soul of travel

Black Travel Culture

Calendar of Events

Black Cruises

Black Colleges

Black Museums

Philadelphia Photos

Richmond Photos

Boston Photos

Black Towns

150 Black Travel Guides with Curated Photos, Articles, Maps, Tips & Deals

U.S. Cities & Hawaii

Baltimore / Washington

Los Angeles

Miami / Fort Lauderdale

New Orleans

New York City / Brooklyn

Philadelphia

San Francisco / Oakland

• More Destinations

Caribbean & Mexico

Havana, Cuba

Cancun, Mexico

Montego Bay, Jamaica

Nassau, Bahamas

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Punta Cana, DR

St. Martin-Sint Maarten

St. Thomas, USVI

More International

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Bangkok, Thailand

London, United Kingdom

Madrid, Spain

Paris, France

Rio de Janiero, Brazil

Rome, Italy

South Africa

Toronto, Canada

Featured Black Culture Partners

General Resources For Black Travelers

Ground Travel Toolbox

Car Rental Numbers Best U.S. Highways for Driving

Amtrak Acela High Speed Rail California High Speed Rail Las Vegas-SoCal High Speed Rail Interstate High Speed Rail Needed Amtrak City of New Orleans VIA Rail Canada Rail Europe

Air Travel Toolbox

Flight Tracker SeatGuru Airline Seat Maps TSA: Carry-on Rules for Liquids TSA: What Can I Bring TSA: ID at Checkpoint TSA: Travel w/ Medical Conditions

Alaska Airlines UNCF Commitment Top-Rated Airlines in the World Top-Rated Airports in the World

Other Resources

COVID Travel Restrictions Abroad

U.S. Passport Requirements U.S. Embassies Abroad International Travel Tips

Top-Rated Travel Credit Cards

U.S. Weather Map Caribbean Weather Map Europe Weather Map

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

Cookie and Privacy Settings

We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.

Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.

We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.

We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.

We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.

Google Webfont Settings:

Google Map Settings:

Google reCaptcha Settings:

Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:

Last updated on June 7th, 2023

WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST FAMILY MEMBER

Soul of travel podcast, “soul of travel” podcast and journeywoman amplify women’s voices in travel.

The award-winning podcast “Soul of Travel”, hosted by Christine Winebrenner Irick, has joined the JourneyWoman family, creating a powerful forum for women to share their wisdom and inspire meaningful change in travel. (Read the official announcement and watch our video here). 

Created in 2020, Soul of Travel honors the passion and dedication of people making a positive impact in the tourism industry. Each episode features the stories of women who are industry professionals, seasoned travelers, entrepreneurs and community leaders. Now in its fourth season, Soul of Travel has over 120 episodes with guests such as Celine Cousteau, Norie Quintos, Nikki Vargas and Lola Åkerström and Sara Mansouri.

Soul of Travel honors the passion and dedication of women making a positive impact in tourism. In each episode, you’ll hear the story of industry professionals, seasoned travelers, and community leaders who know travel is more than a vacation. It is an opportunity for personal awareness, and it is a vehicle for change. We are thought leaders, action-takers, and heart-centered change makers.

You can expect to hear tips and tricks to make sustainable travel easy, how best to travel the world, and learn about the types of travel experiences you can have to improve your mental health and spiritual wellbeing.

As we evolved, we began to focus on ways we can empower women by sharing our personal journeys and travel stories. As guests share their often winding road in their career journey, we can see that life is, in fact, more about the journey than the destination. We find that each piece is crucial in shaping the woman we will become and in achieving our dreams.

Whether you want to explore the world full-time, plan a road trip or hear some of our sustainable or meaningful travel tips we are confident you will find value in this women’s empowerment podcast.

Carolyn Ray and Christine Winebrenner Irick

Support us: Subscribe now to the Soul of Travel Podcast

About the Host, Christine Winebrenner Irick

Christine Winebrenner Irick was recently named one of “2023’s Most Influential Women in Travel” by TravelPulse. She received a Bessie Award from Wanderful in 2022 for her work on Soul of Travel, being recognized as a brand that has gone above and beyond to support, empower, and represent women in the past year.

She has spoken with over 100 women in many countries who are working to create a positive impact around the world. Some of these past guests include Vincie Ho, Paula Vlamings, Malia Asfour, Norie Quintos, Celine Cousteau, Kinga Philipps, and Jessica Blotter.

She is also the Founder of Lotus Sojourns, where she creates and guides transformational journeys for women that support gender equity.

Christine has three daughters she loves to explore with and plans to spend a year traveling the globe with them from June 2023-June 2024.  She loves to read and considers that an extension of inner and outer journeys.  She grew up in Montana and is happiest when she finds herself sitting near crystal clear water at the base of a mountain with sunshine on her face. 

183 episodes

Join Christine Winebrenner Irick each week as she shares her passion for creating an impact as you travel. Learn how to become a more educated and intentional traveler. These soulful conversations honor the passion and dedication of women who are tourism professionals, world travelers, and leaders in their communities, all making a positive impact in tourism. We learn how travel has changed them and how that ripples out as they work to improve the world. We are thought leaders, action-takers, and heart-centered change-makers, and this is the Soul of Travel.  Presented by JourneyWoman and Lotus Sojourns.

Soul of Travel: Women's Wisdom and Mindful Travel Christine Winebrenner Irick, presented by JourneyWoman

• Society & Culture
• 5.0 • 35 Ratings
• JUN 4, 2024

Curating Purposeful Cultural Exchange through the Arts with Geetika Agrawal

In this episode of Soul of Travel, Season 5: Women's Wisdom + Mindful Travel, presented by @journeywoman_original, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Geetika Agrawal.Geetika is a designer, avid traveler and founder of VAWAA: Vacation With An Artist. She discovered her love for learning and travel during her early college days when she spent her summers working with local artisans in small towns of Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu in India. As she traveled to countries around the world, she s...

• MAY 28, 2024

Fostering Women’s Leadership in Adventure Travel with Kathy Dragon

In this episode of Soul of Travel, Season 5: Women's Wisdom + Mindful Travel, presented by @journeywoman_original, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Kathy Dragon.Kathy has over three decades of experience spanning every facet of the travel industry and continues to believe in the power of travel to bring about positive change in the world. Since she began in the travel industry in 1987, Kathy has been involved in over a dozen startups, with limited success and extensive personal lea...

• MAY 21, 2024

Evolving the Outdoor Travel Industry with Sharon Houghton

In this episode of Soul of Travel, Season 5: Women's Wisdom + Mindful Travel, presented by @journeywoman_original, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Sharon Houghton.With over 15 years of experience in the media and Outdoor industries, Sharon is a sales and revenue leader who oversees notable brands and leads a robust team of creative, results-oriented, and passionate people. As the SVP of Sales at Outside, Sharon is focused on delivering results that impact the organization and its ...

• MAY 14, 2024

Getting Back to Yourself with Amanda Riffee

In this episode of Soul of Travel, Season 5: Women's Wisdom + Mindful Travel, presented by @journeywoman_original, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Amanda Riffee.Amanda is an Internationally Certified Executive Coach for Women. She is a thought leader and event speaker with a business degree and 17 years of corporate experience. Amanda is also the host of the Unleashing You with Amanda Riffee podcast, a happy wife, and a mom of two. Her mission is to help women unlock their mindset...

• MAY 7, 2024

Paradigm Shifts for Creative Female Leaders through Travel with Dee Gibson

In this episode of Soul of Travel, Season 5: Women's Wisdom + Mindful Travel, presented by @journeywoman_original, Christine hosts a special soulful and unscripted conversation with Dee Gibson.Dee is an award-winning British Sri Lankan designer and hotelier. She built Kalukanda House in 2017 to reconnect with her heritage. Dee has a vision to create space for women to use their voices. She believes that there is a wealth of talent and dynamism in Sri Lanka and that we should reframe the way w...

• APR 30, 2024

Live Your Life as an Adventure with Alice Morrison

In this episode of Soul of Travel, Season 5: Women's Wisdom + Mindful Travel, presented by @journeywoman_original, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Alice Morrison.Alice is an author, adventurer, and TV presenter living in the heart of Morocco. For the first 8 years of her life, Alice got to run free in the African Bush, roaming around the foothills of the Mountains of the Moon in Uganda, hunting tadpoles and running away from snakes. She studied Arabic and Turkish at Edinburgh Univ...

• © 2024 Soul of Travel: Women's Wisdom and Mindful Travel

Customer Reviews

Love love love.

This podcast is amazing! I am so glad I discovered it! The episode with the author of Beyond Guilt Trips was fantastic. It really got me excited about travel again.

Amazing concept!

As a mom, I’m limited on my ability to travel these days. Listening to this podcast has reminded me about the importance of traveling to my spirit. Thank you for such a reviving resource!

Dynamic show

I really enjoy the fresh perspective of this show The conversations are always interesting . This is a much needed show, the topics are right on point. Thank you so much for the great work you are doing !!

Top Podcasts In Society & Culture

You might also like.

The Golden Rules of Solo Travel

By Olivia Morelli

The joys of traveling solo are endless. It is freeing to explore new places alone—you can go where you please, eat when you want, and enjoy quality time with yourself uninterrupted. The interest in solo travel has been slowly rising for a while, in tandem with the desire for deeper, slower, more connective trave l. For many, solo travel is the perfect way to achieve this—it provides an opportunity to trust your instinct, go with your gut, and get lost in the experience. You rely on yourself rather than on others’ whims or desires.

But, if you’re not a seasoned solo traveler, it can be a daunting prospect. In an age of constant connectivity, the idea of being alone for an extended period of time is stark. Below, we spoke to travelers who frequently book solo trips about their golden rules for traveling alone.

Dining alone isn’t weird

For most people, the thought of dining alone is one of the biggest barriers to traveling solo. But once you get past the conviction that everyone is noticing or judging you, it’s a totally freeing experience. “Dining alone isn’t as uncommon as you might imagine,” says Estée Lalonde, a creative director and influencer with a passion for solo travel. “I personally find it empowering! Sometimes I bring a book with me or watch an episode of my favorite show on Netflix with my headphones on, but other times I just enjoy the atmosphere and end up chatting to the people at the table next to me.”

Book counter dining at restaurants if it's too weird for you

If you are someone who does feel uncomfortable about dining alone, opt for a bar or counter seat. It’s much less intimidating than having a whole table to yourself, and you are more likely to end up chatting to the staff or the person sitting next to you. "The first time I went out for a meal alone, I went to JG Melon on the Upper East Side of New York City ,” Sarah James, Condé Nast Traveller ’s deputy digital editor, says. “I took a book, and nervously shuffled onto a bar stool for my burger—but ended up chatting away to the charming bartender and the women sat next to me. Now I often opt for a counter seat when eating alone, and no longer take a book with me. Either I end up talking to someone or just enjoy the peace. A general rule I live by—we're all so wrapped up in our own lives, no one is paying much attention to other people."

Consider a hostel

Not only are hostels affordable, but they're also great places to meet fellow travelers—whether they're in the same solo boat as you or not. Many have a cheap bar onsite that allows you to fall into natural conversation with compatriots who may become friends, or at least will have great tips for things to do.

Fake it till you make it

Most people feel nervous about meeting new people, and introverts especially struggle to make the first move when in a new place. But remember that everyone is in the same boat, and most solo travelers will have experienced those same emotions. The first five seconds are the hardest, but once you’ve introduced yourself, you’ll quickly realize it wasn’t as big a deal as you originally thought. You’d kick yourself if you let a bit of shyness ruin your trip, so use that as the motivation you need to approach a fellow traveler. And remember, if you present with confidence, that will show—fake it til you make it is a reliable life rule to follow.

Never consolidate all of your assets

“This is a lesson that I learned the hard way after getting pickpocketed in a crowded Jerusalem marketplace,” says global digital director Arati Menon, “I had stupidly carried all my credit cards and cash with me—luckily no passport!—in a single wallet and as a result, had no way of paying the hotel bill later that day when I checked out. Now, I always split my cards and cash (and IDs) across various places: wallet, purse, luggage—and if possible, store at least one of these in a locked safe back at the hotel.”

Don’t fear loneliness

“Remember that a bit of loneliness can be bracing and character-building,” says Toby Skinner, Condé Nast Traveller ’s features director. “My experience traveling is generally that people are decent, kind and interesting—and you found that out most acutely by being alone (whereas everyone leaves couples well alone.) Some of my most memorable travel experiences have been on my own—like when I was stranded in Nanjing at 2 a.m. by a delayed train in 2001, and a local student let me bunk in his dorm room for the night.”

Take the train

“While even the most extroverted of travelers avoid chit chat like the plague on a plane, I have found traveling by train to be a much more social means of transport," says associate editor Hannah Towey. "Last summer, I traveled solo on the Amtrak Coastal Starlight from Santa Barbara to San Francisco and spent the entirety of the 9-hour journey in the communal observation lounge, where fellow travelers rotated in and out, sharing tables and playing cards while admiring the views. As the sun set on the second half of the trip, a few musically-inclined passengers formed an impromptu band complete with an acoustic guitar and mandolin. Word slowly spread and others trickled in from other parts of the train to take turns singing songs in different languages. It might take a few more hours than a flight, but who knows, you might even find the Ethan Hawke to your Julie Delpy and spend a spontaneous evening together in Vienna.”

Plan around cultural events

Arriving at a destination just as the locals are gearing up for an important cultural event can be an incredible way to immerse yourself straight away. Look up religious festivals, bank holidays, and street parties to see what time is best to visit and plan accordingly. You’ll get a real flavor of the people, the food, and even the music, and you might end up making friends along the way.

Research solo travel in your destination

As obvious as “do your research” sounds, it’s an important step to remember. Look at online forums and speak to people who have previously visited the destination. What safety precautions should you be taking? Is it safe to walk between locations, or is it better to use taxis? Are taxis easy to find? What is the destination's culture like after dark? For women, in particular, it is best to plan ahead to avoid getting stranded in remote neighborhoods after dark.

Have a rough plan for each day

It can feel daunting waking up in a brand new destination and not knowing where to start, so make sure to create vague itineraries for your trip. What are your non-negotiables in this destination? Any big attractions you want to tick off? Restaurants you’ve been desperate to try? Beaches you’ve always wanted to visit? “I like to have 3-5 little activities in mind for each day, like visiting a particular store or trying the local cuisine,” Estée tells us. “If you have a bit of direction you can leave space in between each activity to be spontaneous and discover the local area.”

Build in group activities

Booking tours and group events is a great way to meet other travelers. Most hostels have a list of activities available for guests to sign up for, and if not, then there are walking tours or live music events at local bars. “Try to see people as opportunities," Toby advises. “I'd build in communal activities to your itinerary and remember that you’ll probably never see these people again, so you have nothing to lose in almost any interaction and possibly a lot to gain—though there might be a touch of male privilege in that.”

Walk as much as you can

“Sometimes when I travel to a new place, I can be nervous to leave my bed as a solo traveler,” Estée admits. “As soon as I get outside and start walking I feel better—like I’m part of the city and that I belong there!” Exploring by foot is a great way to get to know the bones of a destination. You’ll soon create a mental map of the area nearest your accommodation and might stumble upon some hidden gems you wouldn’t have come across otherwise.

