travel

Pre-dating even the pyramids in Egypt, Brazil’s pyramids are considered the oldest in the world, having been built around 3,000 BCE. These ones are a lot more mysterious than their African counterparts, though, with no written records of their construction in existence.

The pyramid near Jaguaruna in Santa Catarina State is one of the last remaining in Brazil. It stands 100 ft tall (though researchers think it may have once been much taller) and has a base covering an impressive 25 acres. However, archaeologists reckon there were once thousands of pyramids built along the Atlantic coast of southern Brazil.

And why along the coast? Well, that’s because these pyramids were made using only seashells. As a result, many have been mistaken for rubbish heaps over the years and destroyed to make way for development.

Brazil’s pyramids were built over the course of decades, or even centuries, and appear to have been used for burials and other religious purposes, just like the ones found in Egypt. However, more like the pyramids found in other parts of the Americas, structures were built on top of them.

As with most of the smaller islands around Bali and Lombok, Nusa Lembongan is a veritable paradise.  It lies around 15 miles southeast of Denpasar, alongside Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida. But despite the proximity, getting there isn’t straightforward, since the island has neither an airport nor a pier. So, whichever boat transfer you pick from Sanur, just know that you’ll be getting your feet wet before you even reach the hotel (heavy, wheelie suitcases not advisable). Of the three Nusa Islands, Lembongan is the most developed, offering the most accommodation and dining options. Unsurprisingly, that also means it’s the most popular of the three as a base for visitors to the islands. So if it’s a hidden gem you’re looking for, this might not be the one – you should expect more than one or two “Instagram tourists”. There are good reasons why people want to come here, though. The picturesque beaches exist IRL as well, with never-ending sandy bays ideal for swimming, snorkelling and surfing alike. Lembongan is regarded as having the Nusa Islands’ best surf spots, which also come with names that mean business, like Razors and Lacerations. If you’re brave enough, even beginners can head out on Razors, though we’d probably start with the less aggressive-sounding Playgrounds. You can also lean into Bali’s hippy yoga lifestyle on Nusa Lembongan, with several schools on the island offering multi-day retreats. Aside from coming away feeling more chilled and flexible than if you were just sipping mojitos at a beach club, booking a retreat package tends to mean that your accommodation, breakfast and transfers from Bali are completely sorted. Most generally give you the option to include surf classes and/or snorkelling, too. We found bookyogaretreats.com to be a handy comparison site for seeing what’s available and when. One of the most authentic Balinese experiences you can have on Lembongan is visiting the seaweed farms. Seaweed farming is the area’s main source of income after tourism, and it made a real comeback during the COVID-19 pandemic. At low tide, you can see hundreds of locals working on their plots in the channel between Jungut Batu Bay and Nusa Ceningan. It’s an impressive sight, especially when low tide happens to fall at sunrise or sunset, but please remember to ask permission from the farmers before taking any pictures! Crossing the channel to Ceningan is easy, too, since it’s connected to Nusa Lembongan by its iconic Yellow Bridge. The island is small and walkable, although you may want to rent a motorbike to avoid spending hours walking in the sun. Natural coastal beauty is on the cards here as well, with the Blue Lagoon topping every list of things to see. Since you can’t actually get in and swim here, you know it must be impressive when the colour of the water alone is enough to draw crowds. Thankfully, you don’t have to go far for a swim, since there’s a really popular cliff diving spot just around the corner. On the road back towards the Yellow Bridge, look out for little signs pointing you down to Secret Beach. It may not really be a secret, but it is secluded and has some of the clearest waters around. There’s a good chance you’ll have all 50 metres of coastline to yourself, as well as the perfect conditions for checking out its reef. While the Nusas definitely aren’t as hopping as Bali proper, this is probably about as much real peace and quiet as you can hope for in an area that’s only growing in popularity. Here are a couple of other nearby suggestions (relatively speaking) for an even better chance at seaside serenity: Lombok: Just next door, but so much less popular with the Instagram crowd (except maybe Pink Beach!). The landscape is varied, with hikeable volcanoes, a deluge of waterfalls, and a huge choice of quiet beaches, where you can build sand castles without worrying some big brute will come and kick them over. Unless you’re on Selong Belanak beach at sunset when the water buffalo come out. Flores & Komodo Island: Flores is much less developed for tourism than Bali or Lombok, but as the gateway to world-famous dive sites and real life dragons in Komodo National Park, we can’t imagine that’ll last too long. This trip can involve as much activity as you like, with canyon jumping, cave swimming and treks through the highlands to visit the traditional village of Wae Rebo all on the cards. But don’t miss out on their Pink Beaches, either – they’re arguably much pinker than Lombok’s! Weh Island: Much more off the beaten path, everything moves more slowly on Weh Island. The waters here are warm, clear and full of marine life, making it the ideal place for some leisurely snorkelling or affordable diving. Iboih and Gapang Beaches are best for proximity to the dive centres (and seaside bungalows), but if you just want to float around in peace, head to Sumur Tiga Beach. As a Muslim island under Sharia law, you won’t find much partying going on here – but tourists aren’t held to the same rules as locals, so long as you’re respectful of local tradition and etiquette. In short, you’ll find the odd beer on sale here or there, and bikinis tend to be okay on the beach.

