I have visited over 50 countries and flown with probably 200+ airplanes. Over the years, I have learned some travel tricks and tips that saved me a lot of grief, money and time. I am not talking about “Pack light” cliché kind of advice, but rather cool, useful, and practical ideas.
I am happy to share these with you as I discovered, tried, and even researched for this material. You may have heard of some of them, but I can guarantee that you do not know about most. Without further do, let’s dive right into it – the order is aleatory:
1. Put Your Carry-On Into The First Few Overhead Bins
If you are amongst the last passengers to board on a plane you may have the unpleasant surprise to be left with no room for your carry-on in your overhead bin.
For that reason, a lot of people hustle to get on the plane right away so that they have a spot guaranteed above their heads. Otherwise, the flight attendants may place their luggage somewhere else.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t like to stand in that line up for 10-15 minutes. I continue to sit and read – or whatever else – and I wait until most of the passengers are on.
As I am walking into the plane, I put my carry-on in one of the first overhead bins that have an empty spot. This way, I don’t have to carry it until the end of the plane (or wherever I am seated) since I am coming back the same way anyway.
Also, most of the passengers are already seated at that point and I am not taking anyone’s spot. Trust me; there is always room available or you can easily make some.
2. Turn Your Glasses Into A Phone Support – One Of My Favourite Travel Hacks
Instead of just holding your phone in your hands and read or watch something, turn your glasses into an awesome support while flying or waiting in an airport. This way, you can sip on your drink with one hand and munch on something with the other! 🙂
3. Overbooked Flight? Don’t Take The First Compensation Offer
There will be a time when you will be waiting to board the plane and hearing the airline’s employee on the PA announcing that the flight was overbooked. Which means, someone will have to miss the flight. It happens ALL the time.
In that case, the airline offers to pay volunteers to give their seat away for a later flight.
The amounts of these compensations vary, but they always start low (depending on the distance and destination, it could start at $200). If you can afford to stay in the airport a little longer, that’s great, but don’t jump and take the first offer. It will eventually raise A LOT more. Here is one example:
I was in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport coming back to Edmonton not too long ago. My Delta flight was overbooked. As they announced they’ll give $300US plus meal vouchers to those who can wait for the next flight, I got excited. However, my delay meant I had to cancel a date that evening, which I didn’t want to cancel. I decided to take the plane.
Fifteen minutes later, the offer increased to $500US. Tempting again but…
The only problem was that my next flight home would be the next day, at the same time. Not only I had to spend an extra night on the road, but next morning I had to go to work, too. A bit complicated, so I went ahead with my decision to embark.
As time got closer to the boarding and they couldn’t find volunteers, Delta had to raise the stake: $1,000US.
That’s when I took it. I also got meals and hotel vouchers. Which, in perspective, it meant a free accommodation day in a different city, plus a “call-in-sick” the next day at work! Oh, plus a thousand dollars. That’s my parents’ pension for four months in Romania. Or, a 7-day all-inclusive trip to Puerto Vallarta for a person.
I waited to see how far they can go and it was perfect. The $300 they initially offered versus a thousand. Winner.
Do the same thing, but make sure to notice if anyone else around seems excited and interested. It’s a two-edge sword, as someone else may grab the low stake. They may steal the deal right under your nose.
4. No Wi-Fi On The Plane? Do This
Let’s say you have to do a lot of online research on a flight. Or maybe you want to read the latest article published on your favorite blog. As you know, there is no internet on the plane so what do you do? Check this out:
I like to read posts from a marketer called Neil Patel. He writes super long articles that take about 30 minutes to read, but during a regular day, I don’t have enough time to immerse myself in that. So I save them for a flight. How do I do that? And what should you also do with long articles that you want to read on the plane?
Open the article before departure (or at home when preparing for the trip) and simply save the page. Go to File->Save Page As->Format.
Save as Webpage (in Chrome) or Web Archive (Safari) on your desktop. While flying, you can access the article just like if you would read the Internet. Save as many articles as you want, and you can read during the entire flight. Just note that videos don’t play when using this trick, since they still need Internet to start.
5. Wonder When Is The Best Day To Book A Flight? Tuesdays And Weekends
The perfect day of the week to book your flight varies from company to company, but according to a study made by Expedia last year, it seems like Tuesdays and weekends are the best.
However, keep looking for deals all the time. The same report also says that if you fly overseas (Europe) the lowest prices could be found, in average, around 160 days before desired your departure – or 176 days if you’re traveling to the Asia/Pacific region.
On the other hand, if you are interested in finding best flights within North America, the magic number of days before booking is 57.
6. The Best Booking Websites? Use These Ones
Are you the type of person that schedules his/her holidays months in advance? Are you a last-minute deal junkie? Do you prefer only hotels or would you experiment with something else?
I have three places I check out all the time:
Momondo.com – one of the best cheap flights aggregators out there. It never disappointed me. My trip to Colombia (details below) for $335 was through them. Access Momondo using the link below:
Google Flights – on the same level with Momondo. Sometimes the prices extracted from the websites are not available anymore once you get to the carrier’s website, but nonetheless a diamond finder.
Bootsnall – this is the best website if you are looking for an ‘around the world ticket’ type of experience.
What is on your bucket list? Say you want to fly to Bali. You would probably pay close to $2,000.
What if you want to visit 7 different fantastic locations in one year instead of one? Say the Caribbean, Rio de Janeiro, London, Paris, Istanbul, Dubai, and Bali. It would probably cost you a fortune to buy 7 different round flights. Two thousand dollars times seven destinations will sure send you over $10,000.
With the Bootsnall aggregator, all seven could be done with only $4,160 (see below).
7. Where To Find The Cheapest Flights? Subscribe to Scott’s
If you don’t want to spend time online looking for deals on a regular basis, I have the best alternative for you. I discovered it earlier this year, and I am notified DAILY with PHENOMENAL deals.
If you don’t know what destination to pick for your next vacation, Scott’s Cheap Flights is the best you can get. Scott Keyes is a seasoned traveler who searches for you, daily, the best flights in the upcoming months. If you subscribe to his membership, you will receive a discounted deal anywhere in the world. Did I say daily yet (starting most likely later on today)? Here is how an email from Scott looks like:
Chances are, within a month after signing up, you have at least 4-5 destinations that are hard to ignore. Deals like $500 for Hong Kong, $300 for Costa Rica, or $400 for Portugal are always popping up. Plus, the rest of the world, whatever country you can think of.
Scott’s membership fee is just a bit over $30 per year. Rest assured you will save that ten times on your next flight. The best thing is, when you set up your account, you get to insert your departure city, so you will always get the best deals and flights leaving from your town!
Last week I got my car towed. It was because, well, I parked illegally. When I found out that I had to pay a $300 fine to retrieve my car, the first thing I thought was wondering about which country I could have visited through Scott’s Cheap Flights, with that money. Weird, I know.
8. Best Travel Apps? Use These Ones
We talked about travel hacks and tips, but how about mobile applications that do that? There are some great apps out there that will help you through every part of your trip. From planning, to help at the airport, and even assistance when you are at your destination. Here are 13 must-have apps when traveling:
Dayuse – Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to rent a hotel room only for a few hours, in case you want to take a shower and a quick nap? Well, now you can, with Dayuse. The app lists hotel rooms for up to 75 percent off regular nightly rates, at 3,000 hotels around the world.
Airmule – If you have extra room in your luggage, you can sell it to someone who needs it! The app verifies the sender and the cargo so they make sure it’s all legal. Why not get some money back from that expensive ticket?
iFly Pro – This app provides in-depth information on more than 700 airports worldwide. This includes in-terminal navigation, flight statuses, parking rates, layover ideas and tips on services and amenities near you. It costs $4.99 (iOS) and $6.99 (Android).
GateGuru – It pulls out information on shops, restaurants and other amenities in both domestic and international airports. It’s a free app.
Turo – It is the Airbnb of cars, meaning you can rent a vehicle directly from the owner. It is available to users in the US and Canada. Turo lets you search for the exact type of vehicle you want at a fraction of what the rental car companies offer. Very cool, here is a video:
LoungeBuddy – It gives travelers the ability to discover, book, and access airport lounges around the world. It has over 230 lounges! It’s also free.
Seatguru.com – It lets you look at what seat is preferred on a plane, based on reviews from other passengers. Cool!
SkyGuru – This is interesting. If you find yourself getting stressed by the movement of the airplane and the bumps of a flight, SkyGuru will explain it all to you in real time, making you feel more secure about the flight.
Entrain – You beat your jet lag with this app. You can monitor your body’s circadian clock by adjusting faster to new time zones and schedules. Free app, see below how it works:
HappyCow – Are you a vegan? This app provides vegan and vegetarian restaurants in over 10,000 cities from around the world. Each restaurant listing comes with a short description of the menu and reviews. It costs $3.99.
One:Night – How about a price-reduced luxury room booked on the same day, helping both you (get instant accommodation) and the hotel (book a non-reserved room)? One:Night offers stays at luxury hotels in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Austin. Every day at 3 PM, the app unveils discounts for that evening. Discounts may vary, but it is known to feature $600 rooms for only $190.
Google Translate – People often forget about this one as they struggle to figure out communication in a foreign country. Download before the trip to get help with any language issues.
Lola – It is a brand new mobile app that serves as your concierge. It instantly connects people from all over the world to its travel agents who find and book flights, hotels, and cars for the customers. The app also provides support while the clients are on their trips.
