(Instagram : SamerTravelz)
This is a story about a 23 year old Island boy that moved to Europe 4 years ago
and has not stopped traveling ever since. I currently have been to 34 countries and
my goal is to reach 50 countries before I am 30 years old. I will post my personal opinions about the countries I have been to in the past 4 years and will also posts some tips for future travelers.
I'm pretty new at this whole blogging thing so I hope you enjoy my blog and please provide me with feedback if you do not like something. ( P.S. My picture taking skills improved throughout the years)
1. Lisbon, Portugal
Opinion: Inexpensive, Great food, Great history, Great beaches, Great weather
Tips: Definitely go to Cascais & Sintra if you have time.
Period I was there: October 2013 & April 2015
Accomodation: I stayed at my sister's apartment, but there are many Hostels in Lisbon for 10-20 Euros
2. Antwerp,Belgium
Opinion: Great variety of food, I don't like beers but Belgian beer is heaven, actually very good for shopping & very interesting history and architecture
Tips: If you live in The Netherlands you can travel to Belgium for less than 10 Euros by train
Period I was there: December 2013
Accomodation: Ibis hotel
Opinion: Very international, a bit more expensive than the Netherlands, great party city, good public transportation & a lot of attractions to see so I believe 4 to 5 days should be enough.
Tips: Definitely try Nando's and make use of the Oyster card to travel with the metro system. The london dungeon is also a fun activity to do.
Period I was there: February 2014
Accomodation: I don't remember the name but I paid around 20 Euros a night.
4. Beirut, Lebanon
Opinion: I'm half lebanese and this country has a big place in my heart. The Food is amazing, The people speak French, Arabic, English. The country has a lot of nice attractions that are worth visiting. The capital city is more expensive than other cities, but the prices in other cities are very cheap. I don't really have a touristic opinion for this country as I always go with family and stay with family.
Tips: Definitely rent a car and download an offline map from maps.me in order to get to worth while places. The country is smaller than the Netherlands and this means you can easily drive everywhere. ( Although people drive very crazy there)
Period I was there: June 2014
Accomodation: I stayed with Family
5. Oranjestad ,Aruba
Opinion: One of the best islands in the carribean, Great weather all year long, Great beaches, Great nature activties, Delicious food & Friendly people.
Tips: Definitely visit the Natural pool, visit all the beaches, go out partying, eat traditional food
Period I was there: Lived there from 2003 to 2013 and visit every December ever since
Accomodation: I have a house there, but I'd recommend staying at any of the hotels that are in the palm beach area.
6. Madrid ,Spain
Opinion: Great atmosphere, Convenient prices for meals, Great parties, Great football city.
Tips: Visit the bar called El Tigre to experience drinking and tapas at the same time & also visit the Santiago Bernabeu Football stadium
Period I was there: August 2014
Accomodation: I stayed in a Hostel in the city center, but Unfortunately it does not exist anymore
7. Dubai, Emirates
Opinion: Not as expensive as I expected it to be, Cheap taxis, Decent price for restaurants, Amazingly huge shopping malls selling merchandise at decent prices, warm weather & very international.
Tips: Definitely use the taxis as they are pretty inexpensive & read a bit about their rules and traditions prior to visiting the counry. Also, Definitely participate in the sunset dessert tour as it was one of my best experiences in Dubai.
Period I was there: October 2014
Accomodation: We stayed at a Hostel that was 30-40 minutes away from the city center. Men and woman were not allowed to stay in the same room together as it is prohibited in Dubai unless they are married.
8. Prague, Czech Republic
Opinion: Czech sure love to drink alcohol, very beautiful city with a lot of architecture, Nice bridges & Delicious traditional food.
Tips: I would suggest not going there during the winter as it is too cold and I heard that summer in prague is better. Do not change your Euros to Czech money on the street with random people as it is a scam most of the time. If you have a European Bank card, simply use the ATM machine to take our Czech currency.
Period I was there: December 2014
Accomodation: Me and my Sister booked a all inclusive package and stayed at a 3 star hotel. Although I am sure that Prague has many convenient hostels for young adults.
