Bhutan is a country landlocked in the Himalayas that’s one of the most extraordinary and expensive places to visit. There’s a (now reduced to) $100 a day fee to be in the country and a lack of flights that keeps the masses from visiting. Because of the logistics many people who do want to visit Bhutan, end up having difficulty finding reliable information about it.

You can watch the video above and read the summary below for the most common questions.

Yes, There Really Is A Fee

There’s a $100 a day Sustainability Development Fee (SDF) charged of all foreigners (except for a much reduced version for Indian citizens). You pay the SDF when you apply for the visa, which is around $60 on its own. (It has an infamous 500 error.) You can then book your flights and make the arrangements for a trip and I recommend you look for flights first. (Don’t book just yet.) Bhutan has only one international airport in Paro (here’s where to stay) with only two national carriers flying there – Bhutan Airlines and DrukAir.

There are only flights from a few countries in the region, like India and Thailand, so make sure to have a good idea of your route first as the journey may be longer than you initially anticipated.

A Guide Is Required

There is a lot of confusion about this requirement online and the video above goes in depth. Briefly though, yes, you do need a guide to visit Bhutan with you at all times. Enforcement varies but basically, to enter many of the major tourist sites and temples, a guide is required. You’ll need one to enter any parks too. It’s a requirement Bhutan has in place to protect tourists from the difficult terrain and unpredictable weather.

You can watch these videos to see how the guide requirement is put into practice at various locations. Although technically required, you’ll be able to grab dinner in town without a guide or go to a shop on your own with issues in most cases.

The Bhutanese Department of Tourism has a list of licensed guides though you may also want to hire a licensed driver as well. Sometimes those two overlap but in other cases, you’ll need to hire two people to get around the country.

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There’s a good chance if you’ve been traveling for any length of time that you’re better at it now than you were in the past. Each trip represents an opportunity to refine your packing habits, shave off a few minutes at the airport, and find the best airfare deals. What you want to do is identify some common blind spots in your travel strategy that can set you back as you move forward.

These are 10 common travel mistakes you shouldn’t make.

1. Booking Too Far In Advance

Purchasing plane tickets at the very last minute carries some risks (not finding a ticket) and rewards (getting a great deal). The opposite is also true however, booking too far in advance can lock you into unnecessarily high airfare.

2. Never Using AirBnb or Hotels

In some cases one or the other can be better. Limiting yourself to only hotels or vacation rentals can have you missing amenities, deals, and a more local experience. Search both and find out which might be best for you on every trip.

3. Airport To Accommodation

Even people who don’t like to plan should have a good idea on how to get from your arrival point to the place you’re staying before you get there. You’re most vulnerable to scams, overpaying, and losing time with all your luggage while you wait around trying to figure out how to call a cab. foXnoMad Podcast guest Laurie Woolever‘s book World Travel: An Irreverent Guide has details for many major cities worldwide.

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4. Over-Packing

Put all the stuff and clothes you’ll need for a week. Anything more means you’ve packed too much stuff you won’t need or can’t just get at your destination.

5. Not Using Mileage Programs

One flight is enough to warrant using a mileage program. Here’s how to make the most of them and since most program miles never expire, they can add up, even if you fly infrequently.

For the remaining 5 travel mistakes (some of my personal favorites on the list) check out the video here.

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Getting to Bangladesh can be a bit confusing since a lot of the information about visas, safety, and culture found online is conflicting. For those of you looking for a short, straightforward guide to visiting Bangladesh, this is it.

Visas

For those of you arriving through one of the international airports, Bangladesh offers a visa on arrival for many Western nation citizens, several Asian countries, and others in the Middle East. It’s the easiest way to get a visa and you can check if your country is on the list here. The fee, which needs to be paid in cash is around $50. The process at the airport though is very, very slow and takes approximately 30-45 minutes if you’re at the front of the line.

I’d recommend you get there as quickly as possible (power walk!) so you have less waiting to do. It will also save you a bit of time to have a print out of you travel itinerary in and out of the country – otherwise you’ll lose time having to email it to the desk, wait for them to receive it, review, and give you final approval.

For everyone else, you can apply for a visa to Bangladesh ahead of time.

Where To Stay

Bangladesh has a variety of hotels across different budgets so finding good accommodation shouldn’t be too difficult. There aren’t many tourists heading to visit Bangladesh either so you can find good deals on nice hotels at better rates than even nearby countries. In Dhaka, the Intercontinental is a luxury option but there are plenty of others and home-stays in small villages and towns across the Bangladesh.