Allow yourself to be spontaneous

On that note, try to allow yourself some spontaneity. Having a rough plan is definitely advisable, but don’t stop yourself from following your gut if you have a sudden urge to pop into a shop, follow the sound of the crowds or head for the beach. It’s often the spur-of-the-moment decisions that result in the best experiences.

Bring good books

It’s easy to whip out your phone and rely on scrolling when you’re by yourself, and while that is a great way to decompress if you’re feeling jittery, there are few things more romantic than settling in at a street-side cafe and getting lost in the pages of a good book .

Bring a journal

Journaling has become a popular pastime of late, and keeping a travel journal is a great way to combine the mental health benefits of getting out your thoughts and feelings with the memories and emotions of traveling solo. “I find all of that time alone enables me to clear my head, and journaling is a great way to regulate those emotions,” Estée explains.

Keep a separate copy of your personal details

Sounds old school, but in lieu of printing out paper copies of all your bank details, phone numbers, and accommodations details, try keeping a document of all your information and emailing it to yourself. This way, if you lose your phone, you can ask the reception of your accommodation or staff at a hotel/restaurant/bar to borrow a phone and log into your email account to access anything you need. It’s also worth memorizing your card details and any emergency phone numbers (both personal and local emergency service numbers).

Take other safety precautions

There are plenty of ways to protect yourself when traveling alone. Sharing your location with your friends and family back home is a lovely way to keep in touch without having to actually message them—they can watch your journey from afar and keep track of your whereabouts if you haven’t contacted them for a while. Remember to bring a padlock for your backpack and lockers if you’re staying in hostels, and study basic phrases in the language of your destination, just in case you get lost and need some help.

Don’t forget insurance

There’s always something that doesn’t go to plan on any trip, and as a solo traveler, you’ll want to make sure you mitigate any stress that comes from changing itineraries. Buying travel insurance is the best way to protect yourself from any transport cancellations and unforeseen circumstances, and will cover any costs from injuries or thefts. Sounds scary, but it’ll be worth it if the worst happens!

A version of this story originally appeared on Condé Nast Traveller .

By signing up you agree to our User Agreement (including the class action waiver and arbitration provisions ), our Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement and to receive marketing and account-related emails from Traveller. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

How To Soul Travel – Everything You Need to Know!

Soul travel is travelling without physical limitations to another realm where you become one with God or the higher consciousness. Soul travel is often likened to a near-death or an out-of-body experience where the traveller becomes transformed. A soul traveller can become his/her best version since they receive powerful insights on their journeys from their spirit guides and angels. Soul travellers can also solve complex problems in real life, gain clarity, and live their lives to their fullest potential.

If you think soul travel is difficult or complex, think again. With the right tools and techniques, you can consciously direct your soul’s energy to travel wherever it wants to go. Learn to visualise and meditate so you can achieve your life’s dreams.

Table of Contents

What is Soul Travelling? 

Soul travel, as mentioned above, is an out-of-body experience where the traveller’s conscious body leaves his/her physical body and travels to a different realm. Many religious practices and scriptures have described soul travel in detail.

Soul travellers describe their experience as leaving their physical bodies and floating or hovering over them. They report meeting entities (including angels or the deceased) and visiting different locations they have never physically been to. They gain profound insights from these travels and can solve complex problems in real life.

It is believed that Nikola Tesla, Einstein, Edison, and other great inventors all soul-traveled which helped them solve complex scientific problems.

What Happens In Soul Travel? Is It The Same as Astral Projection?

People often confuse soul travel with astral projection. In reality, the two are very different. Astral projection is done with the help of the astral body (also called the subtle body or the energy body), whereas soul travel involves the light body. In astral travel, the subtle body leaves the physical body (either through lucid dreaming or meditation), but the traveller remains aware of her/his physical body.

In soul travel, you travel with your light body . It involves raising the vibrations so you are at the same frequency as the highest source. You achieve this through unconditional love. The main difference between astral and soul travel is that, in soul travel, the light body also encompasses the astral body and the traveller does not remain aware of his/her physical body. 

Here are some experiences you could have during soul travel:

• Sense of separation – you might get a sense of detachment from the physical body. Some people report floating or hovering over their physical bodies.
• Visit to different realms – Soul travellers report visiting different realms and dimensions. These realms have a dream-like quality. 
• Encounters and meetings – a soul traveller might meet different entities and spirit guides on their travels. These could be angels, deceased loved ones, and spirit guides. These entities guide the traveller and give him/her a deep insight into any answers they seek.
• Loss of time – soul travellers often lose the sense of time as time is not linear during these journeys. 
• Heightened perception – soul travellers experience bright and vivid colours, sounds, and sensations they have never experienced in real life.
• A deeper understanding of the self and heightened spiritual awareness – soul travellers often get deep insights into questions about their higher purpose and report having a spiritual awakening. They get a deeper understanding of reality and their true nature and selves. They come back with greater wisdom and knowledge.
• Lasting bliss – once the soul traveller comes back to the physical realm or back into the body, they feel joy bubbling from their core. They report feeling a high, not very different from an orgasm or climax. This joy bubbles through their being and every cell. Life becomes beautiful.

What Are The Benefits of Soul Travel?

Soul travellers often experience several benefits in their spiritual, personal, and professional lives. Anecdotal reports suggest that the practice could have the following advantages:

Deeper Understanding of The Self

Soul travel can connect you with the divine consciousness. This helps you become aware of things and concepts beyond the physical realm. A soul traveller could experience expanded consciousness and get a deeper understanding of the self, life, and the interconnectedness of all things.

Spiritual Growth

Soul travel can lead to spiritual awakening and growth. The traveller gets to explore realms beyond the physical. Many travellers encounter their angels or spiritual guides, who help them gain insights into the nature of existence and the afterlife.

Physical and Emotional Healing

Since travellers gain insights into their bodies and minds, they can heal themselves from diseases and emotional trauma. They get connected with their spirit guides, who guide them into spiritual, physical, and emotional healing.

Alleviated Fear of Death and After-Life

Death is one way of soul travelling (since the soul leaves the physical realm after death). With soul travel, you get to experience the concept of heaven without dying. Travellers get an understanding of the continuity of life and with the help of their angels, they can accept the cycle of life and death. Many travellers also report meeting their deceased loved ones, which fosters a sense of love and connection and brings immense peace and happiness.

Personal and Professional Development

Astral and soul travel can help you develop empathy for all those around you. They give you an understanding of the fact that we are all connected through a higher consciousness. This helps you see people and relationships in a different light. This can help you develop amazing relationships. 

Furthermore, soul travels encourage creativity, problem-solving, and intuition. They can help you solve complex issues and give you a greater sense of empowerment. These enhanced skills can also help you in your professional life.

Lasting Joy and Bliss

Soul travels allow you to have unique and beautiful experiences. You get to journey to different planes and exciting places. These mental adventures can give you a “high” without drugs and eternal bliss and joy that extend into your daily life.

What is the Importance of Soul Travel?

Soul travel is important because it gives an individual insight into his/her true purpose. It helps them view humanity with greater empathy. At the core of soul travel is unconditional love. This unconditional love can help human beings connect and look beyond race, gender, and other differences.

By journeying beyond the confines of the physical body, soul travellers get deeper insights into human existence. They explore facets of themselves that might be hidden in the routine of everyday life. This quest for understanding often leads to greater alignment with personal missions, values, and a sense of purpose.

Soul travel can help human beings see the interconnectedness of life. Through soul travel, humans can develop a deeper appreciation for the shared human experience – which can promote love, compassion, and understanding.

At the core of soul travel is unconditional love, which transcends ego and judgment. It can help provide a profound sense of unity and bliss. Imagine if every human got this experience; we could perhaps solve wars and conflicts with compassion, kindness, empathy, and understanding.

How Can I Soul Travel?

Step 1: chanting a mantra.

Mantras are sacred sounds or phrases used to focus the mind. Some practitioners receive mantras from a guru or spiritual master. If you don’t have a guru, you can use commonly used mantras like “Om” to help centre your thoughts and create a meditative state.

Step 2: Setting Intention

Clearly define where you wish to go or what you aim to explore during the soul travel experience. It could be a specific destination or a realm you wish to visit. Focus your mind on this destination.

Step 3: Meditation or Concentration

Engage in meditation or concentration practises. This involves sitting quietly, relaxing your body, and calming your mind. Concentrate on your breath or a point of focus. You can also do guided meditations available online. We will discuss some meditation techniques later in this guide.

Step 4: Listening to Inner Sounds

As you meditate or concentrate, listen for inner sounds, particularly those related to the mantra you are chanting. The goal is to attune your awareness to these subtle inner vibrations or sounds associated with the mantra. It is not just about hearing with your physical ears but also perceiving these sounds within your consciousness.

Techniques for Soul Travel

Different meditation techniques have helped people transcend to other realms:

Guided Light Meditation

This meditation is aimed at activating the crown and root chakras while invoking unconditional love. 

• Find a quiet, comfortable space to sit or lie down. 
• Close your eyes and take deep, calming breaths, allowing your body to relax completely.
• Take your attention upward to your crown chakra, located at the top of your head. Visualise a loving golden light here. With each inhale, imagine this light intensifying, opening up your connection to higher consciousness (the source) and divine love. Feel a sense of spiritual expansion, transcendence, and connection to the universe.
• Imagine this light travelling down to your root chakra, located at the base of the spine. Imagine the chakra glowing red and light expanding with each breath, grounding you to the earth. 
• Allow the light to enhance feelings of security, stability, and a sense of belonging. Feel the connection to the earth’s energy and unconditional love supporting you.

Two Pyramid Technique

• Find a comfortable seated position. Close your eyes and take several deep breaths to relax.
• Visualise a pyramid-shaped energy field inside you. Imagine the base of the pyramid resting at your hips, extending upwards, with the tip reaching your crown chakra (top of the head).
• Imagine another pyramid within your body, with its base at your heart and its tip pointing downward, grounding into the earth. Continue deep breathing while holding this visualisation.
• Visualise a golden, loving orb of light encompassing both pyramids. Feel this radiant light fill your entire being with unconditional love and warmth.
• Imagine the pyramids and the golden orb of light spinning gently and harmoniously. As they rotate, visualise this loving energy expanding and permeating your entire body, infusing every cell with pure, unconditional love.
• Extend this feeling of love beyond yourself, sending it out to envelop the entire planet. Visualise the Earth bathed in this golden light, radiating love and healing energy to all beings.

Third Eye/Pineal Gland Activation

• Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
• Close your eyes and take several deep, calming breaths. Relax your body by releasing tension with each exhale.
• Bring your attention to the area between your eyebrows, often referred to as the third eye or the location of the pineal gland. Visualise deep indigo or purple-coloured energy centre in this area.
•  Imagine a bright, radiant, loving light or a glowing ball of light at the centre of your forehead, activating and energising your third eye.
• Focus on your breath. Inhale and exhale naturally while directing your attention to the third eye area. Imagine the breath flowing in and out of this centre, cleansing and energising it.
• If needed, chant your guru mantra or Om/AUM.
• Allow your mind to become still and observe any sensations, images, or insights that arise without attachment or judgement. Be open to receiving messages or guidance.
• See unconditional love flowing through your body. Send this love to the planet.

 Build a Daily Practise

Practise these techniques daily. You can also do reality checks to see if you are dreaming or awake. These checks can help you enter lucid dream states, which help the astral body and light body travel to different realms.

You can also visualise a scene from your past while changing something in that scene – like wind blowing or people moving, etc. 

Keep your vibrations high while keeping up with the daily chanting, visualisations, and meditations. 

Key Takeaways – How To Soul Travel

Soul travel is a method of realising your soul’s true purpose or discovering your true essence or true self. 

To perform soul travel, you need to build a daily meditation practice, such as chanting your guru mantra given to you by your spiritual teacher or master. You also need to practise raising your vibration through unconditional love. Meditate on your pineal gland or use the two-pyramid technique. Do these practises daily and you will surely realise your true essence.

Soul Travel FAQ’s

What is Soul Travel?

• Soul travel refers to the intentional journeying of the soul outside the confines of the physical body, exploring realms beyond the ordinary.

2. How is Soul Travel Different from Astral Projection?

• While astral projection often involves exploring the astral plane, soul travel is a broader concept, encompassing journeys through various spiritual dimensions.

3. Can Anyone Learn to Soul Travel?

• Yes, with practice and dedication, most individuals can develop the ability to soul travel. It requires honing spiritual awareness and deepening one’s connection to the soul.

4. Are There Specific Techniques for Soul Travel?

• Techniques may vary, but common approaches include meditation, visualization, and energy work. Finding what resonates best with you is crucial.

5. Is Soul Travel Safe?

• When approached with respect and positive intent, soul travel is generally considered safe. However, it’s essential to be mindful and follow spiritual principles during the practice.

6. Can Soul Travel Enhance Spiritual Growth?

• Yes, soul travel is often seen as a powerful tool for spiritual evolution, providing profound insights, expanded consciousness, and a deeper understanding of one’s spiritual path.

7. How Long Does It Take to Master Soul Travel?

• The timeframe varies for each individual. Consistent practice and patience are key. Some may experience progress sooner, while others may take more time.

8. Can Soul Travel Be Used for Healing?

• Many practitioners believe that soul travel can contribute to emotional, mental, and even physical healing by accessing higher states of consciousness and divine energy.

9. What Role Does Intent Play in Soul Travel?

• Intent is fundamental in soul travel. Clearly defined and positive intentions guide the journey, ensuring a purposeful and meaningful experience.

10. Are There Risks Associated with Soul Travel?

• While risks are minimal, individuals should approach soul travel with responsibility. Maintaining a strong connection to the physical body and staying grounded are essential precautions.

Related posts:

Related Posts

From Fragility to Ultimate Perfection: The Hidden Meaning of a Broken Bowl

The Surprising Spiritual Significance of Finding a Rosary

The Joy of Travel – 20 Reasons Why Travelling is Good for Your Career, Personal Growth and Soul

By Author Rossi Thomson

Posted on Last updated: 5th September 2022

Categories Lists , Travel , Travel Experiences

Travelling seems to be the buzzword on everybody’s lips these days.

With cheap flights and options that vary from short city breaks and luxury staycations to round-the-world trips, it has never been easier (or more affordable) to pack a bag and go. For a day, a weekend, a week, a month or even more.

Seeing amazing architecture, admiring centuries-old pieces of art, tasting new foods and accumulating memorable experiences to last you a lifetime becomes a quasi-addiction that you are only too happy to feed.

I call it The Joy of Travel .

In other words, that indescribable feeling you get when you make the first step on a new journey to discover yet another portion of the world. It doesn’t matter if the journey is of a thousand miles or much, much less. What matters is that it makes you feel alive.

Yet, soon the people around you (like parents, employers and close friends) may start questioning your choice to travel.

• Why do you spend so much money on travelling ? Don’t you have a mortgage to pay?
• Why do you need to go there when you have all that you may want at home? Did you know that they don’t sell marmite in shops abroad?!
• Why do you need to go on another city break this year? Haven’t you already been to three?
• Why are you dragging your kids to yet another museum with art by people we have never heard of? Don’t you know that kids simply want to play?
• Why did you take a sabbatical instead of concentrating on your career?
• Why there is a gap in your CV? It seems like you value having fun over working hard.
• What if we hire you and then you leave our company in order to travel more?