9. Milan-Bologna- Venice, Italy
Opinion: Milan was very cold and rainy as I went in January, yet the city is very alive and has plenty to see. If you like fashion, then Milan is a perfect city for you. I really liked the Duomo, which is the cathedral located right out of the main train station of Center Milan.From Milan we took Day trips to Bologna and Venice by the train and they were both doable in one day. Bologna is very nice student city with decent weather in January & Venice is just an extraordinairy city.
Tips: Go to italy in May-June as the weather is good, but not too hot since it is 35+ degrees in august. Also, Do not eat italian food in the city center as they are very "touristic". Try using Tripadvisor or Yelp to find delicious authentic Italian food. Lastly, Watch out for scams.
Period I was there: January 2015
Accomodation: Stayed at My Bestfriend's house in Milan.
10. Copenhagen,Denmark
Opinion: Everyone speaks English, Looks very similar to Amsterdam, due to the fact that both cities have channels & people biking around, yet different in some ways. I really liked Copenhagen as it was the first scandinavian country I've ever been to and i did not know what to expect. Restaurant prices were around 10 to 15 Euros. The fun thing about Copenhagen is that you can literally do everything by walking, so you're going to get some good excercise on this vacation.( Or maybe rent a bike for 3-5 euros a day, that's also a fun way to see the city)
Tips: Do not Convert your Euros to Danish kronen via an Exchange office as they rip you off. It is always better to use ATM's. Also, rent an Airbnb with with the people you go with in order to have cheaper accomodation.
Period I was there: May 2015
Accomodation: An Airbnb that was 80 Euros a night for 5 people. so 16 Euros a night P.P.
11. Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Opinion: Very international city displaying both the international life combined with the local traditions. In 2015, I did not find Hong Kong that expensive regarding Taxis and food. I recently heard that it has gotten more expensive. The food in Hong Kong is good, but you really need to know the right places. 3 things that you have to do in Hong Kong is : Take the longest escatalors throughout the city center, visit the biggest flee market in Hong kong and haggle, Visit Lantau/Lamma Island
Tips: DEFINITELY VISIT THE INFINITY POOL. ( it is illegal to actually swim in it, but they actually never check as it is far up in the mountains ; see picture below ) Also visit the victoria peak.
Period I was there: July 2015
Accomodation: Hong Kong Skycity Marriott Hotel. My dad works for the Marriott Hotel in Aruba and this means me and my Sister got a huge discount on this Hotel. There are some Convenient hostels in Hong Kong, but you definitely have to book in advanced.
12. Bangkok- Krabi, Thailand
Opinion: I honestly love love love Thailand so much. My advice is to seriously go there for about 1 month ( since foreigners are only allowed to stay in Thailand for 30 days). I would stay 2-3 days in Bangkok to explore the temples and see how crazy the city is and then you either go down south to Krabi or go up north to Chang Mei. Bangkok is really nice, but it is so crowded and everyone there is trying to scam you somehow. The nightlife in Koh san road is incredibly crazy and really fun. I stayed 3 days in Bangkok with friends and then went to Krabi on my own.I went to Krabi on my own, but was never alone as I met so many people traveling alone to Krabi and easily made friends. I would highly recommend being based in Ao Nang, krabi and taking day trips to the islands nearby by boat. After Ao Nang, you can continue to the more popular islands such as Phuket, Koh Phi Phi and stay there for a few days.
