most expansive, fast boats and public ferries. We chose the public ferry because it is the cheapest option and we actually enjoy a good boat trip. more about it here

 

gili trawangan boat

No engines on the Island but the boats are of course running on benzin

Where to stay?

Of course in the Pinkcoco Hotel, it is not right in the center of Gili Trawangan but they have a restaurant, a popular bar and bicycles for rent. The beach is sandy and in the water a bit rocky but depending on the tide there are some good areas to go on a swim. And of course there is a hotel pool if you prefer to avoid the salt.

Check it out here

gili restaurants

Amazing restaurants on the island. Places to have a meal, stare at the ocean and live life to the fullest.

Which are the best Restaurants on the Island?

Well, its difficult to choose which one are the best restaurants but there are some we really can recommend. Healthy, delicious and chilled locations. The prices on the island are a bit more expansive than in Indonesia because it is also more touristy but still affordable. So here we go:

Besides those Restaurants i can highly recommend you to eat seafood in the local market or in a seafood restaurant (lots of them around)

nightlife gili trawangan

The nightlife is vibrant on the island. live music and raving party all night long.

Horses do the work

fruit juice gili

Do not miss the tropical fruit juices!

About Bali

Bali is one of the Islands in the southern part of Indonesia. Mostly there is tropical warm weather on the Island. The Island has an airport in the capital city of Denpasar which is situated in the South of Bali. The most beautiful month on Bali is September and the Rainy Season lasts from the end of november until the end of march. Most people speak balinese or indonesian on the island. We travelled Bali for a month. We landed in Denpasar in the south of Bali and went up to the north. We stayed in places like Nusa Dua, Canggu, Ubud and Pemuteran.

The Perfspots Project

Perfspots stands for Perfect Spots. My passion is to explore places I've never been before. While running a startup, i travel as much as possible. Here i share the Perfect Spots i enjoyed the most. Spots you can get a great meal, sip a coffee with a breathtaking view or experience an exciting adventure. learn more about the project.

 

 

Bali travel

The famous Gili Water Swing

gili water swing

I'll be honest, i already saw a couple of water swing pictures swinging through instagram before i saw this Gili water swing on the Gili Trawangan Island. Nevertheless it is something fascinating, a swing placed in the middle of the ocean. This one was placed right in front of the hotel we were staying. Someone had the idea of building such a water swing and now there are a handful of swings on the island or in the sea, however you want to call it. During the daytime the swing is often occupied by people shooting pictures and making selfies. The first time i had the chance to get on it, i tried to swing. first attempt failed. One of the two swings was hanging a bit lower than the other one. with the lower one i had no chance to swing because it was too hard to get enough velocity to swing out of the water. It depends on the tide, when it's high, it gets more difficult, when low, easier. The second try on the other swing was successful. i gained height once the swing came out of the water. Trust me, that was fun!

The Video Log on Youtube. Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube Channel

How to get to the Gili Water Swing?

As i mentioned there are couple of water swings on Gili Trawangan. I think there are already some in Bali as well. Just do your research. Get on the island, stroll along the beach. You can actually get around the island easy in one day. If you see a water swing out in the water and nobody is having a shooting on it. Go swing the shh out of you.

 

gili trawangan water swing

this stage is called "the posing", while shooting pictures or thinking about a strategy.

Where to stay?

Of course in the Pinkcoco Hotel, it is not right in the center of Gili Trawangan but they have a restaurant, a popular bar and bicycles for rent. The beach is sandy and in the water a bit rocky but depending on the tide there are some good areas to go on a swim. And of course there is a hotel pool if you prefer to avoid the salt.

Check it out here

water swing

This is the moment moving out of the water, use this momentum.

What is special about the Gili Water Swing?

Instead of lying the whole day on your beach chair and burn your skin while reading a bad book, move your body an feel like a child again. You will experience that it takes a bit more energy to swing while the water is breaking your speed. But once you get that velocity and height, the water splashes up when touch down, that's an amazing feeling. Getting sweaty? no problem, just drop in the ocean and feel like newborn. it is amazing trust me.

gili trawangan swing

This stage is called "sky high". feel the realease of dopamine.