These are all difficult questions that everyone who loves travelling has been pressurised with. At least once. Often, countless times.

Yes, on the surface, regular travelling may seem disruptive to an established daily routine which includes family obligations and a good job. It is also draining in terms of money and paid vacation time.

Yet, travelling gives you so much more in return. From the deeply satisfying feeling of being connected to other people and the world to an improved skill set and higher stress threshold.

So, in order to help you deal with those nagging and niggling questions about your travel habits which you may be getting from friends, relatives, colleagues and your (current or potential) boss, here are twenty reasons why travelling is actually good for you.

Read on, enjoy, and use as appropriate!

The Joy of Travel –

20 reasons why travelling is good for your career, personal growth, and soul, 1. travel helps you hone your decision-making skills.

With so many options in terms of travel, you quickly learn to make complex decisions about where to go and when, what accommodation to book and what sights to see. You know that you can’t cram it all into a couple of days, so you precision-pick what you are interested in and what is not your cup of tea. You learn to have at all times several variables in mind. For example:

• money – how much you can afford to spend on accommodation, food and sightseeing;
• distance – how far from your point of interest you can stay; and
• time – how many hours you have at your disposal at each place on your schedule.

The more you travel, the more you hone your decision-making process.

Sooner, you find it easier to make decisions with regards to everything else in your life. At work, this streamlined approach and the ability to juggle several variables and different outcomes is what sets you apart from the rest.

2. Travel Helps You Develop Your Research Skills

Research is a big part of both study and work processes nowadays. The ability to research new ways to do things and having the skills to find out what your competitors are up to can be the decisive factor between failure and success. Both in business and your personal life.

Well, have you noticed how much research you need to do everytime you plan a trip?!

From finding the best tickets in terms of time slots and prices to discovering those hidden gems that all the other tourists miss, a well-conducted research is at the basis of your successful trip.

You can easily transfer your research skills from your travels to your job: monitoring industry leaders’ websites for promotions, discovering blogs and articles by local experts, unearthing little-known bits of information both online and in print.

Research helps save money and find valuable data. Being good at research will take you to the forefront of your field.

3. Travel Helps You Learn to Better Communicate Your Expectations

You can’t be reticent when you travel, especially if you travel as a couple or as a part of a group.

Failing to tell your partner that you really, really want to visit a particular sight may lead to your not seeing it all. People rarely are able to read minds and get tired of always having to ask you what you want to do. Plus, you usually have limited time at each destination. And, once you have left it, you may never have the chance to go back.

So, you quickly learn to communicate exactly what you want to see and do during a particular trip.

Making your expectations clear is a valuable skill in any work environment. It puts everybody on the same page as to what needs to be done and achieved. It also helps prevent conflicts or misunderstandings as no-one likes to have to second-guess what people around them think.

4. Travel Helps You Develop Your Negotiation and Compromise Skills

All this is very good but what happens when you and your travelling partner expect different things from a trip (assuming that you communicated them clearly to one another – see point 3 above).

This is when you soon develop your negotiation skills. You agree to do one thing as long as they agree to something proposed by you. You suggest that you are happy to go to the sea, but it would be nice if next year they come to the mountains with you.

Or, if everything else fails, you both agree to spend a bit of time apart. So, you go to the museum you have always wanted to see and your partner relaxes by the pool all morning book in hand.

It’s all a question of achieving mutually acceptable compromises. Which make travelling so much more enjoyable.

Being a good negotiator can open many professional doors for you. From being able to negotiate the best salary and perks for yourself to being in control during a difficult meeting with a supplier, it all comes down to seeing what the other party is offering, knowing what your limitations are and then marrying both as best as possible without you or the other side losing face.

5. Travel Helps You Fine-Tune Your Organisational and Scheduling Skills

Once you have settled on a destination, it’s time to begin the planning stage. Soon, you become a master of compiling complex schedules. After all, you want to experience the joy of travel to the max. So, even after a strict elimination process, you still pick to do many, many things within one day. In all honesty, back home it would take you weeks to complete the same number of activities.

Still, anything is possible, you reassure yourself. You can definitely:

• arrive early morning;
• drop your stuff at ‘Left Luggage’ at the train station;
• queue (while the queue is still tiny) to climb to the top of Bruneleschi’s dome of the Gothic Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore;
• spend a moment in the adjacent Baptistry;
• walk up to Accademia, pick your pre-booked ticket and simply fall in love with Michelangelo’s David;
• then walk down to Palazzo Vecchio and Piazza dei Signori;
• admire the statues in the Loggia della Signoria;
• pick your pre-booked tickets and spend a spellbinding hour and a half in the Uffizi Gallery;
• walk down to Ponte Vecchio to see the views and the goldsmiths’ shops;
• then pop down to Michelangelo’s birth house followed by a quick visit to the Cathedral of Santa Croce in order to see the tombs of some of Italy’s most notable sons;
• have a sit-down meal at a local restaurant tucking into some Tuscan delights;
• pick your luggage and get on the train to Pisa that same evening; and
• book into your hotel for a good night sleep.

Based on a day I planned for myself and spent in Florence, Italy some years ago. It all worked like a charm and was interspersed with lots of gelato-eating, photo-taking, and window-shopping, too.

Even if your travel style slows down with time, this ability to organise your day and schedule activities in an organic manner (taking in consideration local opening times, the influx of tourists and the walkable distances in town) is a valuable skill.

Being organised, efficient and able to set up and follow a schedule is something to be proud of and it certainly helps a lot both in your family and professional lives.

6. Travel Helps You Be More Flexible and Think on the Spot

Things happen when you least expect them. This seems especially valid when you are on the road.

Last summer our flight from Treviso, Italy to Stanstead, England was canceled just past midnight.

What to do? We spent the night at a hotel (paid by the air company) and in the morning we travelled close to four hours to Bergamo where we were placed on another plane. Then, in accordance with the legal framework, we claimed compensation and, after several phone calls and emails, were paid a small amount for our troubles.

It was inconvenient, unpleasant, and very, very hot. We were travelling with a small child and some rather heavy luggage. But there was nothing we could do to make the plane come pick us up from Treviso airport. Instead, we adjusted ourselves to the situation and managed to reach England after all.

The ability to be flexible is highly valued. Knowing that in spite of your best efforts and adherence to plan, things can still go wrong, will free up space in your mind to think on your feet. This way you are able to react according to the actual circumstances rather than in line with what you want to be happening right now.

7. Travel Helps You Understand the Power of Money and Budgets

Two euros (or pounds) for a coffee doesn’t sound that much. A new top and a new bag are the order of the day when you need a little bit of cheering up. Unfortunately, these spontaneous expenses quickly add up and then you wonder why you are always short of cash towards the end of the month.

When you really want to travel and have amazing experiences, you soon realise that the only thing that stops you from doing it is not having enough money. After all, transport, insurance, accommodation, and food are not free.

Hence, you soon start not only to save any spare euro that you have but also to judge the necessity of each purchase through the prism of your travel plans. A new pair of earrings for 10 euros?! This equals your food budget for a day in a far-flung place.  A night out on the town costing you at least 50 euros?! This may buy you a slightly more comfortable hotel room rather than having to stay at a hostel again.

In other words, you quickly learn to prioritise your purchases and to meticulously budget for your time abroad.

On the other hand, once you are at your destination, you are only too aware that not sticking to your daily budget can be the difference between having a great time and finding yourself in financial trouble far away from home. With no immediate support network to help you along, spending above budget 20 euros frivolously every day may be the difference between eating the last few days of your trip or not.

Being good with money and being able to stick to budgets are highly valuable skills both in personal and professional plans. At a time of overconsumption and of companies cutting corners only too willingly, being able to show that you are a dab hand at prioritising expenses and saving money may be your strongest feat.

8. Travel Helps You Sharpen Your Eye for Bargains

In this financial line of thought, travel can also help you develop an uncanny ability to spot a bargain from a hundred feet.

Buying a combined ticket for three sights will save you one third of their individual prices? Done! Waiting for the sales in order to get a new cabin-size suitcase and save 50% off its original price? Excellent!

At the same time, you soon start to differentiate between a real bargain and a false one.

Buying something in a package may not always translate into financial savings. Especially, if due to lack of time, you only end up doing one of the pre-paid things.

Real bargains are great not only for the money you save but also for giving you that fabulous feeling that you have gotten extra value against a portion of the full price.

Knowing the shortcuts and the techniques for achieving bargainous prices will help the budgets of both your family and your company. This will earn you praise and more available money to spend on other (hopefully travel-related) stuff.

9. Travel Helps You Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

People tend to stick to what they know. Be it other people, fashion styles, and even places.

This is why being the newcomer in a tight-knit group can be such a daunting prospect. And why some people tend to spend their every holiday over thirty years at the same resort.

When you embrace the joy of travel for what it really is, i.e. exploring the world and its many different faces, rather sooner than later you need to get out of your comfort zone.

• You may need to get up really early in order to catch a plane. Even though you may not be an early riser at all.
• You may need to approach people and ask in a foreign language (and mainly with your hands) how to get from point A to point B. Even though you are anxious just thinking about talking to strangers.
• You may need to get your point across when you are unhappy about a service. Even though you are non-confrontational to a fault.

Travelling gets you places and most of them are beyond the confines of what you know. Being able to navigate the unknown is a valuable skill and state of mind.

It makes you more self-assured, more confident, more open to the world.

Well-based confidence can give you a competitive edge and get you far ahead on your career path.

10. Travel Helps You Find Creative Ways to Overcome Obstacles

Obstacles may present themselves at any time when you travel.

It could be:

• luggage not arriving at the same time as you;
• weather that is not as nice as the forecast promised;
• large crowds visiting the same sights as you even though the travel guidebook that you read promised that they were off-the-beaten-track.

It could be anything, really. For example, many people come to Italy expecting it to be always sunny and nice outside. But here (especially in Northern Italy) it rains and even snows. So, what to do when you imagined sun-soaked walks, gelato in hand, but instead you are faced with a downpour.

Well, instead of locking yourself in your hotel room and complain on social media about the injustice of it all, you put your creative hat on. You capitalise on things that the country is famous for and which are weather-impervious. Like Italy has lots of thermal baths and spas, large expos, cooking classes, great indoor places for children to play, and so much more that can be done inside (see the full list here , in fact).

This ability to come up with creative solutions to obstacles which may threaten to derail your plans will come in handy in your professional endevours, too. Capitalising on your travel experiences, you may be the person to come up with an out-of-the-box suggestion as to how to overcome a problem your company is facing.

11. Travel Helps You Learn How to Mediate Between People

When you travel with other people (family, colleagues or friends), sooner or later there will be a situation which will make everyone jump against everybody else.

One of your group wants to go to the beach and another wants to shop?! Cue an argument that can spoil the whole day.

Stepping in with a calm head and mediating between people can dissipate the stress. Allowing everyone to express how they feel and setting up firm but fair rules for a respectful exchange is a difficult task but someone has to do it. If you accept the challenge and don’t let emotions rule, everyone will be thankful and much happier at the end of it all.

Mediation is a valuable skill. Knowing when to let people talk and helping them express themselves in a constructive manner will earn you kudos at work and at home.

12. Travel Helps You Expand Your Horizons

Have you ever thought that your country has the best art, the most interesting history and the best looking and most hospitable people?

Well, travel can change your set ideas about the world.

You may come to realise that people have different ways to do the same thing. That certain foods taste better abroad. That every country has unique nature, beautiful art, and lovely people. Just like yours.

This enriches your soul and makes you more appreciative of things which before you might have easily dismissed.

Travel helps you expand your expectations of the world. Hence, you are better prepared to work in a multicultural environment and have a stronger foundation to deal with a team with diverse cultural norms.

13. Travel Helps You Experience a Sense of Purpose and Achievement

In a world overloaded with information which makes us question how happy we are with what we have, travel can bring us closer to that elusive feeling of feeling content.

There is nothing better than the sense of achievement after a long day of exciting sightseeing when, in a short amount of time, you have seen so much.

Be it a visit to an art gallery to enjoy the company of the Old Masters. Be it a hike through a gorgeous place. Be it a food tour savouring your way through the flavours of a nation.

Travel can really make you feel purposeful and full of energy. After all, travelling for most people equals achieving their dreams of seeing certain fabled places and experiencing them for themselves. There is nothing better than having your dreams become reality.

Having this sense of purpose and achievement makes you a happier, calmer person, too. And it propagates into all of the different spheres of your life.

14. Travel Helps You Develop Your Interests

Chances are you travel to places that interest you in order to see things that interest you, too.

Often, lost in the stress of daily life, the first thing we forget to take care of is our hobbies and our personal interests. We may not notice it at first, but making time for them becomes more and more difficult when faced with a demanding family and job.

Travel may be the only chance we get to reconnect with what is important to us.

I used to have a very stressful, high-power job that kept me chained to the computer up to 12 hours a day. Monday to Friday with the weekends often taken over, too. Going on short breaks to Italy to experience its art, food and sun helped me stay sane. Just knowing that Venice was only two hours away from London and that I could easily get there and see all that artistic beauty was enough to give me a bit of respite.

Other people travel in order to practice their photography, to eat new foods, to develop their artistic skills.

When we are too caught in our daily lives, travel opens a little bracket allowing us to re-centre on ourselves, to think about what we want to do with our lives. It also gives us the impetus to start making the changes we need in order to focus more on our own interests (both creative and purely personal).

15. Travel Helps You Awaken Your Creativity

Faced with the exuberance of the world, your heart and your soul soon begin to need to be surrounded by colour and excitement every waking moment.

It could be something as simple as buying colourful fabrics and authentic souvenirs abroad in order to give your home a touch of happiness and creativity.

Or, it could be that after a while you may begin to feel a desire to replicate on home turf the wonderful things that you’ve seen on your travels abroad.

For example, many people are inspired to start a business after falling in love with a particular destination. From importing its food to organising trips to it – the sky is the limit when you feel the creative sparkle in your soul.

I started my blog Rossi Writes led by my excitement of having just moved to live in Italy . Three years later I am still at it and writing has been a great outlet for me during moments of feeling bleak and down.

16. Travel Helps You Get Physically Active

In a world where spending all your time in front of a computer is an acceptable way to lead your life, travel gets us moving.

Getting from point A to point B requires that we leave the house and get on a plane (or train, car, boat). Then, once at our destination, we use our feet to get to know it.

By walking around we see the most exciting, most beautiful things. It could be a walk through a museum; it could be a hike through a stunning landscape. The important thing is that we use not just our mind, but also our body in order to experience the world.

17. Travel Helps You Test Your Resilience to Stress

Being able to work under pressure is a basic job requirement these days. We are supposed to be able to juggle several things at once both at work and home. Obviously, without breaking a sweat.

Travel is the perfect school to test and increase our resilience to stress.

Starting with expecting the unexpected and learning to deal with it, and ending with mastering the communication process with people from different cultures and with different attitudes, travel throws at us many curveballs at any one time.

It may feel scary at the start, but you soon adapt yourself to it all. From learning that eating on your own at a restaurant is not an insurmountable task to not expecting that everything and everyone has to stop to tend to your needs. Travel is character-shaping and -strengthening.

18. Travel Helps You Become More Aware of Health and Safety

At home you may be living in a safety bubble guaranteed first by your parents and then by your partner and/or community. Travel can shift your perspective about the world.

