Blog Archives

The Art Of The Long Layover.

Posted on April 16, 2018 by Bemused Backpacker — 4 Comments

Layovers are not just a great way to break up a horrendously long and cramped flight, but they are also ideal ways to add another destination to your itinerary that you may not have seen otherwise.

Tagged with: best ways to break up a long flight, how to get a transit visa, how to spend a layover in Kuala Lumpur, layover, long layover, slow travel, spontaneous travel, transit visa, what to do in a layover in Kuala Lumpur, what to do on a layover in Bangkok
Posted in Travel Advice

Travel Is About More Than The Destination.

Posted on April 2, 2018 by Bemused Backpacker — 12 Comments

When you are travelling the world visiting awesome tropical islands and majestic mountain ranges, glittering megalopolis cities and mysterious jungles, take some time to appreciate the journey too, because the journey is what real travel is all about.

Tagged with: all about the journey not the destination, gap year, Gap Year adventure, journey not the destination, life is a journey, the journey not the destination matters, travel, travel journey, travel the world
Posted in Travel Talk

What Is Culture Shock And How Can Travellers Deal With It?

Posted on March 26, 2018 by Bemused Backpacker — 2 Comments

Culture shock is a common problem for backpackers and long term travellers, but it is one that is often misunderstood and underestimated. So what exactly is culture shock and how can backpackers deal with it when it happens?

Tagged with: culture shock, How can you avoid culture shock, how do you deal with culture shock, How many stages of culture shock are there?, how to deal with culture shock, travel health, travel mental health, what are the symptoms of culture shock, what is culture shock, what is culture shock and how do I avoid it
Posted in Travel Health

We Need To Change How We Think About Travel Safety.

Posted on March 19, 2018 by Bemused Backpacker — 31 Comments

Too many people are afraid of travelling the world. They think taking a gap year is dangerous and backpacking is too risky. There are risks out there for travellers, but they should be prepared for, not feared. Fear should never stop anyone from travelling, and it is about time everyone changed the way they think about travel safety.

Tagged with: backpacker safety, backpacking safety, gap year safety, gap year safety tips, is it safe to take a gap year, is solo travel safe, solo female backpacker safety, solo female travel safety, solo male backpacker safety tips, travel safety, travel safety advice, travel safety mindset, travel safety tips
Posted in Solo Travel, Travel Safety

How To Deal With Bedbugs On Your Gap Year.

Posted on March 12, 2018 by Bemused Backpacker — 18 Comments

Bedbugs are not a very nice subject to talk about and is one that will leave many backpackers repulse in disgust, but they are a common problem in many parts of the world and anyone taking a gap year will probably come across them at some point. Here is how to spot, avoid and deal with bed bugs on your round the world adventure.

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Posted in Travel Health

12 Questions You Should Ask Before Volunteering Abroad.

Posted on March 5, 2018 by Bemused Backpacker — 10 Comments

Volunteering on your gap year can be an amazing and genuinely noble thing, but not all volunteering experiences are created equal, and with unethical voluntourism opportunities getting harder to spot, you need to know what questions to ask before you volunteer.

Tagged with: 10 questions to ask before volunteering abroad, backpacking and volunteering, gap year volunteer programmes, gap year voluntourism, how do I volunteer responsibly, how to choose a responsible volunteer company, how to volunteer when backpacking, volunteer, Volunteer abroad, volunteering, voluntourism, what questions should I ask before I volunteer abroad
Posted in Volunteering

Everything You Need To Know About Travel Vaccinations But Were Afraid To Ask.

Posted on February 26, 2018 by Bemused Backpacker — 20 Comments

Are you heading out on your first backpacking trip or gap year? Unsure what travel vaccinations you need? Get all your questions and concerns answered here with this ultimate professional guide to travel vaccinations.

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Posted in Travel Health

Bemused Backpacker Partners With Bug Off.

Posted on February 20, 2018 by Bemused Backpacker — 20 Comments

Bemused Backpacker is proud to partner with Bug Off! A national campaign aimed at highlighting the risk of mosquito and insect borne diseases and the importance of using insect repellents and other preventative methods during your gap year travels.

Tagged with: Bug Off, Bug Off campaign, DEET spray, dengue, how to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes, how to protect yourself against mosquito bites, insect borne diseases on a gap year, Malaria, mosquito, mosquito bite prevention, mosquito borne diseases, zika
Posted in Travel Health

How To Score Luxury Accommodation As A Budget Backpacker.

Posted on February 19, 2018 by Bemused Backpacker — 10 Comments

Backpacking around the world on your gap year isn’t all about ultra budget backpacker hostels and dorm rooms. Sometimes it is, but there’s no rule that says you have to stick to that either, and there are some real luxury options out there for even the most budget of backpackers if you know how to bag them!

Tagged with: backpacking, budget accommodation, budget travel, flashpacker, flashpacking, gap year, gap year budget, how to budget for a gap year, How to budget for an RTW trip, how to get a bit of luxury on your gap year, how to travel on a budget, luxury accommodation, luxury travel
Posted in Travel Tips

Maya Bay in Thailand May Be Finally Closing To Tourists!

Posted on February 15, 2018 by Bemused Backpacker — 10 Comments

Maya Bay, ‘the beach’ on the Thai island of Koh Phi Phi Leh that was made famous in the 2000 movie starring Leonardo Di Caprio and has since seen a phenomenal surge in tourism as a result, is finally being closed off to tourists as of June 2018 because of environmental concerns.