Top 7 things to do in Havana – a first timer’s guide.

Havana is one of the prettiest cities I’ve ever had the pleasure to visit. As cheesy as it sounds, it’s literally as if you have time traveled to the sixties! The whole area is designed with beautiful old school architecture, that’s bursting with colour, vintage american cars roaming around and local talents showing off their artistic side in any chance they get, on every corner of the city. It’s magical!

This is not your classic ‘What to do in Havana’ list with all the monuments, tourist attractions and so forth. This post is about the things I’ve done in Havana that completely made my trip worth remembering!

One: Roam the streets for hidden gems

Devote a day to just roam around the UNESCO world heritage site *drumroll please* yup, La Habana Vieja. Just do yourself a favour, get lost and experience the culture first-handedly (is this even a word?). The city isn’t that big, so you probably won’t get super duper lost. This way, you’ll get the chance to see things that one can’t plan, i.e. a random Cuba salsa dancer straight up picking you up to dance in the middle of the street. Make sure to visit the old town’s ‘must-see’s’ such as the Plaza de Cathedral, the Plaza Vieja and Plaza de San Fransisco to increase your chances of something bizarre happening. ‘Tots worth it.

Two: Eats

I’ve mentioned in another post here that the food in Cuba… wasn’t what I would call, um “the F-ing best I’ve ever had”. However, I’ve had the pleasure to visit a few of the most well-known restaurants *mmhm* in Havana, and these two are a definite winner: L’atelier and San Cristobal. You’ll get to see that these restaurants aren’t your typical going-to-the-restaurant-stuffing-you-face sitch. First of all, the restaurant owners are providing their actual houses as their restaurant. A.K.A. ‘Paladar’s’. Fun fact: Families privately own these and are often ran by self employees, as opposed to all the rest of the state-owned restaurants, and have only become legal in 1993.

L’atelier is this cute rooftop restaurant, surrounded by fairy lights that even has a local talent performing for visitors while they dine (#fancygurl). San Cristobal is a more hip and funky decorated restaurant that even Obama and Queen Bee dined at (#okurrr). In both cases, I had the Cuban specialty, lobster and it was delicious! My personal favourite was San Cristobal though, they really know how to make you feel at home (pun intended) and their plantain fries are ahh-mazing. Oh, and one last thing! If you ever come across locals selling fresh coconut ice-cream, water or plain coco meat, do a B a favour and try it. It’s to die for.

Three: Cabaret

Devote a night to enjoy a cabaret show, it is one of Cuban’s delights after all! We chose Havana’s Tropicana cabaret show and it was a helluva night. Firstly, hosts will give you cigars and drinks upon entering the venue, which in my book, issa pretty sweet deal. Everything is included in the price and you get to enjoy an hour and a half worth of people dancing, singing and performing short musical plays with the most over-the-top and ridiculously amazing costumes! Ten out of ten from me!

Four: Buena Vista Social Club

This was probably the highlight of my trip. Buena Vista Social Club is a famous club in Havana where performers sing live all night long. This club is really popular, especially since a majority of the famous songs you already know such as ‘Guantanamera’ are widely sang by club members. The club has live performances by amazing local talents, however the majority of the original members have sadly passed away. That does not stop the show as the new members are still fantastic and it is definitely worth experiencing.

Five: Shopping

You’ll find an abundance of local shops to purchase souvenirs from in Old Town Havana. However, if you’re looking for a concentrated area with very Cuban shops, look no further than San Jose market. If you’re like me, and you just cannot for the life of you have some self-control then definitely devote an afternoon (or even a whole day b*sh, aint no one judging here). Locals sell all sorts of Cuban things, from art, handbags, cigars to even furniture! It’s like the Cuban version of Target, but better.

Six: Taxi Ride

Ok, like every basic B out there, I’m just going to come out and say that this is a must. One should not go to Cuba and not rent a vintage, american, colourful car to explore the city. Being the person that I am, I wanted a convertible pink car so I can cruise in style. The good thing is that there’s so many different coloured cars that you will definitely find one for you. Tell your driver to take you to the very old town of Havana a.k.a. ‘The Ghetto’ to see some real culture.

Seven: Cigar Factory

Being the cigar capital of like the world, devoting an afternoon to visit a cigar factory is another must. Here’s some intel: firstly, factory owners prohibit visitors from recording anything within these factories. Furthermore, different brands use different leaves to make their own product, but most of them are all made in the same factories and not in their own factory. That’s all apart from Cohiba of course which by the way, you’re not allowed to visit. There are plenty of these factories, finding one should not be difficult. Here’s some choices.

Thank you for reading this and I hope you enjoyed my post on Havana, Cuba! For more details on what to know before going there and what you should know once you’re there, feel free to check out my other blog posts!

-VB x

[stdsocial]

All about Paxos and Antipaxos islands in Greece.

So listen folks, here’s what I learnt this year. I’m from Cyprus, ok? The Greek side of Cyprus. And, being a Greek Cypriot, I already knew how beautiful and stunning and mesmerising and all that jazz the Greek islands are. But hear me out folks. I never thought that this little island, this tiny little island in the Ioanian sea would take my breath away! This island being Paxos, or Paxi.

You have got to visit the island of Paxos and Antipaxos. They aren’t super duper popular to most people who aren’t Greek/European, which was a surprise to me cause it’s literally a combination of Capri, Bahamas and Greece in one place. The beauty of Paxos is that it’s a relatively “remote” island in the Ionian sea, with not that many habitants. It’s a small island, yes, but don’t be fooled by that – you could easily spend a good five days there and still feel like you haven’t done it all! One of my favourite things is that all the huge and stunning yachts are parked on the island’s stunning natural marina, and it just makes the whole experience so dreamy! I can’t even describe how stunning it is!

So without further ado, I give to you, a Paxos and Antipaxos island guide.

What to know before visiting Paxos:

One: The island doesn’t have an airport.

Since the island doesn’t have its own airport, the closest way to get there is to fly in to Corfu island (Kerkyra) and take a ferry boat there. There’s plenty of company options available for passengers that take you to Paxos. You can either opt in to take the fastest boat there, which is roughly an hour, or there’s longer ferries available too. The downside with taking the fastest option is that they run relatively early in the day and there’s no air-condition on the boat. As you can imagine, it get’s pretty darn hot in there. Especially when traveling during the day. I would suggest you take the latest one out, when the heat would have already settled down. A bonus is that there’s a stunning sunset from the boat that will make it completely worth it. Tickets cost approximately 30 euros per person.

There’s also a private boat option available, but that costs up to 300 euros. If you’re a party of 10, then the cost will be the same as taking the ferry.

Two: There aren’t too many fancy places to sleep at.