About Bali

Bali is one of the Islands in the southern part of Indonesia. Mostly there is tropical warm weather on the Island. The Island has an airport in the capital city of Denpasar which is situated in the South of Bali. The most beautiful month on Bali is September and the Rainy Season lasts from the end of november until the end of march. Most people speak balinese or indonesian on the island. We travelled Bali for a month. We landed in Denpasar in the south of Bali and went up to the north. We stayed in places like Nusa Dua, Canggu, Ubud and Pemuteran.

The Perfspots Project

Perfspots stands for Perfect Spots. My passion is to explore places I've never been before. While running a startup, i travel as much as possible. Here i share the Perfect Spots i enjoyed the most. Spots you can get a great meal, sip a coffee with a breathtaking view or experience an exciting adventure. learn more about the project.

 

 

Bali travel

The PinkCoco Hotel

pinkcoco hotel

It was a bit of a struggle to get to Gili Trawangan but we made it to the Pink Coco Hotel finally. Read about our struggles to get on this Island here. It was not really a surprize but as we arrived we realized that the whole hotel is in Pink. Okay the name already betrays it but to see it in real life was cool. Passports, Check-in, welcome drink, short instruction and we were ready to drop our bags in the hotel room. Guess what, the room all in pink as well. It was on the first floor with a nice balcony with a view on the Pink Coco Hotel pool. First impression... Pink 🙂

The Video Log on Youtube. Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube Channel

How to get to the PinkCoco Hotel?

First of all you need to get to Gili Trawangan which is an Island. This is one of three islands located between Bali and Lombok, Indonesia. On the Islands are no motors allowed so either you get on a coach, walk or you get around with a bicycle. And it can be pretty difficult to ride to the hotel with bags on a bike. So the only options are to walk or get on a coach. It's about 22 minutes to walk from the port to the Pinkcoco Hotel. First we decided to get on a coach but the prices were really high, 100 Indonesian rupiah as i remember. It is affordable compared to other tourist destinations but compared to Indonesia the price is pretty high. So we decided to walk. After the first steps with the luggage, the bad roads, the burning sun on our neck, we decided to pay the price nevertheless.

After trying to negotiate the price we hopped on the coach.

Where to stay?

Of course in the Pinkcoco Hotel, it is not right in the center of Gili Trawangan but they have a restaurant, a popular bar and bicycles for rent. The beach is sandy and in the water a bit rocky but depending on the tide there are some good areas to go on a swim. And of course there is a hotel pool if you prefer to avoid the salt.

Check it out here

coach gili trawangan

A coach on a rainy day transporting tourists.

What is special about the Pinkcoco Hotel?

Of course it is all pink, the building, the interior, the restaurant, slippers and the towels as well. That somehow a special experience to live couple of days in a pink world. The Pinkcoco hotel has its own bar which is crowded in the evenings. people come to enjoy the sunset because it sets right in front of the bar with a fantastic view on the sea.

The famous waterswing (there are severals on the island) is in the front of the bar and a lot of tourists come just to snap a picture on this swing. when we were enjoying our coconut at the bar there were people standing in line to get such a photo... probably for instagram. 😉

drone gili trawangan

A droneshot to see the Pinkcoco Hotel from a birds perspective

water swing gili trawangan

This is me, having fun on the famous waterswing.

pinkcoco bicycle

Even the bicycles are pink

About Bali

Bali is one of the Islands in the southern part of Indonesia. Mostly there is tropical warm weather on the Island. The Island has an airport in the capital city of Denpasar which is situated in the South of Bali. The most beautiful month on Bali is September and the Rainy Season lasts from the end of november until the end of march. Most people speak balinese or indonesian on the island. We travelled Bali for a month. We landed in Denpasar in the south of Bali and went up to the north. We stayed in places like Nusa Dua, Canggu, Ubud and Pemuteran.

The Perfspots Project

Perfspots stands for Perfect Spots. My passion is to explore places I've never been before. While running a startup, i travel as much as possible. Here i share the Perfect Spots i enjoyed the most. Spots you can get a great meal, sip a coffee with a breathtaking view or experience an exciting adventure. learn more about the project.

 

 

Bali travel

Boat journey to the Gilis

gili boat

After arriving with the taxi in Padangbai we've been approached by a lot of street sellers to buy a Gili boat ticket. We've already purchased one online with a dubious boat company which i'm not gonna mention here because we were not happy with the service. there was no pickup point described nor a proper pick up time or meeting point. so we had to ask our way through the hotel reception and some small offices of this company. The staff was not friendly but we managed to get to the port in time. I have never experienced such a messy boarding. The boat was delayed and we waited for more than two hours to depart. The port is pretty chaotic, people screaming around departing times from different companies, vendors are selling beverages and the waiting room is packed full with tourists.