Soon you learn to read people and situations better and to make decisions based not on emotions and fleeting wants but on how safe the experience will be. You learn to keep your guard up. You realise that you are in charge of your decisions and your belongings.

You stop seeing yourself as a fragile flower that needs constant supervision and help. Instead, you act as a grown-up person who can stand up for herself and judge a situation based on observed and perceived dangers.

From simple things like deciding where to eat based on hygiene to much more complicated situations when you need to decide in a split second how to extricate yourself from some potentially unpleasant circumstances, you learn to trust your sixth sense. To appreciate how safe the environment is and to take only measured risks.

19. Travel Helps You Appreciate What You Have

At the end of a trip (be it of several weeks or a day-long) there is nothing better than getting back to your own bed. At least for me.

Having witnessed what the world has to offer – from its most beautiful, most inspiring offerings to its (sometimes) darker side – you begin to look at home with different eyes.

You may have been unsatisfied with your lot in life, but having seen how other people live (and still smile no matter what), you learn to value so much more what you, yourself, have achieved.

What you have may not be loads, but suddenly just it being there, waiting for you to return, becomes a driving force.

Travelling is great! Having something or someone to return to is what gives you roots.

20. Travel Helps You Feel More Connected

Travelling – actively exploring new places and learning about them – makes you feel more connected with the world as a whole. You observe and learn how other people, other cultures live. And through the contact with them, you connect better both with your inner self and those around you.

Through the different experiences you have abroad you learn more about yourself – what makes you tick, what makes you happy and what makes you sad. Through this knowledge, you feel more committed to yourself as a person, more willing to stand up and fight for your dreams.

Through the positive experiences you accumulate when you travel, you feel more engaged with humanity. More open to other people, their stories and their point of view.

And this connection, this feeling of being alive, of belonging is what gives us the strength to continue forward.

Thank you for reading! Please, leave me a comment, pin the image below or use the buttons right at the end to share it on social media.

For more stories like this you can follow me on  Facebook  and  subscribe  to my weekly strictly no-spam newsletter.

angeladowdy

Friday 22nd of January 2021

Hi Rossi, I am so impressed with this article! Would you possibly allow me to use some quotes from this ...I'm writing an article about The Joy of Discovery through Travel ! I would certainly give you the credit. Also you can have a look at my website https://embracesouthernstates.com/ (focus on Southern USA). Exciting to find a soul who shares my JOY !!

Dear Angela,

Thank you for your comment and for your kind words about my blog post. You are very welcome to place a link to my article in your writing. Unfortunately, I don't allow direct quotes in line with the advice of the copyright attorney who helped me after a large number of my blog posts and photos were stolen. Thank you for your understanding.

Best wishes,

Sunday 24th of February 2019

Wow....amazing article, Rossi! Absolutely loved it! Spot on, insightful, so well written - I’d always thought travel was good for the soul and fostered personal growth (not to mention aiding in understanding people of other cultures which in turn promotes PEACE), but until reading your article I didn’t realize in just how many ways it can make you a better, stronger, smarter, more self reliant person! Travel rocks! And it’s sooo much more fun than sitting in a classroom... Also, I agree with all your “20 Reasons” and found myself thinking several times, “...that is SO true! I never thought of it that way...” when thinking about my own experiences with travel. Travel is a marvelous teacher. I’m so glad I found your blog.

Monday 25th of February 2019

Thank you for your very kind words, Lisa! I am glad that my blog post resonated with you. I wrote it very spontaneously and had a lot of fun putting it together. It's nice to know that somebody else finds it interesting. Best wishes,

Sonia M Checchia

Friday 27th of April 2018

I can't tell you how much I love this article. Thank you.

Saturday 5th of May 2018

Thank you very much for your very kind words. I really enjoyed writing this blog post. :) Best wishes, Rossi

Sharing is Caring

Help spread the word. You're awesome for doing it!

What is Soul Travel? The Science and Spiritual Aspects of Out-of-Body Experiences

What Is Soul Travel?

Have you ever felt like you were somewhere else, even though your body was physically present in another location? If so, you may have experienced soul travel. Soul travel is the phenomenon of a person’s soul or consciousness leaving their body and traveling to another location, either in this world or in another dimension.

Soul travel is a fascinating and mysterious phenomenon that has been reported by people from all cultures and time periods. While there is no scientific evidence to support the existence of soul travel, there are a number of anecdotal accounts that suggest that it is possible.

In this article, we will explore the concept of soul travel, examine the evidence for and against its existence, and discuss the implications of soul travel for our understanding of consciousness and reality.

“`html

Soul travel, also known as astral projection or out-of-body experience (OBE), is the belief that the soul or consciousness can separate from the body and travel to other realms or dimensions. Soul travel has been a part of human culture for centuries, and there are many different theories about how it occurs.

Some people believe that soul travel is a natural phenomenon that occurs when the body is in a state of deep relaxation or meditation. Others believe that it is a spiritual experience that can be achieved through prayer or other religious practices. Still others believe that soul travel is a paranormal phenomenon that can be induced through hypnosis or other means.

No matter what the cause, soul travel is a fascinating phenomenon that has captured the imagination of people for centuries. In this article, we will explore the history of soul travel, different theories about how it occurs, and the evidence for and against its existence.

History of Soul Travel

The idea of soul travel can be found in the religious and spiritual traditions of many cultures around the world. In ancient Egypt, for example, it was believed that the soul could travel to the afterlife after death. In Hinduism, the soul is believed to be capable of traveling between different realms of existence. And in Buddhism, the concept of astral projection is used to explain how the Buddha attained enlightenment.

In the Western world, the idea of soul travel was popularized by the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg in the 18th century. Swedenborg claimed to have had out-of-body experiences in which he traveled to other worlds and dimensions. His writings inspired a number of other spiritualists and mediums who claimed to have had similar experiences.

In the 20th century, the interest in soul travel continued with the work of parapsychologists such as Dr. Raymond Moody and Dr. Elisabeth Kbler-Ross. Moody’s book, Life After Life, documented the near-death experiences of hundreds of people who claimed to have had out-of-body experiences. And Kbler-Ross’s book, On Death and Dying, explored the different stages that people go through when they are facing death.

Today, the interest in soul travel is still strong. There are a number of organizations and websites dedicated to the subject, and there are even workshops and retreats that offer people the opportunity to learn how to have out-of-body experiences.

Different Theories of Soul Travel

There are a number of different theories about how soul travel occurs. Some of the most common theories include:

• The separation theory: This theory holds that the soul is a separate entity from the body, and that it can separate from the body during sleep or meditation.
• The energy theory: This theory holds that the soul is a form of energy, and that it can travel through different dimensions or realms of existence.
• The holographic theory: This theory holds that the soul is a hologram, and that it can project itself into different dimensions or realities.
• The dream theory: This theory holds that out-of-body experiences are simply dreams, and that they do not represent a real journey of the soul.

There is no one definitive theory about how soul travel occurs. However, the different theories offer a glimpse into the different ways that people have tried to understand this fascinating phenomenon.

Evidence for and Against Soul Travel

There is no scientific evidence to support the existence of soul travel. However, there are a number of anecdotal reports from people who claim to have had out-of-body experiences. These reports often describe similar experiences, such as feeling weightless, floating above the body, and seeing the world from a different perspective.

Some researchers believe that out-of-body experiences are simply dreams, and that they do not represent a real journey of the soul. However, other researchers believe that out-of-body experiences are real, and that they provide evidence for the existence of soul travel.

Ultimately, the question of whether or not soul travel is real is a matter of faith. There is no scientific evidence to prove or disprove its existence. However, the anecdotal evidence from people who claim to have had out-of-body experiences suggests that it is a real phenomenon that is worth exploring.

Soul travel is a fascinating phenomenon that has captured the imagination of people for centuries. There is no scientific evidence to support its existence, but there is a wealth of anecdotal evidence from people who claim to have had out-of-body experiences. Whether or not you believe in soul travel is a matter of faith. However, the evidence suggests that it is a real phenomenon that is worth exploring.

• Moody, R. A. (1975). Life after life: The near-death experiences of children. New York: Bantam Books.
• Kbler-Ross, E. (1969). On

3. Evidence for Soul Travel

There is no scientific evidence to support the existence of soul travel. However, there are a number of anecdotal reports of people who claim to have had out-of-body experiences (OBEs), near-death experiences (NDEs), and other experiences that they believe to be evidence of soul travel.

Out-of-body experiences (OBEs) are reported by a small number of people who claim to have temporarily separated from their physical bodies and observed themselves from a distance. OBEs are often associated with sleep paralysis, which is a temporary inability to move or speak that can occur as a person is falling asleep or waking up.

Near-death experiences (NDEs) are reported by people who have come close to death but have been revived. NDEs often involve feelings of peace and tranquility, out-of-body experiences, and visions of deceased loved ones.

Other experiences that have been interpreted as evidence of soul travel include lucid dreams, reincarnation, and mediumship. Lucid dreams are dreams in which the dreamer is aware that they are dreaming. Reincarnation is the belief that a person’s soul can be reborn into a new body after death. Mediumship is the ability to communicate with spirits of the deceased.

The evidence for soul travel is anecdotal and inconclusive. There is no scientific evidence to support the existence of soul travel, but there are a number of people who believe that they have experienced it.

What is soul travel?

Soul travel is the journey of the soul outside of the body. It is a spiritual experience that is often described as a feeling of being weightless and free. During soul travel, the soul may visit other realms or dimensions, communicate with spirits, or learn about past lives.

What are the different types of soul travel?

There are many different types of soul travel, including:

• Out-of-body experiences (OBEs): In an OBE, the soul leaves the body and travels to another location. OBEs are often reported by people who have been near death or who have experienced trauma.
• Astral projection: Astral projection is a type of OBE in which the soul travels to the astral plane, a realm of spirits and energy. Astral projection is often associated with meditation and lucid dreaming.
• Near-death experiences (NDEs): NDEs are often described as soul travel experiences. During an NDE, people report feeling as if they are leaving their bodies and traveling to a bright, peaceful place.
• Past-life regression: Past-life regression is a type of hypnosis in which people are guided back to their past lives. During past-life regression, people may experience soul travel as they visit the places and people of their past lives.

** What are the benefits of soul travel?

Soul travel can have many benefits, including:

• Increased spiritual awareness: Soul travel can help people to connect with their higher selves and learn more about their spiritual nature.
• Personal growth: Soul travel can help people to heal from past traumas, overcome challenges, and achieve their goals.
• Increased creativity: Soul travel can inspire people to be more creative and to see the world in new ways.
• Problem-solving: Soul travel can help people to find solutions to problems and to make better decisions.

** How can I experience soul travel?

There are many different ways to experience soul travel, including:

• Meditation: Meditation can help to quiet the mind and create a space for soul travel to occur.
• Lucid dreaming: Lucid dreaming is a state of consciousness in which people are aware that they are dreaming. Lucid dreaming can be used to intentionally experience soul travel.
• Hypnosis: Hypnosis can be used to induce a trance state in which soul travel is more likely to occur.
• Spiritual practices: Spiritual practices such as yoga, tai chi, and qigong can help to open the mind and body to soul travel.

** Is soul travel dangerous?

Soul travel is generally considered to be a safe experience. However, there are some risks associated with soul travel, including:

• Disorientation: Soul travel can sometimes cause people to feel disoriented or confused.
• Fear: Soul travel can sometimes trigger fear or anxiety.
• Spiritual possession: Soul travel can sometimes lead to spiritual possession, in which a spirit enters the body of the person who is traveling.

** What is the scientific evidence for soul travel?

There is limited scientific evidence for soul travel. However, some studies have suggested that OBEs may be real experiences. For example, a study by Dr. Michael Sabom found that people who had OBEs often had similar experiences, such as feeling weightless and seeing their bodies from a distance.

** Is soul travel real?

Whether or not soul travel is real is a matter of personal belief. There is no scientific proof that soul travel exists, but many people believe that it does. If you are interested in exploring soul travel, there are many resources available to help you.

soul travel is a fascinating concept that has been explored by many cultures and religions throughout history. While there is no scientific evidence to support the idea of soul travel, there are many anecdotal accounts that suggest that it is possible. If you are interested in exploring the possibility of soul travel, there are a number of resources available to you. You can read books, watch documentaries, or even try to experience it for yourself through meditation or other spiritual practices. No matter what your beliefs, it is clear that soul travel is a powerful idea that has the potential to change our understanding of ourselves and our place in the universe.

Author Profile

Latest entries

• January 19, 2024 Hiking How to Lace Hiking Boots for a Perfect Fit
• January 19, 2024 Camping How to Dispose of Camping Propane Tanks the Right Way
• January 19, 2024 Traveling Information Is Buffalo Still Under Travel Ban? (Updated for 2023)
• January 19, 2024 Cruise/Cruising Which Carnival Cruise Is Best for Families?

Navigation for News Categories

Our souls travel at 3kph: nick hunt on travel writing and epiphanies.

Author Nick Hunt followed in the footsteps of an author who walked from Western Europe to Istanbul in 1933. Photo: Supplied

Walking from London to Istanbul let travel writer Nick Hunt link together hidden pieces of our world, and led him to the conclusion that journeys on foot can show us so much more than we might expect.

Travel writer Hunt has published three books about walking in various parts of Europe: Outlandish, Where the Wild Winds Are, and Walking the Woods and the Water .

He joined Jim Mora on Sunday Morning to discuss what travelling does to our souls.

• Download as Ogg
• Download as MP3
• Download as AAC
• Play Ogg in browser
• Play MP3 in browser
• Play AAC in browser

In a recent essay published in Noēma Magazine , Hunt explored traditional ideas of pilgrimage through three stages, which he classified as initiation, departure and return. He said the latter is the most neglected, yet the most important.

Ironically, he admits to having a bad sense of direction: "I've got no intuitive sense of direction at all ... I think maybe that's one reason why I like walking, even though I do get lost a lot.

"The experience of walking into a city is so different from getting a bus or a train because you know where you came from and you have a sense of how the outskirts of the city connect to the centre. I find it deeply confusing when you're suddenly kind of parachuted into the middle of somewhere - you've got no idea how to get out, or how to imagine getting out.

"So I think I have my feet on the ground more when I've walked it.

"I kind of navigate by asking ... I think it's a way of meeting people. If you're travelling, if you're in an unknown place, it gives you a point of contact with people even if the practical information they give doesn't help you at all."

On turning 30, Hunt realised that a long-held dream of walking across Europe to Istanbul wouldn't happen unless he settled on a start date and began to make it happen.

His wanderlust was inspired by reading Patrick Leigh Fermor's A Time of Gifts, and Between the Woods and the Water , telling of the same journey on foot to Istanbul, but made between 1933 and 1934.

Photo: Supplied

"He was 18 when he set out, which was the same age I was when I read the books that he wrote... It just always seemed like a fairytale, someone stepping out leaving their home and just doing something as simple as walking with a vague destination in mind.

"The idea completely gripped me, I was fascinated by whether that would even be possible in the modern age - would people show the same levels of hospitality? Would it be possible to walk between towns that might now be connected by a motorway or covered in industrial estate? So it was really an attempt to see if such a walk would be possible."

The journey

"It was a very old-fashioned romantic idea I guess, of just setting out with a pack on your back and seeing where the road leads you. That kind of intention felt like it probably belonged to a different age, some kind of more innocent age that was now lost.