9. Visit New Countries For $40
I’ll show you how to turn “OMG, f–k that,” into “OMG, I would love that.”
Let’s say you consider visiting Colombia for your seven-day vacation. A flight is $600. What would you choose from the following three options:
A. Fly to Colombia for $600 on a direct flight, get there in a few hours and enjoy your full 7 days.
B. Fly to Colombia for $335 but arrive 30 hours later (a day and a half later).
C. Screw it, fly to Mexico for $400, get there in a few hours and experience Aztec civilization.
How about I will get you get BOTH Colombia and Mexico for $375?
Most people want direct flights to their desired destination, to save many hours and days. Nothing wrong with that.
How about you get points B and C in the same package? I just had it a few months ago, for $375. How can you do it?
It’s a problem of mentality. Every time people book their flights online, they freak out when they see a total time of, say, 52 hours to their final destination. “OMG, 52 hours?! F–k that!”
I look for the longest. Why? Because the longest total time means there is a long layover in a different country. Which means, you have a free day or night to experience a different culture and country. Get out of the airport, spend the night, make some friends, AND rest in a bed.
People have the misconception that they have to spend their layover time in the airports all the time.
Think about it: your big luggage is on the plane, so it’s taken care of – it will make it to the final destination. You don’t have any other worries or things to drag around. All you have is your carry-on with whatever you need for the night.
That’s what I did when I booked my flight to Medellin, Colombia. It was $335, with a 21-hour layover in Ciudad de Mexico, from 9 PM to next day at 6 PM.
Typically, the wrong mentality of a tourist is: “No way, I rather pay more to get there faster as I don’t want to sleep on the airport chairs.”
I booked the $335 flight to Medellin. Then I went to Airbnb and booked a $30 room in an apartment located in downtown Ciudad de Mexico.
I specifically looked for a property that had young owners so that I could get along with. I contacted them, I introduced myself, and after we had trusted each other, I offered to pay for some gas if they pick me up from the airport. How much?
I paid another $10, they picked me up from the airport, and then we partied all night in the fabulous Mexico City. Then I slept for a few hours. The next day, Roberto and Tabata (my hosts, below) took me through Mexico’s capital, showed me around, went to a soccer game, and had a great time.
Needless to say, I am now very good friends with them, and we are constantly keeping in touch. Roberto is a lawyer and may consider moving to North America.
In retrospect, instead of saying “OMG, f–k the 30-hour total travel time, I will pay $600” I got to:
– Visit two countries instead of one (Colombia and Mexico), in the same week
– Paid only $375 for flights and accommodation in between
– Made friends for life
– Rested in between flights
It’s a matter of looking at the total flight time with different eyes.
10. Know All The Travel Scams You Could Be Victim Of
Scam Detector is a website that exposes over 1,000 scams you could fall for, of which 140+ when traveling. Browse it, educate yourself, and don’t become a victim.
This free service has been featured on ABC, BBC, CNET, FOX Business, CBS, and many other major media channels. You can visit the Scam Detector HERE, just go to Scams and hit the Travel category.
Type in the Search box the name of the country or city you are visiting and it will tell you what scams you could fall for in those locations. Be smart.
Scam Detector started as a mobile app but turned into a responsive web-platform for easy access all over the world. You can subscribe to their newsletter to also get the Top 5 scams of the week.
Have you ever been scheduled on a flight that was canceled or delayed by a few hours, while you were in the airport? Did you see all those hundreds of passengers hustling to the one counter trying to get first dibs on rescheduling?
It happened to me last week while flying to Romania to see my parents.
It is not uncommon. In case this happens in the future, don’t get into the crowded line to see the gate agent (along with the other 200 people).
Instead, call the airline’s toll-free number and talk to their customer service representative. You’ll be helped within minutes. Then you can enjoy a coffee while the others are stepping on each other’s toes at the gate, struggling to rebook a new flight.
The person on the phone can take care of things for you the same way the gate agent can. If you want, you can get in line while calling the airline. If the customer service reschedules you before you get to the counter, you can simply step out of line.
12. How To Get Upgraded to First Class
One of the regrets I have during all these years of traveling is that I didn’t sign up for the loyalty programs of EVERY airline I ever have flown with, at the VERY FIRST flight. What does that mean?
Time goes on anyway. Chances are, you will fly at some point with the same company again. Many times.
Do what I didn’t do initially: use every airline’s loyalty program and allow the points accrued in time to move you up to more comfort. Sure, not for your first flight with them, but later. That time will come.
Don’t be lazy today. Use a minute to sign up, that’s what I mean. Not only that, but nowadays when competition is so high, airlines throw in other amazing rewards that you wouldn’t know about or take advantage of, otherwise.
13. Make Your Phone Work Abroad Like It Does At Home
When it comes to your mobile data, there are a few other tricks you can use. What kind of telephone do you have: an Android or iPhone?
If you have an Android phone – Nexus or Pixel – you can make it work abroad (135 countries) exactly like home. All you have to do is to use Google’s Project Fi, which is your next-gen cellular carrier. Click the link below to access it:
If you have an iPhone, you can set it up to work on Project Fi using this hack.
On the other hand, if in doubt you could purchase a portable Wi-Fi hotspot like Skyroam. All it takes is $8 for unlimited data in over 100 countries.
14. Breeze Through The Airport Gates Without Taking Your Shoes Off: Get A Global Entry
You know that at every airport you will be going through the tedious TSA procedure. The good news is that now it is possible to make things easier by using TSA PreCheck for an annual membership fee of $85.
This will help you get through without the hassle of issues with shoes, your items being gone through, and increased ease at getting through the process.
However, what’s even better is to sign up for the Global Entry Program. For $100 (only $15 more), you will get the TSA PreCheck benefits plus a faster access through the US border, along with a better “treatment,” so to speak. Well worth it. You can sign up for a Global Entry application using the link below:
Besides the United States, other countries that qualify for the Global Entry Program are Canada, the UK, Germany, Panama, Colombia, Netherlands, Mexico, Singapore, India, Switzerland, Argentina and South Korea. No Australia just yet.
In Canada, you can also sign up for a Nexus membership, as long as you don’t have a criminal record.
15. Avoid The “Randomly Selected” Customs Scan: Batteries Out!
How many times have you been stopped at the gates for a routine “random” check of your luggage or your clothes that you’re wearing? It’s annoying and uncomfortable as hell.
Batteries represent a huge issue when it comes to going through the airport scanners.
Be sure you have taken all the batteries out of your travel appliances before you pack. There is nothing like a vibrating device to set off security concerns and delay your flight as the crew makes sure everything is safe. Put the batteries in the big suitcase that you check in.
The security people don’t even tell you why they look through your luggage. I’ve heard from someone working at the airport that a lot of times is because they want to make sure the batteries in your carry-on (which they can see when scanning the bag) may be the cause.
16. Put The Little Things In One Place: Jacket Pocket
How annoying is when you go through the security gates to take everything off your pants’ pockets? Those quarters you got at the coffee shop, your keys, your wallet? Plus the glasses and the bracelet? And the watch or the necklace?
When going through the x-ray machines, speed up the process by putting all these small objects into your jacket pockets minutes before getting in line. This way you can use fewer bins, and it moves the conveyor belt process along faster.
I know it seems obvious now, but a lot of times I forget this myself, only to throw everything in the bin and pick them up one by one on the other side.
Did you forget your phone charger at home? Most of us do.
Don’t panic. You’d be surprised, but it is very likely that the airport has many that have been left behind by other passengers. MANY. Here is the trick:
If they have been unclaimed for 90 days, the airport staff is allowed to give them away, so most likely will give you one. To keep the place clean and tidy is what they want, also.
18. Liquids Through The Gates? Yes, You Can
Once you get past security, you may have a decent wait time before your flight. You are a captive audience for all those pricey little stores and vendors.
You can avoid spending extra money on water if you pack an empty bottle in your carry-on bag. When you are past the security checkpoint, just fill it up.
Also, frozen water or juice is not judged in the same way as liquids when you go through security. Frozen liquids are let through with you, so you could simply bring a bottle that you that contains frozen liquids.
19. Send Yourself An Email With A Copy Of Your Passport
Did you ever lose your passport in a different country? It’s the worst experience ever. The thing is, you always think you are careful until… you’re not 🙂
It happened to me while in was in Los Angeles. As a Canadian, I was lucky enough to find a consulate in LA, but the procedures of proving who you are, well, are not that easy. I had to spend two extra days in Los Angeles (until I was verified), meaning I also had to pay for a couple of nights at a hotel, for which – of course – I needed my passport!
Imagine you lose your passport in China.
Here is what to do before holidays: send a copy of your passport to your email. If bad news happens while you’re away, you always have handy proof of your identity, which will help speed up the process.
Not only that, you only have to do this once, and you will always have it accessible.
Just make sure that when you send yourself the email to write a different subject line than “My Passport Details,” just in case your email ever gets hacked.
20. Look For Two One-Way Flights
A lot of times, booking two one-way flight tickets, with two different airlines, might be cheaper and more convenient than round trip tickets. If you have some reward points to take advantage of as well, you could get a hell of a deal.
In my case, a flight two-ways to Romania costs about $1,300US during the hot season. I flew to Romania last week with a one-way flight that cost me $283US (I used some Aeroplan points, too).
The other one-way ticket (return) cost $478US. A total of $751US.