The Video Log on Youtube. Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube Channel

How to get to the Gilis?

Like i mentioned we purchased our Gili Boat ticket online. Actually there are a lot of different options to get over to the islands. In peak season i can recommend you to buy a couple of days in advance, otherwise you could miss your preferred departing day and time. But whilst low season you can actually book a day before departing or even on the same day you want to leave. If you decide to buy from a street seller always negotiate the price and compare different offers. You can choose between private boats, which are the most expansive, fast boats and public ferries. We chose the public ferry because it is the cheapest option and we actually enjoy a good boat trip.

port padangbai

The port of Padangbai

Where to stay?

We stayed at a hotel close to the Port of Pdangbai. What we didn't kow then, we had to walk all the way with our luggage to the Gili Boat ticket office and from there they brought us to the port again.

Check it out here

What is special on the Gili boat trip?

The funny thing was, that the boat seats were old airplane seats. somehow a cool way of recycling. The boat ride was comfortable. once the boat broke down, the motor stopped but after couple of minutes they fixed it again. Don't expect everything to work well if you choose the cheapest option 😉

Me personally love boat trips so i really enjoyed the whole journey from departing in bali until arriving to the Gilis. You see the Islands from the water perspective and that's cool somehow.

gili boat selfie

finally boarded and happy with our window seat. Me and Simi

gili boat trip

Not all the boats arrive there safely haha

About Bali

Bali is one of the Islands in the southern part of Indonesia. Mostly there is tropical warm weather on the Island. The Island has an airport in the capital city of Denpasar which is situated in the South of Bali. The most beautiful month on Bali is September and the Rainy Season lasts from the end of november until the end of march. Most people speak balinese or indonesian on the island. We travelled Bali for a month. We landed in Denpasar in the south of Bali and went up to the north. We stayed in places like Nusa Dua, Canggu, Ubud and Pemuteran.

The Perfspots Project

Perfspots stands for Perfect Spots. My passion is to explore places I've never been before. While running a startup, i travel as much as possible. Here i share the Perfect Spots i enjoyed the most. Spots you can get a great meal, sip a coffee with a breathtaking view or experience an exciting adventure. learn more about the project.

 

 

Bali travel

The Brahmavihara-Arama Temple

brahmavihara-arama

We explored the Brahmavihara-Arama Temple in the north of Bali.  This temple is also known under the name of Vihara Buddha Banjar. We where the only tourists exploring it at the time we arrived. The North is not as popular as the south but it has so many gems to offer. The Brahmavihara-Arama is a buddhist temple and is still in use as a meditation center.

The Video Log on Youtube. Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube Channel

How to get to the Brahmavihara-Arama Temple?

The Temple is situated in the North of Bali, Indonesia. It is built on a hill, overlooking the city of Banjar. The temple is actually not that easy to find so make sure to visit it with a guide or a driver who really knows how to get there. You can try it by yourself but driving with gps is recommended because there are no roadsigns showing the way up the hill to the temple.

Brahmavihara-Arama temple

this is me in front of a temple statue

Where to stay?

We stayed at a hotel close to the center of Ubud and not right in the jungle. There are tons of options. From Ubud we went on a tour to the temple.

Check it out here

What is special there?

Like i wrote before, this is not a very popular tourist spot. At the time we visited the temple there were only one or two other tourists visiting. The Buddhist buildings are very unique and the meditation rooms built in a simple and minimalistic design. The architecture is a bit Hinduism influenced because of the main religion in Bali. This place is really recommended if you are interested to learn more about Buddhism.

Vihara Buddha Banjar

The door to the jungle in a meditation room.

Brahmavihara-Arama

inside view of the Brahmavihara-Arama temple

About Bali

Bali is one of the Islands in the southern part of Indonesia. Mostly there is tropical warm weather on the Island. The Island has an airport in the capital city of Denpasar which is situated in the South of Bali. The most beautiful month on Bali is September and the Rainy Season lasts from the end of november until the end of march. Most people speak balinese or indonesian on the island. We travelled Bali for a month. We landed in Denpasar in the south of Bali and went up to the north. We stayed in places like Nusa Dua, Canggu, Ubud and Pemuteran.

The Perfspots Project

Perfspots stands for Perfect Spots. My passion is to explore places I've never been before. While running a startup, i travel as much as possible. Here i share the Perfect Spots i enjoyed the most. Spots you can get a great meal, sip a coffee with a breathtaking view or experience an exciting adventure. learn more about the project.

 

 

Bali travel

Ulun Danu Bratan Temple

ulun danu bratan

The Pura Ulun Danu Bratan is a Hindu watertemple in the heart of Bali, Indonesia. "Pura" means temple in indonesian. So in english: "Ulun Danu Bratan Temple". The temple is well known for its unique traditional architecture. the temple is built on a vulcan lake and the water of the lake is declared as holy.

The Video Log on Youtube. Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube Channel

How to get to the Ulun Danu Bratan Temple?

The Temple is situated in the Center of Bali, Indonesia. It is built on the Bratan lake. It is 1200 m .a.s.l in the mountains of Bali. Rent a scooter, join a tour or get there with a taxi. there are plenty of parking lots next by the temple area.

pura ulun danu bratan

me in front of the dragon protecting the temple

Where to stay?

We stayed at a hotel close to the center of Ubud and not right in the jungle. There are tons of options. From Ubud we went on a tour to the temple.

Check it out here

What is special there?

The temple has its unique traditional architecture. The thin stacked roofs reach out to the sky out of the Bratan lake. The shore around the temple is stocked with beautiful flowers. There are statues of dragons which protect the temple. You can go on a boat trip around the temple for another perspective from the lake. The park next to the Pura Ulun Danu Beratan temple is also worth to stroll through. Trees, flowers and Statues. This spot is really worth a visit.

pura ulun danu bratan

bear statue

Posing with the statues in the Park.

About Bali

Bali is one of the Islands in the southern part of Indonesia. Mostly there is tropical warm weather on the Island. The Island has an airport in the capital city of Denpasar which is situated in the South of Bali. The most beautiful month on Bali is September and the Rainy Season lasts from the end of november until the end of march. Most people speak balinese or indonesian on the island. We travelled Bali for a month. We landed in Denpasar in the south of Bali and went up to the north. We stayed in places like Nusa Dua, Canggu, Ubud and Pemuteran.

The Perfspots Project

Perfspots stands for Perfect Spots. My passion is to explore places I've never been before. While running a startup, i travel as much as possible. Here i share the Perfect Spots i enjoyed the most. Spots you can get a great meal, sip a coffee with a breathtaking view or experience an exciting adventure. learn more about the project.

 

 

Bali travel

The Tegalalang Rice Terrace

tegalalang rice terrace

we explored the famous Tegalalang rice terrace. back in the days it was simply used to farm rice. Nowadays it is mainly a tourist spot. but why? because the layers of the rice fields are very aestethic! The terrace are close to Ubud in Bali, Indonesia.

The Video Log on Youtube. Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube Channel

How to get to the Tegalalang Rice Terrace?

Ubud is situated in the center of Bali, more or less in the middle of the Jungle. Bali has its own airport in Denpansar which is 1 hour and 20 min car drive away from and to Ubud. From Ubud you will get to the Tegalalang Rice Terrace by Scooter or Car in just 20 minutes. There are several parking possibilaties, beware of coffee vendors trying to scam you. Watch the scam vlog here:

In Ubud you will find a lot of Tourism offices which offer a guided tour to the Tegalalang Rice Terrace. I can recommend to compare prices and the details of the tours.

tegallalang rice terrace drone

Where to stay?

We stayed at a hotel close to the center of Ubud and not right in the jungle. There are tons of options.

Check it out here

What is special there?

Those Rice terraces are in real ways to plant rice in Bali. there are several other rice terraces. The Tegalalang is simply one of te most famous ones. The layers of rice plantation makes this places so special and aesthetic. So it attracts thousands of tourists every month. between the rice plants is water and sometimes you can even see fishes swimming aroud in there.

bali jungle

Exploring this amazing plantation site.

rice terrace

Birds view on the Terrace

About Bali

Bali is one of the Islands in the southern part of Indonesia. Mostly there is tropical warm weather on the Island. The Island has an airport in the capital city of Denpasar which is situated in the South of Bali. The most beautiful month on Bali is September and the Rainy Season lasts from the end of november until the end of march. Most people speak balinese or indonesian on the island. We travelled Bali for a month. We landed in Denpasar in the south of Bali and went up to the north. We stayed in places like Nusa Dua, Canggu, Ubud and Pemuteran.

