This month, it’s the turn of World Words travel writer Nicole to share a recent adventure. Escaping to Indonesia’s Gili Islands, she discovers it can be hard to relax with a book when there is so much fun to be had in paradise…

Nicole cycling through a restaurant strip along the coast of Trawangan (Gili T). She really likes cycling.

Why I went to the Gili Islands
While it’s certainly not a hardship to live and write in Bali, as I’d been doing for a couple of months, it was time to give my brain a break and launch into nothing but fun, relaxation and adventure. From the mainland, it’s less than a two-hour fast boat trip to the Gili Islands, and this car-free land of pure indulgence had been calling my name for years. It was time to heed the call. With my visiting brother and uncle in tow, we chanted for good weather in the rainy season and crossed the Lombok Strait beneath bright, sunny skies.

My highlight of the trip
As the largest of the three Gili Islands, and the one with the most pubs for my beer-loving Aussie relatives, we chose to stay on Trawangan, known affectionately as Gili T. To get around the island, visitors need to walk or cycle everywhere, as there’s no motorised transport (though if you’re feeling tired, there are horse-drawn carriages). I haven’t relinquished the thrill of riding a bike since I was a kid, so this was probably the thing I enjoyed most of all.

After breakfast each morning, overlooking water that’s almost impossibly perfect, we hopped on our trusty bikes and, without fail, gathered friends along the way. You can ride almost entirely around the coast, or cross inland through local villages and fields of palm trees. The stops along the way include snorkelling with turtles straight from the beach, eating nasi goreng from picturesque swings at beachfront restaurants, and popping in for a drink at the swim-up bars of swanky hotels. What more could you possibly desire?

What else I love about the Gili Islands
These idyllic islands bring secluded beaches for lazy days, just enough pubs, restaurants and shops for a buzzing atmosphere when you want it, and adventure in spades. Boat trips span peaceful Gili Air and Gili Meno, with excellent snorkelling and dive sites that live up to their names of Shark Point, Turtle Heaven and Deep Turbo.

Reef breaks usually offer easy waves for beginner surfers and occasional two-metre swells for pros in the wet season. Just before dusk, everyone emerges from beach huts, swimming pools, boats and shops for a striking sunset that slowly creeps behind Mount Agung in the distance. If you want to head back to the peace of serene retreats, you can. However, night owls find plenty of action within thumping beats along the boat harbour strip.

Beachfront restaurants throughout the Gili Islands offer seaside swings for scenic drinking and dining.

Why you should go
The barefoot appeal of the Gili Islands is soothing to the soul, as it invites relaxation in the way only island living can. Yet, in the mix, there’s also the cheeky sense that you can go right ahead and have that champagne for breakfast and dance till you drop in the moonlight, if the urge to do so strikes. Everyone is in a holiday mood and you can literally feel the freedom in the air. In terms of indulgent escapes, it’s rather hard to beat.

How you can visit
The easiest way to visit the Gili Islands is to fly into Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport. From there, organise private transport or catch a taxi to Padangbai, where you will find a large range of fast boats for the trip to the islands. It’s usually cheaper to find a boat from there (always bargain for the price) than it is to book online.

Looking for some examples of Indonesian travel content by writers like Nicole? Check out our projects page. And if you want to stay bang up to date with tourism news and travel titbits, you should follow us on Twitter.

– Article and photography by Nicole Leigh West.

The post Our Travels: Gili Islands, Indonesia appeared first on World Words.

This series of blog posts follow our team around the world, as writers share highlights of their recent adventures. There’s an extensive back catalogue of Our Travels blogs to enjoy, with topics including everything from hiking in the Azores to soaking up the sunshine in the Cayman Islands. This month, it’s the turn of our writer Nicole to share her tale of traversing Mexico for the first time and falling head over heels in love with Quintana Roo (naturally, the whole trip happened a while before coronavirus lockdowns came into effect). Scroll on to give her story a read…

Nicole enjoying one of the many sandy cycling tracks on the idyllic (and car-free) Isla Holbox.

Why I went to Quintana Roo
A Mexican friend of mine – a digital nomad like me – was keen to take a three-month road trip around his home country, and asked if I wanted to tag along. Naturally, I jumped at the opportunity. Dreaming of atmospheric Mayan ruins, clear Caribbean seas, reef-fringed islands and mysterious cenotes, we allocated a few weeks to explore the southeastern state of Quintana Roo from bottom to top. While the star attractions like Playa del Carmen and Tulum lived up to their shiny reputations, it was the less-visited places we found along the way that truly stole my heart.

My highlight of the trip
Originally, Bacalar was marked as a quick overnight stop on the drive from Chiapas to the Yucatán Peninsula. But at first glimpse, the town’s extraordinary ‘Lake of Seven Colours’ had hooked my heart. Changing from bright aqua to emerald to a deep navy, the lake is a beautiful sight, and boating or swimming across it is a truly unforgettable experience – especially for water babies like me. Within the lake, I dived deep into the black depths of Cenote Negro and slathered myself in the mineral rich mud of Pirates Channel. Back on shore, life was equally enjoyable, our days filled by strolling or cycling through charming streets lined with fishermen’s cottages, chilling out with scrumptious tacos, and buying a dream catcher or two. In the end, we stayed at Lake Bacalar for almost a week.

What else I love about Quintana Roo
As far as road trips go, Quintana Roo delivers an itinerary that makes you greedy for more, the more you explore. Best of all, it is so quick and easy to drive up the highway and discover every highlight. From Bacalar, it’s a little over two hours to reach Tulum, where ritzy hotels, white sand beaches, yoga studios and vegan restaurants await.