One thing I truly love about the island is that it’s very non-boojie. And by that, I mean that you won’t find your average five star hotels screaming luxury. Don’t get me wrong, there are stunning places to stay at, but they aren’t made to attract tourists and the “high life”. On the contrary, most places you’ll find on the tourist websites are little houses and rooms owned by locals. They spruce the places up and make you feel at home away from home. And that, for me, is what makes this island so significantly beautiful. We stayed at The Fairytale Love Nest, which is really super stunning. We sort of booked it “last minute” and we were so lucky it was available! So if you’re visiting the island and you know it well in advance, book it immediately! I’d suggest you find a place in Gaios too, the island’s capital town.

Three: Paxos has a smaller sibling; Antipaxos.

Here’s a bonus! Yes, Paxos is literally heaven on earth. However, Paxos has a younger “sibling” island called Antipaxos which is only a 10 minute boat ride away. And that, my friends, is a definite charm. There’s daily and hourly boats that take you to the island for approximately 10 euros, and you don’t need to reserve in advance. All these boats are located in the harbour front at Gaios. They can accommodate up to 20 people at once, but have no fear, there’s like 3-4 of them that complete the route every so many minutes. And trust me, it is worth the visit! You’ll definitely want to spend more than just a day there.

Four: You need to get yourself in contact with a local.

OK! So, despite Paxos being like a tiny island, if you want to experience it to it’s fullest, you need to get yourself in contact with a local. Lucky for you, I found the best local. His name is Demetris, and this is not sponsored at all. You local “guide” can guide you on what’s what on the island, where it’s best to dine, explore and spend your day. You can shoot an email to Demetris right here, and let him know you’re a friend for some extra special treatment!

Five: Paxos capital; Gaios.

The island’s capital is Gaios, which is the largest town. There’s two other stunning towns called Loggas and Lakka which are worth the visit, but Gaios is the place to be. Gaios has the main harbour where ferries, taxi and fisherman boats and all sorts of yachts park at, which makes it absolutely dreamy. There’s an abundance of cafes, restaurants, bars and shops located with a sea front view of the island’s natural marina, that is just like no other thing I’ve experienced.

Now, on to the good stuff…

What to actually do on the island.

One: Tour around the whole island by boat.

Literally, the whole purpose of your trip is to experience first hand the beauty that is Paxos. Get yourself in contact with a local guide, preferably Demetris if you wish, so you can rent a private boat for the day. He’ll show you the whole island from beginning to end! The beautiful caves, the dramatic sceneries, the stunning and secluded pebbled beaches where you can spend as much time as you’d like. Completely alone. The water is just fine, and it’s as turquoise as water can get! It’s like being in the Bahamas! Most of the beaches are secluded, so you do need to access them by boat. However, there are other non-secluded beaches that you can get to by foot on Paxos, but these are the ones you’d want to visit, trust me.

Two: Visit Antipaxos island.

As I’ve mentioned above, there’s a smaller island right next to Paxos that you HAVE to get to. There’s two main beaches on Antipaxos, and both are fantastic. One of them is called Voutoumi and the other is Vrika. Both have the white sand beaches, and unbelievably turquoise and shallow waters. It’s unreal! They also have their own little cafes where you can lunch at or have a frappé so it’s the ideal setting to spend the day at. There isn’t really anything else to do there, so you need to leave by 5 or 6 PM the latest (when the last boats return back to Paxos) for dinner.

Three: Enjoy the delicious food.

A perk of being in Greece is that you get to enjoy the delicious Greek food. And don’t let Paxos being a small island fool you! They have amongst the best chef’s you’ll ever encounter. Whether you’re into fish, meat or vegetarian, you’ll be sure to find a variety of restaurants to meet your needs. However, I must admit that Erimitis restaurant and bar is probably the best one on the whole island. And it’s not just because the food is so so good. It’s because the view of the sunset is unreal! You get a front row seat to it, to the point where you feel the earth’s beauty so deeply, you want to cry! Be sure to get there in time for the sunset though! Another good option is Mediterraneo restaurant, right on Gaios harbour. An incredible dinner and a great place to people watch! A must!

Four: Enjoy a late night drink or dessert at Gaios.

You literally have to take a stroll on the main square at Gaios at night. It’s bursting with life and it’s so dreamy! There’s yachts (and super yachts for that matter) parked at the island’s beautiful natural marina. There’s people chilling on their yachts, chatting and enjoying the beautiful weather at night, as well as tourists drinking the night away (but in a non trashy way). Most of the bars, restaurants and shops are open till late, so be sure to get your hands on a drink, ice-cream or even local souvenirs! It’s exactly what a vacation should be like. There’s quiet options too for a more romantic setting!

Five: Visit the other smaller towns.

Lakka and Loggos are both stunning towns on the island of Paxos that make for a picture perfect moment. They both have tavernas and fish boats surrounding the towns, with locals going about their day. You can access these towns by boat, by taxi or even by bus, but I would suggest you take a taxi there. Paxos isn’t that big, but if you’re visiting during the middle of the summer months, it does get pretty hot. Hit up Demetris, and he’ll arrange a car for you! Both of these towns are perfect for a more relaxed time, and if you’re a foodie then you’re in luck! The tavernas offer delicious and tasty food, that you’ll be sure to come back for more! It’s no wonder why tourists come back to Paxos year after year!

Well, that’s all folks! Thank you for reading my post on Paxos island in Greece! I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope it has helped you with your future travel plans!

For more summer destinations, why not have a look at my Caribbean destinations?

-VB x

Mauritius; Best seven beaches to visit

Mauritius is l-i-t-e-r-a-l-l-y a heaven on earth destination. This little island is situated in the middle of the Indian ocean, and thus is bound to have some awesome beaches. And so without further ado, I give to you, seven of the best beaches I’ve visited in Mauritius!

A little background information on the beaches situation in Mauritius… So they are either private or public. The thing is that both private and public beaches are gorgeous, but obviously the private ones (which are “owned” by hotels) are a little more… taken care of. Private beaches have that je ne sais quoi factor. Well, granted they are spotless and have super comfy sun-beds and all that, but the whole ambience is just different. You’ll definitely feel the luxury there. However, that doesn’t mean that public beaches in Mauritius are any less stunning. You can definitely enjoy the freedom factor in public beaches, that’s for sure! You’ll be able to lay on your own towel and have a picnic by the beach surrounded by the most beautiful scenery. Also, it’ll most definitely benefit your wallet too. Anyway, let’s just get into it.

Private beaches in Mauritius

One: Shangri-La’s Le Touessrok Resort & Spa

I’m putting the best beach first, just to truly emphasise this stunner. First and foremost, Shangri-La is situated on the Eastern side of the island, relatively closer to the airport. Most beaches in Mauritius are on the North, so you won’t find a lot of other beaches on the East. But boy did Shangri-La literally own the most beautiful area on the island.