Tips: Definitely take the Island hobbing boat trip that Slumber party offer as it is really nice. Also, Spend the day at Railay bay Hiking. Railay bay has nice beaches, monkeys, A nice viewpoints and a very dangerous route to get to a lagoon that consists of rock climbing down a steep 50 meter fall. ( it is very dangerous so I don't recommend it if you don't do sports. Also, don't do it alone)
Period I was there: July 2015
Accomodation: Airbnb In bangkok & Slumber party hostel in Krabi ( one of the best hostels ever at only 8 Euros a night)
13. Paris, France
Opinion: Paris is a very nice City in general and has a lot of life in it. I walked a lot throughout the city and really enjoyed it. The nightlife is also really great. You can easily spend 3 to 4 days in Paris and I would also highly recommend visiting Versailles from Paris. The only things I did not like about paris were that eating in restaurants were so expensive and that you always had to be careful about getting scammed by the gypsies etc... Lastly, I hear a lot of people complaining about how Parisians do not speak English or refuse to speak English, but honestly I was very lucky because everyone I spoke to in Paris spoke a little bit of English , which was sufficient for me.
Tips: Visit the top of the Eifel Tower during the night, Definitely have a french breakfast filled with Baguettes and Pan ao Chocola, climb the stairs to the Sacre Coeur in Montmartre during the day. Lastly, Watch out for any scams! ( Pickpockets, girls asking you to fill in a form and distracting you to pickpocket you and the most famous one is when a guy is playing the hidden clam game, which is where he has 3 cups and 1 ball and tells tourists to bet money on which cup they think the ball is hidden and if the tourists wins then they get double the money( you will always lose no matter what). Most of the time those scams are done by one performer, but many of the "viewers" are also in on it. so if you are in Paris just do not bet your money on the street at all, because it is probably 120% a scam and you will lose your money and ruin your trip.)
Period I was there: July 2015, July 2016
Accomodation: Arty Paris Hostel, 20 Euros a night and a bit outside of the city center. Still very easy to take a metro from there and arrive in the City center.
14. Barcelona, Spain
Opinion: Stay at least 5 days as there are so many things to do! Barcelona is the most expensive city in Spain and even so still is not as expensive as the Netherlands. Great Beaches, Great night life, great food. Great architecture and great viewpoints.
Tips: Buy the T-10 Metro card for 10 Euros. It consits of 10 Metro trips and can be shared by more than 10 person. So if you are with your friend, you can both have 5 trips each.Buy some wine and some snacks and go watch the sunset at the famous viewpoint of Barcelona known as "Bunkers".
Have a quick delicious lunch at Bo de B or Rumbanroll which are both located in the Barceloneta Area. Definitely have a nice dinner at Rosa Del raval and DO TRY THEIR FAMOUS MOJITOS ( SO GOOD). WATCH OUT FOR PICKPOCKETS. Barcelona has the highest rate of pickpockets in Europs so always be careful in the metro and on the Ramblas. Do not let anyone get to near to you and always have an eye on your belongings. Also if someone random comes to you and "Tackles" you and says "This is how we play football or lets play football" the chances of him scamming you are very high, because you are so distracted by his movements that you don't realize that he pockpocketed you.
Period I was there: August 2015
Accomodation: Pars Tailor's Hostel, 20 Euros a night and had an amazing time with the rest of the guests.
15. Ibiza, Spain
Opinion: The most famous party island in Europe, Daily living costs are actually very cheap. The only expensive things were clubbing and paying for alcohol in clubs. Really loved the beaches and loved how many international people there were in Ibiza. highly recommend pre drinking at your hostel and then going to the club as it cost me 8 Euros for a bottle of water and my friend paid 20 Euros for a vodka redbull...
Tips: Book your Hostels or Hotels Faaaaaar in advanced as the cheap ones are always sold out. We booked Ibiza very last minute and ended up staying at a campsite and paying 25 euros a night.....
Definitely rent a car or scooter to go to the beautiful beaches. Ibiza is well known for its parties, but in reality it has amazing nature & Beaches. Last tip, We Did Amsterdam- Barcelona- Ibiza- Brussels which in total did not cost over 200 Euros and we managed to see 4 places.
Period I was there: August 2015
Accomodation: Stoke Travel Camping ( Not worth it, only book it if everything else is sold out )
16. Vienna, Austria
Opinion: Oh I loved Vienna. Stayed there for 3 days and walked around a lot. They have good Icecream, a really lovely city center and a lot of historical buildings that are just so beautiful, Decent prices for restaurants. If you are a fan of classical and traditional music, Vienna is the place to be. Sadly I did not go clubbing as I traveled with my father so I do not know how the party life in Vienna is. Also, most people in Vienna spoke some English.
