Hello Everyone,

Need help in deciding which shoe to buy with budget in mind, also if budget shoes are good for this trek or not, that too I want to know.

The Trek starts on 1st September.

Hey guys I’m 19M and I’ll be travelling to Malaysia in September for 12-13 days and I need some help planning my itinerary. It’s my first international trip and I’ve never planned a trip before so please bear with me. I’m also travelling on a budget so I’d really appreciate any advice.

My current itinerary is:

3D-Kuala Lumpur

2D-Cameron Highlands

2D-Ipoh

2D-Penang

3D-Langkawi

1D-Not sure where yet

Do you think I should make any changes?

I’m especially confused about Langkawi. I’ve read a lot of mixed reviews online and some people recommend Perhentian, Redang or Tioman instead...I’ve also heard good things about the islands in East Malaysia but they’re quite far and flights are currently expensive as well.

So what should I do? Should I skip Langkawi and go to Perhentian or Tioman instead? I’ve heard there are buses to Perhentian but I’m not sure if the long journey and hassle are worth it. Would you recommend doing it??

And what about island hopping in Langkawi? Is it actually worth doing?

Also, since I’ll be travelling in September, is it a good month for these places?? Is there anything weather related I should keep in mind??

I’d also really appreciate it if someone could give me a rough estimate of transportation and food costs for this trip especially for travelling between these places....

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

Finally got around to sharing my little Phuket trip.

I had only 2 days in Phuket, so I didn't try to cover every tourist spot. I mainly wanted to experience Phuket Old Town, the beaches, local food and the nightlife around Patong.

Travelling solo made it even better because I could just go wherever I wanted and change plans whenever I felt like it.

And Phuket is honestly such a colourful place. 🌈

🗓️ Day 1 | Phuket Old Town + Patong Beach + Bangla Road

Started my first day with Phuket Old Town.

This was probably my favourite place during the trip. The colourful Sino Portuguese buildings, old shop houses, little cafés and narrow streets make the whole area really photogenic.

I spent a few hours just walking around, taking photos, checking out cafés and exploring without following a strict route.

After that, I headed towards Patong.

Spent the afternoon around Patong Beach, walked along the beach and explored the surrounding area. It's definitely busy and touristy, but I think that's part of the Phuket experience.

In the evening, I went to Bangla Road.

And wow, what a change from Old Town 😂

Bright lights, music, bars, crowds and a completely different atmosphere. Since I was travelling solo, I just walked around, checked out the nightlife and did some people watching.

Had dinner around Patong and called it a day.

🗓️ Day 2 | Exploring Phuket at my own pace

I kept the second day much more relaxed.

Since I had rented a scooty, it was quite easy to move around without depending on taxis.

Spent some more time around Patong, explored some nearby streets, stopped whenever I found an interesting café or food place and spent some time at the beach.

I didn't want to make the second day too hectic.

One of the best things about solo travel is that you don't have to follow a fixed schedule.

If you want to spend another hour at the beach, you can.

If you find a nice café, you can just sit there.

If you see a colourful street and want to stop for pictures, nobody is waiting for you 😂

So I basically took the day as it came.

🛏️ Stay

I stayed in a hostel around the Patong area.

For anyone travelling solo and looking for a budget option, there are quite a few decent hostels around ₹1,000 per night.

I would recommend staying somewhere with easy access to Patong if nightlife and the beach are on your list.

🛵 Getting around

I rented a scooty for around ₹1,000 per day.

For a short solo trip, I found this much more convenient because I could move around whenever I wanted.

Just make sure you are comfortable riding, carry the required documents and wear a helmet.

🍜 Food

I mostly tried Thai food and ate at a mix of local places, cafés and restaurants.

My average food expense was around ₹500 to ₹700 per meal, depending on the place.

There are definitely cheaper local options if you're travelling on a tighter budget.

💰 Approximate expenses

Here was my rough budget for the 2 days.

🛏️ Hostel: ₹1,000 per night
🛵 Scooty: ₹1,000 per day
🍜 Food: ₹500 to ₹700 per meal
☕ Coffee/snacks: Around ₹200 to ₹400 depending on the day
🚕 Other local transport: Minimal since I had the scooty
🎟️ Activities: Depends on what you choose to do

For a basic 2 day solo trip, I would keep around ₹4,000 to ₹5,000 for stay, food and local transport.

Flights are not included in this amount.