Resort beaches

With over 5 private beaches in the resort (yes, you’ve heard that right, 6 different beaches in the actual resort), and two close by islands to spend the day, Shangri-La most definitely is the “heaven-on-earth” place to be at in Mauritius. Granted it is a luxurious hotel, and you will have to pay for an entrance fee to enter (that is if you’re not already staying there) but trust me when I tell you, it is worth every single penny.

You’ll also get the chance to frolic on perfectly clear white sands, sip on delicious cocktails and if you’re feeling a little frisky, take up some water sports available on the beach.

Private Islands near Shangri-La;

A. Ilot Mangenie

In addition to the 6 private beaches on the actual resort, Shangri-La owns their own private island called Ilot Mangenie which is strictly accessible only to hotel guests. I know that that might seem like a bummer to most, but this is the perfect excuse to literally choose to stay at the Shangri-La. This island, not only is it like a spitting image of LOST, but it also offers guests lunch! And for some extra luxury, you can rent out your own private bungalow, with your own private butler service and some yummy yummy food!

Ever had that dream of being on an island enjoying the crystal clear turquoise water but not having to deal with the whole “being on an island a.k.a. having to do with no luxury”? Well, this is exactly it! I 100% recommend.

B. Ile Aux Cerfs

On the brighter side of things, if you’re not staying at the Shangri-La, then there is another option available to everyone. That is the private island of Ile Aux Cerfs, again situated in the East side of the Mauritius. Ile Aux Cerfs might not be as secluded as Ilot Mangenie, but it is another beautiful alternative. If you go to the East side of Mauritius, there’s many tour offers available to everyone. That means you’re not just restricted to visiting Shangri-La to access Ile Aux Cerfs. There’s daily boats, catamarans or even yachts that will get you there, but that obviously comes with a price. You’ll get the chance to enjoy the sun, choose to lunch in one of the island’s many restaurants, and even take part in some water sports or even play some golf! It’s truly a must!

Two: Le Morne Beach

Le Morne is another private beach situated on the Southern side of Mauritius and is owned by Lux Le Morne hotel. The beauty with this beach is that it has a truly dramatic scenery. The contrast between the turquoise water and the luscious green from the mountains right behind it undoubtedly makes it a unique place like no other. Furthermore, the beach on Lux Le Morne is spotless clean, with stunning white sand and it comes with a complete luxurious vibe. You do need to “reserve” in advance for a day pass as most spots are reserved for hotel guests. Furthermore, there’s a fee of 3500 rupees (£75 pp) to spend the day, but it does go towards your food and drinks.

The fact that it’s on the South makes for a perfect excuse to explore that side of the island too! We combined a beautiful hike at the Black River Gorges early in the morning and just relaxed the rest of the day at the beach. It’s only a 30 minute drive and it’s a perfect combination, honestly! To read more on what to do in Mauritius, check my blog post here!

Cheaper alternative

On the bright side, there is another cheaper option available for some who aren’t willing to splurge on a hotel beach day pass. And by cheaper, I mean free. Literally right next to the hotel, there’s Le Morne public beach which is connected to Lux Le Morne. The public beach even has a small “café” sort of restaurant that serves food. You can also rent sun beds, but they close at 4 PM which is definitely a bummer.

Public beaches in Mauritius

Three: Flic en Flac

Flic en Flac is situated on the West side of Mauritius, thus making it a perfect sunset on the beach sitch. Although there isn’t much to do in Flic en Flac in terms of nightlife, the sunsets are really all that. Flic en Flac is one of the longest white sand beaches of Mauritius, and it has amongst the most beautiful blue lagoons on the island. It is a relaxing setting, with the cutest fishing boats and locals frolicking all around. You can find a variety of restaurants on Flic en Flac, and if you’re staying till the sunset and want to splurge a little, Citronella’s cafe at the Sugar beach Resort is definitely a must.

Four: Grand Baie

Grand Baie is like the new black in Mauritius. Well, technically, it’s not the new new black but that’s where everyone goes. And with a good excuse! Grand Baie is a village situated on the North side of Mauritius, and that’s where you’ll find most people relaxing and enjoying the beauty that is Mauritius. Grand Baie public beach is one of the most popular. However, it is kind of filled with boats, so swimming there isn’t really ideal. However, it is a perfect place to snack and enjoy the scenery, as the many food stands and perfect view makes up for the ideal down time.

Five: Pereybere beach

Pereybere beach is near Grand Baie public beach, both being located in the village of Grand Baie. Unlike Grand Baie public beach, Pereyebere is definitely one of the prettiest public beaches in Mauritius. You can swim, relax, munch on food stands available on the beach and just take the day off. You can also opt in to to partake in water sport activities, or you can even snorkel there! For some reason, I didn’t take a picture of this so I’m really sorry.

Six: Pointe aux Biches

Pointe Aux Biches is another public beach located on Grand Baie, and it’s a little more up-beat than the rest. I’ve noticed that the majority of people were at Pointe Aux Biches… which is cool and all if that’s what you’re into. You can also find pretty food stands to lunch or snack on, and Pointe Aux Biches is also a great place to meet some new friends!

Seven: Mont Choisy

And I saved the second best for last! My favourite public beach is definitely Mont Choisy. It’s super secluded so there isn’t a lot of people around (which for me, is a bonus). It does have it’s fair share of dramatic scenery, being covered with trees and lovely white sand beaches. There’s also a few fruit stands that you can snack on, but the view is literally the winning factor. The beach on its own is massive, so there’s plenty of space for you to have some privacy. Mont Choisy beach is super family friendly! And the water is clear as day so it makes it a perfect location for some snorkeling too!

That’s all folks! Thanks for reading my post on the best beaches in Mauritius! I hope you liked it, and I hope it has given you some insight on your future trip to Mauritius!

For more on Africa, click here!

-VB x

Top Twelve Tips To Know Before Traveling To Mauritius, Africa

Welcome folks to the Mauritius “what-to-know” devoted post! If you’re into traveling, or even if you have an internet connection, odds are you’ve bumped into the gorgeous island of Mauritius. Situated in the middle of the Indian ocean, Mauritius is literally heaven. However, as we all know, all good things come with a price. And unfortunately, so does the African island, Mauritius. Read the top twelve must-know things before visiting one of the most stunning islands on earth for a guaranteed good time!

One: Visa

You don’t need a visa to enter Mauritius, if you’re staying for less than 60 days. All you need is a valid passport from wherever you’re coming from, and a valid return ticket out of the country. That is applied to all citizens.

One. Two: Passport Control

Although you don’t need a visa to enter, you would think that the line at passport control would swoop by quickly. Well, that’s not the case. I don’t know what happened with our flight, but the amount of people waiting in line for the passport control was ridiculous! Also, the system is pretty slow, so try to rush quickly to minimise that waiting time.

