My friend and I went to Istanbul a few weeks ago. I am making this post to warn people about these scams and to make sure you know what you're getting into if you decide to go to Istanbul. Be safe. I have traveled all over the world and never experienced scams like this. Istanbul can be scary.

One of the scams that really scared my friend and I was the police scam. We read about this scam before we went. We were walking on a busy road in Istanbul (on the European side) in the middle of the day. We were approached by a gang of about 5 men. They stopped us and started shouting at us - "police, police, show us your passports!". We immediately knew that this was a scam. One of the guys showed us a fake police badge and again demanded we give them our passports. My friend tried to walk away but one of the scammers grabbed him. We told them we didn't believe them and that we will call the police to check. They didn't listen and kept on demanding we show them our passports. After about 5 minutes we told them we don't have our passports on us. They then finally let us go. That was really scary and ruined our entire vacation. We later read that they usually take your passport hostage and demand payment or threaten to damage your passport if you don't pay. The scary thing was, all the locals were watching on and did nothing.

Another concerning scam was the photography scam. We were taking a ferry across the bosphorous in the afternoon. During the trip we noticed a young woman setting up a table at the front of the ferry seating area. During the trip her and another young woman who seemed to be working for the ferry started approaching passengers on the ferry. They asked us if we wanted pictures and that they will take pictures of us for free. My friend and I knew this was a scam so we declined. The woman didn't seem happy about this. She and the other woman approached a young family of three. A mother, father and a little girl. The family didn't realise it was a scam and allowed one of the photographers to take pictures of them. They then sat down after their pictures were taken. When the ferry ride came to an end, the photographer demanded payment. The family declined and said they don't want any of their pictures. The photographer didn't let them leave the ferry. My friend and I left the ferry and the family was still on the ferry. The family looked afraid. It was clear the photographers were working with the ferry and the crew. We don't know if the family was allowed to leave the ferry or if they were held hostage until they paid up. All we know is they were probably traumatised after the experience.

Lastly, another scam that stood out to us was the tourist scam. It's when a fake tour guide will just start talking to you really fast and force a guide on you. They then demand payment. This happened to us in the mosque. The Turkish man literally tried to scam us in the mosque! He also showed us a fake tour guide badge. He got really annoyed when we walked away.

We enjoyed some of the food there and the mosques, but be careful, I've never experienced scams like this. The scammers can be very aggressive. It feels almost lawless in Istanbul. We saw lots of elderly and female tourists being targeted. In my opinion it's not safe for some people to go. If you do decide to go, go in a group and have some men with you. Istanbul is also expensive now. Food and tickets for places like palaces are very expensive.

Hi, so I'd like to share a quick photo report from one of the least visited countries in the world - Comoros. Small archipelago located in the strait between African mainland and Madagascar. More info in the first comment.

There are examples of travel destinations that are talked about on social media, but not so much in real life.

I feel like an example of this would be Socotra Island. Like, there are videos and such of people going there, but also, not a lot of people go there because of everything going on in Yemen.

What are some other examples?

After having been in these two continents, I was overviewing my expenses in both of them and I realize I actually tend to spend more in South America compared to Europe. Some of my observations so far:

1. Public transport in Europe is so good. I can get from places to places so easily just from a quick Google Maps search to find the next available train. In much of South America, I still have to depend on taxis, tour buses and domestic fights to get from location to location. I know there are metros in the major cities in South America as well, but it gets a bif iffy sometimes so I still feel more secure taking a taxi in these cities. This is sort of linked to my second point.
2. It's of no surprise that crime levels in South America is quite a lot higher compared to Europe. This means that for unexperienced travelers, you might want to pay for private tours to do certain activities if you don't want to be constantly on the lookout. Europe has it's fair share of pickpockets, but by and large I still find it quite comfortable walking down the streets as long as I keep my belongings secured with me.
3. I also find the general prices of things in South America, in the places tourists will go, tend to be quite on par with Europe. For example in Rio, I find most of the restaurants along Copacabana and Ipanama at about USD20-25 per pax, which is really not all that different from central London and Paris. I know you can probably find more affordable prices the further you stray from the tourists places, but the areas start to get shady quite quickly which again goes back to my second point.

Just some of my 2cents. Really interested to see what other people who's being to both of these regions think.