"And what I found was that it's perfectly possible - it's different in character, but the adventure is still there, and the hospitality's still there, and the paths are still there if you can find them."

Hunt says at every single border he was warned not to cross, because the people on the other side were untrustworthy or it would be dangerous, but was frequently met with great kindness and hospitality.

"So I kind of learned to take [those warnings] with a pinch of salt."

In an age of infinite information at our finger-tips, Hunt says he has aimed to foster mystery and discovery as much as possible along the way by not researching his destinations.

"I wanted to be surprised by what I found and not have too many preconceptions of what it would be like."

Istanbul, the city that straddles the divide between Europe and Asia. Photo: 123RF

His writing recounts both pain and joy along his journeys, grappling with injury, monotony and boredom, but also moments of the sublime. And he now believes the revelations and epiphanies one might seek don't always happen as the journey unfolds, but sometimes come much later.

Epiphanies on the return

Returning to the previously familiar neighbourhoods in London that he had left from was "deeply disorientating and strange", Hunt says. Previously well-trod routes were now unrecognisable.

"I came to understand this later ... the difference for me is that one journey took seven and a half months and the return took four hours. So I missed that entire last stage of a pilgrimage, when you're meant to be integrating some of the knowledge and experiences that you've had back into your ordinary life."

It led him to explore the importance of the return.

Photo: PATRICK PLEUL

"I was very struck by the idea that [with] a pilgrimage the real destination isn't Rome or Jerusalem or Mecca or Istanbul, the destination is your own front door, and the place you think you're reaching is actually the exact half-way point, because you have to come back again and you have to pick up your life from where you left it and try to integrate the things you learned back into normality.

"So I think by flying home after that journey I missed a very important stage."

"The [revelations] don't necessarily come at the destination you've spent days, weeks or months dreaming of reaching and thinking 'yes, that's it - I'll get there and then it will all make sense'.

"And often it doesn't, and there's a paradoxical disappointment I've often found at arrival."

Hunt references Moroccan explorer Ibn Battuta's saying: "travelling gives you home in a thousand strange places, then leaves you a stranger in your own land."

And once unpacked, Hunt says the change in perspective gave him a richer view: "Looking back I saw that I had arrived at multiple destinations multiple times, meeting people, seeing things, stopping here, stopping there, stopping under a tree, sitting by a river.

"It became in retrospect a journey of a million destinations, rather than just one at the end of it."

Listen to the full interview here:

• life and society

Copyright © 2024 , Radio New Zealand

Related Stories

The antipodean express: a journey by train from new zealand to spain.

89 days of travel, 33 trains, 19 countries. Greg Hill, former French horn player with the NZSO, has written a book about his journey from his home in Wellington to its antipodes - the furthest point… Audio

This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions.

"For a small country, it packs a punch" - Dave Phillips on Jamaica

Extolling the virtues of his home country in this episode, Jamaican Honorary Consul Dave Phillips talks about his love for his island in this episode.  Audio

Simon Young - from Pickering to Pitcairn mayor

Simon Young is the first non-native mayor of Pitcairn. Originally from Yorkshire in the UK, Simon visited Pitcairn in 1992 and liked it so much he returned permanently in 1999 with his wife Shirley… Audio

Australian family cycles around the world starting in NZ

In 2019, Tasmanian teachers Andrew and Nicola set off on a year-long bike tour of Australia The catch ? They were on tandems. Having kicked off in Aotearoa, they're currently on the West Coast. Jesse… Audio

Tarik Rahim - Making the Mount home for a while

Tarik Rahim grew up drawing from a rich pool of cultures and finding expression through surf and music. In this episode, Kadambari Raghukumar talks to him about calling NZ home, for a short while. Audio

New Zealand

• Shiny Fella: The true story behind the 1970s savoury jelly that bamboozled the internet
• Stay informed and avoid the 'rabbit holes of pseudoscience' – climate commission head’s advice to student protesters
• Controversial Palmerston North road layout to stay - for now
• Richard Sivell, conspiracy theorist on the run for almost two years, appears in court
• Number of front-line police from Budget boost an illusion - Police Association
• Structured literacy: 'Pace of change' worries some educators

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs

Top News stories

New Zealand RSS

Follow RNZ News

Living and traveling in Korea

An Epic Travel Guide To Seoul, Korea For The First Timer

Seoul, Korea is huge and has gained a ton of attention in the past decade for not only a beautiful culture but also the Hallyu wave that has swept over the world. When you begin to plan your trip to the capital city of Korea it can seem overwhelming and you may not know where to begin.

While I’m known for promoting the off the beaten path spots in and around Seoul and promoting new hot spots to check out, I wanted to create an essential guide for the first time visitor to this busy and fun capital of Korea.

Having lived here since 2006 when I first came as an English teacher, you can be assured, this is THE guide to read before you get here. Whether or not it’s your first time to Korea though, read through it and make sure you’ve seen everything there is to see. From Seoul’s quirky cafes to the best spots to get gorgeous views. it’s all here. Make your time in Seoul, Korea the best it can be!

This is a massive travel guide with all of the information you need for any trip to Seoul, Korea. Because it’s so long, definitely feel free to skip around. Here is what you’ll find in this post:

• What To do To Prepare For Your Trip To Seoul
• Is It Safe To Travel In South Korea?

What To Know About Money & ATMs In Seoul

• Which Is The Best Area To Stay In Seoul?
• What Is The Best Time To Visit Korea?

General Travel Tips For Korea

• A Korean palace
• A traditional market
• Rent a Hanbok
• Find the hotspots
• Visit the Han River
• Get a good view
• Visit lots and lots of cafes
• Visit a museum
• Visit a spa
• Visit an amusement park
• See the DMZ
• Check out these notable spots in between

To Join A Tour Or Not To Join A Tour

• Where To Get Out Of Seoul For A Day Trip

Want To Get Off The Beaten Path In & Around Seoul?

Places to take trips from seoul.

(This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.)

Need help with an itinerary? Elevate your travel experience with our downloadable Seoul Itinerary Pack. combine, and conquer the city’s wonders, one unforgettable day at a time.

What To Do To Prepare For Your Trip To Seoul

Are you traveling to Seoul soon? Here are some things to help you prepare for the trip:

Buy Your Plane Ticket: You can get some great deals on flights to Seoul, Korea. If you haven’t tried, check Skyscanner.com for the best rates.

Can I use the Wise Card In Korea? How To Send Money To Korea

Wise Travel Card: Whether you’re looking to travel to Korea for the first time or you’re moving to Korea and want to be able to use your money from home in Korea easily, you should look into the Wise travel card when it comes to converting currencies and getting away from card fees and bad exchange rates. The first time I came to Korea I had difficulty getting my debit card/Mastercard to work. Don’t be like me, come prepared. You can learn more about the Wise travel card in my review .

Get a Visa/Korea Electronic Travel Authorization: The process for coming into Korea has changed during Covid and now everyone must apply for a K-ETA before arrival. The K-ETA is for visa-free foreign visitors and while you’re visa free, they still want to know you’re coming and where you’re headed. Here is a guide to fill out the information for the K-ETA . Go to the K-ETA website to apply. You should find out if you’ve received approval within 24 hours, but usually faster.

Study Korean:  90 Day Languages has a great course on Korean and offers a lot of help if you’re interested in preparing before you come. A little goes a long way here and it actually only takes about an hour to learn how to read Hangul… no joke! You can also check out this guide to learning Korean online and through apps I put together to get some more Korean learning options.

Plan Your Airport Transfer:  There are numerous ways to transfer from Incheon International Airport outside of the city into the city of Seoul from the subway/train and bus to taxis. To be honest, we almost always opt for the private transfer. It’s fast and easy and we don’t have to worry about dragging our bags this way and that and up and down escalators. TaDa is a great company that provides transfers as well as rides within the city.  Book your transfer in advance  to make the trip smooth and easy.

Get Good Hard Case Luggage:  Packing all of the essentials is good only if they get to the other side with you. Make sure to have good luggage to get you and your belongings all the way.  Roam Luggage has awesome customizable bags that will go the distance and look super cool on the way. We highly recommend using hard case luggage for any international flight.

International Driver’s License: To be honest, I wouldn’t recommend driving in Seoul if it’s your first time to this massive city. BUT, if you plan to and will rent a car  while you’re here, then remember to bring your International Driver’s License. I highly recommend renting a car if you’ll be headed to Jeju Island or anywhere aside from Seoul and Busan because it’s much easier to get around that way in those cases.

Where To Buy A TMoney Card For Korea

How To Get A T-Money Card For Kids in Korea

The Discover Seoul Pass: Travel On A Budget In Seoul

The Seoul City Tour Bus Guide: What To See & Do When You Hop On Hop Off

T-Money Card/Discover Seoul Pass/Hop On & Hop Off Bus: To get around using the Seoul Subway System or buses or other public transportation options, you’ll need to get a T-Money card . This card allows you to put money on it and scan it at the turnstiles in subways and when you’re getting on and off buses and even works in taxis.

HOWEVER, if you’ll be doing a lot of touristy things and visiting the touristy sites, then you might be better off getting the Discover Seoul Pass . This pass comes with a variety of perks like access to Hanbok rentals, palaces, view points and other major attractions AND it also works as a T-Money card. On top of that, you get a free ride on the AREX and Airport bus to/from Incheon International Airport. 

SO, if you’ll be touristy,  grab the Discover Seoul Pass to get out and about plus this also acts as a T-Money card. But do know how to use it. Here is a guide and itineraries for using the Discover Seoul Pass to the max. There’s also a great Hop On/ Hop Off Tour Bus option here in Seoul you can use too.

Korea Rail Pass:  If you want to get out of Seoul and plan to use the train more than twice, then the Korea Rail Pass is the economical/budget choice you want to have on hand. You can get back and forth between the popular  Nami Island  nearby the city or go as far as  Andong  or even  Busan . The train line is the limits.  Grab the card here  and just head to the station with your confirmation and it’s as easy as that.

Wifi Eggs/Sim Cards:  While there is great WiFi in many places around Seoul and Korea, nothing beats having your own Wifi Egg so there’s no lag in connection. You can pre-reserve  Sim Cards via Klook so they’re ready and waiting for you when you fly into either Incheon International Airport or into Busan International Airport. You can alco get an eSIM with eSIM Korea which is even’t easier. Here’s a complete guide to the best Korean SIM cards for your trip to Korea.

Top 15 Apps to Download When You Come To Korea

Download Some Useful Apps: The Seoul subway system is super efficient and you can ride it for two hours or more, not pay an arm and a leg, and see a ton. Make sure to download the subway app to know where to go the easiest. The app even tells you which subway car to stand on when.

On the note of apps, do note that Google Maps is horrible when it comes to Korea and will be more difficulty than it’s worth. Another map app that you’ll find useful is Kakao Maps which can be used in both Korean and English. Kakao also has Kakao Taxi which is the best option should you want to get around using local taxis.

Pack The Right Clothes: Seoul has four distinct seasons. The summer is hot hot hot and the winter is cold cold cold! Be prepared. Check out this post for what to pack when you come to Korea . You’ll want to have everything from a fine dust mask to good walking shoes for the best trip you can have in Korea.

Recommended Travel Adapters For Korea

Don’t Forget A Travel Adapter: For some reason travel adapters are easily forgotten among the tourists I’ve met. Remember that not every place has the same plugs/outlets. Make sure you know which travel adapter to bring to Korea so your trip isn’t bumpy at the beginning as you race around trying to charge your devices.

Get Your TEFL:  This is less for travelers than it is for the soon to be teachers. There are a lot of teaching positions available in Korea so to make yourself stand out, definitely make sure you get your TEFL before you come… though you can also get it online once you come too!

Is it safe to travel in South Korea?

Generally, yes, it is very safe in Korea. That said, many foreigners come here assuming that because there is no gun violence or drug issues in Korea it’s MUCH safer than it really is. While you will likely not have any problems while you’re here, certainly don’t put yourself in situations you wouldn’t in your home country.

While I don’t think there is a ton of scamming to look out for, I do want to say you should be wary of cults in Korea that will see tourists coming a mile away. Most vendors aren’t jacking up prices just because you speak a different language, but I would watch out for people that spike drinks. Just be mindful as you should be at all times.

Is it safe to drink tap water in South Korea?

After coming here and seeing how everyone consistently opts for bottled water over tap water, you might be surprised to learn that tap water is indeed potable in Korea and actually tested more than most other places for safety. Yes, you can drink the tap water in Korea, but read this article to find out why Koreans tend to drink bottled water.

The unit of currency is the Korean Won (KRW)

Your cards will likely work, but they will also likely not work. That is to say that for every ATM you find that your card works at, it won’t work at two others and this can be frustrating. While Koreans walk around swiping everywhere now and probably have NO cash in their wallets, as a traveler, you’ll want to have some.

Make sure to let your bank/creditor know that you’ll be traveling to Korea before you come and you will be able to find an ATM that works…. at some point. But bring at least W300,000 = $300.00 in cash to get by at the beginning just in case it takes you longer to find cash.

You could even bring more just to be safe. Most places downtown will also accept your card, but if you’re looking to get into some hole in the wall spots, you’ll probably find spots that won’t take your card. Just be prepared. This is one of the biggest worries for tourists here so better to be safe rather than sorry.

If you want to exchange when you get here, the best spot to do it is in Myeongdong if you have cash and can’t find an ATM that works.

Tipping culture in Korea : Tipping is not a common part of Korean culture. Yes, you can try to tip at restaurants, to taxi drivers, or to your tour guides, but it isn’t expected, though may be accepted. Learn more in this guide to tipping in Korea so you can understand.

Is Korea cheap?

It can be, but it also may not be. For instance, a mistake a lot of new residents and tourists make is heading to expensive bars for drinks or trendy restaurants. Eating out can definitely rack up the bills, however, eating at traditional markets or in small mom and pop shops will definitely make it cheaper.

There are numerous ways to make a trip to Korea more budget friendly like taking advantage of the 40 free walking tours in Seoul. There is even hiking gear available to borrow for free from the city. Find out more ways to save money on a trip to Korea and check out this list of completely free things to do in Seoul to help you if you’re on a budget.

Which is the best area to stay in Seoul?

There are some areas that are definitely better for tourists to stay in if you’re hoping to see the top sites, have the fun, and get in the cultural experiences. Seoul is massive and you definitely don’t want to be in an area that requires a lot of transportation to get to the major sites. I’ve written a complete guide to where to stay in Seoul here. Check it out. More concisely, here are the top areas to stay in and a bit of info about each:

Myeongdong:  Myeongdong is a very central location and a great spot to stay for tourists, especially tourists that want to shop. It’s a big shopping district but that also means all of the restaurants and cafes have Korean AND English menus among other language options. Things open up with the tourists and stay open late with them too.

Transportation on the train, subway, and buses is easy from here and a lot of the tourists sites are within 20 to 30 minutes. I wrote a guide to the best places to stay in Myeongdong , but you can also go directly to Booking.com to find Myeongdong hotels here . If you want to check out the Airbnb options, look here.

Bukchon Hanok Village: If you’re looking for a more traditional Hanok house to stay in, then you’ll want to head to this area. The Bukchon Hanok Village is between the main palaces and near a lot of the cultural experiences. This is also a highly touristed area so restaurants will be able to help you and you’ll see some of the gorgeous older neighborhoods in the city.