Two: Rent a car

If you want to explore the island, you most definitely need to have your own means of transport. Although Mauritius isn’t ridiculously big, there’s literally something to see in each corner of it, so having a car is a must. However, you need to be careful with who you rent with. We went with Penguin cars, and although we got what we asked for, the older gentleman on the counter tried to get a few more bucks out of us. Thankfully, the younger gentleman interrupted him twice to correct him, all the while the older “gentleman” (which I shouldn’t even be calling him) was giggling.

Last but not least, and this is a no brainer but don’t forget your driving license!!!

Three: Exchange your money at Mauritius

The deal is, like most places, it’s much better to exchange your currency in Mauritius, as the exchange rate is much better there. There’s so many exchange bureaus at the airport, all offering the same rate. They also claim that there is 0% commission fee to the transaction, but that’s not always the case. What you could do is check the live conversion and double check with the exchange clerk. Also, Mauritians do accept other currencies, but its sometimes tricky. I suggest you just exchange some there, and pay with your Revolut card (in Euros) for emergencies.

Four: Sim Cards

So Mauritius, being in the middle of nowhere, would truly hurt your current Sim card provider or better yet, your wallet. I would opt in to purchase a Mauritian SIM, either from Orange or from EMTEL. We opted in to purchase from Emtel as our car rental provider sold these. It takes a few minutes to set up, as you need to register with them initially. However, packages are limited, especially with the internet (offering 500MB per card) but you can always top up. I just only used my mobile data whenever it was truly needed, connected to all WIFIs I could and took the rest of the time to just disconnect. It cost us about 10 euros per card, but i’m pretty sure we were a little ripped off.

Five: Water

The water in Mauritius is non-drinkable. This is because Mauritius is a cyclone prone island and their water system isn’t the best, and by that I mean clean. That is not clean enough to drink! In some cases, snails and other animals can get stuck in the drains and thus contaminate the water, so it’s best to only drink bottled water.

However, locals do drink tap water, but that’s because they developed antibodies that can withstand the water whilst tourists, well, don’t. Apparently, most luxury hotels double filter their water and claim that it is safe to drink, but I played it safe and stuck to bottled water all the way.

Six: Mauritius is expensive

To my suprirse, Mauritius is a relatively expensive island! Yes, I have traveled to relatively cheaper destinations such as Indonesia and India, and I expected Mauritius to be the same. However, considering it being an island in the middle of the Indian ocean, perhaps their resources aren’t as abundant. Anyway, a typical dinner at a typical restaurant costs about 40 GBP per person, whereas at a good restaurant, it costs as much as 60 GBP. So be prepared to spend that extra few bucks.

Six. Two: What is costs

Try to do a little research on prices before you go. It’s best to have some idea of how much each thing should cost i.e., Sim cards, Taxis, Sun-beds etc. I have noticed the typical conversation between locals prior to paying for something, i.e. them discussing how much they should charge tourists.

Seven: The weather is freaking weird

Whether you’re traveling in March, April or August, the weather will be approximately the same. That means cloudy with a chance of a little rain, but then a shit-load of sunshine to brighten up your life. See, the clouds literally come and go, and so does the rain. So if you’re having clouds, just wait a little. If you’re experiencing sunshine then you’re a lucky SOB!

Eight: Beaches – Private vs Public

There’s no doubt that the beaches in Mauritius are absolutely stunning, whether it’s a public beach or a private. Public beaches, especially in the North, are more crowded with both locals and tourists. The natural scenery is utterly beautiful, with trees right by the beach, local food stands and people enjoying their day. However, if you’re looking for the luxurious white-sand-crystal-clear beaches that you see online, these are situated on private properties owned by hotels. They are carefully taken care of and thus come with a price. Some hotels offer beach club day passes, but it would be best to book in advance. This is because popular destinations are fully booked and reserved for guests, and there’s limited spaces left for non-hotel guests. Lux Le Monte and Shangri-La are amongst the most beautiful beaches there are.

Nine: Book stuff in advance

If you’re not staying at the typical resort, and are looking to dine in one, book in advance. Mauritius is a very popular destination, gaining more and more tourists by the year. Thus, most hotels and resorts are fully booked. I must admit that resort restaurants are significantly better than non-resort, so if you’re looking for a special night, don’t wait till the last minute. If you’re staying on the West side, Cintronella restaurant is amazing. If you’re staying on the East side, all of Shangri-La’s restaurants, including their buffet at Le Bazaar are even more amazing!

Ten: Saturdays and Sundays are closed

Despite being a touristy destination, almost everything is closed during public holidays, and especially on Sundays. Even trying to pre-book for an activity or good restaurant, you’ll find it hard to do so as everyone is off on holiday! Wish that happened in London too! So try to pre-book anything you should need prior to the weekend. For weekends (Sunday), opt in to stay at the hotel/apartment to dine in-house or cook something special!

Eleven: Vaccines

So here’s the deal with this. Apparently, you need to have some vaccines before you visit Mauritius, but I didn’t know that. According to CDC and WHO, they recommend you get hepatitis A and B, typhoid, yellow fever, rabies, meningitis and a bunch of others here. However, I suggest you talk with your physician before you visit Mauritius for the best advice on what to do. I already had the hepatitis vaccines from my other travels, but I’m pretty sure I didn’t have all of the recommended vaccines.

Twelve: Cyclones

Saving the best for last. Mauritius is a cyclone prone island, that unfortunately, can’t really predict (in advance) when a cyclone will hit. Cyclones typically hit Mauritius during their summer months, but as mentioned, they are super unpredictable and might not even hit for a period of 2-3 months, or even 1-2 years! So, odds are, there won’t be one when you’re there. However, In cases of a cyclone occurring, there’s really no need to worry. A cyclone sounds much more scary than it really is. They aren’t dangerous to the point of fatalities (that is of course if you’re being careful). However, they are definite vacation ruiner.

You will receive news of a cyclone approaching up to 48 hours prior, and get updates whether the cyclone is definitely approaching Mauritius or whether it took a turn towards another part of the world. If a cyclone does hit, just be sure you’re home, with all windows closed, a torch, bottled water and food to wait it out.

For more information about cyclones in Mauritius, click here!

That’s all folks! Thanks for reading my post on what to know before traveling to Mauritius! I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope it has given you some insight on your future trip!

Thinking about visiting other parts in Africa? Click here!

-VB x

Top 8 things to do in Tulum, Mexico

Hola bitchachos and welcome to one of my favourite posts devoted to Tulum, Mexico! Tulum is definitely one of my favourite places I’ve visited, mainly because it’s suited for literally anyone. There’s so many things to do, that you’re bound to have fun whatever your trips purpose might be. Whether you’re looking to have some down time and relax, or whether you’re looking to party it out and make unforgettable memories, look no further than Tulum!

So without further ado, here’s the top eight things I did in Tulum that made my trip a one to remember!

One: Cenotes

Cenote Labnaha

So this cenote isn’t your average cenote bombarded with people. Labnaha is a privately owned cenote, and hence the entrance cost is $40 – a price which is super expensive, considering the rest cenotes costs 100 mexican pesos. However, paying the price comes with its perks! You get a complete private experience, in a S-T-U-N-N-I-N-G cenote with a private guide to fully explain the history of this beauty. Furthermore, you also get the opportunity to full on cave dive. Granted it was an awesome experience, but if you’re claustrophobic, I would opt out. Additionally, if the weather isn’t the best, and you’d be expecting heavy rain, again, just to be safe, opt out.

Cenote Calavera

This cenote isn’t far from the centre if you’re staying on Tulum Beach. It’s super cheap to enter, just 100 mexican pesos! However, since it is super easy to enter, probability is that there will be a few people there enjoying the stunning area. If you’d rather have some private time, go as early as possible! The water and the ambience is surreal.

Two: Beaches

If you’re not already staying at a hotel with a beach, you’ll unfortunately have to pay to enter other private hotel beaches. There’s a minimum spending required, of about $60 per person, but that all goes towards your food and drinks. So go hungry!

Nomade and Be Tulum

These two hotels are next to each other, so you can go to one beach and just walk around. This has got to be hands down the best beach – super clean, amazing views, serviced AF and the sun-beds are so comfy! Due to the fact that the beach is situated in one of the best hotels, the beach is seaweed clean (at least as much as it can). Which is a major plus considering the vast amount of seaweed in Tulum.

Beach Tulum

This beach, although open to the public, isn’t as taken care of as Nomade for example. We chose to go to this beach as it was one of the recommended ones, but to be honest, I didn’t really like it. There was way too much seaweed which was a bummer, I couldn’t even go in the ocean! And the food wasn’t the greatest either…

Azulik

Oh, what a “heaven-on-earth” place to be. Azulik is definitely a dime on its own. If it’s not the best hotel on Tulum beach road, then it’s definitely on the top 5 list. Azulik is THE bucket list hotel to stay in, but it obviously comes with the pricey side. However, they do offer the option of a day pass at their beach club so you could enjoy the beauty, but go as early as you can as most spots are reserved for guests.

Three: Tulum Beach Road

Tulum beach road is the main road you “have to” be in when visiting Tulum. That’s where nearly all the stuff is. Ranging from shops, to cafes, to bars and restaurants, it’s a tourist heaven. Tulum beach road is a quite large stretch road, and you definitely need some sort of transport to cover it. Most of the people either rent bikes or cars, but there are taxis available. In any case, you have to at least visit there, if you’re not already staying there.

Shop

This is kind of a no brainer, cause let me tell you here folks, the shops on Tulum Beach are absolutely stunning! All shops have relatively the same vibe, that is Tulum vibes. Clothes, home accessories, fashion accessories and whatever, they’re also just so pretty and boho. However, be aware that although you’re in Mexico, Tulum isn’t really considered Mexico in terms of prices. Everything is hella expensive! But absolutely stunning, so buy yourself something nice, you deserve it.

Cafes

The cafes on Tulum beach road are perfectly suited for breakfast. I loved Matcha Mama so much, I wish I could take one of their açai bowls home with me! They are just so yummy, and the “restaurant” is so pretty, it’s a definite must! Another popular breakfast place is the Raw Bar, and yes, serving you delicious raw, organic food! So so good! There’s unlimited options available, and they all guarantee a delicious meal. You’re in Tulum after all, the food is delicious anywhere!

Late Night

There’s no better place to be at than on Tulum Beach Road at night! The whole road is just vibing! There’s shops open till late, bars booming with music and people and the good thing is that walk-ins are accepted everywhere. More late night options are available down below. I’d suggest you be spontaneous one night, don’t plan your night and just see where the night takes you!

Four: Tulum Food

As previously mentioned, the food in Tulum is amazing, really. Like you’re guaranteed to have a delicious meal almost anywhere you go. They are experts at it. Here’s a few of my favourite places I’ve dined at.

Antojitos La Chiapaneca Tacos

I’ve read about Antojitos Tacos a lot before I visited, and I was skeptical in the beginning as I know that Mexican food can be a little risky to experiment with. However, the tacos were so so good. We had their famous ones, Al Pasor, and they’re a definite must! Such authenticity!

La Popular at Nomade Hotel

So much yum, I cannot stress this enough. We had lunch and dinner at La Popular, that’s how good the food was. There’s a bunch of options, all safe to eat obviously, and the dinner ambience is so cool, chill and chic, I wish I could go there all the time. If you’re there for lunch, don’t miss out on the shrimp tacos – to die for! Otherwise, if you’re visiting Tulum during a full moon party, make sure to be at Nomade on the night – they have a bonfire, and it’s quite the experience.

Casa Jaguar

The awesome thing about Casa Jaguar is that not only can you reserve a table and order a la carte as you’d call it, but walk-ins to eat at one of their amazing buffets is also available. So don’t worry if you don’t manage to make a reservation on time! The buffet is equally as good, but the a la carte table food is out of this world yummy! A must!

Nu

Nu is a cosy and yummy restaurant on Tulum Beach that I actually hadn’t read a lot about prior to my visit. And let me tell you folks, it deserves much more recognition than it has. The ambience is super chill, a lovely way to have a relaxed dinner, with the yummiest food. 100% recommend.

Five: Sunset Watching

Azulik Sunset at Birds Nest

So here’s the deal with this place. Azulik is super popular, and a definite not-to-be-missed thing to do in Tulum. Azulik is probably one of the best hotels in Tulum, if not THE best (my personal fav is Nomade but anyway). If you’re not staying there already, you should definitely visit the Sunset drinks hour. The good thing is that it is open to the public, but, since it is super popular, there’s a lot of people queuing in line to get in. There’s only a limited amount of space for non-hotel guests, so be sure to be there by 5 PM. Doors open at 5:30, but be there sooner than that if you can. Also, beach clothes, swimsuits and flip flops aren’t allowed, so it’s a great opportunity to dress up a lil bit!

Six: Tulum Nightlife

Casa Jaguar on Thursday

Casa Jaguar on Thursday – This has got to be one of the coolest scenes i’ve been to. The food is absolutely yum! But reserve in advance y’all. Casa Jaguar allows walk-ins (thank God), if you’re only there for the after party scene – oh, and the DJ’s on Thursdays are the shiz.

Gitano on Friday

Gitano on Friday – Just like Casa Jaguar on Thursdays, Gitano is the place to be on Friday. I don’t know if this is the correct term to describe the music, but I call it jungle house music and it’s nothing like I’ve ever listened to before! I loved it, and I hate house music!