Near Ho Chi Minh City – Sailing among the floating markets and traditional villages on the Mekong Delta is high up most Vietnam lists, but the nearby Cu Chi Tunnels are not to be missed either. If you’re feeling brave crawling through the pitch-black tunnels will provide a good idea of the harsh reality experienced by Vietnamese soldiers. Safely above ground, you can peruse the booby trap exhibition, which somehow scares us less.

Nha Trang – Around 7.5 hrs north of Ho Chi Minh City by train, the seaside retreat is popular for its idyllic beaches, scuba diving and spas. It’s also home to an island theme park, Vinpearl Land, which is best reached via a scenic cable car ride across the bay. A visit to the impressive Po Nagar Cham Towers will be in order afterwards to calm any residual endorphins.

Hoi An– This is the place for anyone who likes to shop, with markets galore selling food, souvenirs, clothes and local crafts. It’s also one of the few places you’ll get a chance to take a ride in a traditional bamboo basket boat and bob along like the local fishermen.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang – About two thirds of the way from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, near the city of Dong Hoi, is Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. Scrambling around the world’s largest cave should be top of your list there, but a walk through the surrounding jungle will suit any animal-lover.

Lan Ha Bay – Swap the main part of buzzing Halong Bay for peaceful Lan Ha Bay, and you’ll be rewarded with equally picturesque views – minus the crowds. Larger boats can’t access the area, but a smaller Junk Ship cruise will get you to those secluded spots where you can strap on your life jacket and go kayaking in safety.

Getting in a safari on a budget

Tanzania is generally a cheap place to travel ( Budget Your Trip estimates that the average traveller will spend £18 per night on meals and £70 on accommodation) – however, there’s one notable exception.

Yes, the country’s safaris are infamously costly, and they’re likely to eat heavily into your budget thanks to a combination of expensive national park entry fees (the Serengeti and Nyerere National Parks will charge £60 per adult entry alone during the peak season plus a number of add-on costs – high fuel prices, vehicle and guide hire, and accommodation costs.

There are a few ways to ensure you get to see the out-of-this-world natural beauty of Tanzania’s national parks (and why would you want to miss out?) while still cutting back on costs, however:

• Consider when you travel. The high season of May to October will be expensive, particularly during the Great Wildebeest Migration. The low season (March to May) is cheaper for a very good reason, with the heavy masika rains falling throughout these three months. But in January to February, Tanzania experiences a second, shorter dry season which may be… very slightly cheaper, although the entrance fees themselves will remain steady.
• If you’re willing to rough it, you could spend the night in one of the Serengeti’s six public campsites rather than at a fancy lodge, and simply pay the camping fee at the entrance. Don’t expect five-star accommodation – the toilets in particular see a lot of complaints online – but you’ll certainly get an authentic safari experience for less (and likely hear a few wild animals in the night!). Pimbi Camp appears to be the best rated campsite out of the six.
• In theory, you could also cut back on guide costs by simply renting your own 4×4 for the day and drive yourself around the parks (you’ll still need to pay the vehicle fee). However, we’d strongly advise against this, for a few hopefully obvious reasons! You’ll save a little money, but you’ll be losing out on expertise, driving skill, and unless you speak Swahili and have a working two-way radio, you’ll likely struggle to figure out where the animals actually are.