You can find Bukchon Hanok Village stays here . If you’re an Airbnb person, then you can check here for some amazing Airbnbs in the Bukchon Hanok Village .

Hongdae: If you’re looking for a younger, hipper area with live music and an arts scene, this is the neighborhood for you. It doesn’t wake up as early as the above areas because it stays awake so late. There are a ton of restaurants and cafes here and it’s an area that best serves the night owls and the people that want to see busking, find a cool pub or bar, or see some live music.

I have culled a list of the best places to stay in Hongdae right here. But, if you want to get right to it, you can find Hongdae hotels here . For Airbnbs in the Hongdae area, look here .

Itaewon: Itaewon is the foreign area of Seoul and where a ton of foreign locals reside so there is GOOD foreign food if you’re looking for that foreign comfort food. I don’t usually recommend this area to tourists because I think the majority of sites you’ll want to see are more north, BUT if you’ll want to split your time between the Hanok villages and palaces and Gangnam which is south of the river, then Itaewon is your best bet so you have the same transportation time from here to there and everywhere.

You can find Itaewon hotels here . There are some great Airbnbs in the Itaewon area, too.

Dongdaemun: Another shopping district, Dongdaemun is very close to the touristy north and also has easy transportation to the south. This is a vibrant neighborhood with a lot of hidden gems and a lot fashionable people. There are quite a few subway line options, buses, and it’s easy to get taxis here too. You can find Dongdaemun hotels here . You can check here if you’re more of an Airbnb person.

What is the best time to visit Korea?

There are four distinct seasons in Korea… well maybe five if you include monsoon season. Since I live here and have gone through every season, I can honestly say that they are all amazing for one reason or another.

Summer (June ~ Mid-September): Summer can be horribly humid. If you aren’t used to humidity, then you definitely won’t want to stay in Seoul the entire time you’re here. Most Seoulites head to the coast whenever they can or up into the mountains to soak in the rivers and lakes because that is just the best way to cool off. There are beautiful beaches on the eastern, southern, and western coasts of Korea so make sure to have time to visit one.

Once you get here, you’ll definitely want to make the time because summer is hot hot hot! Find out all there is to know in this complete guide to summer in Korea for more information.

Autumn (Mid-September ~ November): Autumn is definitely one of the most beautiful times to visit Korea when the fall foliage bursts into an array of colors across the peninsula and the scents of cinnamony hoddeok waft down the streets. Not only do the leaves change, but there are flower fields that burst into bloom as well. You can find some gorgeous flowers in the World Cup Parks as well as at Nari Park .

The only problem with autumn is that it’s difficult to pin down. You can make plans, but the foliage can burst at any time. October is a sure bet and early November for flowers and foliage at the same time. Find out all there is to know in this complete guide to fall in Korea for more information.

Winter (December ~ February): Winter is not easy in Seoul. It can be beautiful if it snows and I know a lot of tourists headed here in the winter are hoping for that winter wonderland they may have seen in Korean dramas. Honestly though, if you definitely want to see snow, make plans to head out of Seoul to the mountains where you can ski or snowboard or just visit a resort with a ton of snow. There are some great options for getting out of the city to see snow if that’s what you’re looking for.

Otherwise, if you’re staying in Seoul this winter, just plan to wear a long parka and jump inside as often as possible. It is freezing especially in January and February. Find out all there is to know in this complete guide to winter in Korea for more information.

Spring (March ~ May): Spring is a gorgeous time to visit… again if it’s planned right. People often come looking for the cherry blossoms and that’s just so difficult to pinpoint early in the year. They’re often blooming on my birthday in mid April, but this year it was still soooo cold and no blooms that early, so it’s hard to say.

However, that said, there are lots of flowers to see around Seoul whether it be cherry blossoms, tulips, or daisies, so just be ready to look for some other bloomers if flowers is what you seek. Also, make sure to bring jackets and cover ups because it can still be quite chilly in the spring. Find out all there is to know in this complete guide to spring in Korea for more information. 

A Guide To Spring In Korea: Cherry Blossoms and More

A Guide to Summer in Korea: Get Ready For Fun

A Guide to Fall In Korea: Foliage and More

A Guide To Winter In Korea: Snow and Ice and Everything Nice

• Tipping is not required or expected in South Korea.
• Water from the tap is potable, safe to drink.
• You won’t find large glasses of water at restaurants but you can find water machines so grab a water bottle to carry along with you.

The Top Things You Must See & Do In Seoul

1. a korean palace.

There are five palaces in the city of Seoul with the largest and most popular being Gyeongbokgung Palace . Gyeongbokgung Palace is beautiful and very much worth the visit. This is THE palace that a first-timer to Korea should see but it does get crowded during high tourist seasons so here’s what you should know about the other palaces nearby just in case.

A lot of tourists rent Hanboks and visit the palaces. Did you know you actually get free entry if you’re wearing a Hanbok? Keep reading to find the best places to go to rent a Hanbok in downtown Seoul.

The nearby Changdeokgung Palace and Secret Garden require a tour reservation and is known for having gorgeous views in every season. Changgyeonggung Palace is just around the corner from Changdeokgung Palace and actually connects in the back corner and yet most people never even see this one.

If you want a palace to yourself with a beautiful pond and a gorgeous greenhouse built during the Japanese colonization, don’t miss it and then you can walk through the back gate into Changdeokgung Palace. Kind of a two for one experience and a unique one at that.

Deoksugung Palace is one that’s rather well known because it’s easy to find near City Hall and they have a changing of the guard ceremony which is great fun to watch. This palace is unique in that there are numerous architectural styles on the grounds as well as an art museum inside one of the buildings in the grounds. This palace is much smaller than the others and easy to see quickly if you don’t have much time in your schedule.

Gyeonghuigung Palace is the smallest and least popular of the palaces, which doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be visited, so do look at the info for it.

Though that is the five that are well known, there is also a royal residence that is downtown that you could easily walk to and is very different from the others in that it’s unpainted and often used for photos by the locals. The royal residence is called Unhyeonggung Royal Residence. This beautiful spot is great for photos.

2. A traditional market

There are traditional markets all around Seoul and in just about every district. Some are more popular than others, but what’s for sure is that traditional markets are fun to visit and always have delicious food to eat.

Gwangjang Market: This is my FAVORITE spot to take visitors and get good authentic eats in the city of Seoul. It is hustling and busy and there are good eats to be had from every vendor there.

If you want to see an awesome traditional market, the oldest traditional market, in Seoul, then go here and check out my guide t o Gwangjang Market if you want to know what to eat. This market was also featured in a Netflix series as well so if you’re a foodie, do not miss it.

Tongin Market: Tongin Market is another traditional market that does it just a bit differently. This market which is just west of Gyeongbokgung Palace , a neighborhood not often visited by tourists but more well known by locals, does a cool thing with old traditional coins and food.

This is a great option if you aren’t sure what you like yet and want to try a little of a lot of different things. Here is some information on how to use the coins at Tongin Market and what you can get.

Noryangjin Fish Market:  If you want to see the largest fish market in Seoul, then Noryangjin Fish Market is the one for you. While it is by no means the ONLY fish market in the city, it is the most popular for tourists to visit.

If you want to see the real action, you’ll have to wake up before sunrise to see the sale, but if you want to some good eats, definitely go later so you can pick out your own fish and then eat it in the market. There is both an old and a new part of Noryangjin Market , so make sure you know where you’re headed.

3. Rent a Hanbok

Renting a Hanbok is one of the most memorable and unique experiences you can have in Seoul. On top of it being a great way to learn more about the culture, it’s also a lot more budget friendly than you might realize and you can even get into traditional sites for FREE when you’re wearing a Hanbok. Learn more about where to rent a Hanbok in Seoul and everything else you need to know about it. 

4. Find the hotspots

Bukchon Hanok Village:  One of the must see neighborhoods in the city of Seoul, the Bukchon Hanok Village is popular for a reason. The residential neighborhood is home to traditional Korean Hanok houses lined up all in a row. They are beautiful and there are a ton of intimate Hanok cafes and traditional experiences.

This is one of those areas that you’ve seen pictures of again and again but will want to visit on your own. Check out this guide to Bukchon Hanok Village to learn more about the area, where to go, and what to eat. Or, check out this Bukchon Itinerary .

Insadong District:  Near Bukchon Hanok Village and Gyeongbokgung Palace, this is a popular district for traditional tea houses and Buddhist restaurants. If you want to prepare for the traditional tea houses, check out this guide to traditional Korean tea options because there are so so many!

This is also THE district to head to if you’re looking to purchase Korean souvenirs to take home to friends and family. If you want to learn more about the area, check out this guide to Insadong that I put together.

Gangnam:  The district that became popular around the world when Psy’s song “Gangnam Style” took over the airwaves, this district is known for a bit of luxury, lots of cosmetic surgery, and some great eats too.

If you’re interested in seeing what there is to see in the area, then check out this guide to Gangnam to see it all from amazing street art to museums and more. Oh, and definitely make sure you see the Banpo Bridge Moonlight Rainbow Show .

Hongdae: Full of live music, artistic fun, and plenty of pubs, restaurants, and fun cafes to check out . Check out this guide to Hongdae for all of the best things to do there.

The area has grown and expanded and now when people saying they’re going to Hongdae, they might very well mean they’re headed to Yeontral Park (a play on Central Park) in Yeonnam-dong or they’re headed to the up and coming district of Mangwon-dong . There are buskers and groups of K-pop dancers that make the entire area very vibrant and fun.

Myeongdong Shopping District:  Myeongdong is THE spot to go if you’re looking to get your shopping on while you’re in Seoul and is one of the best districts to try a ton of amazing street food options.

With all of the major international and local brands as well as a TON of K-beauty shops, you can get everything on your list in this area. Find out more in this guide to Myeongdong with some fun things to do in the area.

5. See a show

Nanta: This is the most popular and longest running theater show in Seoul. The show is a hilarious kitchen-based performance with a talented group of performers who have a mix of traditional folk pieces as well as modern skits.

Don’t worry if you can’t understand Korean, this performance is non-verbal and fun fun fun. Get your Nanta tickets through Klook to get an awesome discount.

The Painters: A new concept art performance that combines colorful live drawings with cutting-edge media art has been remodeled and reopened. Actors resembling idols, numbering from 4 to 8, express world-famous paintings such as Michelangelo’s ‘Creation of Heaven,’ Vincent Van Gohee’s ‘Self-Portrait,’ and Gustav Klimt’s ‘Kiss’ with splendid choreography and live drawings.

Their super luxurious stereoscopic images and live performances create a a new impression of painting. G et your tickets to see The Painters online with Klook for the discount.

6. Visit the Han River

The Han River cuts through the center of the city so at some point, you’ll definitely see it either when you’re crossing a bridge or from your tall hotel, but you should definitely take some time to go and visit one of the Han riverside parks. They are gorgeous and there is definitely going to be one near wherever you’re staying. Some of them have beautiful art installations while others are where you can jump on a Eland Hangang River cruise .

There are some great experiences to be had at the river. Check out this complete guide to all of the Han River parks to see which one will be near you. Some have outdoor swimming pools, one even has a beautiful infinity pool that ends at the river and it is super budget friendly. Some have bike rental kiosks, kayaks, sail boats and more.

7. Get a good view

Seoul Sky Tower: Seoul Sky Observatory is the third highest observatory in the world and features the highest glass deck in the world. The views are absolutely stunning and there are multiple floors for viewing from the 117th to the 120th floor. This is just next to Lotte World as well if you want to combine it with some fun and views! Seoul Sky Tower is a bit out of the way compared to a lot of the tourist sites but worth the subway ride.

And, to top it off, if you want to stay in the tallest hotel in Seoul and get the most beautiful views right when you wake up in the morning, then look no further than Signiel Hotel which is right in this tower too!

N Seoul Tower: While Seoul Sky is the newest dazzling spot in the city to get views from, Namsan Tower, also called N Seoul Tower , is older, more central, and a bit more romantic. Take a cable car up to the tower and then sit beneath a beautiful pagoda until your time to head up to the top. This tour is a major highlight in the city and is easy to combine with any bit of the itinerary in central Seoul. It’s an iconic spot that is definitely one of the top three must visit locations in the city.

Other Spots For Views: The two spots above are definitely the most popular for views, but they are not the only places to get views though they are the most iconic. If you want some more ideas though, here are more great spots in Seoul to get amazing views that also happen to be super budget friendly. These are definitely spots that will surprise you and even some that locals don’t know about.

8. Visit lots and lots of cafes

It honestly amazes me how many cafes there are and how interesting they all are. Koreans go all out with aesthetics and creating Instagrammable cafes and you can really find them all over but there are a few neighborhoods that you can literally hop from fun and quirky cafe to beautiful cafe and back again. How many coffees can you possibly drink in one day? Don’t miss the cafes in Mangwon-dong . If you want to know what some of the trendiest cafes are, check out this guide to the awesome greenhouse cafes that have been popping up over the past couple of years.

9. Visit a museum

The Korean War Memorial: There are some really amazing museums in Korea and what’s even better is that they’re budget friendly if not free. The Korean War Memorial is really interesting especially if you’re interested in learning about the Korean War and the numerous other wars in Korean history.

There are also often docents who actually fought in the Korean War available to show you around and offer stories and information. If you have children, it’s also great because there are historic planes and other relics outside that kids can climb up to and through to check out. You can learn more about the museum here .

The National Museum Of Korea: Another great museum that has both free and paid exhibitions, is the National Museum of Korea which also has a substantial park and pond with relics beautiful in all seasons. This is a museum more focused on the historical artifacts of Korea.

This is also a great option to have during monsoon season. Learn more about the National Museum of Korea here. FYI, you can also visit the National Hangeul Museum which is just in front of this one as well.

Seodaemun Prison History Museum:  The Seodaemun Prison History Museum is a former prison that housed martyrs during the Japanese colonization of Korea and is now a museum dedicated to tell the stories about the people that were once housed there.

Again, this is a very impactful museum especially if you are interested in the tumultuous history in Korea. Here is more information about the Seodaemun Prison History Museum.

The War & Women’s Human Rights Museum: A much smaller but no less impactful museum in Seoul is the War and Women’s Human Rights Museum which is dedicated to tell the story about the comfort women. The issue of sexual slavery during WWII is still highly contested by Japan but certainly proven by enough groups at this point.

The Korean comfort women are still fighting to be heard. Go visit this museum to learn more about what they went through and the fight they continue to have today.

The Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art (MMCA): If you’re more interested in the arts, then don’t miss the Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art which is just east of Gyeongbokgung Palace so it’s easy to add to any itinerary in downtown Seoul. This museum uses varying architectural styles and hosts some gorgeous exhibitions. To check out the hours and learn more about the Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art, check out this guide .

Leeum Samsung Museum: The Leeum Samsung Museum is both architecturally stunning and always has some amazing exhibitions to check out. It’s in the easy to visit area of Hannam-dong and is one of my favorite art museums in the city. There are quite a few to choose from, but this is one that should be on your list if you like art museums and architecture.

This is probably a museum that is off the beaten path for most first-travelers but might just be up your alley if you like art and architecture. Here’s more information about Leeum Samsung Museum here .