Papaya Playa Project on Saturday

PPP is one of the most popular events, and late night party scenes. If you’re there on Saturday, don’t miss out! Especially if there’s a full moon party. Try to buy tickets on facebook prior to the event, to guarantee an entry at any time. If you don’t get the chance to buy tickets, just be there relatively early. There’s different DJ’s on different nights, but Saturdays are supposedly the best.

Rosa Negra everyday

Rosa Negra restaurant/bar is literally a bar taken straight from Mykonos and placed right in the heart of Tulum. The exact same vibes I tell you, and perhaps that’s why I loved it so much! There’s a party every night (I think) where people dine and party on the tables afterwards. The music is awesome, a mixture of everything and the vibes are just perfect. 100% recommend.

I Scream Bar after party

I Scream Bar has got to be one of the coolest places I’ve been to. Right next to Casa Jaguar, this bar is literally in the middle of Tulum beach road and I almost didn’t even notice it. I genuinely thought it was just people partying at a random place but boy was I wrong! I had so much fun! It’s such a chill environment and if you stay till late, you’ll also get the chance to experience a front row show by the bartenders performing sexy dances by Beyonce – I died.

Seven: Roadtrips from Tulum

Roadtrips are a must when visiting Tulum, because hey, there’s much more things to do than party, eat, shop and chill at the beach.

Tulum Ruins

The obvious choice since you’re already in Tulum is the famous Tulum ruins. Although not as impressive as the Chichen Itza, they are definitely worth the visit. The Tulum Ruins aren’t that far away from Tulum Beach Road, and you can do the whole trip in half a day. Even sooner if you’re in a rush, but you should surely go and experience the old Mayan ruins up close and personal.

Also, I feel like I should disclose the fact that planning ahead weather wise it super important. We didn’t really check the weather before we went, and it started pouring rain whilst we were in the middle of the ruins. To cut the long story short, getting back to the car wasn’t an easy walk when it’s raining cats and dogs.

To better plan ahead, read this blog post on some useful tips about the Tulum Ruins!

Azulik Uh May

The thing with Azulik Uh May is that I haven’t actually been there. However, we did plan on visiting, but life got in the way and we unfortunately never made it there. I’ve heard the best things about it, how inspirational the architecture is and how it’s truly a unique place hidden in the middle of the jungle almost making it a jungle within a jungle. It’s supposed to be one of Tulum’s (not that hidden) gems, and anyone who has been there won’t seem to stop bragging about how special the whole experience is.

Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza is considered one of the new seven wonders in the world, and is definitely one of the top attractions in Mexico. It is a little far from Tulum, like 2 hour drive, but hey, all good things in life need some work right? I’d suggest you start early on in the day to get there, as it is extremely booming with tourists! But since you’re already in Mexico, why not take the day for educational purposes.

That’s all folks! Thanks for reading my post on Tulum, Mexico! I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope it has helped you on your next trip to Tulum!

Thinking about visiting the Caribbean? Click here for more insightful posts!

-VB x

All you need to know about Patagonia, Argentina

Welcome folks to a Patagonia / El Calafate, Argentina post! This post won’t be your average post with a define category of “tips” or “what to do’s”, but a mixture of both really as I don’t really know how to divide everything amongst them. So let’s just call this post an “All you need to know” about the stunning Patagonia in Argentina!

Anyway, without further ado, here’s a bunch of things you should know about Patagonia, Argentina!

Patagonia / El Calafate

El Calafate is a small little town where most, if not all, tourists stay in when visiting Patagonia. It’s an hour away from Perito Moreno. El Calafate is a stunning and extremely safe town, where you can walk at any hour without any worries. You can literally walk across the town! So you don’t really need a vehicular transportation to get to places. However, there are some taxis available at your disposal, but you do need to call them ahead to come.

There aren’t loads of things to do there, but there are your local souvenir shops on Avenue de Libertador. You can purchase locally made house decor, as well as their famous El Calafate berry which legend has it, if you try it, you’ll return once again to El Calafate! Oh, and last but not least, their famous Matte tea! Locals drink this instead of coffee, and they literally drink it all the time, all day long. They make it from local leaves, and they love to share it amongst each other.

Patagonia Icebergs

Perito Moreno

Odds are for you to be visiting Patagonia/El Calafate, you’re there to see the spectacular icebergs. And let me cut to the chase and tell you that up front, the icebergs are unreal. They’re much more bigger, prettier and well, surreal than your brain can fathom. I was in utter awe watching Perito Moreno iceberg rupturing right in front of my eyes! Fun fact, Perito Moreno remains one of the main icebergs in the world that advances, rather than retreating. All the while you can see it (and hear it) rupturing!

It is of course one of the greatest main tourist attractions of Patagonia/El Calafate, and so odds are, the Los Glaciares National Park will be packed. Even if you go early in the morning, or later in the afternoon, the crowd is inevitable. So just enjoy the spectacular view with the rest of the world who’s seeking to enjoy one of the world’s wonders!

Upsala

Upsala is most probably the second most famous iceberg in Patagonia located in the eastern side of the Southern Patagonian ice field. Although not as easy to get to, it is totally worth the visit. You take a guided touristy boat there, that is approximately a half day long trip, and get to see all sorts of glaciers and icebergs as you sail amid through the Glacier National Park.

The thing is that you can’t really get up close and personal to Upsala, as it’s really not safe for boats to approach it. The glacier keeps retreating rapidly (#GlobalWarming), and can thus cause an unsafe environment. It is kind of a bummer as you only see it from afar, I have to be honest.

Tip

If you have an option of deciding whether you should visit Upsala via boat or take a day long hike on an actual glacier, I cannot stress it enough, opt in for the hike. Granted you need to be in shape (-ish), and it is tiring, but it’s most definitely the only thing I regretted not doing. I’ve heard so many good things about this experience! There’s a small trekking tour available on Perito Moreno, or even a kayaking tour around it – just do it, ok?

Patagonia Food

The way to the heart is through the tummy, right? The food in El Calafate/Patagonia was surprisingly really, really good! As previously mentioned, there aren’t so many things to do in this little town, but they most certainly do have their fair share of tasty restaurants.

Isabel “Cocina Al Disco”

Isabel “Cocina Al Disco” restaurant is in the heart of Avenue de Libertador, and they have typical local dishes such as their famous lamb plough. It doesn’t sound very appealing to some, but do yourself a favour and try it. The lamb in Patagonia is famous because of its superb quality as well as its softness. Although I avoid eating meat, I tried it as I felt that I should and it was really good! You should also try the local Patagonian beer – and of course, it’s super ice cold.