21. Pretend You Live In A Different Country When You Book Flights
Many locations have different prices according to the “Point of sale,” meaning where the ticket was purchased. That happens because the transaction is subject to regional pricing.
The cost of the tickets is lower in an underdeveloped country or when travel companies are trying to set up shop in a new region. There are basically different costs for tickets for the same flight, and one can find this out from sites, for example, such as Expedia.com and Expedia.co.kr (which is a Korean version).
While checking the flights you need to be aware that the prices will be given in the local currency, so have a currency converter handy.
22. Search Incognito AND Clear Cookies
This is one of the most critical things to be aware of when it comes to travel hacks and tips. Did it ever happen to you to find a great deal online, save it for a few hours or days, only to find a higher price when you return to it? It happens all the time, and it’s nerve wracking.
That is because the cookies stored on your computer tell the booking website you already visited it and you are interested. When you go back to it, their software detects the same interested visitor and increases the price automatically.
I am sure you probably know how to avoid the problem, but just in case you don’t – here it is.
When you are ready to start looking for deals on flights, open a new incognito window in your browser, not a regular one. The incognito window doesn’t store cookies, and the prices won’t increase because you’re always be considered a new visitor.
However, if you’re going back to a great deal found a few hours or days ago, make sure you clear the cache in your history panel as well.
23. Pack The Heavy Items At The Base Of Your Suitcase
I always get a smile on my face when I am in an airport and see suitcases falling over randomly.
Maintain the balance of your suitcase by packing shoes, books, full bottles or other heavy items at the base, near the wheels. This helps keep the suitcase straight and it would not keep falling over.
24. You Have a 24-Hour Window For A Refund
Typically, flights have a 24-hour window where you can cancel the booking without paying any fees – even for most of the “nonrefundable” flights! This provides you with the opportunity to book a flight and then keep searching for a day to get a lower price.
Meanwhile, there are services such as FareLock, which provides the chance to wait up to a week before booking with a minimum charge beginning at $6.99.
Another great service is Options Away, which can hold flights for up to three weeks at a rate starting from $4 to $45.
25. Your Credit Card May Do Wonders
A lot of people don’t know what their credit cards offer when they are away. And I am not even talking about the travel-oriented credit cards.
Numerous credit cards come with complimentary benefits, such as entry to airline lounges, insurance coverage, renting cars and hotel room upgrades. Check with your credit card company to see if you have such bonuses which you probably didn’t know about.
When it comes to travel credit cards, many are great according to your lifestyle and location.
If you live in the US, Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is one of the premium travel credit cards. For every $1 spent you get 1 point, and for every $1 spent on traveling you earn 2 Ultimate Rewards Points. With a yearly charge of $95, it renders various offers such as waiving foreign transaction fees.
Also, if in the first three months of joining Chase you have spent $4,000 on goods, then you get a signup bonus of 40,000 points. Last but not least, while redeeming points for car rentals, cruises, hotels and airfares you can boast 20% off travel.
If you are on the road a lot, click the link below to see four travel reward credit cards that you need in your pocket:
On the other hand, with the American Express Platinum Card, you can get a Boingo membership, which offers in-flight Internet. Which takes me to the next point:
26. Stay Connected To The Internet Everywhere
Roaming and in-flight Internet are extremely expensive. Get a subscription to Boingo, which provides Wi-Fi hotspots and costs only $4.98 per month for access in America and $59 per month to get access all over the world.
27. Make Free Calls Everywhere
This may sound like common sense now, but a lot of people don’t think of it when the time comes.
Most of us call our relatives (moms, spouses, etc.) every time we are in holidays. While a lot of travelers purchase mobile data plans that offer a tempting number of minutes for calls, there are still many people out there who ignore/forget the fact what you can now make FREE phone calls with mobile apps such as Facebook Messenger, Viber, Google Voice, or Skype. It’s 2017, people!
28. Get An International Student Card For Cheaper Deals
A student ID card gives discounts in your country, but can also be valid in others. This can translate into cut price travel, accommodation, attractions and events – even food and alcohol.
An International Student Identity Card gives the holder access to more savings and extra discounts across 45 countries. How to get one?
29. Save Accommodation Fees By Taking The Night Train
If you travel within bigger countries (such as Japan, US, etc) and visit multiple cities, schedule your transportation strategically. The best is the night train.
Not only do you save the price of a night’s accommodation, but less travelers choose night or inconveniently timed flights and travel options, meaning better prices for you.
A night bus or train can be a great choice, especially as comfort levels are improving and many have reclining seating. You may have to wait an extra half hour for the destination train station to open, but it could save you money for the inconvenience.
30. Live Like A King On That Small Budget
If you’ve ever been to Las Vegas or any other major city, you know that if you play any game in a casino you get free drinks. Well, in a lot of other places in the world, you can also have similar benefits.
While some hostels might not have the amenities of 5-star resorts, a smart traveler can live in the dorms and still party like a millionaire.
For example, in South East Asia, you can lounge by the pool in 5-star locations simply by buying a drink at the bar inside the hotel. Other places might require a spa booking, or even just a room enquiry. Just don’t act guilty.
Many high-end resorts allow guests and members of the public into their social areas, even though it helps to know (or make friends with) someone already staying there.
Inspiration: Travel With Me and Check Off Your Bucket List Items
That was it, folks. Meanwhile, you can travel with me to my next adventures. I am going to the 6 exotic destinations below within the next 12 months, so why don’t you join me while we’re being followed by a camera? To every single country, I will go with an exclusive group of only 10 people (selected applicants only). I call it The Spark Experience. It’s for those people who work hard and rarely treat themselves, is for those who don’t want to have regrets, is for those who want to do something they’ve never done before. Is that you?
What to do in Medellin? Certainly, you can’t plan what just happened to me, but you might get close. Watch the video below to see the story, or read on:
I grew up in Romania thinking that Medellin, Colombia, was the worst city in the world. It was because I heard daily news about the hundreds of gruesome murders, from politicians to journalists.
Stories of Pablo Escobar, Popeye (Escobar’s hitman, responsible for the deaths of over 3,000 people), blood baths, and car bombings were fascinating, yet frightening. Yet, I was intrigued – because I was a huge soccer fan – how the Medellin Cartel sponsored the local soccer team and the Colombian national team (despite the criminal activities, both teams did extremely well – Nacional Medellin winning Copa Libertadores in 1999) and gave support to schools, hospitals, and other public institutions.
The Medellin Cartel’s blood full stories made me scared, at 13, to ever end up in Colombia. Although deep down or secretly, I wanted to. It must have been that “going there will be like going to a movie set” kind of mindset.
Life beats the art, though.
I ended up in Medellin two and half decades later. And as faith would have it, I ended up face-to-face with Popeye, aka Jhon Jaime Velasquez. But I will get to that in a minute.
The city is phenomenal. I have seen 50 countries so far, and Colombia is my second favorite. The first one was Bermuda (check out my article/video on the truth about the Bermuda Triangle mystery, as I am also giving away a free hotel room and a car to drive while there).
See more pictures like this by following me on Instagram HERE.
In Colombia, people are extremely friendly. Thousands of joggers are seen running through the neighborhoods; public gyms are populated at night, Zumba sessions are in plain sight in a mall (Unicentro), and – my favorite – not once, was I the victim of an attempted scam.
Not to mention that Medellin probably has some of the best nightlife out there – I had a blast.
The Attack of the Teenage Prostitutes
People warned me about the scammy ‘mujeres’ and how they would try to lure one into all kinds of scenarios. I never had a problem in dealing with the ladies, so Medellin was an easy breeze. Except for the night, when I couldn’t run fast enough from Maria Luisa, a 19-year old prostitute. It happened in Parque Lleras, which is the best neighborhood to party in Medellin.
After she had said hi to my friend Nathan and I, she took her iPhone out to use Google Translate – just to let me know her name, her age, and the fact that I won’t be ‘escaping’ too easy that night. Needless to say, ‘gringos’ are a high target.
As Nathan and I moved to a different corner of the bar, she followed us along with another teenage prostitute. They must have had some guys around them too because they were always looking for and signalling random people.
We left the bar, and so they did. When we saw that, we literally started to jog. I felt like I was running away from a cobra with a lethal bite.
Of course, every city has its prostitutes. Medellin didn’t differ. And sure, there are also robberies and scams everywhere, but in my 10-day trip, I didn’t get to experience any of that nor did I hear of any such happenings around me.
Both my Airbnb hosts were amazing. I totally recommend using the platform. I always did and I always will. Locals are your best tool if you want to have the best experience.
“One who goes to travel comes back a different person” – Chinese proverb
It always amazed me how a lot of people are reluctant to immerse themselves in other cultures. Traveling teaches you about life in a way that school never does. The more you learn and immerse yourself into other cultures, the more powerful you become, whether that’s speaking Spanish or mastering Salsa.
There will be moments in your life where the knowledge you accumulated on a previous trip will save you in difficult situations. Guaranteed.
The Private Pablo Escobar Tour
One of the coolest people I met was Diego, an Uber driver who picks people up at the Jose Maria Cordova Airport, exclusively for Airbnb hosts that hire him. Diego doesn’t speak English, but he knows a lot and can get you a lot.
As I was telling him about my childhood soccer days when the Nacional Medellin and the Colombian national team identified themselves with Pablo Escobar and the Cartel, he offered to drive me around town to all the ‘historical’ places related to the drug lord, and give me a private tour of some of the exclusive local spots.
