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Phuket, Krabi or Koh Samui: which Thai island base suits your trip
Three beach bases on two different seas, with opposite rainy seasons. How to choose between Phuket, Krabi and Koh Samui by the month you travel, the trip you want and the nights you have.
South Korea for a first trip: Seoul, Busan or Jeju, and how many fit in a week
Seoul is the centre of any first trip to South Korea. The real choice is what to add: Busan by fast train, Jeju by air, or nothing at all. How the three differ, and what a week can hold without rushing.
Santorini, Mykonos or somewhere quieter: choosing Greek islands for a first trip
Most first trips to Greece try to hold too many islands. How Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos and Paros differ, how long the boats between them really take, and what a week can hold once Athens is counted.
New Zealand: North Island or South Island for a first trip?
New Zealand’s two islands are different holidays. How the volcanic, cultural North Island and the alpine South Island compare, what changes with seven, ten or fourteen nights, and when it is worth seeing both.
Jaipur, Udaipur or Jodhpur: which city for a short break?
With two or three nights, one Rajasthan city is the right amount. How Jaipur, Udaipur and Jodhpur differ, who each suits, what fits into a long weekend, and when the weather works.
Great Barrier Reef: Cairns, Port Douglas or the Whitsundays?
The Great Barrier Reef is about 2,300 km long, so the first decision is where to see it from. What Cairns, Port Douglas and the Whitsundays each do well, which suits non-swimmers, families and couples, how the seasons differ, and how many nights to give it.
Kerala for a honeymoon: the route, the stays and when to go
Kerala works for a honeymoon because it asks so little of you: no long-haul flight, no visa, and quiet places to stay. How to choose the bases, where the houseboat night goes, how many nights you need, and the months that suit a post-wedding trip.
Japan in winter: is it worth it, and which winter to choose
December to February gives Japan two very different holidays: deep snow in Hokkaido and the mountains, or cold, clear, quieter cities in Tokyo and Kyoto. What each is like, what books out early, the New Year effect, and who each suits.
Australia itinerary for 10 and 14 days: which regions to combine, and how to fly between them
Australia is a continent, and no single itinerary covers it. What ten and fourteen days realistically fit, which regions combine well, where the Great Ocean Road, Blue Mountains, the Reef and Uluru belong, and the flights between them.
Driving in New Zealand with an Indian licence: rules, roads and when not to drive
New Zealand drives on the left, like India, but its roads are narrower, emptier and slower than the map suggests. The licence and permit rules, the roads, one-lane bridges, weather, rental and fuel, and when a coach or a flight is the better choice.
Jaisalmer desert camps: Sam or Khuri, which kind of camp, and what a night involves
A night in the Thar is the reason many people go to Jaisalmer, and camps range from canvas tents to resorts. What the evening involves, Sam or Khuri, the kinds of camp, the cold, and the questions to ask before you book.
Switzerland itinerary for 5 and 7 nights: the bases that work, and the trains between them
How to route a first Switzerland trip in five or seven nights: Lucerne, the Jungfrau region and Zermatt as bases, which excursion each one is for, the trains between them, and the closures that shape an autumn trip.
Japan itinerary for 7, 10 and 14 nights: day by day, with the trains in between
Three first-trip Japan routes laid out day by day: which nights go where, the train that links each base, which day trips earn their place, and the 2026 fee changes worth knowing before you book.
South Island itinerary: 10 and 14 days by road, with the drives in between
Two South Island road trips laid out night by night: Christchurch, Lake Tekapo, Aoraki/Mount Cook, Wānaka, Milford Sound and Queenstown, then the glaciers on the longer loop. With honest drive times and what to book.
Kerala itinerary for 5, 7 and 10 days: day by day, with the drives in between
Three Kerala routes laid out night by night: Kochi, the hills, the backwaters and the coast, with realistic drive times, where the houseboat night fits, and the park timetables that decide your mornings.
Pushkar Camel Fair 2026: dates, which days to go, and how to plan it
The Pushkar fair runs from 17 to 24 November 2026, but the camel trading starts earlier and the holy dip comes last. How the two fairs overlap, which days suit you, where to stay and how to get there.
Australia in December and January: weather by region, holidays and how to plan
Australian summer is four different climates in the same fortnight, stacked on Christmas, New Year and the local school holidays. Here is what Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold Coast and Cairns are really like, and how to plan around the calendar.
Vegetarian in Japan: what to eat, what to ask, and the fish stock you can’t see
Vegetarian food in Japan is easier than its reputation, once you know the one ingredient that causes most mistakes. What to ask, what to carry in Japanese, and where Jain travellers need more care.
Switzerland in winter: what it’s really like, and how to plan December to March
Winter Switzerland is two countries: deep snow above the tree line, and grey, quiet lake cities below it. Here is what each month is like, what runs and what closes, and how to build a trip around it.
Ranthambore safari: zones, booking, season and what to realistically expect
Ranthambore permits open months ahead, in fixed windows, and the good ones go on the day. Here is how the official booking works, jeep or canter, how many nights to allow, and what a safari can and cannot promise.