Tips: I would walk around the entire city as you get a better feeling and appreciate the city more. It really is a beautiful city. If you have a few more days, Take a train for 19 Euros from Vienna to Budapest for only 19 Euros , Also visit the Terrasse Kahlenberg Viewpoint
Period I was there: August 2015
Accomodation: Stayed at the Marriot Hotel, as I mentioned earlier my dad works for them so we get really cheap prices. Although Vienna has a lot of Hostels for 15-20 Euros. Check Hostelworld and you'll see.
17. Budapest, Hungary
Opinion: Did not know what to expect from this city, but WOW! I found Budapest SOOOO Beautiful and so amazing. Budapest is divided by two parts that are connected by bridges. The Buda side is where most hotels and hostels are and where the city center is. The Pest side is where all the history happens and it has very nice architecture. Me and my dad walked around a lot in budapest as it was very easy. We enjoyed crossing the bridges, looking at buildings, seeing attractions. I would really recommend going to budapest in the summer when the weather is nice. There is a lot to see so definitely stay 3-5 days. Also, Budapest is a very cheap country so don't worry about your budget.
Tips: Use walking as a method of transporation in the city center, definitely go to the Sczechenyi termal bath and chill a few hours in the baths, Visit the budahill viewpoint.
Period I was there: August 2015
Accomodation: Again at the Marriott Hotel with my father
18. Study abroad in Mexico for 6 months
Opinion: The best country I HAVE EVER BEEN TO. Mexico is almost the same size as Europe and there is soooooo much to see. I studied in Monterrey, which is close to the border of Texas. I managed to visit 16 of the 32 states and literally every single one was different or had something that made them unique. The Mexican people were so friendly, the food was amazing, the prices were cheap and throughout everything it was pretty safe ( Even though Mexico has a bad reputation, nothing happened to be in 6 months). English is spoken in Monterrey and some of it in Mexico city, but I'd recommend knowing Spanish while traveling throughout Mexico.
Tips: Definitely try every single Mexican meal, Taking busses from one state to another was cheap and not that bad as the busses very very comfortable and very customized to be like how a first class airplane would be. Drink a lot of mojitos. If you have 2 to 3 weeks of vacation I would recommend flying to Mexico city, then flying to Chiapas and exploring the entire state of Chiapas. After, take a bus from Palenque to Playa del carmen and explore Playa, Tulum, Cancun. After, potentially go to Havana from Cancun as the prices are cheap or simply fly back to Mexico city. Lastly, Vistting Baja California is highly recommended as it was one of my most favorite states.
Period I was there: January 2016
Accomodation: Lived in a Student Villa in Monterrey, Hostal Tres Central in Tuxla Gutierrez, The Yak in Playa den Carmen, Hostel Quetzal in Cancun. I would highly recommend using Hostelworld to find nice hostels in Mexico. Most of them have a pretty good price between 8-15 Euros.
19. Havana, Cuba
Opinion: It's like I took a time machine and went back to the 50s, The city looks old but with a lot of life. Everyone is outside either talking, playing football or working. Havana is pretty loud and is getting very touristic. I had the major luck of Downloading an offline map, which gave me a lot of recommendations of where to go and where to eat. If I were you I would try to meet a local that is willing to show you around for money as the know all the local and cheaper things if you are on a budget. Also, Havana is really safe even though the places may look sketchy.
Tips: Definitely visit Vinnales if you have a few days to spare, Try to leave the main center of Havan and go to local places in order to feel the local culture and get cheaper prices. In the city center I paid 10-12 euros for a meal and Outside the center I paid 1 Euro for In total for 2 pizza slices, 1 Ice cream, 1 cake & 1 smoothie. Cuba has the CUP & the CUC. The CUC is intended for tourists and CUP is for locals. 1 Cuc is 25 CUP. Also, Download an offline map of Cuba as there is no free Wi-fi and wi-fi zones cost 2/3 Euros an hour. There are only about 5 wi-fi zones in Havana and 1 in Vinnales
Period I was there: May 2016
Accomodation: Casaparticulares. there are no hostels in Havana so you either have to stay at a hotel or at a casa particulares, which is basically a big room in someone's house and they charge your per night and will also give you the option of cooking for you if you pay them.