However, as a note, if you ever go to Medellin, never tell a local that you are going on a Pablo Escobar tour.
Escobar: Death Location
The first location Diego took me to was the house where the infamous drug dealer was killed. Or, as his brothers would say, where he killed himself. If you’ve ever seen documentaries or a Netflix show like Narcos, you know what I am talking about.
After 16 months of intense searching for Escobar after his escape from La Cathedral prison, Pablo was finally located via phone satellite capturing his phone signal. He was in one of the medium-class neighborhoods of Medellin, called Los Olivos.
As the Search Squad found him and a shoot-off was going on, Escobar and his bodyguard, El Limon tried to escape through the back window on the roof, only to be surrounded and killed.
However, Pablo’s brothers – Roberto and Fernando – claim that he shot himself with the final bullet: “He was always saying that if he ever gets cornered without a chance to escape, he would shoot himself in the ear.” Escobar was found dead with a gunshot in his pelvis, and one in his ear.
For those who don’t know, Escobar was on the run after he escaped from La Cathedral (see pic below), a prison which he designed himself after reaching an agreement with the Colombian Government.
According to the deal, Pablo asked not to be extradited to the United States, in exchange for reduced sentence in a local jail, plus ceasing any violent conduct and crimes against authorities. However, that didn’t last long.
Escobar agreed to spend five years in prison, but with the condition of picking and choosing his jail. This led to the construction of the La Cathedral, on one of the beautiful hills overseeing Medellin.
La Cathedral was more like a mansion, with entertainment rooms, soccer fields, and many more facilities. I visited La Cathedral as well, see below.
“Bienvenidos Al Barrio Pablo Escobar”
The next place Diego took me was the neighborhood that Pablo Escobar funded and built for the poor people of Medellin. Located in the Caldas area of the city, ‘el barrio’ (neighborhood, in English) overlooks the town and has very abrupt and narrow streets.
Paraphernalia is sold all over, from mugs with Pablo’s mug (no pun intended) to matchsticks and T-shirts with his face on.
The atmosphere is friendly with children playing, and hundreds of motorbikes buzzing. Not a day passes (even now, 25 years later) without the locals seeing Pablo’s face on the walls.
Monaco Building, Bombing Trap
While Escobar was imprisoned in La Cathedral, his wife Maria and two kids lived in a building called Monaco, in downtown Medellin. Even though it was 50 kilometers away, Escobar had a tower built at his jail on the top of the hill.
From that tower, he used a powerful telescope that could zoom in all the way to the Monaco building (photo below) in the middle of the city. This way, he would call his family and talk to them on the phone while watching them through the telescope.
The Monaco building was the object of a car bombing that killed two of the guards and made $7 million in damages (6 feet crater was created on the street and several adjacent buildings destroyed).
The Escobar family was not hurt, and the buildings and the neighborhood have been restored. Unfortunately, the Government of Colombia decided to demolish the building in March 2019, so if you visit Medellin there is no way you can see it anymore.
Visiting La Cathedral
This place is still majestic although partially ruined. A small part of it was turned into an asylum for older people, but most of it is presented as a historical landmark.
“The country that doesn’t know its history is doomed to repeat it,” is printed on a small sign as you walk in. The original statement belonged to Italian philosopher George Santayana and was more like: “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”
Relevant in all sorts of ways. See this pic below taken at La Cathedral
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Escobar designed his own prison, ordering everything a mansion has, and more: playing rooms, soccer pitches, a helicopter landing platform, etc. He would regularly entertain guests, including victims that were brought there to be killed.
The jail even had a sexually fantasy room with a rotating bed, where Escobar would have young girls for his pleasure. At the time, the part of the building was destroyed by an earthquake and all that was left is the round rock below that the bed was installed on.
Escobar escaped La Cathedral when he got word that the government was about to break the deal and move him into a conventional prison, with the possibility of extraditing him to the United States.
The drug lord escaped through a back gate, running into the mountains.
Visiting Escobar’s Grave
The biggest surprise I had was the last stop that Diego and I had.
As we visited Pablo’s grave, we found another person there. It was Jhon Jaime Velasquez, aka Popeye. The one I was terrified of as a kid. The one responsible for the deaths of over 3,000 people. The man who would kill daily with only ice running through his veins. The one who kidnapped tonnes of powerful individuals and bombed several places. The one I saw in movies such as The Two Escobars. The man who killed his own girlfriend.
Popeye was there, in front of me, holding his hand up for me to shake it.
After 22 years of jail he is now free, but still walking around with guards, guns, and walkie-talkies. In an interview for Daily Mirror HERE (which calls his the world’s most dangerous man), Popeye confessed that: “I am a repented and reformed man. If possible, I am looking for reintegration back into society. I am still capable of killing, but unless I am cornered, I hope I will never have to do it again.”
In my encounter with him, he was affable and sociable and even shared a bunch of stories over Escobar’s grave.
He spent about 15 minutes telling us how close he was with Pablo, and about the people that buried around him (Escobar’s father, El Limon, other family members).
A photo op came, naturally. His tattoos on his arms say it all. Twenty-four years since Escobar’s death and Popeye still comes to his grave on a regular basis.
I posted this picture on Instagram, and I was immediately followed by the CNC Medellin, a local TV channel. And maybe by others too, not just on social media. Plus, it was inevitable not to have some judgemental friends sharing their thoughts on my image. Truth be said, I don’t give a f*&k. I wanted to capture the moment.
The Escobar tour that Diego gave me was priceless. If you are ever in Medellin, hit him up. Send me an email at sorin at travel by dart dot com, and I will give you his contact.
Just a reminder not to tell the locals you are doing an Escobar tour. You are just another gringo.
What To Do In Medellin
This beautiful region has a lot of attractions to visit. I want to share with you a few of them:
La Piedra in Guatape
One of the amazing places you should visit if you go to Medellin is La Piedra, located in Guatape, two hours away east from the city. It is a massive 700-feet rock that stands out, overlooking a wonderful ‘pueblo’ (village).
It has 700 steps to climb but the breathtaking (literally) scenery at the top is worth it.
At the top of the rock, there are a couple of patios where you can have a bite to eat and a couple of ‘cervezas frias’ (cold beers).
When you come down from La Piedra, you can visit Guatape, which is a town sitting by a lake, featuring a bunch of great little attractions, including a zip line ride along the water.
Pueblito Paisa
If going to the countryside is not your thing, visit Pueblito Paisa. It is a miniature cultural city located at the top of a Medellin hill. You can take a taxi or Uber. It features traditional Colombian shops with artifacts, souvenirs, restaurants, and…a church.
“Paisa” refers to whatever is Medellin-specific; whether is its people or things. “Pueblito” means ‘little town.’ See pic below.
Parque Lleras, the best place to party in Medellin
If you are a night owl, you cannot go to Medellin and not visit Parque Lleras. It is the neighborhood party. Tonnes of restaurants open late at night, every day of the week. It’s the place where anything can happen.
Uber cars are readily available. And be especially watchful here for the taxi tricks.
Although I didn’t have enough time to do it, in Medellin, there is also a cool cable ride that takes you in a gondola above the city. Consider taking it. Ask locals for Metrocable and directions.
As for the food, if you are ever in Medellin make sure you try a Bandeja Paisa, see below.
The Atanasio Girardot Stadium Is A Giant Park
As a big soccer fan, I was lucky enough to stay in Medellin just three minutes away from the Atanasio Girardot Stadium, where local teams Nacional and Independiente host their home games.
I went for a run every morning around the stadium, along with many other people. On Sundays, the streets are closed and hundreds of locals are jogging or walking their dogs.
It is like a huge park, with many food shops around – so you can even take your family and dog for a walk and good times.
Of course, I had to visit the stadium inside, and I asked for a tour guide. A young girl working there took me through the tunnel, locker rooms, and VIP boxes. We ended up on the freshly cut grass pitch.
Tons of history here as well, if you like soccer.
My Favorite Nightlife Spot In Medellin
If you want a real Colombian experience on a Saturday night, go to Dulce Jesus Mio. It is an amazing bar/nightclub with only Latino music; people dressed up in characters, patrons singing along all the songs, dancing like you’ve never seen before.
Overall, an unforgettable experience. And man, it was the first time in my life when I finished a bottle of tequila! I had help from friends, of course, and the next morning I felt great.
By the way, the picture above shows the sinks in the washrooms at Dulce Jesus Mio. :))
If you decide to go, visit the one located in the Las Palmas neighbourhood, as there are a few Dulce Jesus Mios across the city.
Conclusion
I visited many countries – usually with friends or a TV crew – but I never travelled alone. This was the first time I did it, and I was skeptical in the beginning.
But what an experience it was!
Going by yourself somewhere far away enhances your perceptions and feelings. You have no one else to influence your thoughts or dilute your perceived values. Do it.
Colombia is worth every single penny. Visit soon. Or leave me a comment below. While you’re doing that, I am going to throw a dart at the world map and travel wherever it lands.
Feel free to also read my posts about the Bermuda Triangle mystery (I am giving away a hotel room and a car to drive while there), Panama, Russia, Svalbard, India and Brazil. Many more to come, subscribe to my blog using the form provided on this page.
I just went to Panama City where I threw a new dart at the world map, but I felt like sharing with you a few experiences I had while there. In this article, you’ll see suggestions about what to do in Panama City, and I’ll give you some insights about main attractions, tours around the Panama Canal, places to party at, financial aspects, and local beaches.