Is the Swiss Travel Pass worth it? How to decide for your Switzerland itinerary
The Swiss Travel Pass covers trains, buses, boats and museums, but most of the famous mountain excursions are only discounted. Here is what it really includes, how it compares with the Half Fare Card, and how to decide for your own route.
Planning a cherry blossom trip to Japan: when to go, where to start and how early to book
Cherry blossom is a weather event you have to book months before the forecast exists. Here is how to plan around the average dates, the 2027 calendar in both countries, and a route that still works if the trees are early or late.
Kerala houseboats: Alleppey or Kumarakom, one night or two, and what to check before you book
A houseboat night is roughly 21 hours afloat, and most of what makes it good or disappointing is decided before you board: where you start, whether the boat is yours alone, and what you checked.
Australia or New Zealand: which suits your first trip from India
They are neighbours on the map and quite different holidays. Australia is cities, reef and wildlife linked by flights; New Zealand is scenery and the open road. Choosing well starts with which of those you want.
Rajasthan itinerary for a first trip: routes for 5, 7 and 10 nights
Rajasthan is larger than most first plans allow for. The routes that work drop a city or two, run one way between two airports, and never ask for two long drives in a row.
France, Italy, Switzerland, Greece or Spain: which to choose for a first Europe trip
Five countries that suit five different holidays. The useful question is not which is best, but which one matches the trip you actually want — and how much walking you are prepared to do.
Europe in 7, 10 or 14 nights: itineraries that survive contact with reality
Four workable routes at each length, built on one rule: move in one direction, never sleep somewhere for a single night, and let the train do the distance.
Planning a first Europe trip from India: how to choose where to go
The mistake is almost never picking the wrong country. It is picking five of them. Here is how to decide how many places a trip can hold, and in what order.
Kerala beyond Munnar and Alleppey: where to go on a second visit
The standard Kerala circuit is standard for good reasons. But the state carries on for 350 kilometres north of it, and the northern half is where the crowds thin out.
Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka: which Japanese city belongs in your first trip
They are ninety minutes apart and completely different holidays. Tokyo is scale, Kyoto is depth, Osaka is appetite — and a first itinerary rarely has room for all three as full stops.
eSIM or international roaming: what actually matters for Indian travellers
The real question is not which is cheaper. It is whether your Indian number stays reachable for bank OTPs while your data runs on something else — and that depends on your handset, not your plan.
Munnar, Thekkady or Wayanad: which Kerala hill destination suits your trip
Three hill destinations, three quite different holidays. One is tea and views, one is wildlife and spice, one is forest and distance from everything. The right answer depends on your route.
Kerala for first-time visitors: building a route that is not all driving
Kerala looks small on a map and drives large. Hills, backwaters and coast sit on different roads, and the trips that disappoint are the ones that try to hold all three in four nights.
Planning a first trip to Japan: how to build an itinerary that works
Most first Japan itineraries fail the same way — too many cities, too little time in each. Here is how to decide trip length, pick a base, and get the rail maths right before you book.
Indian customs when you fly home: what the 2026 baggage rules changed
India replaced its baggage rules in February 2026. The duty-free allowance rose to ₹75,000, jewellery moved to a weight basis, and one new laptop now comes in free. Here is what applies when you land.
ECR and ECNR on an Indian passport: what it actually means for travellers
ECR status restricts one thing only — taking up employment in 17 named countries. If you are travelling to see the Burj Khalifa or the temples of Bangkok, it does not apply to you.
The International Driving Permit, explained for Indian travellers
An Indian IDP costs ₹1,000, lasts a year, and is not a licence at all — it is a translation of the one you already hold. Here is how to get it, and where it actually works.
DestinationsChasing Cherry Blossoms: Japan's 2026 Sakura Forecast
When and where the blossoms peak this year — a region-by-region guide to timing the most fleeting fortnight in travel.
DestinationsAutumn in Kyoto: Where the Maple Leaves Turn First
Momiji season turns the old capital crimson for barely three weeks. These are the temples, gardens and hours that reward the patient.
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Plan My Journey →Photo credits · Bernard Gagnon / Wikimedia Commons / Oia and Armeni 01 / CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence) · Kabelleger / David Gubler / Wikimedia Commons / RhB Ge 4-4 II 614 Glacier Express on Landwasser Viaduct / CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence) · Prathvi Acharya / Wikimedia Commons / Bekal Fort Kerala 2026 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence) · Kristoffer Trolle from Copenhagen, Denmark / Wikimedia Commons / Dōtonbori at night, Osaka (19551420339) / CC BY 2.0 (licence, source) · Rich Lemonie / Wikimedia Commons / Departure Times / CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence) · CookBooc / Wikimedia Commons / Munnar Tea Plantations (38504) / CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence) · Rabe! / Wikimedia Commons / Backwaters 2018-04-03m / CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence) · Kumiko Nakashima / Wikimedia Commons / Mt Fuji At Lake Kawaguchi (109762227) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence) · Vikassinghhhh / Wikimedia Commons / Indian Passport Type / CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence) · Dietmar Rabich / Wikimedia Commons / “Amboy (California, USA), Hist. Route 66 -- 2012 -- 1” / CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence)