Author: A Plan To Go

Like so many of Croatia’s islands, Lošinj is long, thin and easily accessible. I arrived via a flight to Pula and then a direct ferry, you can also reach this island by flying into Rijeka and taking a bus or ferry, or by island-hopping from Zadar. I’ve lost count of the Croatian islands I’ve visited, but I do now notice how different they can be from one another. Lošinj’s key selling point? Nature.

This 74.36 km² island is marketed as ‘The island of vitality’. There are hundreds of medicinal plants growing here, over 200 days of sunshine annually, a renowned marine biology institute, a choice of highly-rated spa hotels, and 280km of hiking trails for a variety of abilities. Being a hiker, it was the latter that I most enjoyed.

By foot to faraway beaches

It was a pleasant surprise to discover a concrete trail running around almost the entire north western coast of the island. This infrastructure meant that remote beaches were accessible to most (although I’m not sure how easy it would be to use them in, say, a wheelchair), and cyclists could enjoy traffic-free routes to some stunning locations. The trails running through the island’s interior are sometimes steep and lead through verdant forests. Many are old paths threading between stone walls erected centuries ago.

From Mali Lošinj you can walk along easy coastal trails for hours and still come across beaches where showers and changing areas have been constructed. I was most grateful for the occasional short ladders into the sea, which made snorkelling a simple endeavour.

Beyond a naturist beach the trail turns from concrete to dirt, but it’s still very easy to follow and, having continued along it for many hours, I found myself all alone on gorgeous white stone beaches lapped by water so clear that it felt as though I was flying high above the seabed when I went for my frequent dips.

Keeping it clean and clear

I met with the Blue World Institute (BWI) in the small and very cute fishing village of Veli Lošinj to find out about the work they did, and in the hope that I could get an article commissioned about their impressive efforts. The BWI has been gathering data on bottlenose dolphins for 34 years; so rich is this data that it’s used by marine institutes the world over. They work closely with the tourism industry to protect marine wildlife throughout the Adriatic, an important job especially in July and August when the sea is crammed with noisy motorboats.

My visit coincided with the Festival of the Sea, held in the island’s main town Mali Lošinj. Among concerts and seafood stalls I met with the local astronomy group, who explained to me how light pollution has become a big problem on the island. Hopefully the authorities here will listen to the astronomers’ concerns – much as I appreciate all of that infrastructure around the coast there is a point at which maintaining the island’s natural wonders will need to be prioritised.

Floating in Čikat Bay, my mouth so close to the still water that I could hear my breath reflected back at me, I was fully aware of the importance of preserving this island for both humans and wildlife. This picturesque bay is surrounded by luxurious old villas and backed by pine-clad hills, both currently existing in tenuous harmony.

Mali Lošinj

What I really love about the cute towns on Croatian islands is how Romans, Venetians and Austrian-Hungarians created calm harbours, taming the sea so that sailing vessels could easily glide up to warehouses and colourful villas. Mali Lošinj is just such a town. At night boats bob in the black water as lively restaurants buzz with patrons enjoying fresh pasta and seafood.

In town you’ll find the exceptionally good and creative MobyDick Gelateria, plus the Deveron restaurant – I highly recommend the truffle-laced Pljukanci. Along the quayside is the Museum of Apoxyomenos which contains a Greek bronze statue dating to the 2nd or 1st century BC, found in the waters off of Vele Orjule, an uninhabited islet next to Lošinj.

When to go

From May until October average high temperatures here will be at least 20C (68F), which means you have May, June, September and October to come to this warm place without the vast crowds and high prices of peak summer months.

Add a visit to Lošinj as part of this Slovenia and Croatia itinerary

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When I was struggling through a nasty bout of Covid earlier this year I came across some rather uninspiring self-published travel information books, by a blogger claiming to be a ‘bestselling’ author. In my delirium I thought that I could do a better job and banged out 20,000 words in three days.

My more rational post-Covid self then had a lot of editing to do. The main goal was to make the book fun and easily readable, not just paragraph after paragraph of dull words with a few holiday snaps lazily thrown in. Although I poured into the book over 20 years of travel experience, plus the kind of knowledge that comes from having travelled independently through 85 countries, I also knew that I now had to do a lot of research and fact checking.

The book is aimed at those who haven’t done any, or very much independent travel before. I wanted it to be a resource that would ease the traveller into the idea of going it alone, and hopefully help them save a bunch of money along the way. It’s a fairly short book (95 pages on Kindle) because I wanted it to be both succinct and cheap (£0.99/$0.99 – the lowest price I could set!).

Self-publishing is a tortuous exercise of fiddling with margins, designing covers, and formatting trial and error. At last, though, it is done. You can take a peek at the book (and possibly even be tempted to buy it) via the links below.

Amazon Kindle > (FREE until 12 December!)
Amazon paperback >

Apple Books >

How do you define “visiting” a country? A layover in an airport? Going through passport checks? Spending a certain amount of time there? My definition has always been; getting your feet on the ground on the other side of the border. This would stretch the idea of a ‘visit’, but it does allow me to include Lithuania in my list of visited countries.

Liechtenstein is one of those countries where some may think that, because their train passes through it, they have fully experienced it. While the view from the Feldkirch, Austria to Buchs, Switzerland train is filled with marvellously mountainous scenery, there are rarely any stops in Liechtenstein. I recommend that you come to this 160 km2 country for at least a few hours.

Disembarking the train from Zurich to Sargans with us was a couple doing just that; taking a brief self-guided tour of the capital, Vaduz. Together we found the #24 bus, which took us to the edge of this small city – population 5,696 (many of whom seem to work in the banking sector) – where we walked to the Alte Rheinbrücke (Old Rhinebridge), a covered wooden footbridge that stretches the width of the immense Rhine and which was built in 1871.

Fortunately the bridge is just a 10 minute walk from the bus stop, from where we caught the #21 to Malbun. How powerful these bus engines must be; from the 455m altitude of Vaduz we were transported through Triesenberg (where many Walser people live) and up to Malbun at 1600m. Being so high up, Malbun is Liechtenstein’s only ski resort, but when we visited in early summer we saw that it also makes for an excellent hiking destination.

From Malbun leads a variety of trails, ranging from white-knuckle cling-to-ridges scrambles, to gentle strolls along valley floors. If I ever return here I’d be keen to undertake the two-day hike down to Vaduz. Malbun features a chairlift that operates year-round, from the top you can see the huge peaks of Austria and Switzerland, and enjoy refreshments in the friendly café, on the terrace of which patrons can gaze at panoramic views.

After a day of walking it was a joy to discover that our hotel (Hotel Turna) had a modern and peaceful spa in the basement. It was even more of a joy to realise that one of the very few (possibly only) restaurants open at this time of year had been decorated to look like a cave. Someone had gone to huge efforts to mould stalagmites, stalactites and little nooks from what must have been tonnes of plaster. The pizza served here was rather good too.

Instead of taking the bus directly back to Vaduz we opted instead to walk down the valley to Steg. Although the trail never strayed far from the road, there were so few vehicles that peacefulness prevailed. Here and there were little waterfalls, mountaintops constantly loomed above. At Steg is a man-made lake and yet more opportunities for long-distance hikes.

Because our time in Liechtenstein was almost up, we opted to return to Vaduz and have a quick look around this tiny capital. The highlight here is Vaduz Castle which sits high above the city, and which can be reached via a pleasant and well-signposted walk. The castle is home to Liechtenstein’s royal family and so you can’t actually go inside, but the view of and from the castle is well worth the steep climb.

Back in town and the main attractions here are the KunstMuseum (which also has a great café) and the Liechtenstein National Museum. Nothing here can be described as cheap and so, before we completely blew a two week budget in two hours, we walked to the Parkplatz Rheinpark Stadion where the national and local football team plays. Here we caught a Flixbus for the 35-minute journey to Chur, Switzerland.

I arrived into Hamburg on a cruise ship and was immediately told that it’s impossible to walk into the city. It is entirely possible, and in fact quite pleasant to walk into Hamburg from the cruise terminal, a route which involves walking through the 111-year-old tile-lined Elbe pedestrian/bicycle tunnel.

In an attempt to stick to a small budget I stayed in a hotel just east of the main train station. The area in which it was located felt a little unsafe, but busy enough to not cause too much concern.

Tip 1: If you have the budget, I recommend staying in Hamburg City Centre, on the side of the train station where the Rathaus is located.

Reeperbahn

The Reeperbahn is a street in the St Pauli area that has a horrendous four-lane busy road running down the middle of it and which, during the day, feels enormously seedy and depressing. It may be more interesting at night, but it was far enough away from the city centre and was covered in so much trash and sleaze that I had absolutely no desire to return (plus I was exhausted!).

The posh part of town

Between Mönckebergstraße and Große Bleichen is a lovely collection of streets interrupted by two charming waterways running between the Elbe River and Alster Lake. The architecture here is more interesting and it’s one of the few picturesque parts of the city, albeit inhabited by prohibitively expensive shops.

In the centre of this area is the Rathaus, the city’s grand town hall adorned with statues of men who for the most part have impressive beards. Nearby is the Alster Lake, which is a pleasant place to circle or take a boat trip on.

