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Lake Titicaca is a giant lake that straddles two South American nations: Peru and Bolivia. Apart from its funny name, Lake Titicaca is also famous for its people that live on reed islands (literal man-made islands from reeds). How radical is that!?!
Top Tip for Lake Titicaca:
Take some time to explore at a slow pace. I was in such a rush on my trip moving between too countries overland without really enough time to do so but in the short time I spent on Lake Titicaca I realised its one of those places where the details are what’s important! Everything you see is pretty cool until you really look closely and see how many different and incredible ways reeds are used for everything.
Where to stay:
I didn’t stay overnight on Lake Titicaca (except on the shores of the Lake in Copacabana, Boliva) but if I was able to go back a Homestay on one of the islands is a popular choice and would be a really good option. Alternatively, You can book on booking.com.
Getting there and away:
Lake Titicaca is one of the stops on Peru and Bolivia Hop – a perfect combo of a tour group, a hop on hop off bus and an intercity bus! You can visit Lake Titicaca on both the Peruvian and Bolivian sides with this company and they even help you cross the border. See my post here raving about Peru Hop as to why this is a winning combo.
Getting around:
Most locals travel on reed boats but there are also ferries to various islands. On the Peruvian side you will find lots of small reed islands and on the Bolivian side you can take a ferry to the very large Isla del Sol. If you head down to the water I assure you you will find somebody willing to take you onto the lake for a fee.
What to bring:
Wear a warm jacket! Lake Titicaca is pretty high altitude and you cannot rely on it being warm. The day we went was grey, rainy and freezing. I’m not sure why you would but don’t wear heels – I can’t imagine them going down well on the reed islands and on Isla del Sol you will need to do lots of walking. Bring your passport – on the reed islands there is a little passport office where you can get a tourist stamp on your passport.
What to expect:
Expect to have an authentic, local experience and not DO anything. On the Reed islands you will be invited into a local house to ask questions and buy souvenirs (if you want) and get an opportunity to hop on one of the reed boats. On Isla del Sol the best activity is to lap up the sun and take in the beautiful views from all over the island.
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This is the lesser known Copacabana – not the bustling suburb in Brazil but a tiny little town on the shores of Lake Titicaca, nestled between Peru and Bolivia’s capital La Paz. It’s a part of Bolivia that doesn’t quite fit with the land-locked; poor, grimy, busy, superstitious image of the rest of the country. Instead, it makes you feel like you are at a seaside resort (admittedly a budget one). The blue of the lake can be seen from most of the town, the houses seem bright and cheery and you can take a ferry from here to La Isla del Sol – ‘The Island of the Sun’ which definitely sounds like a place I want to be!
GENERAL INFO
Getting there and away:Copacabana is one of the stops on Bolivia Hop – a perfect combo of a tour group, a hop on hop off bus and an intercity bus! See my post here raving about Peru Hop as to why this is a winning combo.
Accommodation:The best place to stay is La Cupula – It’s very pricey for Bolivia but worth the splurge. You can book La Cupula on booking.com. La Cupula also has pet Alpacas which is definitely reason enough to stay here.
Food:The restaurant at La Cupula is pretty good. Also we had a basic edible meal at a little hut down by the water.
Getting around:You can walk from one end of the town to the other in about 20 minutes so theres no need for any other forms of transport. If you want to head over to La Isla del Sol you will need to take a ferry. You can organise this through Peru hop or your hotel.
Top Tip:There is not a whole lot to do in Copacabana except unwind and relax. Stop here to take some time to recharge. There are some easy hikes, lots of fresh air, quiet to read and sunbathe. If you head over to La Isla del Sol there is even less to do.
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
Copacabana has a charming little cathedral that houses a black madonna (the patron of Bolivia). Its an interesting walk through town to visit.
The is a great little hike up Cerro El Calvario. Its only about a 30 minute walk to reach the top and its very steep but you have great views over Lake Titicaca from here. Its a popular walk with locals too so the track is quite busy.