Within a further two hours, you’ll arrive at the resort-filled, shopping and nightlife havens of Playa del Carmen and Cancún. It’s an easy trip over to Cozumel for diving in between. Wanting to escape the crowds though, we opted to keep driving north to the small fishing village of Chiquilá and hop on a boat over to the idyllic Isla Holbox. With no cars but plenty of sandy tracks for cycling, as well as wild mangroves and whale sharks gliding by from June to September, it’s a gorgeous, untouristy paradise. I expect it won’t stay that way for long so visit as soon as you can!

A kaleidoscope of colours at Lake Bacalar, which was Nicole’s surprise Quintana Roo highlight.

Why you should go
Aside from some of Mexico’s celebrated beach resorts, Quintana Roo brims with historical and natural wonders. There’s the coastal wetlands and roadside Mayan ruins of Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, along with the jungle-clad pyramid of Coba. Just off the coast of Cancún, sleepy Isla Mujeres is encircled in Caribbean blue, where you can dive within a museum of sculptures. And after swimming in incredible, crystalline water beneath stalactites at Cenote Dos Ojos, my next trip to Quintana Roo will be sure to include a whole lot more cenote-hopping!

How you can visit
Most travellers choose to fly directly into Cancún International Airport, which is served by most national carriers and major international airlines, or on a domestic flight from Mexico City. If you’re staying around Cancún and the Riviera Maya, you’ll find plenty of options for private transfers, taxis, shuttle buses, ADO buses and guided tours in order to explore. To branch out further in less touristic territory, it’s easiest to hire a car and set off into the sunset.

Are you looking for more great travel content on Mexico from writers like Nicole? You’ll find lots of examples of recent work on our projects page. To stay up to date with travel news, we’d love to see you over at Twitter.

– Article and photography by Nicole Leigh West.

The post Our Travels: Quintana Roo, Mexico appeared first on World Words.

The Our Travels blog series was created for just that purpose. It’s all about sharing the personal travel stories of our team, whether it’s spotting brown bear cubs in Alaska, exploring Scotland’s remote Western Isles, wandering Orccha’s historic cenotaphs, hiking the mountains around Kyoto… or relaxing at a riverside resort in The Gambia.

This month, it’s the turn of World Words writer-adventurer Nicole, who recounts a month living in Luang Prabang, Laos – amid chanting monks on the banks of the mighty Mekong River. Scroll down this page to read her story…

Nicole crossing the Bamboo Bridge over the Nam Khan River and soaking up the serenity.

Why I went to Luang Prabang, Laos
As a digital nomad, I decided to spend the best part of a year in Southeast Asia, where sun-drenched beaches, exotic culture and cheap living expenses reign. Initially, UNESCO-listed Luang Prabang was a three-day stop on my itinerary, to check out the famous spiritual heart of Laos. By the end of day one – ensconced as I was in a boutique hotel with river views and jungle sounds – I’d fallen in love with the place and extended my stay.

My highlight of the trip
Culturally, time doesn’t really exist in Laos, with the ‘Sabai Sabai’ lifestyle ensuring that everybody ‘takes it easy’. Whether I was cruising the Mekong by boat, sampling spices at street markets or strolling through rice fields, the serene vibe of Luang Prabang was the highlight of my trip. With a gypsy lifestyle, it’s always nice to settle in for a bit, in the midst of friendly smiles and total safety. Luang Prabang offers this on a backdrop of gilded temples, orange-clad monks and diverse natural wonders, like Kuang Si Waterfall.

What else I love about Luang Prabang
Every morning, the streets of Luang Prabang fill with silent lines of Buddhist monks. The Tak Bat alms-giving ritual is a sight to behold and an enlightening start to the day. Over 30 temples decorate the historic town centre, many of which are working homes for monks and novices.

I managed to wake up in time to see it most days, thanks to the surreal chanting of monks before first light. Afterwards, I could barely contain my excitement over sipping Laotian coffee and devouring French pastries. The culinary scene in Luang Prabang is a multicultural delight, at trendy cafes, street stalls and fancy restaurants.

Luckily, there are plenty of outdoor adventures to combat overeating. The historic town itself is a cyclist’s dream. Trek with elephants at MandaLao Elephant Conservation, traverse rickety bridges and kayak to Pak Ou Cave. Despite its small size, a month wasn’t long enough to experience all of Luang Prabang, and I’ll certainly return.

The daily Tat Bak alms-giving ceremony in the streets of Luang Prabang.

Why you should go
If you’ve never travelled to Southeast Asia, Luang Prabang is the perfect introduction, without the chaos of nearby tourist hotspots. It’s also utterly unique, with soul-nourishing activities among a fusion of traditional Laos and colonial-era architecture. Whether you’re practising yoga by the Mekong, indulging in French cuisine or chatting to novice monks keen to practice their English, Luang Prabang enchants your senses and captures your heart.

How you can visit
Luang Prabang International Airport greets domestic and international flights from major Asian airlines including Bangkok Airways, Vietnam Airlines and Thai Airways. From outside Asia, the most common flight routes include a stopover in Bangkok (which, as this recent Our Travel piece attests, is to bad thing). It’s a short drive to town and you’ll find plenty of taxis outside the terminal. Once there you can walk, ride a bike or hail a tuk-tuk to get around.

At World Words, we often produce content about destinations in Asia. Visit our projects page to read some examples of recent work. Follow us on Twitter and we’ll keep you in the loop with all the latest travel news.

– Article and photography by Nicole Leigh West.

The post Our Travels: Luang Prabang, Laos appeared first on World Words.