La Tablita

La Tablita restaurant holds a fancier scene, and you may need to book in advance to reserve. Odds are, you won’t have to, but it’s safer to do so. They offer a wide array of choices on their menu, but once again, their lamb dishes are what they’re known for. La Tablita is considered if not the best, amongst the best restaurants in El Calafate, hosting famous chef’s during various occasions. I can’t really brag about the staff there though.

Mako

Mako is another well known restaurant in El Calafate, and most locals were boasting about its food. Although falls on the pricier side of dining, it is a great place to eat if you’re a meat lover for sure. It has a more fine dining vibe, so if you’re feeling a little frisky and have a few more bucks to spend, I’m sure you’d love Mako!

That’s all folks! Thanks for reading my Patagonian post, and I hope it has helped you in planning your next trip to Argentina!

To read more about Argentina and South America, click here!

-VB x

What to know before traveling to Argentina – Top 9 Tips

Hola bitchachos and welcome to the top 9 tips to know before traveling to Argentina! I’ve visited Argentina mid-March, and I must say, it was one of the prettiest places I’ve seen. The weather was absolutely perfect – not that cold nor that hot, the city of Buenos Aires was not packed at all and lastly, the people were the friendliest and most hospitable than ever! The historical settings were utterly stunning, and well, I obviously can’t stress it enough, Argentina is literally a must-see destination!

One: Visa

Here’s a bonus! If you’re a member of the EU, Australia and US, you don’t need a visa to enter if your stay is less than 90 days. However, you do need a valid passport that won’t expire anytime soon. You’ll simply get a stamp on your passport and go about your vacay.

Two: Language

Like most Spanish speaking country, most of the habitants simply speak their mother language. That’s mainly because Spanish is amongst the most spoken languages in the world, making them relaxed in the sense that they don’t really have to know another language. However, that doesn’t apply to all, but it does applies to Argentina. Most of the locals we have encountered didn’t really know how to speak English, making it a bit hard to communicate. For this matter, I’d suggest learning a few words and phrases that will help you get by here.

Three: Money

The thing with money in Argentina is a bit… confusing. In some matters, they did accept any currency you’d give them, in our case; Euros. However, we were told that most places in Argentina only accepted either their local currency, Pesos, or US Dollars. I’d suggest you use their local currency since it’ll be easier for you to get what you pay for – especially when considering Argentina’s inflation rates.

Have some Euros or USD before you arrive there, and avoid exchanging that money at the airport. You can exchange that money at any exchange bureau (a.k.a. Casas de Cambio) and always take your passport with you. Oh, and one more thing, be aware of exchange fees! It is illegal to be charged with a fee for exchanging money according to Argentinian law.

Four: Connection

So here’s the dealio. If you’re coming from anywhere outside South America, then your network’s providers rates will most definitely be a bitch in Argentina – trust me. If you’re spending more than just a few days/a week there and can bare the withdrawal symptoms of being off the grid then kudos to you! Or hey – if your wallet can handle it then again, good for you! Otherwise, you can opt in to purchase a local SIM card by one of the three main providers; Claro, Movistar and Personal. However, according to the locals, Movistar has the best connection for Internet, and you can buy it at any kiosk or store. The good thing is that it works all across Argentina, so if you’re visiting any other place, it’s best if you purchase one.

Five: Crowds

This has got to be the best piece of information I can offer. Apparently, the best time to visit Buenos Aires, Argentina is during the weekend! Hooray for literally all visitors! This is because most of the locals either leave Buenos Aires for the weekend, or take long “down-times” thus empty-ing up the town! Although this might seem sad to some, as one would love to experience the authenticity of BA with all the locals, it definitely makes up for it with little traffic and a lot of sightseeing. We managed to see the “must-see’s” in BA in literally a day.

However, given the fact that the weather

Six: Taxis

There’s plenty of taxis available to your disposal to take you from point A to point B. Thankfully, it won’t be that hard to catch one at most hours of the day. Although not expensive at all, it is best to keep an eye out for that meter – some of the taxi drivers seem to not use it when they can tell you’re from abroad.

This, however, doesn’t really apply to the rest of the cities in Argentina like El Calafate and Ushuaia.

Seven: Buenos Aires

I was pleasantly surprise to figure that Buenos Aires isn’t as big as one would think. I mean, it is big, but not that big to get lost in it. In addition, the main attractions aren’t really far from each other, so if you’re in a hurry and have literally just one day to spend/devote to see the “must-sees” then it is feasible to squeeze all in just a day. To read about “What to do in Buenos Aires in 48 hours”, click here!

Eight: Markets

One thing I truly loved about Buenos Aires is their authentic markets. Whether it’s art you’re after, or food, or even local entertainment, you’d be sure to find them on various locations around BA. However, have in mind that these markets are only up and running during the weekends, so plan ahead. My personal favourite is hands down the most popular; Feria de San Telmo. For the best BA markets, click here!

Nine: Food

Last but most definitely not least, the food in Argentina. Although I was not head over heels in love with the local food, I did enjoy their traditional empanadas and their famous dulce de leche sweets. Empanadas are most commonly meat-filled pastries, but have a vegetarian option of cheese and onion. I truly suggest you try them, they’re literally everywhere. Also, don’t forget to snack on their dulce de leche sweets, they come in all shapes and sizes, and they have many variations of it such as ice creams and alfajores.

Furthermore, as we all may know, Argentina is also famously known for their steak. The traditional steak is rump, and for those of you who know about steaks, it’s a harder meat. As a former steak lover myself, I was eager to try an authentic Argentinian steak. To my surprise, I didn’t really like it, and I’d suggest you go with your typical steak type like fillet, rib-eye or what have you to be on the safe side. Maybe it’s just me, or maybe I had no luck in finding a proper good restaurant that serves a proper good steak. If that’s what you’re after, then perhaps ask some locals for their favourite places to steak dine. #SorryFolks.

That’s all folks! Thank you for reading this what to know blog post! I hope it has helped you with planning your trip to Argentina!

Read about my other South America blog posts here!

Thinking about visiting Cuba? Read my ‘What to know before visiting Cuba‘ here!

-VB x

Travel supplements must-haves for a guaranteed good time.

Hi bitchachos!

For some, traveling can be a real bitch. And one thing that will surely make it worse, is getting sick while you’re traveling. I can’t be the only one who has gotten sick whilst traveling, but ever since that happened, I always take extra precaution to ensure that that won’t happen again. Because trust me, you don’t want to get sick in a place that isn’t your home and the health care system isn’t top notch.

So without further ado, here are some of the travel supplements I always take on my trips to help my body bring its A-game.