20. Willemstad, Curacao
Opinion: I was actually born here and lived here for the first few months of my life, but I have been to Curacao many many times as I lived both in Bonaire and Aruba, which are neighbouring islands of Curacao. Curacao is a very beautiful island, with lots of nice beaches that have clear bue water and white sand. My most favorite beach is the grote knip beach.
Tips: Defintely eat at Yanchi's! Delicious traditional Curacao food, Go to Klein Curacao, Climb the christophel mountain and simply have some chill days at the beach, Definitely rent a car if you want to feel the full Curacao experience.
Period I was there: June 2016
Accomodation: Stayed at my aunts house, but there are many hotels that you can stay at.
21. Internship in Barcelona for 6 months
Opinion: As you noticed, I already posted something about Barcelon above and that is because I've been there before I lived there. I lived in Barcelona for 6 months and am basically an expert of the city now. I really love Barcelona and had an amazing 6 months. You can practically do aything in Barcelona, You can hike to bunkers, Go out partying with friends, chill at the beach and play volleyball, chill with the erasmus kids, have international cuisine, go to Gaudi museums, smoke weed in a coffeeshop, Go to tibidabu, walk around and have a picnic en parq de ciutadella and climb the stairs to be on top of the Museu Nacional dárt de catalunya.
Tips: If you want a beach with more space compared to the one in Barceloneta, I would recommend going to the beach in Nova Icaria where a lot of people play volleyball. The weather in Barcelona was 22 degrees until end of October. Also, Definitely go drink Sangria and have a good time at Oveja negra and go eat tapas on the strip of carrer Blai ( 1 Euro Tapas is lovely)
Period I was there: July 2016
Accomodation: I rented a room for 500 Euros a month in Raval.
22. Frankfurt-Wurzburg, Germany
Opinion: Good architecture, Great beer, Decent prices and a lot of things to see
Tips: I would definitely recommend flying to Frankfurt and taking a day trip to Wurzburg.
Period I was there: August 2016
Accomodation: Stayed at a friend's house in Wurzburg.
Opinion: Andorra is actually really nice for 1/2 days and is extremely a nice place to snowboard during the winter. Shopping is very good here as the country is tax-free and they have everything in the city center.
Tips: Take a day trip from Barcelona for 30-35 Euros. It takes 3 hours to get there. Also, Turn off your roaming serices in Andorra as its really expensive to roam in this country.
Period I was there: October 2016
Accomodation: It was a day trip so no accomodation.
24. Geneva, Switzerland
Opinion: Lovely lovely international city with a lot to see
Tips: When you arrive at the airport there is this machine where you can get a free 60 minute ticket for all public transportation and you can use this to get from the airport the city center. Take a day trip during Dec-April from Geneva to Chamonix to go snowboarding. Geneva is only 1 hour away from Chamonix and Chamonix is located in France so this means cheaper prices compared to switzerland. Lastly, Definitely climb the Saleve if you love hiking.
Period I was there: April 2017
Accomodation: Stayed at my cousins apartment
25. Split- Hvar- Dubrovnik,Croatia
Opinion: Split is a very cute city with a lot of life and good weather. I really enjoyed my 2 days there and mainly walked around and explored the city and went to its viewpoint. Hvar is a lovely island, which has amazing beaches and can be seen in a few days. Hvar is a bit more expensive that split and that is because it is a touristic island. In Dubrovnik, Prices in restaurants are much higher
Tips: Take a ferry from Split to Hvar for not more than 15 euros, Definitely rent a ATV/Car in Hvar to go to the best beaches and also definitely eat at Fig Cage ( IT IS SOOO GOOOD) & at Dubrovnik I would highly recommend walking around and potentially taking day trips to Bosnia or Montenegro if you have days to spare.