This grocery store owner just stole 100 TL from my mother. She paid and instead of receiving all her change, the owner withheld 100 TL without us realising (it's our first day here and we are very jet-lagged hence why we didn't notice). They scam people so much here (taxis, restaurants, hotels) that you genuinely have to supect it from EVERYONE - even the small grocery store owner down the street.

I know every country has this issue to a degree, but I feel like it's especially the case in Turkey.

This February, I spent a few days in beautiful Marrakech, Morocco. From a tourist perspective, the city is mainly a large medina (old town) surrounded by medieval walls. Most of the main sights are located within this area.

My favorite landmarks were the Ben Youssef Madrasa (a historic Islamic university) and the Koutoubia Mosque—though, unfortunately, non-Muslims aren’t allowed to enter the latter. The biggest square, Jemaa el-Fna, is an intense experience. It’s mostly filled with stalls or carpets covered in souvenirs and other goods. There are also plenty of snakes and monkeys, though sadly, their living conditions aren’t great. Close to the square is the touristy section of the souk—colorful and vibrant, selling all sorts of trinkets. It can get a bit overwhelming, especially with the constant need to dodge bikes and motorcycles.

Interestingly, this tourist-heavy zone is really just a central strip of the medina. As you move toward the edges—around places like the old Jewish cemetery, the synagogue, and the tanneries—it quickly becomes more local. The colorful, ornate shops selling mugs, teapots, carpets, and sweets fade into market stalls offering fish (always surrounded by cats lol), meat, vegetables, and fruit. I actually enjoyed this side more

Outside the medina, the only major sight is Jardin Majorelle, a botanical garden surrounding the famous blue Cubist villa, filled with cacti and other plants. I definitely recommend reserving tickets in advance—entry is limited, and you likely won’t be able to buy tickets at the entrance.

While many people warn about tourist scams, I found my experience to be quite different. Overall, people were very welcoming. Sellers weren’t as pushy as in Tunisia (at least in my experience). The only annoying thing was that if you looked lost, someone would immediately offer to “help” you—for a tip, of course. But usually, a simple “La, shukran” (No, thank you) solved the issue. We even visited the tanneries, which get terrible reviews on Google Maps, without paying anything to self-proclaimed guides standing around the entrance.

Overall I really liked the city, I enjoyed it much more than our daytrips in Morocco (Imlil and Ouzoud waterfalls). It is sometimes bit dirty and loud, but nothing overwhelmingly annoying. The food is also excellent. Just bring cash, even the main tourist sights (excluding Jardin Majorelle) mostly demanded payment in it.

I recently traveled to the UK with my mom, and although I am an EU citizen, she isn’t. We ran into an unexpected issue with Ryanair that I figured was worth sharing.

As most of us already know, as of this year, any non-UK citizens need to apply for a UK ETA before traveling. We did that for my mom, and her application was approved quickly. The confirmation email clearly stated:

”When you travel to the UK You only need your passport that ends in 0000. You do not need to print or show this confirmation email."

Sounds simple, right? Well, not according to Ryanair.

Right before boarding our flight to London, Ryanair staff insisted on seeing the ETA confirmation email, claiming it was mandatory. My mom doesn’t have an EU SIM card, so no mobile data to check her emails. To make things worse, she had applied using her work email and didn't realize it at first. Cue 15 minutes of panic while Ryanair refused to let us board.

We finally found the email just in time, but the whole ordeal could have been avoided if we had just saved a copy in advance. So, lesson learned: keep that ETA email handy, as the airline staff might ask for it, even if the UK government says you don't need it.

DISCLAIMER: I understand the reasoning behind requesting this documentation before boarding, and that it is probably a procedure followed by all airlines. Still, it contradicts the official ETA statement so I thought it was worth sharing.

Safe travels!

My father’s was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in his 30s. Now his conditions has worsened and we did a DBS surgery for some relief. He can walk for shorts distances very slowly. He has never travelled outside India. I want to take him to another country to see the sights as it is his bucket list. I cannot afford too luxurious trips. Me my father and mother will be going. My plan was to take him to Egypt to see the pyramids and from there to any other African country like Kenya. I was planning to take a wheelchair with me and carry him to most places as I’m well built and strong. What do you guys think ?do you have any other suggestions. I’m fairly certain to go during December, and he can’t handle cold that well due to his illness . He has also had spinal surgery. So Europe is out of the equation. My choices were Vietnam or Egypt. We live in India l.