But first, let me pinpoint five interesting things that stuck with me during my visit:
1. Prices in Panama City are actually quite high, very similar to the ones in US or Canada. Food is almost the same, while drinks and clothing, for example, are a bit cheaper.
2. There are Police patrols everywhere, including in the darkest corners of Panama City. One or two soldiers are planted almost every second corner, which made us feel safe despite the dangerous-looking neighborhoods.
3. Panama City is split into two different worlds. Beautiful luxury and cultural buildings one street, EXTREME poverty 400 meters away. There are amazing areas of town mixed with very scary looking neighborhoods, tied to each other.
4. People in Panama are extremely polite, from every single Uber driver (we had over 30) to clerks, neighbors, kids, etc.
5. Time in Panama is a bit slower if you know what I mean. It always takes longer to get everything you order. One restaurant on Amador Causeway, called Pencas, probably holds the record for the slowest service ever. It was the first restaurant that I went to in my life where the drinks came out 30 minutes later after the food was ready. And no, the waitress didn’t forget about them, as she acknowledged the fact that she has to bring them during our wait.
Now let’s take a look at what to do in Panama City:
What To Do In Panama City? Start With Casco Viejo And The Best Restaurants
The question every traveler in this country has is: What to do in Panama City and where to go? One place I really liked was Casco Viejo, which is the old town. It has great patios and bars, beautiful cobblestone streets, and great views of the city.
The neighborhood is surrounded by extreme poverty areas, so don’t be surprised if during your Uber ride you will go through some scary streets, populated with garbage and dubious looking characters. It’s not as dangerous as it looks, though.
If you want to dance, go to Teatro Amador (jazz on Thursdays, salsa/Latino beats on Fridays) or Zaza. I also like a patio on Zaza’s rooftop.
The best patios are Acentos and, located right in front of Hard Rock Cafe Hotel. Tell your Uber driver to take you to the Multicentro Mall and drop you off at the Hard Rock Cafe doors. Cross the alley and walk up the stairs, there are four different great patios tied to each other.
Breathtaking Views Of Panama City
One last recommendation is to go to the Trump Tower rooftop, to a restaurant called Panaviera, for amazing views of Panama City.
The best time to go is around 5 or 6 PM for the magic hour, right before it gets dark (it depends on the time of the year), but obviously, you can do it anytime.
The restaurant also has an infinity pool (smaller, just for design, not for use) that looks amazing.
Prices here are a bit expensive – you pay for the view.
Last but not least, someone recommended us to go to Calle Uruguay, as they said it’s a touristy spot. Although popular, I didn’t like it one bit. I got a weird vibe.
The most recognizable building on the Panama City skyline is BBA (242.9 m), also known as the “Screw” or the “BBA building.” BBA is a Panamanian bank that resides in this modern shape building. Although not a place to visit per se (inside), BBA is a majestic work of art that needs to be seen from the very bottom up. Emporis selected the F&F Tower amongst the Top 10 best skyscrapers in the world, in 2011.
BioMuseo
This amazing building below is Biomuseo. It was designed by Frank Gehry, who also designed the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. Biomuseo is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, on the Amador Causeway. Its purpose is to change the way the world see, understand and preserve our environment.
The cost for the building 95 million dollars project. The funding was received from over 100 local companies and the government. The Panama Tourism Authority, which also helped finance the museum, was hoping for an “instant icon” – an it certainly happened.
You can visit Biomuseo’s official website HERE for more information.
Unfortunately, there are no amazing beaches within Panama City. The Bay in Panama City (Cinta Costera) and Amador Causeway, also in the city, are apparently polluted – say some locals like Paul K. Apart from that, there’s no sand. There’s a small beach in Casco Viejo which is also polluted and not safe.
To the East of the city is a large new residential area with mangrove (no beach) and highways (rocks), to the west is the Panama Canal which has no beaches either.
Playa Bonita is not great but is about 30–45 minutes driving from Panama City. It’s safe but just not too nice.
Veracruz is a beach and local village nearby Playa Bonita that apparently doesn’t have a good record. Some locals say there have been quite a lot of robberies and it’s unsafe here, due to the shacks and people living in this place.
Relatively good beaches are Gorgona and Coronado (1.5 hours by car). Some have black sand, but they aren’t too busy with people on weekdays, and it’s green around. On weekends without rain, it gets busy with families doing barbecues.
However, if you look for awesome unspoiled beaches with pristine clear waters the best “nearby” option is Ilha Grande up North, but it will take you 2+ hours to get there. By bus or boat, it probably takes you over 2.5 hours.
Along the way, you can visit the historical place where Columbus had his fortification. Note that in rainy season that coast gets a lot of rain, make sure to check the forecast the same day.
If you have more time and money to spend the island group San Blas is your best choice. It’s expensive and isolated to get there because native inhabitants are the only ones that are allowed to organize the trip.
Another option nearby is taking the boat to Isla Taboga from Panama City. It is the most affordable beach tour. It is a 30-minute ferry ride for $20US. The ferry leaves at 8 AM, 9.30AM, 11 AM, and 3 PM from the Balboa Yacht Club. You can return on the same day at 8.45AM, 10.15AM, 2.45PM, 4 PM or 5 PM (the 5 PM departure is added only in the weekends).
You can stay overnight if you want. Taboga has only one main beach, but there is not much to do there otherwise – if you are looking for other activities.
I spent my birthday in Panama City and that day my desire was to be on a ship, a speedboat, or a yacht. The best deal I found was a 45-minute tour of the city on water, on a speedboat. And boy, you can see a lot in that time when you go with 80km/h.
It costed $250US to rent for four people, but we saw an amazing view of the downtown, the Trump Tower up close, the Panama Canal, and went under the American Bridge and got a great little history of the city and the Canal from our guides, Charlie and Alberto (photo above).
Not to mention that we stopped to have a birthday champagne on the boat, with the music blasting, right in the heart of the Panama City-bay.
If you are interested in renting this speedboat you can call Dennis, the owner of Pana Thriller Speed Boat Tours, at (507) 6934-1546. I don’t get any commission from him, so do whatever you want or ask him what else he can offer.
Fishing In Panama City
If you are still wondering what to do in Panama City, here is another option. If you are into fishing trips, there are a few companies in Panama City that take you offshore if you don’t have your tools with you. My friend Raz (photo below) found the best deal at $250 for a full day, from 7 AM to 3 PM.
The actual fishing trip was $100, but to get to the lake, he had to pay $120 for a driver, as the location was an hour and a half away from the city. A part of the road was also in very bad condition, with a bunch of potholes.
In terms of the captures, they were fishing for Bass (photo below) and Oscars. Oscars (Raz is holding one in the picture above) are a bit sweeter if you can say that about a fish taste. We cooked it on our grill at the house we rented and came out delicious.
If you want to go out with the same people you can call Dennis (a different Dennis from the speedboat) at …***
The next best deal Raz found was for $375US, for the same amount of time. However, unlike the first company, this one would pick you up from home and offer you lunch and drinks (beers) during the day. You can take this deal by calling ***.
Prices in Panama
I was surprised to see that prices are higher than I thought. A dish at pretty much every restaurant we were eating was between $12-30US ($15 for a Cordon Bleu, $30 for a high-end steak), while the drinks were a bit cheaper. For example, a local beer is $2-3, and import is over $4.
We preferred to stick with Panamanian beers for the whole trip: Balboa, Panama and Soberana, which we could buy from the grocery store for $0.65 a pop.
On the other hand, a little airport souvenir (mini statue of a landmark, for example) that you would buy in other countries for $4-5 is from $10 up in Panama City.
Check this panel here for a good understanding of the prices in Panama.
The average salary in Panama is around $33,000US per year.
Weather in Panama
I visited Panama City at the beginning of April, so the temperature was always between 31-36 Celsius during the day, and just about $22-28 during the night.
Make sure the place you rent (if you use Airbnb) has air conditioning system. Ours broke a day before we left and the last night was horrible. However, we loved where we stayed, as the place had two pools and a hot tub (not hot 🙂 ) – see below, view from our balcony.
In four of the eight days we spent there, it rained but only for a half an hour. Needless to say, it evaporates quickly, so don’t worry about being rained on, unless you have a video camera or laptop that you are using in an open space (like I did).
I went to Cinta Costera 3, which is a beautiful strip facing downtown offering amazing views of the city. While I was recording a time-lapse of the skyline (and the picture of this article), it started pouring. The closest roof was about 5 minutes away walking distance, so I got soaked with my camera and gimble under my shirt.
Random Immigration Issues
A very bizarre incident happened while we were having drinks at Acentos, a great patio by the Hard Rock Cafe Hotel. It must have been 1.30am or even later when I went to pay my bill.
As I walked into the bar to use my credit card and use my PIN, all of a sudden all the waitresses started running around like crazy. It was like switch that generated an unprecedented chaos.
They were stepping on each other’s toes (including mine), and although I picked on some Spanish, I couldn’t understand what they were saying. The bar staff and even some ‘familiar with the bar’-looking patrons (or maybe owners – you know, those who always have a reserved table by the bar) were also agitated.
My waitress asked me to sign the bill in a huge rush and left me there for a few seconds. Then she came back as she forgot to give me my copy. When I asked, what’s going on, she said with a grimace on her face: “Immigration is here.”