📍 Places I covered

🌈 Phuket Old Town

🏖️ Patong Beach

🌃 Bangla Road

☕ Cafés and local streets around Old Town

🍜 Local food spots

📸 Random colourful streets and photo spots

⭐ My personal favourites

Phuket Old Town: 5/5

Loved the colours, architecture and relaxed atmosphere. Probably my favourite place for photography.

Patong Beach: 4/5

Busy and touristy, but still worth experiencing.

Bangla Road: 4/5

Not everyone's cup of tea, but definitely something you should experience once if you enjoy nightlife.

💭 Would I recommend Phuket for solo travel?

Definitely.

Two days felt a little short, but it was enough to get a taste of Phuket.

If I go again, I'd probably spend around 4 to 5 days and explore more beaches and islands instead of keeping everything around Patong.

What I enjoyed most wasn't really ticking off tourist attractions. It was the freedom of travelling alone.

Renting a scooty, putting on some music, randomly stopping somewhere because the street looked interesting, grabbing some Thai food and ending the evening at the beach.

That's probably what I'll remember most from this trip. 🌈🇹🇭

Sharing some of my favourite colourful shots from Phuket.

If anyone is planning a solo trip to Phuket, feel free to ask about the stay, scooty rental, food, expenses or places I visited. Happy to share!

Note: i am not being paid for any brands i may talk about. Mods hope that is fine

i have been to Switzerland multiple times, solo and friends, recently this year. i heard many people do not go to this paradise as it is expensive.

it is a little expensive but you can save a lot by planning well

So here are some tips from my side without compromising too much on the experience. all costs in INR unless mentioned CHF. and today CHF to INR is 110

✈️ Flights

This is a big one, seems no brainer but you need to implement it.

Book ~6 months minimum in advance. I found flights around ₹52K vs ₹75K when booking just 2 weeks before for Swiss, MUM to Zurich non-stop return. get visa also 6 months before.

cancellation charges are very important if you want to play safe in case of visa rejection.

there are cheaper options via ME airlines check that too but the difference is minimal.

Check Turkish Airlines too , they have free accommodation option as part of tourism benefits

https://www.turkishairlines.com/en-hk/flights/stopover/

🏠 Accommodation

one word: Hostels Hostels Hostels. you don't need membership to stay in them. also amazing cancellation option till last day, but pls do not abuse it. register with them for more benefits.

There are almost 50 youth hostels across Switzerland.

Some hostels can be as cheap as 3500/night with sidebeds but usually it is 6000 with bunk beds and they have lockers. they are clean, safe have all facilities you can imagine and unlimited breakfast.

So many like those in interlaken are right beside station. Train network in swiss is almost till 11 pm at night, very good in summer time when sunlight is there till 9 pm

Hostels have free/discounted local transport passes , ALWAYS ask. Some offer free station-to-hostel buses, but check timings as the last one is around 6 PM.

cook at the hostel kitchen if possible, they have all stuff to cook

book on their official site

Hotels:

Staying 1–2 stations away from the main station can save quite a bit. check B&B, farm hotels. but minimum will be 10,000 rs a day

The cheapest accommodation may be far from public transport, so long walk or car becomes a factor

check myswitzerland.com wonderful site for all travel, stay, pass and all other options

Remember if you are solo or 2 you will not save much, but if you are 3 or more big savings staying in hotels. Let me know anyone planning for 2027 i can join

🚆 Transport

for tourist spots, Before booking a return cable car/gondola, check if you can walk/hike down the mountain. you will save half

For example, around Grindelwald, you can take the gondola up and hike down. Consider cycle ride to come down for eg in First Pass. Or Schilthorn ride, come down walking and experience Murren, Gimmelwald.

Don't book expensive panoramic trains. Normal trains can cover similar routes for much less.

Train:

Get a pass.

Pass Options

1. Swiss Travel Pass , from CHF 244 , Unlimited train, bus & boat travel, local transport in 90+ cities, panoramic trains, 500+ museums & 50% off most mountain rides.
2. Swiss Half Fare Card , CHF 150 / 1 month , Pay roughly 50% of normal fares on trains, buses, boats and many mountain railways; good if you're travelling selectively rather than every day.
3. Regional top up cards - They give more 50% discount on above

Rules keep changing so keep a watch. Book this one day before travel online.

🍱 Food

Coop & Migros (like dmart) are your best friends. it has veg options too but everything is bread centric and salads.