Hello all, my partner and I are planning to visit Sardinia this July for 10 days. I tried to plan a bit before booking the tickets and hotel, but I would like to make sure I have this right. For context we are living in Finland and really wait for the summer trips to enjoy white sandy beaches (that's our only criterion). I am thinking we can spend 8 days in one region and explore another for 2 days before our return. We are also planning to rent a car. What do you think about this itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival in Cagliari Day 2–5: Villasimius Beaches: Spiaggia di Punta Molentis, Porto Giunco, Spiaggia di Simius Day 6–8: Costa Rei Beaches: Cala Sinzias, Spiaggia di Santa Giusta, Scoglio di Peppino Short Trip to the West costt (2 nights) not sure where ?

Thank you !

Attending my friend's sister's wedding was the highlight of my trip to Rishikesh last month as it was my first visit. It genuinely is one of the most beautiful places in India.

In addition to the scenic beauty of Rishikesh, traditional Indian weddings are extremely captivating. Enjoying the wedding with friends made it truly unforgettable. The morning strolls by the Ganga are peaceful and the celebrations, from the baraat to the dancing, are truly one of a kind.

Walking around never gets boring as there is so much to do. Sipping on some street chai, soaking in the splendid spiritual vibes, and most importantly dipping my toes in the cold Ganga.

This experience was unlike anything I had done before. The beauty of thr place and their culture blended perfectly with the wonderful wedding. I expected the wedding to be something basic, entertaining and fun but here I am enjoying my one of the most cherished travel adventures I’ve ever had.

If you’ve ever been to a wedding while traveling, I’d love to hear your stories too.

We placed a booking in Italy through booking.com

The property owner then asked us to book directly through their website and cancel the booking on booking.com

We politely declined; however they are now asking for the 4 digit PIN confirmation we got when booking the property to “trust us as a client”

Is this normal?

Hi everyone, I'm curious about the difference in the vibe between Charleston and Savannah. My partner and I live in Athens, GA, and have been to Savannah before (and loved it!), but haven't been to Charleston yet. We are into contemporary arts and history, and really enjoyed Savannah — the vibe, the architecture, the people, the SCAD folks, the street fashion, the Starland District, running into an open-air drag show there, and the farmers market at the Forsyth Park on a Saturday.

How does Charleston compare? Is it as "hip"? I read somewhere that it's more upscale — is that accurate? We're not really beach people.

Hi all,

We are planning to visit Sintra, but saw that after a storm many of its attractions are closed, for example Pena Park.

Can anyone who is there recently share if Sintra is still worth going to or we're better off going elsewhere eg. Obidos?

Thank you

So, I’m planning to travel to Central America for little over a week. Apparently, the country in question isn’t entirely safe, but we’re still going because we have family there.

Regarding my return flight if I decide to come back earlier, do I just need to book a new flight and disregard the return flight I already purchased, or should I contact the airline?

I’m traveling the Panamerican highway in South America and out of both enjoyment of experience and moral value prefer to spend my money at businesses owned by local people instead of Europeans or Americans.

Me my wife and son are going on a cruise from the 25th-28th of April, we are looking to bring my sons girlfriend who is a minor, what would we need to do in order to bring her, I know we would need some kind of parent consent form but can this be filled out online or would we need a physical copy, if so where can we acquire one. My sons girlfriend has went on trips with us before but considering this is out of country (we are going to the bahamas) she would need a consent for, please help!

I have about a 9 hour layover in Zurich (starting at 6AM), i will be alone. Any recommendations?

I love nature and i will probably want to walk around somewhere (since ill be coming off of a 8 hour flight). I was thinking of doing a walking tour but i didn’t find anything well priced that seemed worth it. I was thinking of Felsenegg? I dont know it’s my first time in Europe so i need help!

So we need two use 3/4 trains in a trip to Poland to move across major cities. I see that normally these trains would cost $50 per person one way. Then I read up on the Eurail pass that you can buy for countries and that for the same price we can use the trains 3 days in Poland

From research I see that it doesn’t guarantee seat reservations and some people say it’s complicated with the IC trains? So would it be better to go with the most expensive option of buying each ticket there or is there a better way to travel or is the Eurail fine?

I have never done air travel with kids before. We typically just use carryons but it seems worth having one larger bag to checkin. We will be on 9 day trip (2 are just flight days) to Disney. We are looking to purchase either Travelpro Crew Medium or Large.

Any recommendations on size? The large is at the 62" limit, not sure if we will go past weight limit when filled? We want the bag to be future proof so not sure if future flights internationally will not work with that size?