What that means, I could only imagine, so I am not going to share an uneducated opinion on the topic, but my Uber driver said that many workers in Panama City are illegal immigrants from countries like Venezuela or Costa Rica. There are definitely a few more layers deep down, so I will try to find that out.
Panama, The Fiscal Paradise
Many people say that Panama is the best when it comes to saving on taxes, yet legal. I was curious to find out if anything has changed after the Panama Papers scandal. What is the aftermath of that? Here is what Vishal, a financial guru from Panama City, says:
“Nothing has changed so far, and like everything that comes on the media, this will too fade away. It’s tough for me to believe this is a conspiracy against someone specific because there are many tax havens or fiscal paradises around the world. If a person is using an offshore company to hold assets, he/she would most likely spread the risk between different jurisdictions, depending on the size and value of his/her assets.
Before passing of law 18, on 23rd April 2015, Panamanian law did not require disclosure of the names of shareholders of a corporation. It means pre-2015, you could have issued bearer shares, and the corporation could be directed by people assigned by shareholders. Directors of a corporation, and owners are different people. Since they were bearer shares, the shares could change owners, without requiring disclosure or a person, trust or corporation’s name on the shares.
What Mossack Fonseca did pre and post-2015 was within the legal limits. They built companies and sold them to corporate clients such as other law firms or banks. Mossack Fonseca was not directly responsible for who owned these corporations and their shares, but, unfortunately, this big scandal broke out and made the law firm look like it was engaged in some evil business, which was not the case.
In fact, there were thousands of law firms or lawyers doing the same business, but Mossack came into attention, when after Law 18 passed, the names of shares bearers came to light, and because the number of registered companies was staggering for the size of our country.
What people don’t realize is that Panama is truly international, it has parties conducting business with people from all around the world. What is legal in this jurisdiction, might not be legal in other jurisdictions. All countries have different tax codes suited for their major industries, but not designed with a specific purpose of facilitating criminal businesses.”
Travel Inspiration: Travel with Me!
Thanks for taking the time to read my article. As I mentioned, in Panama I threw a dart at the world map (see the throw here) and I hit Indonesia! I just went there and had an amazing time – see the Travel by Dart: Indonesia episode HERE. If you want to see my next destinations feel free to subscribe to my newsletter using the form on this page or follow on the social media channels.
Meanwhile, you can travel with me! I am going to the following destinations within the next 12 months, so why don’t you join me – click on the links if you’re interested:
To every single country of the ones mentioned above, I will go with an exclusive group of only 10 people (selected applicants only). I call it The Spark Experience. It’s for those people who work hard enough and rarely treat themselves, is for those who don’t want to have regrets, is for those who want to do something they’ve never done before. Is that you?
Feel free to let me know if you want to join at the bottom of every page listed above. Cheers!
These three elements only begin to describe magical Easter Island, also known as Rapa Nui or Isla de Pascua.
We filmed this episode of Travel by Dart there, after the dart I threw hit the Pacific Ocean, somewhere in between Rapa Nui and Isla Sala y Gomez, which is uninhabited. So, off we went for a trip of a lifetime.
I’ll tell you everything you need to know about this remote and enchanting place, including:
The history of Rapa Nui
The real facts about the Moai statues and the answer to the question: do the Easter Island heads have bodies?
How to get to Easter Island and what kind of visas and permits you need
Indigenous dances, body painting and tattoos
Scuba Diving on Easter Island
Nightlife in Hanga Roa
Accommodation and food in Rapa Nui
What to do on Easter Island
Social and political issues the people of Rapa Nui are facing
And much more
See more pictures like this by following me on Instagram HERE.
You also have the opportunity to travel with me to my next destinations, see the end of the article. Let’s start:
How to Get to Easter Island
To get to Hanga Roa, which is the capital of the island, you need to fly with LATAM, the national Chilean airline, from either Santiago (Chile) or Tahiti. There are no other commercial airlines flying to Easter Island.
Although the crew members of LATAM were immeasurably kind, friendly, funny, and helpful, booking with LATAM was a horrendous and frustrating experience. I’ve pretty much flown with every airline, and theirs takes the prize for making something so simple as booking a flight an exercise in trying not to lose your mind.
After several attempts, over several days, we were still unable to book a flight via their website. When we finally gave up and called them, they had to take all our information – full names, addresses, passport numbers, etc. – LETTER by LETTER. And, after our flights were booked, we noticed they charged us an extra $20 dollars for some mysterious reason (I blame it on the Rapa Nui mystery).
See more pictures like this by following me on Instagram HERE.
When we contacted LATAM to ask about this extra fee, it took several days for their customer services representatives to respond, ultimately with no valid explanation for the charge.
Basically, when you’re booking your Easter Island trip, make sure you’ve stored up sufficient patience and stamina to deal with the labyrinthine and inefficient system of LATAM.
Easter Island Arrival, Visas, and Entry Fees
The Hanga Roa airport–Mataveri International–is small and rather exotic looking. You don’t need a visa per se to visit Rapa Nui, but you will need to pay an $80 USD (54,000 Chilean pesos) entry fee when you arrive. Cash only. You will receive a ticket that looks just like the one below.
If you don’t have cash on you, you’ll have to pay at the post office downtown when you leave the airport. They’ll give you a cool Easter Island stamp in your passport!
Hanga Roa’s “downtown” essentially consists of one main street that has everything you need, from grocery stores to coffee shops.
About the Easter Island Statues
Rapa Nui is known for its famous statues, carved in the shape of human heads. I heard so many legends about them before going to Easter Island. So, I wanted to find out for myself why these statues were made, who did them, whether they have bodies, and so on. Here’s what I discovered.
There are 887 Moai statues erected in Rapa Nui. In the beginning, they were carved to honor important people who passed away, essentially functioning as tombstones.
The first Moai statue is about 800 years old (see photo below) and called Tai Hare Atua, which was the name of the artist who carved it.
All the Moai statues were carved at the mountain, Rano Raraku, “the factory” (the quarry). This mountain offered the carving artists a way to showcase their work, which was sold to other Polynesian tribes in exchange for their goods or services. This trade was critical back in the day.
After the Moai were carved in the mountain (see photo below), they were scooped out, pushed onto a bunch of logs, then rolled all the way to a pre-dug hole in which the head was to be erected.
At Raro Raraku there are many statues that were never completed. They stand half-carved in the mountain, and are a big attraction for the 100,000 tourists that visit Rapa Nui annually.
Are You Ready For This? The Easter Island Heads Symbolize the Phallus
The most surprising thing I learned about the Moai, is that the heads are meant to resemble and symbolize—wait for it–the phallus!
One of the respected leaders of the local community, Mario Tuki, explained to me that the ancient Rapa Nui culture was a “phallic-centered” one. Here is what he said:
“The shape of the phallus was very important to represent the power, the virility, and the status of every person. When an important person died, the whole family would need to work in order to pay for the carving of the Moai. Everyone was cropping, fishing, working and worshipping the figure of this passed away ancestor. The Moai is just a generic name for the statues, but every statue actually has a name according to the deceased”.
This resonates with claims by archaeologists that the statues were symbols of authority and power, both religious and political.
Do the Easter Island Heads Have Bodies?
The short answer is: some do, some don’t. Many statues are planted on flat surfaces with nothing buried underneath, just like any statue you’d see in your town. However, more than three quarters of them are erected on the hills of the island, meaning they are standing at an angle.
Consequently, to pass the test of time and withstand erosion, they needed to be carved with a long foundation (i.e., the ‘body’), so the incline angle would not be affected, causing the statue to collapse.
Some of these ‘bodies’ are as long as 12 meters. However, they don’t have arms, hips, legs, or any such anthropomorphic features (see pic above); these bodies simply act as leverage to keep the statue erect. There are apparently a few statues that actually have bodies with visible anatomical features, which were carved to glorify the members of noble families.
Interestingly, some of the Easter Island heads even have hats. I’m told that these, too, also were reserved to commemorate only the elite members of the ancient society.
You can learn more about the Moai statues on our Travel by Dart episode. If you sign up on our newsletter at TravelbyDart.com or Sorin.tv, I will notify you when the show is ready.
How Many People Live on Easter Island? And…a Little History Lesson
There are 6,600 souls living on Easter Island, according to Wikipedia. However, according to the locals, there are about 8,000. Whichever it is, it’s an astonishingly small number considering the fact that, more than 200 years ago, when the island was discovered, there were about 3,000 people on the island.
Easter Island was discovered by Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen on April 5th, 1772, which was Easter Sunday. Needless to say, that inspired the name of the island which is sometimes called by its Spanish translation, Isla de Pascua.
See more pictures like this by following me on Instagram HERE.
However, the majority of locals don’t really like either of these names. They prefer Rapa Nui, as the origins of the island, and the population of most of the island’s current inhabitants, are Polynesian, and not Chilean.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, the population of Rapa Nui was somewhere between 15,000 and 20,000. By the time Roggeveen set foot on it, a century later, there were only 3,000 inhabitants.
The population was later significantly decimated by a series of devastating events in the 1860s. In December 1862, Peruvian slave raiders struck. Violent abductions continued for several months, eventually capturing half of the island’s population. Among those captured were the island’s paramount chief, his heir, and those who knew how to read and write the Rongorongo script, the only Polynesian script to have been found to date.
I’m not gonna go into too much history here, as that’s best left to the specialists. You can read more about the history of the island on the Wikipedia page here.