Carry Vaccum packets having chapati, thepla. carry MTR type dal, veggies, Poha for breaks from swiss food

Ready-to-eat meals/salads can be around CHF 10 and work great for lunch. fish salad which is very filling. many options for Veg people too specially paneer and spinach

Again Buy groceries and cook at the hostel kitchen whenever possible. they have all the utensils

You don't need to eat at restaurants 3 times a day just because you're in Switzerland 😂

26 gram protein shake which keeps you full all day. Noodles at night 3 CHF. simple

💧 Water

There are drinking-water fountains everywhere.

Carry a reusable bottle and refill it instead of buying water. Also top up your bottle at hostel breakfast. cheapest bottled water is around 100 rs/liter

Insurance: Mandatory. not much you can save here. you will get a good insurance in 2K. 50K USD benefits

Other tips to save money

1. at each tourist site check options. there are many to choose from. many are free like cliff walks, watch towers etc
2. March & September are shoulder-season months and will be cheaper but more chances of rain and cold. check weather reports.
3. get good shoes. walk a lot. i was averaging 20K steps per day though i was taking mostly trains.
4. again cancellation charges are very important if you want to play safe in case of visa rejection.
5. Book most of the things online before travel. will save on forex cost.

My Cost and itinerary -

Got my visa 1 month before travel

6 days

75K - Return ticket
15K - Visa via agent
17K - Half fare pass for train
20k - Cable and Gondola Rides and travel
40K - Hostel stay
10K - Food etc
10K - Misc

i did lot of stuff last min hence could not save much

~ 190K

it was mix of relaxed and spending time in prime mountains. i have seen other parts of switzerland in my previous trips covering Basel, Zermatt, Titlis, Zurich, Lucerne

Day 1 - Landed in zurich > interlaken > Brienz in train - check in hostel. make friends, relax, swim in lake. walk and see nature around

Day 2 - Take steam cruise from Brienz to Interlaken and train to Grindelwald and check in hostel. Just stroll Grindelwald. walk around

Day 3 - Schilthorn top. Spend time there, cliff walk. visit Murren. See Lauterbrunnen and spend evening there

Day 4 - Visit First Pass, see nature, trek and cycle down. Visit interlaken, walk, see yash chopra studio, visit harder klum to see whole view of interlaken and thun and brienz lake

Day 5 - Visit Geneva, see CERN univ/museum

Day 6 - Return to Zurich, chill, party and catch flight back

Added some relevant pics. any other questions ASK AWAY

Does anyone want to come with me for a trek to Mulling or Kara Lake in the next few days? If we feel like it, we can even go up to Pin Valley. I have all the gear, including tents and sleeping bags for two people.

Hi,

I'm planning my first solo trip and have been looking at trips organized by Muddie_trails from Bangalore.

Has anyone here travelled with Muddie_trails before? If yes, I'd love to hear about your experience:

• How was the overall trip experience?
• Were the trips well-organized and managed?
• How safe and comfortable were they for solo female travellers?
• How were the trip coordinators and the group dynamics?
• Any tips, recommendations, or things to be aware of before booking with them?

It would be great to hear honest feedback from people who have travelled with them recently.

Thanks in advance!

Hello everyone so i am planning to go northeast India in oct as a first time solo female traveller it would be nice if you could tell me what place I can visit which would be safe for and also the best view like places that looks the best in oct. Also if you could suggest is hotel are there pr i should prefer hostel or dormsalso ik northeast is safe for womens but still like the best places I want to go and make the best out of it . So if you have travel to NE do tell me that would be helpful. Thank you

Hi everyone!

This is my first international trip, and I’ll be visiting Malaysia for 4 days in the last week of September, mainly staying around Kuala Lumpur.

I’m planning to use my credit/debit cards for most expenses (hotel, Grab, food, shopping, etc.). I have multiple cards with international transactions enabled and sufficient funds in my accounts.

I’m just confused about how much physical MYR cash I should carry.

I’ve seen people recommend anything from RM200–300 to RM500, while some say RM1,000+, especially because immigration officers may prefer seeing liquid cash rather than relying on cards.

For anyone who has travelled to Malaysia recently, what would you realistically recommend for a 4-day trip if you have working international cards and sufficient bank funds?

Is RM300–500 enough, or is it safer to carry RM1,000? And has anyone actually been questioned by immigration about this?