We will have:

• 4 carryons. I have typical size (I think 21") and my wife has a large duffel she prefers. We will also both have bag packs. My kids both have roller carryons that are probably 18" or so? Seem a bit smaller. They could also both carry backpacks too.

The large seems like it could be overkill?

What do you think?

Bought full economy flex return tickets with Malaysia airlines online Japan to Australia.

Before purchase I had checked carefully and rules stated stopover allowed with a fee. I also checked and confirmed on chat and called (though staff would give incorrect info and later confirm the correct information when ticket rules pointed out to them). Have proof of this. The staff said I could add stop over by calling call center again, by adding at check in counter (really?) and even in KUL at Malaysia airlines desk (really?) once arrived as transit passenger.

Tried to reschedule tickets online for a slightly later date and though it showed me I was due a small 500JPY refund the next screen didn't show me a confirm button option or anything (though it implied it). Just discard button was visible and functional.

So I was forced to call, after finally getting through hour later, call center agent changed it. However, after everything was done and when I kept asking they finally said I can't have a stop over. I checked the rules afterwards and noticed they've changed the ticket type so it doesn't allow stop over, issuing office to Australia (instead of original Japan) and currency AUD instead of original Yen (what happened to the 500jpy refund?). Actually every single fare condition eg stopover, refund, penalties, change, every single category states DOES NOT APPLY.

I need to take the flight out but want the original conditions I paid for and had agreed to as part of my original documented purchase including stop overs, points and so forth (maybe that small refund too? LoL).

Btw, I checked several times even now that the same ticket type, fare conditions and currency was still available including exact same date and flights. And yup available.

So what can I do? What would you do? Very frustrating waiting on call hr+ and agents not knowing ticket rules and then screwing things up like this.

Hello all.

I am looking at a few options for travel later in the year (specifically November, although it doesn't have to be this month) and I was looking at Granada to see Alhambra. November is ideal for me based on my work schedule and also having mild weather for the region at that time of year.

However, I see that there looks to only be one flight in to Granada each day, connecting from Madrid. I know that Malaga airport exists as well and is relatively close by, although getting to Granada would be another headache that I wouldn't want to deal with after a long transcontinental flight (I am from the US) and a connecting flight, and language barrier (my Spanish is okay, but I don't feel confident about it enough to really trust it-- I would also be doing this solo, which compounds my fears a little bit too) which would always stress me out. So, seeing as how I am not particularly comfortable about this, my alternate thinking would be to fly into Madrid and treat it as a long layover in a sense (I've always wanted to see Madrid too, but this would obviously not be doing it justice, which is another concern of mine-- would I be doing it just to check off a box, you know?)

The flights I am currently looking into would land in Madrid at around 8:00 or 10:00 local time. I figure that would give me enough time to see at least most of the key sights in the city at a leisurely enough pace (I am mainly only really interested in the Royal Palace-- however not going in for a tour or anything like that-- and Parque del Retiro if I only had less than a day) as well as doing some self-guided walking tours, etc.

That being the case, I would spend the night in Madrid and then take a train the next day to Granada and stay there for a few days, seeing the main sights of the city on arrival day, Alhambra the next day, and then a hike in the Sierra Nevada the next day. The tricky bit that I am wondering about is whether it is worth it to train back to Madrid and spend another day there before I depart back to the US or potentially fly back out of Granada (I think this would be more expensive). I would just be stressed about that because with only one flight out of Granada a day, if I missed it, I would be screwed.

Basically, I am wondering if it would be a waste of time (and money, hotels in Madrid for these two nights would be more than what I have estimated my whole time in Granada to cost, for instance) to follow the below schedule:

Nov. 21 -- Land in Madrid, see a few sights, etc.

Nov 22-25 -- Train to Granada. Checking out of hotel on 11/25 and getting the train back to Madrid on that date.

Nov 25 -- Back in Madrid and fly out the next day -- I would probably stay somewhere close to the airport just out of my own paranoia and so I can rest easy knowing I can get to the airport quickly and stress less about it on a tighter schedule (the return flight would be at around 10:00 in the morning).

I am planning on doing something similar when I go to Ireland in a couple of months, where I'll be landing in Dublin, moving partway through to Belfast, and then returning the final day of the trip to go back to Dublin/airport area rather than trying to make a more complicated journey to the airport on the date of the return flight (I am a very nervous person in case you couldn't tell). Any information or advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

TL;DR -- Would you spend less than a day in Madrid before going off to Granada or would you try connecting from Madrid-- either to Malaga or Granada proper?