Seoul Museum of Craft Art: SeMoCA is the first national museum in Seoul created to showcase Korean crafts. The museum is made up of seven buildings so you need to weave in and out and around much like some of the embroidery products you’ll see inside.

Not only is the museum amazing, the children’s museum is just wonderful and offers so many free experiences for kids. Learn more in this guide to the Seoul Museum of Craft Art.

10. Visit a Spa

There are some great options if you want the Korean spa experience. If you don’t want to get all the way nude but want to experience at least a Korean facial , you can do that too! Here are a couple great spas to check out in Seoul if you want the full experience complete with a Korean Italy towel exfoliating scrub.

Yeo Yong Guk Korean Traditional Medicine Spa:  Want something more traditional? Visit this spa which is one of the 25 must visit wellness attractions in Korea as designated by the Korea Tourism Organization. After a quick physical analysis, the staff will provide a customized spa package using natural medicinal plants, pressure point, and massage. It’s a truly unique spa experience here in Seoul .

Hana Mud Spa: If you want a more local experience, check out this Korean bath house. The spa is a bit extra with their mud masks straight from the Boryeong mud that’s rich in minerals, but other than that, it’s a pretty standard spa for women only. Prepare to bare and enjoy the experience. If you want to know more about a Korean bath house and what to do inside, here’s a step by step guide to the Korean bath house culture.

11. Visit an amusement park

Lotte World: Lotte World is the most popular theme park in Seoul and is easy to get to right in the city. Get the Magic Pass to skip the lines and enjoy the rides. The rides to check out are the Conquistador, World Monorail, French Revolution, VR Space, and the Flume Ride. There’s fun, adventure, and more. Take a day and enjoy!

Everland: If you’ve got a bit more time, visit Everland, outside of the city of Seoul, but hop on the shuttle bus and you can get there. It is one of the world’s largest theme parks and features a ton of rides and experiences to be had. Make sure to get your tickets online before you go to get the discount that is available.

12. See the DMZ

While this isn’t technically IN Seoul, most tours to the DMZ start from Seoul . If you don’t know it yet, you’re technically visiting a country that is at war. Have I ever been scared living here? No. Let’s just get that question out the way.

Should you visit the DMZ? If you want to have a glimpse of North Korea and visit the most heavily guarded limit line in the world? Then definitely yes. There is a lot to be learned and some interesting spots to check out.

You can only go INTO the DMZ with a tour. You can get pretty close without one, but you need to be on a government approved tour if you want to go in. Most tours will take you to the DMZ area in Paju where you will first make a stop in the Nuri Peace Park and then head into to see one of the tunnels that the North Koreans dug to try and sneak into South Korea. If you want to go it on your own and try to get in, there is one option.

You can go in to see Camp Greaves which was formerly an American base which was given back to the Korean people and is now a museum featuring art and history information. Another option if you want to go it on your own a bit, head up to the Cheorwon DMZ area where you can enter with an approved taxi. No matter what, you can’t just wander in though so if you want to make it easy on yourself, sign up for a tour early as they do fill up. Here are some good options to choose from:

• Panmunjom & DMZ Tour: Visit the Unification Bridge and Panmunjom along with Imjingak/Nuri Peace Park and the 3rd Tunnel on this full day tour. Join this tour here.
• Imjingak Transfer Service: If you just want to get back and forth to Imjingak/ Nuri Peace Park area where you can get on the bus to Camp Greaves, or just enjoy the unification village, then look into this transfer service which will take you back and forth easily.

13. Check out these notable spots in between

Seoul Botanic Park: Seoul Botanic Park is one of the newest and beautiful parks in Seoul. There is a gorgeously huge greenhouse and if it’s winter, it is warm warm warm inside. If it’s summer, head inside, but then check out the substantial park that surrounds.

This is in an up and coming area of Seoul and it’s super easy to get to right out of the subway station. To learn more about this greenhouse and park, check out this complete post on the Seoul Botanic Park.

Cheonggyecheon Stream: The Cheonggyecheon Stream is another iconic spot in central Seoul. This stream was actually covered over in the modernization of the city after the war but during construction some years later was rediscovered and the high way built atop it was removed.

Not only did it make for a beautiful green space in central Seoul, but it helped in lowering the temperature downtown and birds and fish returned. Now, there are events like the Lantern Festival held here throughout the year. Walk along the stream from Gwanghwamun Square down to Gwangjang Market and even all the way down to Dongdaemun Design Plaza.

Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP): The Dongdaemun Design Plaza was immediately popular upon being built and opened to the public. Now the host of the Seoul Fashion Week as well as numerous other exhibitions and events, this eye catching structure designed by Zaha Hadid was the most Instagrammed location in Korea in 2015.

You’ll have to walk up, down, inside, and outside to really understand what is going on. Want to see some more architectural wonders in Seoul? Check out this list of really interesting architectural spots in Seoul .

Ihwa Mural Village: Ihwa Mural Village is a fun neighborhood in central Seoul near the palaces that provide a great spot to take a walk and area to learn about local communities. The neighbors didn’t ASK for their neighborhood to be turned into an attraction though, so it’s important to know the rules before you go.

Here’s more information on the street murals to see there and how to find it. See the murals and you can walk along a section of the Seoul Fortress Wall for great views out over the city as well.

Seoullo Walkway:  In central Seoul just outside of Seoul Station, is a beautiful walkway that connects the downtown neighborhoods for pedestrians so that they never have to wait for a traffic light.

The walkway used to be an overpass but was renovated into a fun spot to take a walk with outdoor installations, trampolines for kids, tons of plants and greenery and there are often events held on the walkway. If you’re headed to the train station for any reason, this is an easy addition onto the day that doesn’t take too long to enjoy. Here is more info about Seoullo and what you can do there.

Oil Tank Culture Park: I personally like to check out unique spots that show how a city is growing and adapting. The Oil Tank Culture Park is just that. There are six massive oil drums that have been converted through a series of conservation measures to now be a public space.

The drums have been opened up so visitors can use them with one housing a cafe, another a performance space, and more. If you want to see some awesome eco-friendly innovation, this is a must visit. Learn more about the Oil Tank Culture Park here.

In general, it’s easy to get around and you’ll be able to see what you see, but if you really want to learn about a place, know what’s in the food you’re about to eat, and understand Korean culture and history, I’d highly recommend joining a tour or two to get some insight. The other reason to join a tour or at least book tickets for shows, entrance fees, etc, is because online is almost always cheaper.

Koreans use companies online always and that’s because tickets can be 10%-50% cheaper than when you just walk up. Don’t get left out of the discounts. Book what you can in advance. If it’s your first time in Seoul, then find a few tours, maybe one focused on culture, one on food, and one on adventure to join while you’re here.

Here are some ideas I’d recommend:

• History of Joseon Dynasty Tour: Spend the day visiting one of the royal palaces and witnessing a beautiful changing of the guard ceremony. Stop into the Jogyesa Buddhist temple and ginseng center while learning about history and architecture and culture and then end the day in one of the traditional folk villages. It’s an all encompassing tour to see traditional spots and learn a ton about how Seoul was started and built. Check out the tour here on Klook .
• Cooking classes in Seoul : There are a number of cooking classes in Seoul that I think are great not only to try some great food, but to learn about Korea’s culinary history, tradition, and culture and you can ask questions about dining etiquette in Korea and more.

Want help with your itinerary? I have a lot of experience building the perfect itineraries for travelers to Seoul. I’ve created 15 interchangeable daily itineraries for Seoul, Korea that cover the popular spots you must see, some districts that aren’t so touristy but offer great fun, and more.

Where To Get Out Of Seoul For a Day Trip

Daytrips are awesome and there are so many places you can get to if you’ve got a free day on your itinerary. Here are a few ideas, but if you want more, check out my list of “ Best Daytrips to take from Seoul “. There are 25 spots to see and enjoy and I’ll know there is something you’ll want to do.

Nami Island: This is by far one of the most popular day trip options and for good reason. It’s gorgeous. While it’s popular with K-drama fans, I can say, as someone who has NOT seen any drama that was filmed there, that it’s not just a fan that would appreciate this place. There are art installations, restaurants, cafes, and plenty of nature to see.

I’ve visited in the autumn and summer and would definitely go back in the winter and spring too. It’s an easy option for a day trip and can be combined with some other great spots in the area. Read this guide to Nami Island if its on your list.

The DMZ:  At just 60km from Seoul, it’s easy enough to visit the DMZ, but only if you book a tour in advance. Tours do sell out so if you’re at all interested in visiting the border between North and South Korea, you’ll want to plan this ahead of time. The Demilitarized Zone is a 4 kilometer wide buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea.

There are various options from Seoul with the most popular being out to Nuri Peace Park in Paju and into the DMZ. If you do get out there and want to do something really special, visit Camp Greaves, an abandoned military base that’s been converted into an art experience. If you want to visit a spot that’s more off the beaten path but just a bit more involved, check out the trip to the Cheorwon DMZ .

Heyri Art Village: This is one of my favorite spots to take my daughter to, but it’s not just for kids, it is for everyone. There are chic art galleries and museums as well as artistic experiences for children to partake in. There are SO many museums and galleries to check out that you could stay an entire weekend and still not see everything.

We’ve gone and gone again and there’s always something new to do. If you want to know how to get there, and have some ideas on what to do, here is a guide to Heyri Art Village.

Anyang Art Park: The Anyang Art Park is an awesome natural area with art installations and exhibitions throughout the year. There are restaurants and cafes and it’s a great spot to check out if you want to get out into nature and take a walk.

The installations are super fun to find and require a bit of a walk up into a nearby mountain… but not to worry, it’s not really a trek and toddlers can even do it. Here is a guide to Anyang Art Park to help you on your way.

Seongsu-dong

Seongsu-dong has been called the Brooklyn of Seoul. Once a district known for shoe factories, today, many of those factories are being converted into cafes, galleries, and restaurants. This district is hip, it’s cool, and it is THE place to go if you want to do something different in Seoul. There is awesome street art and murals and a ton of hidden gems in this new hot spot in Seoul. If you want some suggestions for where to go, what to do, and what to eat while you’re there, check out this guide to Seongsu-dong .

Mullae-dong

Also a district known for factories, Mullae-dong is still very much filled with the iron works factories it’s famous for. Some years ago, artists from Hongdae that couldn’t afford the rent in the popular district moved south and found homes in Mullae-dong. By day, this area is noisy and gritty with iron workers, but come evening into night, there are galleries and restaurants owned by artists and musicians.

It’s off the beaten path to tourists for sure, but there are some cool things to be found if you like to have a good hunt. Here are my suggestions for what to see in Mullae-dong if you want to head there.

Yongma Land

Yongma Land is a popular abandoned amusement park in Seoul. It’s been showcased in various K-pop videos and dramas and anyone looking for some cool photos can head to the park to take their own photos. It’s a funky spot but a fun one especially if you’ve got some friends that want to get some quirky photos in Seoul or if you are a Hallyu fan and want to take photos in the same spots that you’ve seen in dramas and vids. Here’s more information on the popular abandoned Yongma Land in Seoul.

Ganghwado Island

Ganghwado is an island west of the city of Seoul that is easily accessible with public buses from the city. It used to be a bit more difficult to get to, but in recent years a bridge was added and now more and more Seoulites are making their way out to this island to see what there is to see, like the awesome Royyal Dog mural above.

There are cool restaurants and cafes, a few beaches, and some interesting historical spots to check out. Here are some flower fields and cool cafes to check out if you want to make your way out to Ganghwado.

Hannam-dong

Hannam-dong is the district that’s just up the road from the foreigner district known as Itaewon. Hannam-dong has art museums and a ton of cafes and restaurants with foreign treats if you want something in the American-fare style. Here’s a guide to the Hannam-dong area that has cool cafes, good eats, and a lot of Instagrammable book stores and staircases.

This isn’t a hugely popular spot for tourists but mostly for expats and foreigners in Korea that want to get good authentic foreign food. If you have a hankering for something other than Korean food, then you’ll easily find it over here.

Pocheon is an interesting area northeast of Seoul that has hidden wooden giants in forests, bridges, and lakes. There are some beautiful hidden wonders that are really only accessible if you’ll be renting a car for a day. But if you will be, look into this easy trip from Seoul that is off the beaten path.

Here’s a guide to Pocheon and what to see there. Again, this isn’t a spot that’s usually on the radars of most tourists, but if you want something unique, it’s a good area to get out to where can visit an amazing makgeolli, or rice wine, brewery and find nature too!

Busan is the second largest city in the country and on the southern coast of Korea. It’s the most popular spot to check out for most travelers that want to see something outside of Seoul. The city is easy to get to from Seoul using the KTX fast train and there are beaches, a seaside temple, a colorful seaside village, and a TON more to check out.

Some of the must see spots include Gamcheon Culture Village, Taejongdae , and Haeundae. You could easily spend a couple days or more in this awesome city.

Here’s a guide to Busan to help you on your way! Definitely don’t miss stops into the Huinnyeoul Culture Village and then take a ride on the cable car in Songdo or a ride on the now very popular Busan Sky Capsule . For a real treat, check out the premier spa in the country, Busan’s Spa Land . There’s so much to do, you could fill a week or more!

Gyeongju was the capital of Korea during the Silla Dynasty and the capital before Seoul. It’s one of the most historic, if not THE most historic, cities in the entire country and features more pagodas, relics, and historic sites in one city than any other in the country.

The small city is basically an open air museum as every corner you turn leads to another historic observatory, tomb, palace, or Buddhist relic. It was one of the first trips I made out of Seoul when I first moved here in 2006 and is an easy trip to make using the KTX from Seoul.

It’s a gorgeous area with history and culture and beautiful sites to visit. Definitely look into Gyeongju if you want to learn more about history in Korea and appreciate quite peaceful surroundings. Here is a guide to Gyeongju with more information on what you can find there.

Andong has been called the most traditional place in Korea. There is a beautiful huge traditional village and some amazing food to eat in Andong. It’s gorgeous in the spring when the cherry blossoms bloom and the Andong Mask Festival is an amazing event to check out in the autumn if you’re visiting at the same time.

From delicious food to traditional and cultural spots, Andong has it all. Here’s a guide to Andong , how to get there, and what to do if it sounds like the spot for you.

Most likely you came into Korea through Incheon but you probably didn’t stay too long as you headed into Seoul. You should definitely head back out there. There are some really interesting spots in Incheon including the only legit Chinatown in the country.

Incheon’s Chinatown was first started by the Chinese immigrants that came to Korea to work. Nearby there is also a fun fairytale mural village and a village made entirely of older buildings. It’s a fun area to walk around and makes for a great day trip from Seoul.

You could also plan to see what’s around the Incheon International Airport on your way in or out. The airport is on an island in Incheon and there’s plenty to do just around the airport. If you want to treat yourself on your way in or out, then definitely look into staying at the amazing Paradise City Resort . Even if you don’t stay there, there’s a free art museum and a beautiful pool and sauna that you can visit.

Want to see some amazing architecture, check out the Songdo Central Park where the awesome TriBowl is located. Another great option in Incheon is to take a ferry and visit nearby islands like Modo, Sindo, and Sido ! All of these spots are really in different parts of Incheon so don’t try to see them all in one day. You’ll have to pick one if you just have one day to travel.