Feeding the Alpacas at La Cupula is one of the best things to do here! Get a bag of food from reception but watch out as these Alpacas are very greedy. They provide tons of entertainment.
The main thing to do in Copacabana is to take a boat to La Isla del Sol. Its about a 1 hour boat trip to the island and there is a fee to visit the island (You can take the Bolivia Hop boat at 2pm and the island fee is included. This boat leaves from the White Anchor). From the Sun Temple where the boat lands, you can take a leisurely one hour walk to the small island town of Yumani to get back on the boat at around 4pm. Alternatively you can choose to spend the night on one of the accomodation providers on the island. Check booking.com for options.
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Hanoi is chaotic, frantic, hot, full of petrol fumes, chock-a-block with traffic, bright and colourful and absolutely charming. Read below on how to make the most of your time here even if Hanoi is just a necessary stop to catch your flight.
GENERAL INFO
Getting there and away:
Hanoi airport has flights all over the world and Hanoi also has bus and train connections all over Vietnam – anywhere you want to go, you can.
Most accomodation will book a transfer to/from the airport or to anywhere else you want to go if you prefer to travel by car. We spend approximately 30 USD each way on our airport transfers for a 16-seater car. A standard car will be much less!
Another transfer that tourists often make by car is to Halong Bay (its quite a long journey by bus and bus is a little too unpredictable if you are getting on a cruise, plus there are no trains that cover this route). Our family of 7 took a 16-seater private car and paid 140 USD for the one way journey – again you can book this through your hotel. I don’t recommend booking a transfer through your cruise company as they charge per passenger and will pick up other passengers rather than provide a private transfer (making the journey longer and less comfortable).
Accommodation:
In Hanoi, it is best to stay in the Old Quarter area which sits to the north and west of Hoan Kiem Lake. If you are staying in Hanoi on multiple occasions (ie. after and before your international flight) then its a good idea to stay in a couple of different hotels so you can explore a slightly different area of the old town.
Our top mid-range picks are Hanoi Media Hotel and Spa which has incredibly friendly staff, family rooms, breakfast included and is only 1 minute walk to the lake or Maison D’Orient Hotel which has lots of character and is close to great shops and eateries but there is no lift so expect to walk up lots of stairs.
Food and Drink:
Hanoi has lots of fantastic options for food and drink. The street food is also amazing here but we prefer restaurants as they are more comfortable with kids, and are an escape from the heat. Here are some of our favorite finds:
Cong Caphe – There are lots of branches of this chic cafe styled on communist era Vietnam. We enjoyed coffees at the one on Phố Nhà Thờ, 27 near St. Joseph’s Cathedral.
Met – There are 2 branches of this chain restaurant in Hanoi Old Town. It serves really tasty local food at reasonable prices. They also have lots of vegetarian and vegan options.
Café Ga Đông Dương – This is a sweet little cafe on train street serving up drinks and giving you the best seats to watch the train go by.
Laika Cafe – Great coffee, smoothies and juices. They only serve drinks.
S’Patisserie – coffee and pastries right next to the lake
Luk Lak Vietnamese Restaurant – a bit out of the way and very overpriced but amazing local food with a gourmet twist.
Tiệm Mỳ Tiên Sơn – Noodles and Dimsum – Excellent noodles and dim sum – cheap and cheerful quick eat.
Getting around:
You can walk anywhere around the old city – a Cyclo is another great option if you need to get somewhere a bit further afield or are too hot to walk. Both of these options mean you can see all that Hanoi has to offer which is often just hidden around the next corner.
Top Tip:
Learn to cross the road like a local – you will need to in Hanoi. Always walk slowly forwards into traffic (never backwards) and the motorbikes and cars will navigate around you.
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
Water puppet show, Hanoi
This is a delightful and short (60 minute) puppet show in water unlike anything you have ever seen before. Centrally located in the Old Town of Hanoi you will be able to walk there from your hotel. It’s great for adults and children alike. Tickets were very affordable too. Show times vary but generally take place 5 times a day at approx. 3 PM, 4:10 PM, 5:20 PM, 6:30 PM and 8:00 PM. You can buy a ticket on the day. Make sure you go to the famous Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre as there are a few other shows around.
