All the latest from Aimée at I Dream of Mangoes |
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Thank you for reading my second-ever newsletter from I Dream of Mangoes - A vibrant and honest travel blog. Season - September, October, & November | AUTUMN 2024 Read on to find out all about my autumn travels, and where I Dream of Mangoes is headed next season, plus this quarter's travel tips and travel news! This newsletter's featured destination is Koh Lanta - a Thai Island bursting with charm and the perfect place to escape the winter blues. |
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Paddle Boarding off Relax Bay, Koh Lanta |
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This autumn's plans were thrown into a spin when our big move to Australia was pushed back to December at the last minute. This gave me the gift of 3 extra months of travel, flying it solo with a tight budget. I immediately felt drawn to my regular haunt of Cherai Beach in Kerala, where I rented a cute little villa for £10 per night and zipped around the backwaters on a moped whilst volunteering at Cherai Tails. I visited a few new places in Kerala too, including the fantastic Munroe Island and the pink lilies of Malarikkal Village. I also wanted to explore somewhere new, so I chose Northeast India, a pocket of seven states snuggled between Bangladesh and the border with Myanmar, and one of the country's least visited regions. From these seven states, I visited Assam, the land of emerald tea plantations and the rhino-filled Kazaringa National Park, Arunachal Pradesh, where I travelled two days along treacherous mountain roads to stay with the Monpa Tribe, and Meghalaya, the rainiest place on Earth famous for its living root bridges created by the Khasi people. Be sure to look out for travel guides and stories coming soon to the blog. In the coming days, I will cross the border into Bangladesh, one of the most densely populated countries in the world, for a whirlwind tour of the North finishing in the chaotic capital city of Dhaka, ranked as 'the world's most unliveable city'. Articles about all these places will be coming soon, but in the meantime check out My India Travel Guides. |
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The Kerala Backwaters at Munroe Island, Kollam. |
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The Monpa Tribe in Chug Valley, Arunachal Pradesh. |
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The pink lilies of Malarikkal Village |
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Where is I Dream of Mangoes Off to Next? |
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So December ACTUALLY takes us to Australia, where we will be living (and travelling) for 12 months. This gives us time to refill the coffers after more than 2 years of full-time backpacking and also acts as a jumping-off point for the next adventures, which will hopefully feature China, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea. This will be my Third Working Holiday Visa in the land down under, where I will return to Sydney after 10 long years to work as a Sommelier. You can expect plenty of Aussie-themed guides, including the best road trips and visits to local wine regions! |
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Mission Beach, Queensland, Australia 2016 |
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This Quarter's Travel Tips & Travel News |
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Travel News Kerala has started the Malinyamuktham Navakeralam Janakiya Campaign, which aims to make Kerala trash-free by March 2025. This is a huge step in the right direction for a state filled with naturally stunning places but also currently strewn with garbage. Go Kerala! Bali puts a temporary ban on building any new hotels and clubs, expected to last for the next 2 years. Tourism in Bali has swelled far beyond capacity, so if you're thinking of going there on holiday - perhaps consider going somewhere else! WIZZ Air has introduced an 'All You Can Fly' yearly package, but upon further digging it IS too good to be true. There is a £10 surcharge for every flight, you will be the first to be bumped if the flight is full, and it doesn't cover every route. I wouldn't bother! Pakistan has drastically changed its visa system, and as of August this year, citizens of 126 countries (including the UK) can now apply for a free eVisa for 90 days!
Travel Tips Always travel with new, crispy, clean American Dollars. They are internationally recognised and exchanged, so can be used in emergency situations. It will also save you from hunting for an ATM for half a day in more offbeat places (Iraq, Cuba etc). that accepts your card - and you'll save on withdrawal fees!
Pack a laundry soap bar - I use Fells Naptha and I like to wash my own underwear at the very least. I also recently discovered a Scrubba - which is an amazing product that acts as a laundry bag and a little washing machine, and it only weighs 150g - it is ideal if there is not a clean sink or bucket around for you to wash your clothes in. When flying, the person in the middle seat gets both armrests, I only learnt this recently but apparently it is the silent rule!
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Featured Destination: KOH LANTA |
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Koh Lanta's beaches are beautiful! |
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Koh means 'island' in Thai, and Lanta is located in far south Thailand off of the west coast, not too far from the border with Malaysia. Most people describe Koh Lanta as 'chill' and they would be completely right. Lanta is popular with Scandinavian tourists, but there is an eclectic mix of visitors and even in high season it doesn't feel too busy. Most of the island is still undeveloped, but there are plenty of things to do in Koh Lanta if being a beach bum is not your style. Some of the things we got up to were paddleboarding, visiting the elephant sanctuary, taking a longtail boat to the smaller (and paradisical islands), scuba and snorkelling, canoeing through the mangroves, live music gigs, and sundowners on the sand. I have been to Koh Lanta twice, for 6 weeks each time, and I can easily see why the same people keep returning year after year. The beautiful beaches, cracking sunsets, easy-going Reggae vibe, delicious food, and rustic feeling all coalesce into Lanta's unique charm. With the awesome work of Lanta Animal Welfare, all of the animals on the island are happy too. Winter is the perfect time to explore Koh Lanta. November sees a mixture of rainy and sunny days as the wet season tails off, and tourists start trickling in during December. By Christmas, it is high season, the prices go up too but it is still affordable, and you have a glorious sunny window all the way through to April. Shoulder-season lovers (like me) can enjoy Koh Lanta in November and early December. For more details on planning a trip to Koh Lanta, check out my travel guides:
A Guide to Koh Lanta & The Trang Islands The Best Things to Do on Koh Lanta Where to Stay on Koh Lanta & Koh Lanta's Best Beaches The Best Places to Eat on Koh Lanta. |
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Travel & Volunteer Opportunity: Lanta Animal Welfare |
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Lanta Animal Welfare is a shelter that runs a very successful and widespread sterilisation programme and they take in cats and dogs who have been injured or abused and find them adopters. They need volunteers all year round, mainly for dog-walking, there is a small fee to volunteer and they will assist in finding accommodation for you near to the shelter. I have volunteered there twice, it is an amazing experience! | | |
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