What to Do on Easter Island
Okay, let’s talk about fun things! There are many things to do in and around the capital, Hanga Roa: scuba diving, quadding around the island, surfing, watching a traditional Rapa Nui indigenous dancing show, going on tours, caving, getting a tattoo, or even partying at one of their two night clubs, etc.
Let’s take a look at some of the activities you can embrace.
Scuba Diving on Easter Island
There are a few scuba diving shops in Hanga Roa to choose from, but we really had a blast with the folks at Carlu Dive. Carlos and Luka gave us an amazing experience taking us offshore, and even filming our dive underwater. Check out the quick 2-minute video below:
It was my first time diving, but their expertise made me feel at ease and comfortable.
The highlight of the dive is a Moai statue that is resting right at the bottom of the ocean!
If you are heading to Easter Island, you can contact Carlos and Luka by visiting their Facebook page here, or sending an email to [email protected].
Rent a Quad and Go Nuts
While in Hanga Roa, we decided to rent a couple of quads. It’s an incredible way to travel the entire island and see all it has to offer in one day, from hundreds of Moai statues, to wild horses, phenomenal sceneries, and mysterious caves. We paid about $100US for two quads per day.
Make a friend while you are roaming around the island, and not only will you get a free guide, but you’ll discover a new face of the island.
Watch a Polynesian Show at Kari Kari
One of the best nights we had on Rapa Nui was at a place called Kari Kari, located on the main street. It’s a cultural centre featuring indigenous shows a couple of times a week.
From what I remember, it costs around $20 USD to get in, and definitely worth it. You’ll get a taste of what the Rapa Nui culture is all about, when it comes to entertainment.
The show is about an hour and a half and truly dynamic. Watch the video below to see a sample of this amazing show:
Not too many people know that the origin of the tattoo comes from Polynesia! So, while we were on the island we wanted to get one so bad.
The best tattoo place in town is arguably Mokomae (the name of the artist), but he was on the mainland while we were in Hanga Roa, so couldn’t do it. The second option was to do it at one of the other three places that offer tattoos in town, however we made a rookie mistake.
We scheduled our tattoo appointments on our second last day on the island. Unfortunately, we ended up having so much to do right before we left, that we ran out of time to get our tattoos.
However, all was not lost. We may have not got our tattoos, but we got some amazing body painting done instead.
Our hostess, Hanana Riroroco, contacted her brother and set up a fantastic evening on our last night there. Her brother (who is also called Rapa Nui, just like the island), spent the day going around the island to collect a special soil for body paint. He mixed it with some colorants and painted our bodies as ancient Rapa Nui warriors.
Not gonna lie, the traditional body paint on a couple of white dudes looked a bit ridiculous, but it’s all about the experience.
Rapa Nui also taught us a traditional dance, and we danced like ancient warriors around the fire. It was a fantastic evening with great new friends that we’ll keep for life.
I’ll re-enact and perform the tribal warrior dance for anyone that will buy me a drink. :)))
Nightlife in Hanga Roa
I’m no stranger to night clubs, but what I saw in Hanga Roa, I never seen anywhere else.
We were invited to party the first night we got to the island. Pre-drinks with new friends (Hanana’s family, see below) carried on until about midnight, and then I assumed it would be too late to go out. They kept saying: “We can’t go out too early”. What did that mean?
Well, turns out the two bars/clubs that are in Hanga Roa — Picano and Piriti — only open at 1am. But it gets even crazier.
When we got to Picano at 1am, it was empty. I thought, ‘yeah that makes sense since it’s late and there’s just not a lot of people on Easter Island’ Nope. So wrong. By 2am, people started to gather. By 3am, it was packed! The club was still bumping at 6am, when we left. Piriti was just the same the next night.
Food on Easter Island
Almost everywhere you go, you will find fish and seafood to eat, which is no surprise on a Pacific island. The most popular item at every restaurant is ceviche (below), which is raw tuna served with salad and lemon. Other common menu items are camarones (shrimp) and chicken. Every now and then you may luck out and find octopus and risotto.
An entree at every restaurant averages around 15,000 pesos, which is quite expensive, especially by Chilean and South American standards. That’s the equivalent of $22 USD, which will bring the cost of a full meal, including an appetizer and a drink, to $40 USD.
See the bottom of the article for more information regarding the currency on Easter Island.
Accommodation on Easter Island
There are several hotels and motels in Hanga Roa, but I definitely recommend living at a local house via Airbnb. We rented Mama Carolina’s three bedroom house, only 5 minutes walking distance from downtown, and I can’t recommend her highly enough.
Carolina went out of her way to make us feel at home, providing extra services free of charge. Along with Hanana (who manages the booking, see them both in the pic below the moment they welcomed us), not only she kindly arranged our pick-up from the airport, but also provided an interpreter, as very few people speak English on the island. Thank you ladies!
Check out their properties HERE and HERE, and book if you’re heading there:
Toki, the Amazing Music School
Part of what we do at Travel by Dart is that, wherever we go, we commit to doing something to help the people or the land of that country. On Easter Island we chose to devote these efforts to Toki, aka Earthship Music School (see pic below). This is an amazing educational institution teaching indigenous kids how to play ancestral instruments, in addition to other learning initiatives geared toward cultural preservation.
The school is run by a group of remarkable founders and teachers, such as Mahani Teave, Enrique Icka, Mario Tuki, Andrea Amar, and Juan Kanko, just to name a few. Together, they oversee and instruct over 70 children each week.
Just like the island, the school is trying to become self-sustainable. Most of the materials used to build it are recycled (see fake flowers below), and rain water is collected through an ingenious system built on the roof, and used for the school’s plumbing.
We offered, through our Travel by Dart show, to build them a performant website that would operate as a platform to help them with their fundraisers. However, due to a lack of local manpower to operate it, they suggested we make a cash donation toward Toki instead, which we gladly did.
We also donated a few backpacks and some goodies on behalf of Robertson College, a Canadian national education institution who sponsored our trip (see pic below).
You can support the school by donating money or buying a ukelele – send an email to [email protected].
Easter Island Tours
There are tonnes of companies that offer tours of the island, with which you can do many of the adventures and activities mentioned above, as well as surfing and caving.
We chose to organize everything by ourselves, with the help of generous locals who offered to be our guides, such as Hanana and Mario. Feel free to browse the internet for Easter Island tours, but my suggestion is that you do it after you land in Hanga Roa, and meet some people first. You won’t regret it.
Filming in Rapa Nui National Park
If you are going to Easter Island to film, you may need a special permit since it’s a national park. If you are using your mobile phone or a DSLR camera, you don’t need such a permit, but if you have a bigger professional camera, just like we did with our Sony FS7, you need to have one or you risk a hefty fine or being kicked off the island.
The permit, to film professionally, is not cheap. We were asked to pay 850,000 Chilean pesos, which is equivalent to $1,265 USD.
To acquire a permit, you need to send an email to Andrea Valdes at CONAF (Corporacion Nacional Forestal, aka National Forestry Corporation): [email protected].
Here is our amazing videographer Young Kim while he was filming us quadding – he and my travel partner Matt also took some of these pics above – thanks boys.
Currency on Easter Island and Expenses
The local currency on Rapa Nui is the Chilean peso, with the exchange being $1USD=671 pesos. And, be prepared to part with a good chunk of your pesos while you’re there, as this remote island is notoriously pricey.
In fact, going to Easter Island is one of the most expensive trips I’ve ever taken. Over eight days, we each spent about $1,200 US each, which doesn’t include the cost of the flight (an additional $1,600 US for the two legs: North America – Chile, Chile – Easter Island), nor our accommodations, or filming expenses.
That said, Easter Island is a once in a lifetime experience, and experiences and extraordinary moments are the most worthwhile things to spend money on in this world.
In present day, the Rapa Nui struggle with a few social and political issues.
The first one is that more and more outsiders are moving to the island, bringing cars and other means of pollution. Although the island is only 63.2 sq miles, there are now over 500 vehicles that are imported annually. It seems the Rapa Nui don’t have this issue with actual foreigners, but more so with the Chileans who are moving to the island from the mainland.
Moreover, the Rana Nui people claim the arrival of outsiders, has also brought an increase in hard-core drugs to the island, as well as a culture of thievery, and other illegal activities.
A second concern is that the neighbouring international powers are abusively fishing in the territorial waters of Rapa Nui, arguably catching in one week more than the locals catch in one year. Below is a map with the international waters belonging to Easter Island – the two baby blue circles.
A third issue is that the local people are deeply dissatisfied with the Chilean government, claiming they’re not getting enough funding and support from the mother country. The Chilean government does provide free health care and education, however this assistance is conditional on islanders move on mainland.
Last, but not least, the island is trying to become self-sustainable. There are various efforts to make that happen, and periodically environmental leaders of the island head to Chile to meet with authorities on this issue.
Travel With Me and Check Off Your Bucket List Items
That was it, folks. Meanwhile, you can travel with me to my next adventures. I am going to the 6 exotic destinations below within the next 12 months, so why don’t you join me while we’re being followed by a camera? To every single country, I will go with an exclusive group of only 10 people (selected applicants only). I call it The Spark Experience. It’s for those people who work hard and rarely treat themselves, is for those who don’t want to have regrets, is for those who want to do something they’ve never done before. Is that you?
To throw a dart at the world map and travel wherever it lands is fun, but I have to admit that is not for everyone.
After the tremendous success that we had with the first dart throw, blindfolded, I got even more inspired to do that. Also, to work harder on my online job, so that I can secure a lifestyle that I want.