Old Quarter Night Market, Hanoi
The Hanoi Night Market is only on on the weekends but is a great experience if you are in Hanoi at the right time. The streets around the market become pedestrian only so you can wander at leisure and the market has lots of great souvenirs to purchase as do all the shops surrounding it. There are also a few stalls selling food and drink. You can purchase ANYTHING from children’s toys, local crafts, electronics to shoes. The market starts up about 7pm and is open until 11pm.
If you aren’t in Hanoi for a weekend there is still lots of great shopping to be had everywhere. Hang Ma street is a great option for starting to wander the shops – then you can branch off in any direction to continue.
Train Street, Hanoi
Train Street in Hanoi is the coolest experience – seeing a train pass by you so close is such an adrenaline rush. It’s also a great spot for pictures. Obviously caution is recommended but its actually pretty safe and the locals are great at making sure you are never in danger. The trains are scheduled at set times of the day so you will have a lot of advance warning of the approaching train and the locals will let you know when you need to get out of the way and where it is safe to watch from. The Train Street is ‘officially’ closed but if you turn left when facing the main entrance to the street and then right down the next road someone will find you and lead you through a tunnel to come out into the open of the street. Try to arrive 30 mins before the train is expected to get a good spot. The train definitely comes through at 3:30pm every day and then 7pm in the opposite direction.
Hoan Kiem Lake
Hoan Kiem Lake is lovely and peaceful to walk around in the mornings, particularly if you like to take it easy or just watch and observe city life. Grab a pastry and a coffee and take a detour to take a look at the impressive Hanoi Opera House and on the other side of the lake St. Joseph’s Cathedral.
Ride a Cyclo around the city
Hanoi is such a great place to watch all the hustle and bustle of a city and what better way to do that than the novelty of a Cyclo. The Cyclo is a bicycle taxi that you can find all over Hanoi. They are pretty pricy and more of a tourist attraction than an actual convenient way to get around but they are such a novelty and the slight breeze provides a welcome break from the heat of the city.
Hoa Lo Prison
Hoa Lo Prison is otherwise known as the Hanoi Hilton. It was Hanoi’s prison through many distinct periods of Vietnam’s history and so a visit gives you a lot of insight into Vietnam as a country, the Vietnam war and American involvement in Vietnam. Its a fascinating part of ther country’s history. The prison is open from 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM and then from 1:30 PM – 5:00 PM and its an easy walk here from the Old Town.
I hope you find these tips helpful and let me know if you enjoyed your visit to Hanoi!
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Lake Cuicocha is a picturesque lake in the northern mountains of Ecuador. There is a relatively easy, beautiful hike here that goes all the way around the lake. I highly recommend this even if you aren’t the greatest hiker or if you are training to do some hikes in the higher altitudes of South America. The Lake Cuicocha hike varies from 3100 to 3500 metres above sea level as you go around and takes 4-5 hours at a very slow pace.
Top Tip for Lake Cuicocha:
Take it easy! Theres no rush to get to where you are going here. Start early in the day if you are worried about your fitness levels and you will definitely make it around the lake before dark. The signs on site say the hike takes 4-5 hours but we easily did it in 3.5 hours with LOTS of picture stops and rest breaks. Chill out in the serene landscape.
Where to stay:
We stayed in Otavalo as we wanted to see the indigenous market here but you could also stay in Cotacachi which is closer to the lake. We recommend We recommend Hostal La Rosa in Otavalo which you can book through Booking.com. It is very centrally located and comfortable.
Getting there and away:
You can get to Lake Cuicocha by taking a bus from Otavalo bus station to Cotocachi which is nearer the lake. Once in Cotocachi you can take a taxi to the lake for approx. $7 USD one way. You can arrange for the taxi to come back when you have finished the hike but lots of taxi’s frequent the area so it shouldn’t be a problem if you don’t have one arranged to pick you up. The whole trip from Otavalo to the lake should only take an hour or so. Just do this in reverse to get back to Otavalo.