Tip 2: Frittenwerk Hamburg is one of the cheapest places to eat in this part of town and offers OK dishes such as currywurst.

Perhaps the world’s best attraction

Miniatur Wunderland is a wonderland of miniature scenes from around the world, threaded together by 16km of model railway track. I spent 2 hours here, I could probably have done with another hour before kick-out time

Tip 3: Tickets for entry 2 hours before closing time are discounted by 20%, reflecting the time needed to see the entire attraction

The location of this attraction is in two of the red brick buildings of Speicherstadt, the world’s largest warehouse district which is worth strolling around and is easily walked to from the city centre.

Tip 4: Miniatur Wunderland has a LOT of buttons to push. Press the button by the mini chocolate factory and a little Lindt chocolate will be produced just for you

Where to get some views

At the western end of HafenCity, just next to Speicherstadt, you’ll not be able to miss the Elbphilharmonie concert hall. Its glassy, wavy edifice looks out over the Elbe and it’s well worth riding the curved escalator up to the viewing platform which runs around all four sides of the building.

Tip 5: You can get to the Elbphilharmonie viewing platform for free. Get your ticket from ticket office on Am Kaiserkai (you may not be able to gain immediate access during busier times)

A lot of fuss is made about the views of the city from the water. I wasn’t hugely impressed, but the ferries are a pleasant way of getting from A to B. Short journeys are priced at €1.80 and I enjoyed route 62 from Landungsbrücken Brücke 3 to Altona (Fischmarkt). The Fischmarkt building itself is worth seeing, both inside and out, and nearby there’s a U-Boot Museum if you’re into that sort of thing.

Cafés

Hamburg has a wealth of cafés. Some are of the relatively-bland-but-good-value-chain variety, such as LE CROBAG. Others blend delicious hot chocolate (I’m not a coffee drinker and so hot choc quality is very important to me) with captivating views – the coffee shop looking down Bleichenfleet being a good example.

Perhaps the best café I visited was one that was recommended to me by Carolin from Solo Travel Story. Klein Und Kaiserlich on Am Kaiserkai is an elegant Austrian-style establishment where I tucked into a rich and perfectly-flavoured apfelstrudel for the reasonable price of €5.80. I understand that the coffee here is pretty good too.

Speaking of coffee, if you’re anywhere in the warehouse district then the chances are that, at some point, you’ll be blessed with the scent of roasting beans drifting from Speicherstadt Kaffeerösterei, surely a must-visit destination for you avid coffee drinkers.

Visit Hamburg as part of this free 13-day Germany itinerary (for Budget, Mid-range, and Luxury travellers)

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Having previously walked from the source of the Thames to Oxford, and in need of another low-key adventure, I decided to complete the next section of the Thames Path, but in the other direction: from Reading to Oxford

Day 1: Reading to Dorchester-On-Thames

It didn’t help that, upon stepping off the train in Reading, I started walking towards the wrong stretch of water (the Kennet and Avon Canal also goes through Reading). Having lost half an hour I now had to increase my pace so as to reach Goring on time.

The Thames at Reading is wide and, on one side, lined with luxurious houses raised above the frequently-flooded river. Here the path is close enough to road and rail to not be particularly peaceful. It then passes through a rather dull suburb before, thankfully, returning to bucolic countryside. At Pangbourne the walk at last becomes particularly serene and scenic.

In Pangbourne Kenneth Grahame, the author of The Wind in the Willows, once lived. Upstream of the village the path passes through some woods and at one point is high above the river, which flows at the base of steep forested slopes. Having made up time, I reach Goring (which has a train station with direct links to London) for a late lunch at the excellent Pierreponts Café.

I had packed a headtorch and so I wasn’t too concerned about the darkening skies, but I continued to keep the pace up anyway. The Thames here feels far tamer than the wilder countryside in which it begins, and the frantic city towards its end. There were still plenty of high-end waterside homes for me to covet all the way up to Dorchester-On Thames, which I reached shortly after traversing the lovely town of Wallingford, once home to the immense 11th-Century Wallingford Castle (remains of which can still be seen).

Shortly before I got to my final stop for the day I had to cross and walk along a horribly busy main road just the other side of Shillingford, which was probably a lowlight of the walk.

Day 2: Dorchester-On-Thames to Oxford

After a lovely stay at The George in Dorchester-On-Thames and a quick visit to ancient Dorchester Abbey – founded in 1140 – I took some much-needed painkillers and continued on upstream. There were more stretches where road, rail and aircraft were far enough away to leave no sound but the gurgle of water and songs of birds. I saw numerous cormorants, storks, and maybe even a kingfisher.