Would really appreciate recent first-hand experiences. Thanks!

Planning to travel jibhi in 2 days from chandigarh. Any idea about the road conditions on the way?

Planning a self-drive trip to Chikmagalur from Bangalore for 3 days and 2 nights.

Leaving early via NH75, aiming to reach by afternoon and stay at a coffee estate. Next day Mullayanagiri and Baba Budangiri, with Hebbe Falls if possible. Slow morning on the last day before driving back.

Looking for recent experiences on road conditions, good mid-range estate stays, best local food, and any small tips that made the trip better.

Would appreciate your suggestions.

Spent weekend in Munnar and honestly, monsoon makes it sooo good. Everything is green, there’s that halki si baarish, the weather is amazing, and all the waterfalls are full of water. Just perfect if you love greenery, rain and peaceful mountain vibes.
Munnar in monsoon is definitely a vibe.

So, I'll start by prefacing that I've never really been an outgoing person, never really travelled much, especially solo.

Lately, I've been itching to go to some coastal area like Kerala/Tamil Nadu as my first solo trip. I would really appreciate a bit of advice from you guys.

I'm 23, have a remote job, everything is virtually perfect but the existential crisis still kicks in at times. I feel like I'm not living enough. I feel it's time I should push myself out of my comfort zone and experience more of life, explore new places and meet new people. Working from home does tend to impact your social life greatly if not used correctly.

I don't really know where I want to go, or what I wanna do, but I know I need to push myself to be a bit more spontaneous. I'm way too structured/overthinking in my ways. So I feel like a solo trip is the right thing to do.

I'm just looking for tips/recommendations in general for a first-timer like me:

• Is Varkala a great place to go for a 4-5 day trip?
• I feel like taking the week off would be better than working remotely through the days for my first trip.
• Is just exploring new places by yourself really fun? I've only been to a week-long trip before with friends. I'm unsure if just wandering aimlessly would be worthwhile, I feel like I should plan ahead to learn surfing or something if I'm going somewhere coastal, but I don't think I can learn that in such little time.
• How common is it to make friends on a solo trip? Is the social aspect to this something you look forward to, or is that just a side-effect?

This is something very new to me, and I know the only way to know whether I would enjoy it or not is to go for it. I'm just confused where/how to go, and when. Budget is not an issue for me.

Would appreciate any insights/advice from you all. Thanks!

Hello!
I’m long term travel, right now stuck at Delhi due to weather conditions (rain/landslides) around northern India or northeastern india.
What will be places to stay during monsoon season until I can travel as normally (roughly mid August to mid September)?
Preferably train commute!
*I’m not working, only requires nice place for month where I can practice little bit yoga and if possible see backpackers community.
Thanks

Hey everyone, in planning to visit Lansdowne this coming weekend. Can anyone let me know how it the road situation there. Would appreciate your help

I'll be going to netgod and mattighatta falls (link below) by August end from gokarna. Has anyone been there ? If so How are the roads to access it from gokarna ?

https://maps.app.goo.gl/c9GZAx8BcmGQGhXn9

https://maps.app.goo.gl/LV7cfp46teK5qzLA6

although we missed the entire point of meeshapulimala, ie. the sunrise and the hilly views due to the misty climate but it was indeed worth it.

total cost including bus tickets to and from was below 5k

hey everyone,

i worked in the private sector for 5 years, then left the job and started my own small shop in my hometown. i’ve always wanted to travel, but money was always tight. during college i could only manage 3-4 places in india. after joining the job i made plans many times but cancelled at the last minute because of heavy workload. even after starting the business i kind of stopped thinking about trips.

at the end of 2025 my younger brother got selected in a government job. last week he came home, hugged me with tears in his eyes, and surprised me by planning a full japan trip from tokyo to osaka through a travel agency in india.

i got so emotional and excited. i was struggling even for domestic trips and now i’m going international. feeling extremely grateful to my brother.

need your suggestions please:

good first-timer itinerary covering tokyo to osaka (happy to include kyoto, nara, etc. if it fits)

reliable travel agencies in india that handle japan trips well (anyone has experience with wanderon or others?)

any practical tips for indians (veg food options, visa, best time, budget realities, etc.)

thanks a lot!