For budget safaris, we’ve seen a number of travellers recommending Krisha Africa Safaris, based out of Arusha, for a combination of reasonable rates and quality experience, so that might be a great place to start.

And on a related note – we’d definitely note that a Kilimanjaro climb is likely out of the scope of a budget holiday (and beware of unscrupulous operators who claim they can get you up the mountain for cheap)!

Rest and restaurants in Zanzibar

For good budget accommodation in Zanzibar, we’ve seen a lot of buzz and positive traveller feedback around New Teddy’s On The Beach, a hostel that’s based (as you’d imagine) on the Jambiani beach out on the eastern coast, about a 30-minute drive from Jozani Forest and its famous red Colobus monkeys.

New Teddy’s has private rooms with their own en-suites available – a double will set you back about £50 per night – plus a range of beach activities, and the usual local guides on hand to organise scuba diving, tours of Stone Town’s famous bazaars and ornate doorways, or visits to Zanzibar’s spice farms. Guests rave about the relaxing, laid-back vibes (and ample hammocks) – sounds ideal.

If you’d rather stay in the bustling heart of Zanzibar City itself, Shoki Shoki House is another well-rated and cheap hotel located in Stone Town – just remember that if you’re visiting during Ramadan, some of the restaurants and markets in the city may be closed! (Also, one of the city’s famous sights, the ‘House of Wonders’ and Palace Museum, has been sadly closed since 2020 due to a partial collapse.)

When it comes to getting around – both in Zanzibar or on the mainland – the true budget option is the dala-dala. These open-backed mini-buses can be chaotic and crowded, but they can cost less than a pound per journey ( just watch out for con-artists). If you’re not feeling quite as adventurous, you can speak to your hotel about private mini-buses or car hire.

Check out our recommended tours

Yes, it’s true, visitors to the Dead Sea may often end up in Jordan’s cluster of plush five-star Crowne Plaza and Marriott resorts rather than seeing the breadth and width of the country.

But a number of Jordanian institutions have also put an astonishing amount of effort and energy towards supporting and sustaining responsible tourism over the past 50 years – and that makes it relatively straightforward to plan a trip where your money is actually going back to local communities.

For instance, if you head out to the stunning Wadi Rum valley, you’ll find that virtually all of the tourist enterprises are run by local Bedouin families from the Zalabia tribe, from day tours to overnight camps, and collectively organised by the local Rum Tourism Cooperative.

Even when booking a visit to ultra-popular Petra, it’s not too difficult to skip past the big international tourism agencies and support brilliant local guides and homestays instead – one of the best-rated private tours on TripAdvisor is run by Abdullah Nawafleh, who grew up in the area working on the excavation site. (Guests rave about Abdullah’s brilliant knowledge of Petra, his love of Jordan, his kindness, and his singing ability.)

In the north of Jordan, Baraka Destinations organises tours and experiences run by locals (from archaeological hikes to basket-weaving and beekeeping).

And even if you head out for a hike across the many isolated wadis, canyons and waterfalls of the Dead Sea Trail, you could end up stumbling onto one of the handicraft workshops and shops which are run by Wild Jordan, an offshoot of Jordan’s longstanding Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, with the aim of supporting craftswomen from local communities.

Back in 2018, the Jordanian tourism board actually created its own official ‘Meaningful Travel Map’, which encourages travellers to visit community-run sites, hotels, guest-houses and social enterprises across the country.

The map isn’t exhaustive, but it’s a great place to start and offers a wide range of different possibilities for your next trip (or your next tips for European tourists).

Our recommended tours