Safety In Bangladesh

For all of the recent news regarding Bangladesh’s mass protests it might be hard to imagine Bangladesh is a relatively safe and welcoming place for travelers. Aside from common sense advice like watching your bags in crowded places, being aware of the traffic where crossing the street can be borderline insanity inducing, Bangladesh is a hectic but hospitable place to visit. It’s certainly not for everyone and experienced travelers feel more at ease, but not so chaotic that it ruins the travel experience.

It’s also worth mentioning the people are friendly and inquisitive, in fact Bangladesh might have the least camera-shy people I’ve met. Everyone wanted to take photos or appear in my videos and I felt more like a guest than a tourist. Bangladesh is moving toward becoming a country on the cusp for travelers but if you want to have a little adventure and see the best day trips, now is the time to visit.

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The Turkish Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) recently banned several popular eSIM providers. These changes could make it more difficult for you get mobile data in Turkey, so here’s what you need to know.

What This Ban Is

The Turkish government did not ban eSIM technology or all eSIM providers, just these 7, so far:

• Airalo
• Alosim
• BNESIM
• Holafly
• Instabridge
• Mobimatter
• Saily

More may be added to this list but for now, you can still use any eSIM provider not listed if you’re already in Turkey.

Outside Of Turkey

You can still use the Turkish-banned eSIM providers if you purchase and activate your eSIM for Turkey before you enter the country. Purchase your eSIM while outside of Turkey, then activate it the day before you arrive in the country to maximize the time on your eSIM plan. You data plan will still work provided you activate your eSIM before entering Turkey.

Already In Turkey?

Other than using an eSIM provider not on the banned list, you can also use a reliable VPN to access the eSIM online shops. Purchasing has been confirmed and in most cases, activating your eSIM (assuming your VPN is on the entire time during the process) should also work. It may take longer than usual (e.g. 5 minutes) however. Still, if possible it’s best to purchase and activate outside of Turkey to be sure or use a non-banned eSIM for now.

The video above covers why the ban may be happening and what could be some of the next steps for the Turkish government and the eSIM providers.

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You may have seen recent videos like this one from London, England where brazen thieves on e-bikes snatch people’s smartphones out of their hands in broad daylight. It’s a quick crime that’s been reported over 73,000 times in a recent 12 month span. Despite the headlines though it’s an classic crime and the tactics to avoid it are nothing new.

What’s Phone Snatching?

Phone snatching is a type of theft that’s just what it sounds like: someone grabbing your phone out of your hands and making off with it. In London the increasingly common tactic is several thieves working together on e-bikes in busy areas who quickly and quietly come up on someone texting, talking or just holding their phone. It’s a quick grab and by the time you notice they’re speeding away down the street.

Phone snatching also occurs on metro platforms where thieves can grab your phone just as the doors close. Again, the tactics is snatching, whether it’s a phone, purse, or backpack so here’s how to protect yourself.

Avoid Being A Phone Snatching Victim

There’s often a spotter looking out for people texting, talking, or simply walking with their phone held in hand. The crooks are looking for distracted people so the first line of defense is when you’re not using your phone, keep it in your (front) pocket or purse. When you need to text or make a call “pull over” away from the center of the sidewalk so there’s some physical barrier like a way on your back. This cuts off the angles someone can attack you from or just have a look around and get to a less crowded spot.

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Same thing goes for when you’re taking photos. When you are looking at your phone it’s most vulnerable so try to be mindful of what’s going on around you. Also, knowing where phone snatching rates are highest in London can help you increase your own awareness.

What To Do If Your Phone Is Snatched

Now if your phone does get snatched make sure to report it as soon as possible. Then, as quickly as you can, log into Find My Device on Android or iCloud for iPhone to mark your device as lost. You’ll also want to update your phone service carrier as well. If your phone was unlocked when it was snatched then be sure to change all of your passwords as soon as possible. That includes email, iCloud, social media, and cancel all of your credit cards and report them stolen if they were on your phone through Google or Apple Pay. I would also let your friends and family know in the meantime that your phone was stolen and to ignore any suspicious calls or texts from you until you’ve had a chance to reset all of your passwords and get a new phone.

Prevention is key to avoid being in this situation so no matter where you are in the world, be mindful when you take out your smartphone, know the local areas more prone to snatching theft, and create a backpack security system.

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