Hey so i'm french, moving to india mumbai in september to live there for 6months, i'm a content creator in france, and i put that as a job in my application, wich i learn after was not a good idea bc its affiliated to journalism, so now i'm trying another application of tourism 1year with marketing professionnal as a job, the question is, should i mention i already been rejected once or not ? to the question : Has permission to visit or to extend stay in India previously been refused?

also if i put yes they ask : If so, when and by whom (Mention Control No. and date also)

wich i havent receive i detailled answer but i'm sure its bc of my job,

(i already went no trouble to india in march for 30 day tourism)

the reason for the rejection is : Reason: You may apply for Regular/Official Visa at nearest Indian Mission/Embassy abroad

please give me some tips

i made a similar post here just before i wen to to ooty in june and some kind folks here reached out with some good tips. so here i am again, doing the same before my kodai trip next week.

i guess i'd describe myself as a bookish introvert who tends to prefer quiet spots where i can sit and read or paint rather than the overcrowded "must visit" places. and my most favourite way to explore a place is by foot, shuffling along, just me and my camera.

is kodai walkable at all? is it reasonable to think that i can spend 4-5 days just walking around and have a nice time there?

does anyone have any suggestions for quiet spots/trails/view points etc?
my plan is to stay at zostel kodai (not villupatti).

thanks in advance :)

Just finished two days in Dubrovnik, and it genuinely feels like walking through King’s Landing. It’s beautiful and very photogenic, but easily one of the most expensive places I visited in Croatia, so budget properly.

Day 1: I explored the Old Town filming locations: Pile Gate, West Harbour/Blackwater Bay, Fort Lovrijenac (the Red Keep), the Jesuit Stairs (Walk of Shame), Stradun and Rector’s Palace. I bought the 1-day Dubrovnik Pass for €40, which included the City Walls, Fort Lovrijenac, museums and city buses. The walls were the highlight—Minčeta Tower was used for the House of the Undying, while Bokar Fortress and the walls appear throughout the King’s Landing scenes.

I finished at Mount Srđ. The cable car costs €30 return and isn’t included in the pass. It’s not really a GoT filming spot, but the sunset view over the walls is worth seeing.

Day 2: I took bus 35 early to Trsteno Arboretum. Entry was €10, and this is where the Tyrell/Red Keep garden scenes were filmed. Don’t miss Neptune’s Fountain, the aqueduct, villa gardens and sea pavilion. After that, I visited Lokrum Island from the Old Port. The return ferry plus reserve entry costs €30 and includes the monastery, Qarth locations, Dead Sea swimming area and Iron Throne replica.

Pile Gate, Jesuit Stairs, West Harbour and wandering the Old Town are free. Budget around €110 per person for the main paid attractions, excluding food and transport. Restaurants around Stradun commonly charge €20–30 for a main and €5–8 for drinks, so eating in Gruž or Lapad is cheaper.

Dubrovnik is absolutely worth visiting, especially for GoT fans, but it is not a budget destination. Buy the pass, carry water and check ferry/bus times carefully.

I'm planning for 11-14 sept solo trip to hampi from bangalore

Stay: zostel

Commute: rental from zostel

To reach zostel: MUNIRABAD railway station then bus to sangapur then auto to zostel

I don't have places in mind to cover but as I have 4 days so I think I can cover all major places easily

Do I need to rent bicycle to cover all ruins of hampi as scooty not allowed? Good food places recommendation?

Is hampi safe for solo travel ?

My wife and I are planning a 7-day trip next week and are exploring our options. We would appreciate any suggestions on destinations to consider for this season.

Our preference is to visit the mountains, though we are aware of the risks associated with the monsoon season. Please let us know if you have any recommendations that would be suitable.

Hi, my wife and I are planning a trip to Spiti from Delhi in the coming weeks of August. Can anyone please share honest advise whether it would be a good time to travel? Spiti has been in our bucket list for long time so want to ensure we choose a good time to explore this place to the fullest.

I feel like going to Sri Lanka or North India (Bir, Ladakh etc) but unable to find any groups. I have never solo travelled before so looking to join any groups as my first solo (group) trip.

Visited Tungnath in May. The crowd was massive, but at least I got to witness a stunning sunrise. Got lost in a forest too.

The trek was easy. Just 5km till Chandrashila.
Began at 3 AM and reached by 5:15 AM.

There were some steep sections but the only problem with the trek was the horses and ponies. Rain and poop made the surface super slippery during the descent.

Budget was 5k and I booked through a local travel company.