Shortly before getting to Abingdon, just upstream of Clifton Hampden, the river splits in two at Clifton Cut. It wasn’t always like this. Before 1822 river traffic was charged a premium to navigate this stretch of water, but having overcome strong local opposition a ‘cut’ was dug, shortening the journey and taming the river thanks to the newly-built lock.

There are many points along the upper Thames where ferrymen operated. Poor people couldn’t afford horses and it (as I experienced) could be a very long walk to the nearest bridge. You’ll often see place names or pubs that reflect the heritage of ferrymen along the river.

Abingdon-On-Thames is another place where its long history is evident in various buildings dating back to 1180, although many of the old-looking edifices only date back to Victorian times when Trendell erected various follies. The 1680 County Hall building is particularly splendid, and this is a good town in which to stop for lunch.

This walk was undertaken at the end of October and I was very lucky with the weather. The path was only muddy in one place – just outside of Abingdon – and the trees were putting on their colourful Autumn show.

The closer I got to Oxford the more rowers I saw. Boats with one, two, four or eight people zoomed past, often accompanied by their coach yelling from a megaphone. And yet this only added to the serenity of the river, at least until I approached Sandford Lock.

At last I staggered into Oxford. I recognised the boathouses where my wife once coxed during her university days and thought that I was nearly at journey’s end. But no, still another 45 minutes walking through the city’s pretty environs, the Thames my constant companion. At last I saw Osney Bridge, just the other side of which is the train station and my ride back to London.

Trip details

Total length: roughly 42 miles
Total walking time: 12 hours
Trains to Reading: direct from London Paddington and take on average 44 minutes
Trains from Oxford: direct to either London Paddington or London Marylebone and take on average 1h 13m
Where I stayed: The George, Dorchester-On-Thames (book here)

This is a must-see city when visiting Vietnam…plus it has a gorgeous sandy beach. Here are my top Hoi An hostels and budget hotels picks:

Hoi An Love.ly Hostel

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📍 9 minutes’ walk away from Cau Temple
🛏️ Spacious and clean dorms (no bunks) with air con
🚿 Bathrooms attached to each room
🍽️ Good value on-site restaurant with free breakfast, free beer Mon/Wed/Fri
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 No private rooms

The Imperfect Downtown Hoi An

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📍 Perfectly located on An Hội island
🛏️ Spacious 3, 4, and 5-bed dorms with air con
🚿 Good bathrooms but floor can get very wet
🍽️ Breakfast included. Bar and small swimming pool
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Entire dorm rooms can be reserved ahead

The Seaside Bungalow

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📍 Just a couple of minutes walk to Ha My Beach
🛏️ Bright and roomy 4- or 8-bed dorms
🚿 Good bathrooms, nicely designed
🍽️ Bar and restaurant, free breakfast, free drink on Wednesday
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Beautiful private rooms

Hoi An Life Homestay

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📍 Located in a quiet suburb 26 minutes’ walk from Cau Temple
🛏️ No dorm rooms, max 4 per private room
🚿 All rooms have en-suite bathrooms with free toiletries and towels
🍽️ Free breakfast and bicycle rental. Best thing here: the gorgeous pool
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Private 2, 3, or 4-bed rooms

Blue Clouds Homestay

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📍 10 minutes’ walk to Vau Temple
🛏️ Private rooms sleeping up to 3 people
🚿 Simple bathrooms
🍽️ Breakfast available at extra cost, small outdoor terrace
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Well-appointed ensuite rooms with either 1 or 2 beds

Melody Boutique Villa

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📍 Located between downtown and Ha My Beach
🛏️ 4-bed dorms with no bunks
🚿 Clean and modern bathrooms
🍽️ Rooftop terrace, no restaurant or kitchen
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Variety of private ensuite rooms sleeping up to 4 people

Cheerful Hoi An Hostel

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📍 19-minute walk to Cau Temple
🛏️ Spacious 4- and 8-bed dorms with simple bunks
🚿 Most rooms have simple ensuite bathroom
🍽️ Free breakfast, nice outdoor dining area
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Ensuite private rooms for up to 3 people

Coral Riverside

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📍 Great location on the River Hồ and just 5 minutes’ walk to the beach
🛏️ 4-bed dorms with privacy curtains, air con, fans and reading lights
🚿 Luxurious ensuite bathrooms
🍽️ Kitchen and free breakfasts
🧑‍🤝‍🧑Excellent private rooms with ensuite bathrooms and private balconies

If you’ve been inspired by Hoi An’s top hostels then get your free Vietnam itinerary below, as well as a link to the best flight deals:

Visit Vietnam with this FREE 14-day itinerary

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Although Da Nang is the nearest international airport to Hoi An, I recommend flying to Hanoi and travelling down through the country. Click the button for the best current deals

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