The Perfspots Project

Perfspots stands for Perfect Spots. My passion is to explore places I've never been before. While running a startup, i travel as much as possible. Here i share the Perfect Spots i enjoyed the most. Spots you can get a great meal, sip a coffee with a breathtaking view or experience an exciting adventure. learn more about the project.

 

 

Bali travel

The Gitgit Waterfall

gitgit waterfall

The Gitgit waterfall is the biggest waterfall in Bali. It is actually not just one waterfall. it is a river droping in several sections and forming a handful of different waterfalls. These are all called the Gitgit waterfall.

 

The Video Log on Youtube. Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube Channel

How to get there?

The Gitgit waterfall is situated in the north of Bali. Bali has its own airport in Denpansar which is 2 hours and 15 min car drive away from and to the falls. The Gitgit waterfall is 2 hours car drive away from ubud. Rent a scooter, book a driver or take a taxi or an uber to get there. Arrived at the parking you'll walk a couple of minutes to the first waterfall of them.

gitgit falls

Where to stay?

We stayed at a hotel close to the center of Ubud and not right in the jungle. There are tons of options.

Check it out here

What is special about the falls?

The taxi driver will recommend you to explore the Gitgit waterfall with a guide but actually it is easy to find the different waterfalls by yourself. From the parking spot you'll walk yor way straight to the first fall and then just follow the river for the other ones. One of the falls is the biggest in Bali but i actually enjoyed the "twin waterfall" the most because of its aestethics and its unique look.

This is me standing in front of one of the gitgit waterfalls.

How much does it costs?

You will have to pay your transport, a tour, a driver, taxi or scooter and when you arrive there is a fee to enter the falls. but its just a couple of bucks.

The Perfspots Project

Perfspots stands for Perfect Spots. My passion is to explore places I've never been before. While running a startup, i travel as much as possible. Here i share the Perfect Spots i enjoyed the most. Spots you can get a great meal, sip a coffee with a breathtaking view or experience an exciting adventure. learn more about the project.

 

 

Bali travel

Cloudforest of Singapore

cloudforest singapore

One of the most important spots in Singapore is Gardens by the Bay with its Cloudforest. Its an artificial forest which makes you feel walking through a forest of the future. We were for the first time in Singapore and super excited to explore this place.

The Video Log on Youtube. Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube Channel

How to get there?

Singapore is a country and city in the continent of Asia. It has a economically stable situation and is home for a lot of big companies situated in the city of Singapore. This brings cheap flights because of the business infrastructure. Singapore has its own airport and from there you get to almost every corner of the city with the metro. The metro works great and the prices are good. Feel free to grab a taxi in to the city and Uber and Grab are often used and accepted.

Find your way to Gardens by the bay or take the metro right to the station so called. The Gardens are beautiful to walk through and after a couple of minutes walking you will arrive to the Cloudforest. Close is also the Flowerdome or the Skywalk, also famous attractions.

cloudforest gardens by the bay

this is me standing in a catacomb of the Cloudforest overlooking the Singapore.

Where to stay?

The most famous hotel of Singapore is probably the Marina Bay Sands. It is known for its infinity pool with a breathtaking view on the city. We stayed at a hotel close to the center but a more affordable one! click on this Link or watch the video log i filmed there.

Check it out here

What is special about the Cloudforest?

The Cloudforest is an artificial construction full of plants and an waterfall under a huge glass dome. It is really impressive to walk through and you can walk all the way up on a passage high above the ground and enjoy this futuristic place from different perspectives. It is an amazing adventure! 

cloudforest

the view from a skybridge inside of the Cloudforest.

How much does it costs?

You can enter the Gardens by the Bay for free which is cool because you will experience a couple of statues formed with plants. To enter the Cloudforest you have to buy a ticket. The price for the entrance for an adult is: 28 Singapore Dollar. With this ticket you can also enter the Flower dome right besides it.

The Perfspots Project

Perfspots stands for Perfect Spots. My passion is to explore places I've never been before. While running a startup, i travel as much as possible. Here i share the Perfect Spots i enjoyed the most. Spots you can get a great meal, sip a coffee with a breathtaking view or experience an exciting adventure. learn more about the project.