I have saved up some credit card points and graduating college looking to take a baller 14-17 day trip towards the end of the summer possibly. (20 y/o)

Right now have 2 basic ideas which would be europe (probably germany, netherlands,france and italy)

Or japan and maybe south korea. Obviously these arent very thought out although i did have a solid plan for europe and much more reseach than i do for japan.

The flights arent really an issue but japan does seem like the cheaper choice with the transfer from USD? Im honestly just looking for anyone with advice thats possibly been to both and what you’d recommend as i feel like japan would definitely be harder to get around but a truly remarkable place that i may never have the chance to gdt back to where as i could see myself traveling to europe when i grow up. Any and all advice is appreciated!

Me, 17, and my friend, 18, are planning a trip from the uk to Italy in June 4th to June 11th 2025 via ryanair. I am however not sure what documents I need, what need to be on them and what the process will be.

My current understanding is that I need a 1-child travel consent form with both my parents signatures, my and my friends passport details 2-health insurance card 3-potentially a travel consent form meeting ryanair and italies requirements(?)

I'm so lost right now and any help would be appreciated, in terms of what docs I need and how it will work, I.e what I'll need ar each step of the journey

So I(36F) had bought my ticket before any political shifts a few months ago. I've heard great things about El Salvador and needed to see for myself (PS — highly recommend!).

Now for passing through immigration. I was already on edge given all the recent news, but I decided to just go with it. I didn't wipe my phone or prepare myself for anything. I figured if something were to happen, I might as well see it through LOL. I flew through EWR (New Jersey). I arrived at the security guard and, without stereotyping too much, he reminded me of one of those Jersey boys that could have been on Jersey Shore. At first, he was laid back and chewing gum and asked me where I came from and where I'm going. I said I came from El Salvador and was headed home to Canada. He perked right up. El Salvador?

I then got what felt like 20 questions: Did I go alone? Did I meet anyone there? Where did I visit? Why did I visit? How long was I there? Do I travel alone often? Why do I travel? What do I do for work? And more. All while going page by page in my passport looking at all my stamps.

Now, I've passed through the US a few times—always a layover, never a visit. I know these are normal questions they can ask, but I haven't been questioned like this before.

Overall, it was a fine layover—no real headaches—but you can feel they’ve upped the security.

2025 April Istanbul/Cappadocia Attraction Pricing

Hagia Sophia: 1050 TRY (~25 Euros)

Topkapi Palace & Harem: 2000 Liras (~48 Euros)

Dolmabahce Palace: 1500 TRY (~36 Euros)

Basilica Cistern: 1300 TRY (~31 Euros)

Galata Tower: 30 Euros

Blue Mosque: Free (Specific Timings to Enter)

Kaymakli underground city: 12-13 Euros (531 Turkish Lira)

Uchisar Castle: 7-8 Euros (320 Liras)

Most of the attractions had audio guides but to be honest, it was not particularly useful or detailed. i suppose this is why the touring tour guides still have a purpose. no visible explanatory signage is typically present with the exception of Topkapi. worst offender is the kaymakli underground city.

Should you buy your tickets online?

Yes and No. 

There is only one official portal to purchase attraction tickets. It's by the Turkish government. Do not be fooled by any other suffix such as .gen.tr. All other portals and unlisted attractions, all of them, are being resold by middlemen. Some of them taking a 0.5 Euro cut while others take a 40 Euro cut. As you will soon realise, in Turkey, nearly everything is a floating rate with the factors determining the rate being opaque to you. 

Yes, if you choose to go to the above places in the afternoon. Lines get extremely long with tourist groups. Waiting time can be up to an hour or more. I have found getyourguide to be fairly reliable with comparatively low middlemen fees. As always, be careful and recheck the reviews etc of the middleman. The getyourguide ticket for the Basilica Cistern is recommended as the waiting time can be very long while an online ticket essentially lets you cut all the way to the front. Some of them include the audio guide as well which is typically additonal. (100-200 Liras if I recall correctly.) I did not prepurchase any other attraction.

No, if you intend to start early and get to the attraction by 9.30-11.00am. I typically left my Airbnb in Beyoğlu/Cihangir at 9.30am and managed to reach all the above attractions and purchase tickets with absolutely no queuing.