Latest Posts
What’s the difference between a blogger and a journalist? This question has cropped up a lot recently, particularly with the recent case of Crystal Cox, investigative blogger, who was sued $2.5 million for libel because she wasn’t protected by the same defence that journalists receive when taken to court. It’s a question I’ve been thinking …
Sunset Sunday is in dedication to all the beautiful sunsets around the world. Sometimes we’re so busy that we don’t get the chance to really appreciate how gorgeous the sunset is so I’d like everyone to start noticing! Stop what you’re doing for a few moments and look at all the amazing colours of the …
It was another first in terms of our diving experiences, well two really because it was a shore dive and also a shipwreck. I really enjoyed doing the shore dive. I was a bit nervous because we’d read things online about how difficult it is getting in and out of the water because you have …
Welcome to the new feature on The Travel Hack called Weekender of the Week! Each week I’ll be bringing you a quick weekender idea to inspire your next weekend escape. This week it’s all about a weekend in the Algarve, Portugal. Most of us think of the Algarve as being a week-long destination. Of course, it’s a …
Sure, anyone can go to Cornwall or Devon surfing. But what’s the fun in following the beaten track? If you’ve a bit more grit to your grin and a tad more industry to your spirit, then about-turn on your kitten heels, my friend. Saltburn by the Sea, Cleveland, is riding a new wave of surfing …
How would you like free nights at a fabulous and luxurious hotel like the Marriott, Phuket in Thailand? Or how about free hotel nights in Costa Rica, perfect for nature lovers, scuba divers and beach lovers alike? Wouldn’t it be great if you didn’t have to enter a competition or spend months (possibly years!) saving …
Today’s post is all about Boston with an Insider’s Guide to Boston from Kristina from Kristina Gemella Travel. Let’s start with an little introduction to Boston… Located in leafy New England, Boston is one of the wealthiest, oldest and most influential cities in the whole of the United States. Founded in 1630, there’s plenty …
Will Peach is one of the site editors over at Gap Daemon, the gap year travel community website for backpackers and gap year travellers that I’m also working for. Breaking into the travel sector as a budding young writer or editor can be tough. Securing an internship is the first step on the ladder. But …
I’ve been studying journalism for 3 months now but I’m starting to wonder if the course will ever help me to be a travel writer? Journalism is a strange topic to study. It feels a bit like reading a text book to become a chef. Is it really something that can be taught in a …
If you’ve been following along with The Travel Hack you’ll know that I’ve partnered with Lumix and I’m a Lumix 4K photo ambassador. Many of you have been asking exactly what 4K photography is, how it works and if it’s something everyday photographers might be interested in? My big, fat answers to this is YES! …
Hanoi is an assault on the senses. Women sheltering from the sun in full length anoraks buzz around on mopeds in 40 degree heat, beeping to announce their presence. Freshly barbecued pork crisps and sizzles on food carts at every turn, and tropical birds hang in cages above shop windows, shrieking for their freedom. There …
At the end of last summer I took my favourite family holiday of the year. It was a one-week glamping adventure in France staying at three different Les Castels campsites around the country. Before this trip I’d never heard of Les Castels, but I was soon to discover that Les Castels is a family holiday …
Flights are often the most expensive part of travel and most of us are after the cheapest flight deal we can find. In my previous posts about how to travel more, I recommended booking as many flights as you possibly can in January and filling up your travel calendar for the year. January is a …
Today on the blog I’m sharing my guide to visiting Budapest for free. Sometimes affordable city breaks can be boring as there’s not much to do there but Budapest is not one of those cities. To help you along, I’ve put together a list of the 16 best free things to do in Budapest, just …
Hold up a minute. A weekend? In Menorca? Hmm, that’s probably something you hadn’t thought about before. But with short and affordable flights from the UK combined with a small and easily accessible island, there really is no reason why you can’t visit Menorca for a long weekend. Actually, there’s no reason why you wouldn’t …
If you’re looking for the best things to do in Menorca, then look no further. For a comprehensive local’s guide to Menorca, complete with things to see, do and try while you’re on one of Spain’s Balearic islands, read on: I’m a firm believer that no one is more qualified to give you a guide …
I’ve just returned from Almaverde eco-village on the Western Algarve. This was a traditional ‘sun, sea and sand’ kind of holiday and my third trip to the Algarve in three years. I’ve been coming out with Sam and my parents since George was born (and I got to an age where I realised my parents …
“Is this whole place ours? The whole thing? Nah, it can’t be.” We’d followed the directions James Villas had sent us perfectly. We’d even put the address into the satnav in our hire car to make doubly sure we didn’t get lost. Yet here we were, sat outside a Portuguese mansion and wondering where we …
I wasn’t planning on blogging about my recent holiday to Portugal. It was really my parent’s holiday and I tagged along with George to enjoy a relaxing week in the sun. It was one of those gorgeously chilled out weeks where I enjoyed long lie-ins, breakfast in the sunshine on the patio, mornings lazing by …
You guys all know how much I love glamping. I love being in the great outdoors whilst still having a few little luxuries that make it cosy and comfy. It’s great to stay in quirky and unique glamping pods, treehouses, yurts or safari tents but sometimes a good old fashioned tent has to do. If …
I am so excited to say that we’re finally in our new home. After nine long months of very hard work, we’ve renovated our house and moved in. You can see my last posts to see what kind of a state it was really in: We’ve bought a house! The house renovation project 8 …
Ever since I began travelling way back in 2009 I’ve been looking for a camera that is small: lightweight and easily portable with all the awesome features and image quality of a bigger DSLR. For the past 3 years I’ve been shooting on a Canon 70D and I’ve loved it. I’m not a professional photographer, …
I would say the key to a successful adventure or trip away is usually in the planning beforehand. Researching and planning ensures you make the best use of your time and money, so that you aren’t faffing around when you get there and you aren’t being ripped off either. But it’s not just hotels, road …
I arrived into Nîmes as the sun was going down. The golden light reflected off ancient Roman buildings, the warm air carried smells of dinners being served closeby, and the square I walked through to find my hotel was filled with strolling couples, laughing kids and a couple of older ladies laughing together on a …
Not many places do the whole “old meets new” vibe better than Edinburgh. There’s so much to love about this city: gothic glamour, friendly locals and all the major landmarks in walking distance. A thriving culture and arts scene explodes in August in time for the world-renowned Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and the urban centre is punctuated …
Thailand is one of my favourite counties in the world. It’s a bold statement to make when there are so many incredible places but there aren’t many that could beat Thailand to the top of the list. I know it’s an old cliché but Thailand really does have everything. Bangkok is a chaotic but exciting …
Today I’d like to introduce you to an awesome audiobook app I’m addicted to. It’s called BookBeat and is like Netflix for audiobooks and is a total game-changer for bookworms who don’t have time to read. I know I’m not the only person who’s yearly resolutions include ‘read more books’. Each year I promise myself …
I wrote this post last year, ‘10 things I wish all hotels had‘. It’s about all the silly mistakes hotels make and the little details that make a hotel stay either bland or brilliant. I’ve stayed in a lot of bad hotels and I think that all these bad experiences could be used to create …
A lot of people dislike digital photography because we have a habit of taking photos, uploading them to our laptops and then never looking at them again. They sit in their well-organised folders, gathering virtual dust, never to be seen again. Sound familiar? This happens with some of my photos – but there are a …