Getting around:
I suggest trekking clockwise around the lake as the trailhead starts about 2km up the road from the visitors centre where the taxi will drop you off and the last thing you want to do is walk along a road with no view at the end of your long hike. but either way is fine!
Food:
Take food with you – there is a restaurant at the trailhead but most likely you will want to picnic on your way and take in the incredible views. Plus its always key to take snacks and water with you in case you are hiking longer than expected.
What to expect:
A nice easy hike with great views of the lake and the mountains beyond – well worth an afternoon’s adventure. Enjoy!
I should have been more enchanted by Udaipur…looking back on the photographs I took it certainly looks beautiful. It was our last stop in India so maybe I just had a bit of travel fatigue – India is exhausting to travel. Its so fascinating and amazing to experience but the cities are chaotic and dirty and full-on. I think I expected a beautiful lake paradise and yet Udaipur was like any other Indian city – noisy, busy, smoggy and overall overwhelming.
GENERAL INFO
Getting there and away:
We travelled to Udaipur via Jodhpur with a private driver. Arriving this way meant we could incorporate two rural ‘must-see sites on our way. You can read about how we did this here.
There are also many flight and train connections into Udaipur. We left Udaipur on a flight to Mumbai to catch our international connection. Note the airport is quite some distance (takes 40mins-1 hour).
Accommodation: We stayed at Zostel Udaipur – nice enough hostel which was well located. Zostel is a chain that has many hostels around India. We also stayed at a Zostel in Jaipur.
If you have too much money I recommend staying at the Lake Palace – it is stunning. Be aware though you won’t feel like leaving the hotel.
The Lake Palace on a smoggy day
Food: I highly recommend eating at The White Terrace Restaurant. Although the food is standard tourist fare (a bit lacking in flavor). The staff were so friendly, the setting was beautiful and you could entertain yourself by people watching on the street below.
Getting around: Walking will get you anywhere you need to go in Udaipur – if you are leaving the city to see Ranakpur Temple or Khumbhalgarh Fort then I recommend hiring a driver for this trip.
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
1. Explore City Palace
City Palace has lovely grounds and also a large museum. You do not need to pay to enter the grounds if you are entering the museum. It is quite beautiful – its more of the same of what you see elsewhere in India but can you ever really see enough intricate detail? Its worth popping in and having a wander. There is also a Sound and Light Show at the City Palace if you want to visit at night.
Twirling at the City Palace
2. Take a boat trip on the Lake
While you are at City Palace, I suggest you pop down to the lakeside and take a boat trip out onto the lake. Udaipur is famous for its lake and so you may as well experience the city from the water. You get a great view of the Lake Palace from a boat – the closest you are going to get if you cant afford to stay there. The boat trips stop at Jagmandir which is another hotel out on the water. You can have lunch here but we just chose to wander around the beautiful grounds for a while away from the noise of the city.
Jagmandir
3.Visit Bagore-Ki Haveli
Bagore-Ki Haveli has been carefully restored – it has some quirky aspects to it which sets it apart from the other palaces and havelis we have visited. For example the world’s largest turban – you can sit in front of it and take a photo that looks like its on your head.
Bagore-Ki Haveli
4. Kumbhalgarh Fort
Kumbhalgarh Fort is a rural fort 2 hours outside of Udaipur. Its a tranquil place to spend an hour or two. Also make sure to climb to the top of the Fort for stunning views. Just WOW.
Kumbhalgarh Fort
5. Ranakpur Temple
Ranakpur Temple (2 hours from Udaipur – combine this with a trip to Kumbhalgarh Fort) is also an interesting place to visit. If you haven’t seen a Jain Temple before then you definitely need to go to Ranakpur – the stone carvings are so intricate and it is one of the largest Jain temples. Its a peaceful place to explore. Also if you are here at lunchtime you should stop at the charity restaurant on the grounds. All you can eat delicious food for so cheap!
Inside Ranakpur Temple
Enjoy Udaipur! Let me know what you thought of the city and why.
THE ONLY ERIKA IN THE VILLAGE 