Melatonin

One of my all time must-have travel supplements. Listen right here. I have trouble sleeping in general, let alone when I’m in a different environment and jet-lagged AF. Even if I’ve been traveling for the whole day, got exhausted and have serious lack of sleep, I can’t fall asleep easily. One thing I do is always carry Melatonin pills with me. For those of you who don’t know, melatonin is a natural hormone produced by the body when its dark to regulates your sleep cycles (a.k.a. prepares your body for sleep). Up to 3mg of these or a few drops can definitely help improve your sleep, and perhaps get you to sleep faster. Lord knows this has helped me on various occasions.

Find melatonin pills or droplets here.

Probiotics

Traveling around, tasting new cuisines and getting out of your comfort zone in terms of eating habits is a recipe to disrupt your gut and healthy bacteria. This can cause an upset stomach, constipation and in some cases, diarrhoea. Thus, ruining your whole vacation. Packing a healthy probiotic can definitely prevent spending hours in the bathroom and supporting a healthy gut! Consume up to two a day for best results!

I take one of these pills a day!

Elderberry

Jumping on and off from airplanes and changing climates causes your immune system to weaken and thus makes you more susceptible to catching bacteria and viruses. A rocking immune booster is elderberry and echinacea, so I always have Sambucol pills with me! I take these religiously and also prep for a couple of days before my flight. I’ve recently purchased this Pukka Elderberry and Echinacea tea, and I love it! I love making myself one when I wake up before the day starts!

Find Sambucol pills and Elderberry tea here.

Cranberry extract

Ok, this is mostly for the my fellow bitches out there, but other than help prevent a UTI, cranberry is a very good immune booster, is packed with antioxidants, fibre and vitamin C. But I mostly take it for the former reason because not all countries provide these at local pharmacies. Cranberry extract help me a lot, personally, when needed. So, if you’re prone to any problems, take one of these supplements a day. You wouldn’t want to suffer whilst on vacation!

Find cranberry extract pills here.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a no brainer. It will keep your energy levels up, as well as boosting your immune system to fight potential illnesses. I’m obsessed with the Berocca performance fizzy melt tablets which are sold everywhere in the UK. Two of these are like one effervescence, so you can take one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The good thing is that they taste amazing, and give you instant energy!

Find Berocca fizzy melts here.

Ashwagandha

If you’re anything like me, you know how stressful things can get and just… make you feel way out of place and disconnected. That’s anxiety for you. Ashwagandha has a lot of benefits, one of which can reduce stress, anxiety and depression. So when I’ve been traveling for a while, or am going to a land far far away that might cause me to have a full blown existential crisis, I like to prep myself with these to ease the whole “where-the-fuck-am-I-what-the-hell-am-I-doing-with-my-life” sitch from happening while being there. This, of course, is a natural remedy. If you’re having more severe anxiety problems, perhaps having a doctors prescription for something stronger might be more beneficial.

Although expensive, find organic Ashwagandha capsules here.

Thank you for reading this post, and I hope it has helped you with the essential travel supplements to plan your next trip care-free! However, please consult with your doctor before taking these. Just because it works for me, does not guarantee it will work for you too.

For more on travel tips, click here!

-VB x

BTS to my IG pics – what apps I use to edit.

Hi bitchachos!

I think the question I receive most often is what I use to edit my photos. Although I edit most of my pictures using Lightroom on my desktop nowadays, a fair share of my pictures are taken on an iPhone and thus edited with mobile apps.

This blog post covers my top 6 smartphone editing apps that I use to edit my pictures on IG. Most of them are free but you will have to purchase additional features on the apps to use them properly. Although it doesn’t cost a lot, I think that if your image game is taken on your smartphone, these apps are totally worth it.

Also, the majority of my old photos are edited with these apps, and I hope you enjoy playing with these as much as I do. Please bare in mind that perhaps your photos might not look perfect from the get-go. It takes time and practice to know what each tool does and how to properly use it, so try to be patient with it! It’s fun, trust me!

I’ll try to disclose what I use mostly on each app so you can get a better idea of why I use 6 apps. I don’t use them all all the time! But you know, anyway, here’s everything!

Snapseed

Probably one of my favourites. SnapSeed allows you to do so many things on the app, as well as adding filters. The tools section allows you to change itty bitty details on the picture, such as shadowing, grainy, vibrancy and selectively focusing on a certain part of the image that you’d like to enhance. The tools are not that hard to get to know, and so you’ll be able to use it with ease! Just download it, upload a picture and start experimenting.

Facetune

Facetune is kind of like AutoTune to tune your voice to sound good, but for your face. Haha, I know how that sounds, but apart from tuning your face, the app allows you to do other stuff too. Also, we all use this, let’s just be honest and own this facetuned AF era. I use FaceTune to make sure everything is proportional with angles and smooth my skin up cause baby got acne (sometimes). I also use it to boost colours – this is an amazing tool on colouring in and increasing vibrancy when a shot can’t really capture the actual colours of the surrounding.

VSCO

VSCO is probably the most used filter app on the market. This app has literally a hundred filters to choose from, however, you need to purchase most of them. I used to use this app at a point in my life, but not that much anymore. I used the A’s for more portraits, M’s and P’s for a more vintage effect and sometimes J’s. Those were my personal go-to’s once upon a time, and I think is the perfect app to download to get you started! There’s other tools in the app that will help you reach your kind of perfection, such as brightness, structure and temperature so all you need to do is just play around and learn how to use it!

LD

Lens Distortion is an app that literally does what it says; it allows you to distort lenses and add stuff in an image that will make it more IG friendly and give it that extra oomph! This means adding flashed light, or sun particles, rain and even snow. However, if you don’t use it properly, your image will look fake AF, so don’t go crazy with this app! Adding a few suns here and there will give your feed a little boost in its appearance. Also, try to make it subtle and blend it in properly, where the sun would normally be in! Take into account shadows!

CARBON

Carbon is the King of B&W photos. Here’s the deal. I don’t always use black and white images, however, when I love a picture but the colours don’t do it for me, or when I’m just feeling the mysterious vibes, Carbon is my go-to. You wouldn’t imagine how many different shades of B&W there are! I didn’t know it was possible. I’m sure you will all love this app, especially if you like B&W photography. It’s also free!

Lightroom

Lightroom is the queen of image editing. I’m not going to lie, it took me a fair amount of time to learn how to properly use it. Even to this date, I struggle while using it on my phone, but it’s in my top apps for sure. Lightroom is an Adobe app, and you don’t have to be a professional to use it. However, you will need some time to learn how to make a picture look extra IG friendly without over-saturating it (#guilty). This is the last app on the list because you don’t have to have it. All other apps mentioned can give you a similar effect to Lightroom. It is free, it is worth the hustle but if you’d just like to play around with images and aren’t looking to be dead ass serious about your feed, all other apps will do the trick!

Thank you for reading this post, and I hope you enjoyed it! I hope this has helped you out with your IG game!

To read more tips, have a look at my page here!

-VB x