The first trip to Svalbard, chosen by the random throw of a dart, got us a few open doors, mostly to media all over the country, and then some. We were invited on many TV station studios, got interviewed by bloggers, invited to talk in schools, etc. I mean, who does this: throws a dart at the world map blindfolded, goes whatever it lands, partners with companies, and gives back?
Because we had the media supporting us, the second dart throw was not in a home basement anymore. We decided to do a fundraising event, for which we had to get seriously creative about. We wanted to go big.
At this event, we did not offer just the usual silent and live auctions, but we gave people the chance to bid on where the dart would land. We also came up with an adventurous bid option for anyone who would pay to come with us – but with the condition that they would bid before we threw the dart! So, whether we would hit Ibiza or Somalia, the person would come along!
And somebody did just that. We had Cindy Mitchell coming with us, a 56-year old cancer survivor who took the leap of faith to embark on the trip.
Another creative live auction bid we proposed was to go to the highest bidder’s house and cook a traditional dinner from the country we were about to go.
Last but not least, we offered a good Samaritan the chance to throw the dart on our behalf, for the right donation. Gaston Landry from Edmonton generously donated a sum that gave him the right to throw the dart.
Russia, With Love
The dart hit Russia. We did not know what was about to come. We started doing extensive research on what we can do in Putin’s country.
Long story short, I loved Russia as it reminded me a lot of my home country, Romania. Tons of similar neighbourhoods and lifestyle, although Russia is a Slavic country while Romania is Latin.
We ended up choosing to visit and help an orphanage. The rumour is that there are over 700,000 orphans living in Russia, while some locals told us that many of these are because of alcoholic parents. Of course, none of these facts are confirmed or advertised by authorities, so we had to dig a little deeper.
We found contacts for about 40 orphanages, so we were happy that we have something to choose from. Not even close. The major issue we had was not that they wouldn’t talk to us, but none of them would accept us to film within the perimeter.
The problems didn’t stop there. As very few people speak English in Russia (I would say maybe 5-10%) we hired an interpreter prior our arrival in Moscow. When he found out that he has to talk to orphanages and tell them what we are there for, he quit and left us with no language support, on our first day in Russia!
From Naomi Campbell to Travel by Dart
Our luck was Olga, an amazing individual we met on the local metro (subway) on the way to the Red Square. She speaks perfect English, as her job is being the assistant of the Russian millionaire Vladimir Doronin, who at the time was no other than model Naomi Campbell’s boyfriend.
We met Olga, and she was our guide and interpreter in Moscow. As days would go by, we had to find an orphanage that would say yes to our request. Olga spent hours on the phone calling every single number we had, in hopes of getting good news.
Ostrovok, A Forgotten Place
Then, one day, we got our accept. It came from Ostrovok, an orphanage located far away from Moscow, in a village called Dinskaya, where absolutely nobody speaks English.
Olga took time off work and came with us to Dinskaya for a few days. In order to get to this village, you have to fly two hours from Moscow to Krasnodar, then take another five-hour drive through a crazy, intricate traffic maze.
We went to Ostrovok and bought those 30 children gifts, clothes, laptops, toys, and an HDTV. We used the money from the fundraiser, while Cindy also spent a bunch of her own cash. The kids obviously didn’t know who we were.
The fact that we, some strangers, were speaking a different language that they only heard on TV, made us look like aliens. One of the kids even said that (see the episode at the bottom of this article).
We also took all the kids and staff from Ostrovok to a circus show, which happened to be in transit through Dinskaya that day.
Saint Petersburg, One Of The Best Places To Visit In Russia
One of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen in my life was Saint Petersburg. Architecture, taste, history – all these are elements that make you fall in love with the town.
Although St. Petersburg has five million people, the tallest building is St. Isaac’s Cathedral (pic below), which has a height of 101.5 meters (333 feet). It is also plated with pure gold. The authorities wanted to keep the charm and conserve the history by not allowing any developer to erect a building that is taller.
Apparently, the major gas company Gazprom, originally from St. Petersburg, wanted to build its headquarters building as a skyscraper in downtown, only to be stopped by locals who came out on the streets to protest against the proposed construction. As a result, the company had to move its offices to Moscow.
Many buildings in St. Petersburg have gold on their structures. The city looks like a huge museum, with its stunning architecture standing out everywhere you look.
Longest Escalator In The World
Former known as Petrograd (until 1918) and then Leningrad (until 1991), St. Petersburg is overwhelming. The city also feature the longest metro escalator in the world, which has 100 meters and 729 steps. It is located in the station Ploshad Lenina.
As a matter of fact, St. Petersburg metro is the deepest in the world. Of the 65 stations, 50 stations are located at a depth of 30 meters minimum.
Intrepid Travel and Nochlezska House
For the St. Petersburg part of our trip, we partnered with Intrepid Travel and Intrepid Foundation. They have a project in the city called Nochlezskha House, which is a homeless shelter that the travel company supports financially.
Additionally, every night a big van leaves Nochlezska House full of food and goes around St. Petersburg. It stops in four locations, known for being populated with homeless people for whom they deliver warm food.
We came along the ride and even delivered food ourselves to the homeless of St. Petersburg. It was an emotional experience – see picture below, view from the van.
We also visited Nochlezkha, where I donated half of the clothes I came on this trip.
My First Tattoo, Done In St. Petersburg
Rewinding a little bit, while we were in Moscow, our hotel was the host of the National Intellectual Games of Russia. Hundreds of extremely smart kids from all over the country were invited to compete in all kinds of challenges.
It was a sight to see. Brilliant little minds solving intricate problems in record times.
However, contrasting with the hundreds of thousands of orphans who also live in Russia (as mentioned in the beginning, majority allegedly because of alcoholic parents), it made me realize how important is the role of a parent in one’s life.
My dad was my hero when I was a kid, but he got very sick. From him, I learnt a lot. He was the pillar in the house – a leader, authoritative, strong, and not to mess around with.
To honor him, I wanted to get a tattoo that represented all those characteristics. And since he is a Leo, well, I decided to get a lion. Check out a cool time-lapse of the making of my tattoo, done by the artist Stanislav Razyvanov from Maruha Tattoo Studios in Saint Petersburg.
Thank you also to Olga Maruschenko, the owner of the shop, who offered me this tattoo as a gift. If you are in the city, make sure you hit them up at: http://www.maruha-studio.ru.
I am now excited to get a tattoo for my mom as well, as she also taught me a lot and has been taking intense care of my dad for the past 25 years. I have a feeling is going to happen very soon!
My Russian Guide, On Why They Never Smile
As Cindy would put it, Russians are very ‘stoic.’ They don’t smile. Unless you have a very good joke or they had some vodka, don’t expect Russians to give you the fake North American smile.
When I asked my friend and guided Dimitry Batenkov from Intrepid Foundation in Saint Petersburg how come Russians are not smiling ever, he gave me the most simple and full of sense answer I could ever receive: “Why would I smile if I have no reason?”
In Russia, there is no such thing as chit chat. If you walk into a store and expect the employee to smile at you like they do here, well… don’t. If you ask “How are you today?” the most probable answer would be “Have we met before?”
The point is, if you ask a Russian how he/she is, you actually have to care, which also makes sense. If you care, then that must mean you met them before, hence the personal question. And so on.
As a matter of fact, smiling in Russia might seem like a sign of weakness. Russians are tough guys, so don’t mess around. Let alone the fact that if you are a guy you should never smile at another guy. You know, just so you are not labeled, if you know what I mean. Unless you want to.
Do You Need A Tourist Visa To Go To Russia?
Another important aspect about your potential travels to Russia is the tourist visa that you need to have. It was extremely complicated and time-consuming to get ours. Make sure you allow yourself at least a month to receive yours.
The Consulate we applied for visas at was very anal about every word and even about the printing! My application got rejected because the printer spitted up the pages with the last line of text cut in half. Although readable, the text was considered incomplete, and I had to fill out and print the application again, on a different machine.
That also meant Fedexing an envelope again, $60 later, to the Consulate. The application got rejected one more time because of some unclear handwriting.
We got our visas IN THE MORNING OF OUR FLIGHTS TO MOSCOW.
Is It Safe To Travel To Russia Right Now?
The short answer is yes. However, Russia is not for everyone, although is very interesting. I personally liked it more than disliked it. As a big soccer fan, I went to the last FIFA World Cups, in Brazil and South Africa. The next World Cup is hosted by Russia next year, but I am not sure if I want to go.
I know that the atmosphere will be different because of the magnitude of such tournament, but I also know that I want to feel welcomed when I interact with my hosts. Although Russians are great at heart deep down, they do not show it much to foreigners.
Next Dart Throw
Are you ready to see my next dart throw? Well, things got pretty serious after we released the Russia episode and we decided to do a full season of Travel by Dart, consisting of 12 episodes.
So, we went to India where we arranged a beautiful setup, ready to throw not one, but 12 darts! These dart throw established the destinations for future destinations to which we are going soon. See the India article and episode HERE.
![Travel by Dart: Easter Island – Everything You Need To Know About It [EP.3]](https://dev.sorin.tv/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/everything-you-need-to-know-about-easter-island-900x675.jpg)
![Travel by Dart: Russia – One Stoic Country With Limited Time Only Smiles [EP. 2]](https://dev.sorin.tv/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/what-to-do-in-moscow-russia-kremlin.jpg)