Period I was there: May 2017
Accomodation: Split: Cro paradise green hostel, 13 Euros per night ( One of the most luxurious hostels i've ever stayed at) Hvar: Hvar out Hostel , Good location, 18 Euros per night. Dubrovnik: Airbnb, 19 Euros per night, Good location.
26. Kotor-Budva, Montenegro
Opinion: I was amazed by how beautiful both Kotor & Budva were. Montenegro has amazing scenary and viewpoints. It is also pretty inexpensive. Everyone that I spoke with there spoke English and the good thing about Montenegro is that they also use the Euro currency regardless of not being part of the EU.
Tips: Flights to Montenegro are expensive, so I'd recommend flying to Dubrovnik, Croatia first and then either taking a car/bus or tour to Kotor, which is not more than 3 hours. I highly recommended hiking the great wall of Montenegro as you will have an amazing view once you are all the way on top. Also, I highly recommend walking around and taking your time in Budva. We paid 35 Euros for the day trip tour and I found 35 Euros for showing us around and taking us to 2 cities of the country pretty fair ( as I normally really hate going on tours, but simply taking a bus there back n forth cost around 40 Euros, so the tour was the cheapest and most effective option)Also, have your passport with you due to the fact that you will be crossing borders between two countries and Montenegro is not part of the EU so there is no crossing the border freely like crossing from Amsterdam & Belgium.
Period I was there: May 2017
Accomodation: day trip from Dubrovnik
27. Mostar, Bosnia
Opinion: Mostar is AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL WOW. The funny thing about Mostar is that it does not look or feel like a European country at all. The turkish empire took over Bosnia a really long time ago and gave the Bosnians a choice to convert into becoming muslims in order to receive benefits. The turkish empire also made Mostar look like a Turkish/ Arabic country and it sure feels like this. The city is filled with life and tourists and you can easily walk around Mostar in 1 day.
Tips: Definitely try the local cuisine in the city center of Mostar as it is very delicious and very inexpensive. They accept Euros, Bosnian Mark & Croatian Kuna so it will be very easy to pay when you are there. Also, I highly recommend taking a day trip tour from Dubrovnik again if you have a day to spare as the tours are normally 35 Euros and they take you to Mostar and the Beautiful Waterfall which is located between the Borders of Croatia & Bosnia. ( Do have your passport at all times as you are crossing a border between two countries)
Period I was there: May 2017
Accomodation: Day trip from Dubrovnik
28. St Julian, Malta
Opinion: It's inexpensive, amazing weather, amazing beaches and made me feel as if I was on Aruba multiple times. The party life is also really great. Definitely one of Europe's hidden gems. (Oh and they also drive on the left side of the road, so watch out while crossing the street)
Tips: Take the 1 week unlimited bus pass at the airport for 21 Euros, Definitely go on the all you can drink sunset boat trip if you have a day to spare, Definitely visit St Peters pool & Popeye's village, Spend the day in Comino and Definitely go out in Pachville. Alcohol is so cheap so don't be afraid of buying drinks in clubs. I paid 2 euros for a Vodka Sprite & Gin Tonic.
Period I was there: July 2017
Accomodation: Hostel Malti, 20 Euros a night, Really nice Hostel with a good atmosphere, my only complaint is that the rooms were really warm during the night and the fans were not doing their jobs. I would recommend staying at Marco Polo Hostel, which is the brother of Hostel Malti.
I will be going to Cape Verde on the 16th of August 2017 for 2 weeks. Cape Verde is an Island in Africa and I've always wanted to go to see how similar the island is from Aruba. They also have their own creole language and it is quite similar to Papiamento, so now I can actually see if I will understand them when I'm there.
I hope you enjoyed this blog and if you have any questions regarding any of the destinations you can contact me on Samer_Hamawi@hotmail.com
Have a nice day and just keep traveling! :)
-Samer