Jeju Island is the most popular and largest island in Korea. It has been called the Hawai’i of Korea and is absolutely stunning. The island is bigger than you might expect so know that before you go. You can really only see things in one quadrant; northwest, northeast, southwest, or southeast at a time especially if you’ve only got a weekend. Choose what you want to see and then stay nearby (Here’s a guide to help you figure out where to stay on Jeju Island ) and an absolute must do is hiking up Mt. Halla .

If hiking isn’t your thing though, there’s also a walking trail that follows the entire coast of Jeju. Choose an area and you can walk and enjoy cliff views, black sand beaches, and forests too. If you want to get somewhere easily and have fun, check out Hamdeok Beach . Another hot spot for tourists is the O’Sulloc Green Tea Fields and the gigantic and gorgeous Jeongbang Waterfall .

But if you want my two recommendations, definitely get a ferry out to nearby Gapa Island which you can only leisurely enjoy via bicycle and then walk up Sanbang Mountain to visit a beautiful grotto Nearby you can walk along the rocky but beautiful Yeongmori Coastcoast . Jeju is amazing and there is just so much to do and see there. You can even go island hopping to visit nearby islands like Udo Island or Gapa Island . If you have time, don’t miss a trip there to get a completely different experience from the hustling bustling city of Seoul.

Danyang, Korea is in the central area of Korea so a lot of people pass right by on the way south without stopping. But if you like adventure and maybe have a bit less time, it’s definitely worth a look. Visit the Mancheonha Skywalk and then zipline down.

From there, head to Chungju Lake and ride a ferry to see the gorgeous views. Head down into the Gosu Caves that were formed over 450 million years ago and then end the weekend paragliding off of the mountains. It’s a spot for the adventure loving traveler. Here’s what you should check out in Danyang.

Oido & Daebudo Islands

Maybe you want to see the coast in quick fashion. Oido is an island you can actually reach using just the Seoul subway system! If you’ve got a car, you can go just a bit further to Daebudo Island to see the glass museum and watch the waves come in.

The islands are beautiful and great for a summer’s day. There is seafood to be eaten and a rest stop that even features an observatory. I love getting to the coast whenever I can and this is an easy spot to get to if you just have a day to work with. Here’s what you can find in Oido and Daebudo.

Did you like this post? Pin It!

You May Also Like

A Guide To Tipping In Korea: Do you? Or Don’t You?

Culture Day in South Korea: Free Things To Do In Seoul and More

Amaizing and so useful website! Congratulations! I will arrive in Korea on 20th of May and can’t wait to explore the country.

Michelle Topham

Wow, I just discovered your site and, honestly, it’s probably the best travel site I’ve ever seen.

I’m currently considering moving to Korea within the next 18 months, and was looking for a site that could answer the thousands of questions I have about the country.

And then I stumbled across yours.

(I’ve only been on an airport layover in Seoul a couple of times during the 14 years I lived in Bangkok so, weirdly, never actually visited Korea. But, after 6 years in Europe, I’m desperate to get back to Asia permanently and Korea interests me. A lot),

An absolutely superb site, with SO much useful information. I have you bookmarked and will be back pretty much every day as I read through everything you have written — and maybe with some questions too 🙂

Thanks for this. I couldn’t be happier to hav e found something so darned useful 🙂

I really envy you. I wish I could do the same thing. Thank you for sharing such valuable information. I am planning a trip to Seoul and this is definitely very very useful. thank you.

Hallie Bradley

I hope you have a fantastic trip!

Hi you mentioned a subway app under useful apps to download. I’m curious if you could tell me the name of the app? Thank you!

I am just amazed! What a fantastic job you did here Hallie. Hello from Centerville Ohio!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sign me up for the weekly updates newsletter!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Luxury African safaris that create memories of a lifetime

Welcome to soul of africa travel.

Unique safaris that rejuvenate the soul

Experiences

Romantic Safaris

Family Safaris

Active Travel

Sustainable  Safaris

“Africa changes you forever, like nowhere on Earth. Once you have been there, you will never be the same. But how do you begin to describe its magic to someone who has never felt it?"

– Brian Jackman, author and wildlife journalist

Safari destinations you’ll fall in love with

Discover Africa

Celebrating over a decade of luxury African Safari experiences

Safaris hold the power to transform people. The profound connections with wildlife, landscapes, people, aromas, and flavors that you’ll experience on an African safari will leave an enduring mark on your soul.

This is what has been driving me for over 10 years – the powerful impact that a safari has on a person. It fills my heart to see our clients discovering Africa with child-like wonder and returning home with a magical sparkle in their eyes.

Richelle Lavin

Founder and Owner, Soul of Africa Travel

With us, you can expect a smooth, tailor-made journey, beginning with our first call and continuing until you depart for home.

We thoughtfully select partners and properties that share our values of social, ethical, and conservation-minded practices.

Book your trip

Let's start planning your African safari.

Quick links.

• How we work
• Testimonials

Laguna Beach, California

• Romantic / Couple's Safaris
• Family / Multi-generational Safaris
• Active Safaris
• Sustainable Safaris

Copyright © Soul of Africa Travel. All Rights Reserved. Brand Design by Andrea Barras . Website by Nutmeg Studio .

• Privacy & Cookie Policy
• Website Terms
• Image Credits

Automated page speed optimizations for fast site performance

Change Your Attitude By Changing Latitudes.

1000+ Happy Customer

100+ 4.9 star reviews.

250+ 5 Star Reviews

Best Tour Guide

Personalized Packages

Best Mountain Tour

Fixed Departure

Best Support

Creating your best travel moments, take the premium quality service every time.

Traveling and connecting with people and places is so essential to us that it is the reason Soul of Trip exists. We feel that travel expands the mind and alters one’s perspective. You gain a better capacity to empathise with diverse circumstances and individuals because of the people you interact and the adventures you experience. The greatest way to experience about the India and how it operates is to travel. Our travel and employment experiences have brought us to where we are now, as well as Welcome to Travel’s Mission Statement, Vision Statement, and Values.

WHY CHOOSE US

Soul of Trip is here to give extensive and factual travel information that will encourage international travellers. It offers weekly travel news, articles, and quizzes, and it covers everything from towns to airlines, ship ports to mountain and seaside resorts, attractions to events. The platform receives over 1 million unique views per month and is updated daily by a dedicated worldwide editorial staff.

FIXED DEPATURE

Srinagar - Ladakh - Manali

Package : 36,000/- +5% gst.

Rajasthan (History Of Romantic)

Package : 23,500/- +5% gst.

Spiti Round Trip

Package : 22,000/- +5% gst.

Off Beat Himachal

Package : 18,000/- +5% gst.

Ranchi - Netarhat - Betla

Package : 12,500/- +5% gst, achivements, meet our team.

Utpal Datta

Utpal Datta is the first name that comes to mind when one thinks of travelling to Himachal, Ladakh & Kashmir also. He is not just a Hotelier. He is a trekker and wanderlust for whom nature is the oxygen of survival. So Utpal Datta is just a name but he is a trust in Himachal, Ladakh and Kashmir tour. Any lane, any turn is at his finger tips. From this place of trust, today his spread his wings in North Bengal, Rajasthan and Kerala. Soul Of Trip is the company he created. The main purpose of which is to establish peace of mind of the travelers.

Supriyo Ghosh

Supriyo Ghosh is spontaneous, explicit, funky young man who is trustworthy helping hand of soul of trip. young generation want him so much because of his appearance and entertainment attitude.

Harry Singh​

Harry Singh was born and brought up in Himachal. He is one of the front leader of soul of trip. Utpal datta truly trust him in subject to tour operate in himachal and spiti sector. He is sincere ,smart,brisk in nature.

Golu Singh is spontaneous, explicit, funky young man who is trustworthy helping hand of soul of trip. young generation want him so much because of his appearance and entertainment attitude.

Stanzin Choskap

Stanzin was born and brought up in Ladakh. He is one of the front leader of the Soul of Trip. Utpal Datta truly trusts him in subject to tour operation in Leh & Ladakh sector. He is sincere, smart, and brisk in nature.

TESTIMONIALS

• +2 01001303060
• +2 0233744540
• [email protected]
• [email protected]

Quality Guarantee

Competitive prices, customer support, experience the heart & soul of egypt, longing to find the key of the truth egypt is the key, explore the hidden magic; unveil the mystery & secrets of the ancient egyptian glory, as the tears rolled down my face, i knew i needed to see egypt through this mans eyes and expertise..

When I began to hear the calling inside my heart that I needed to go to Egypt, I had no idea how this would happen. It had never been something on my mind. I then met Amro in my town where he did a talk about the history and progression of women’s power over many centuries. As the tears rolled down my face, I knew I needed to see Egypt through this mans eyes and expertise. His heart and passion was incredible. After some communications back and forth, I signed on for a private tour. I have never traveled anywhere outside the US and Mexico on my own, so the amount of trust and faith I had to have in Amro was immense. I can honestly say that this was a trip of a lifetime. From the moment I got off the plane, I was personally guided through every step of the trip. I was cared for by this man, educated and treated like a queen. His personal attention to my safety, my getting to have the full Egyptian experience both in the temples and tombs, but also in the villages and local’s areas, was so completely beyond what I could have imagined. I watched other guides talk to their groups when we were near by and I could see that Amro had such a different level of passion for Egypt. His spiritual take on things was fresh and his expert knowledge flowed out of him in the same way it did when his lecture brought me to tears. I will return to Egypt again and again and will always have Amro as my guide and my friend. I cannot imagine Egypt without him to show me the way.

Rosie McGowan

I have seen tears flow, hearts crack open,

Amro’s Spiritual awareness and his love of Egypt as well as Mother Egypt herself are transformative for everyone who takes the leap and moves into the experience with no expectations and an open heart. I have seen tears flow, hearts crack open, lives change and consciousness expand. It is more about the heart that always comes together as Amro holds open the energetic doors for incredible interactions with the ancients and the group and each individual. Every journey is unique and unfolds the awakening in divine alignment with each soul as they take the journey. Catch the Magic yourself.

Egypt has become our favorite destination with its completely unique version of history

Ancient Mystery Keepers brings small groups of travelers around the globe to experience the sacred and unseen that each place has to offer. Egypt has become our favorite destination with its completely unique version of history, its antiquities, along with the powerful energies and Gods/Goddesses that are felt everywhere. The ancient lands of Egypt are calling us home to fulfill our destinies and there is still plenty to do at these potent energetic sites.

Shelle Elizabeth

Nile Dahabeya

Dahabeya is a small traditional sailing boat with maximum capacity of 16 – 20 guests served by 10 – 20 crew members!!!! It has air-conditioned rooms which are very comfortable, stylish, and beautifully furnished. Each room has its own private safe deposit box and dignified bathroom. It has common areas such as small reception, small library, dining room, and sundeck with beautiful spots for relaxation, intimate group meetings, yoga, meditation…..etc.

Read More>

One Photo Speaks a thousand Words!!!!

Traveling to Egypt for Leisure? We cover that as well!

Sand & sea.

Come and enjoy the golden sandy beaches, sparkling turquoise waters and endless desert dunes. Relax in the peaceful ambiance or enjoy activities like quad biking, diving the amazing coral reefs of the Red Sea or floating in the healing mineral salts of the Dead Sea? Whatever you’re looking for you can find it at Soul of Egypt Travel. We offer a wide range of activities such as diving, snorkeling, trekking, sailing, windsurfing, hot-air ballooning, golfing and much more. You can also design your own itineraries or use one we have designed in a tailor made holiday – the sky (and sea bed)’s the limit!

Luxury Holidays

Looking for Luxury while on holidays then look no further, from the finest rooms in the most luxurious hotels to the plushest suites on a Nile Cruise. You’ll be given the personal numbers of our staff to ensure you have any special requests and your trip runs smoothly. You will enjoy the comfort of a private driver thoughout you stay and to and from the airport. You’ll even have your very own, personal Egyptologist-Tour Guide wherever you go; you will be treated as a ROYAL.

Adventure & Desert Safari

There’s nothing like enjoy the Sahara desert with its crystal mountains and oases. We take you into the black and white desert to watch the most beautiful sunrises and sunset’s of Egypt. The Bahariya Oasis is where we travel to see the White and Black desert that is over 40 million years old when the sahara was a big ocean. In the year 2000 an American scientific team conducted by Joshua smith found the remains of a Dinosaur which is about 95 million years old. The BAHARIYA OASIS is a mysterious place full of ancient secrets still undiscovered.

History & Culture

Ancient & modern.

History & Culture Tours bring you face to face with ancient Egypt’s famous antiquities that merge with the essence of Modern Egypt and egyptian people.

Recent Articles

June 19, 2017

Cracking Open The Heart – Egypt 2001 Part 3

The 13th Chakra

Mission Accomplished – Egypt Equinox 2001

Meet Amro Mounir (ZuZu)

Egyptologist - tour guide and travel agent.

Amro is a native of Cairo and is best known for his passion, humor, and dedication to finding and living the ‘truth’ which he aspires to on a daily basis. As a youngster, he had an interest in studying political science; driven by a desire to have a positive influence on the future and direction of Egypt. However his direction changed and he chose his initial studies in Egyptology, graduating in 1996 with a degree with Honors, and so his journey began… Amro’s love of Egypt and Egyptology shines through at all times and is a central part of who he is; Amro loves nothing more than to share his deep love for Egypt, the ancient culture, and its mysticism sharing his own theories about ancient history and how it varies from literature. He believes we are all of the same reality and by bridging the gap between cultures that being the East and West we can reach a meeting point through our mutual links to the history of civilization itself.

Partners in success

RocketPlay Casino

RocketPlay Casino delivers an exhilarating online gaming experience. With a vast array of slot machines, card games, and live dealer options, it caters to all types of players. It offers generous bonuses and an engaging loyalty program. Its user-friendly interface and secured payment methods ensure a seamless gaming experience.

or continue with

Reset Password

Enter the e-mail address associated with the account. We'll e-mail a link to reset your password.

Imhotep Museum in Saqqara

The Imhotep Museum is an archaeological museum located at the foot of the Saqqara necropolis complex near Memphis in Lower Egypt. This museum was established in honor and commemoration of the ancient Egyptian architect Imhotep, the executor of the pyramidal group for King Djoser, as he was the first to erect a pyramidal building and the first to use stone in constructing huge buildings. The museum consists of several halls containing more than 500 rare artifacts excavated from the Saqqara archaeological site. The museum display includes a model of Djoser’s funerary collection, and one of the halls in the museum was designed in the form of a complete tomb in which a mummy, a wooden coffin, and a number of vessels made of pottery and alabaster are displayed. The museum also includes the library of the French engineer Jean-Philippe Loire, who devoted his life to restoring King Djoser’s pyramid collection and restoring its features.

The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization

NMEC exhibits several objects intended to educate the visitor about the Egyptian civilization across various key historical phases, starting with the Predynastic and Ancient Egyptian periods, and continuing across the Graeco-Roman, Coptic, Islamic and contemporary modern times.

The Grand Egyptian Museum

The Grand Egyptian Museum is the world’s largest museum dedicated to a single civilization. The collection consisting of King Tut’s tomb and tens of thousands of other rare and unique archaeological finds has found a new home in a museum built on the plateau of the pyramids of Giza. Encompassing a massive 490,000 square-meters, the Grand Egyptian Museum will display around 100,000 ancient artifacts spanning 7,000 years of Egyptian history. The main galleries are divided along four eras: predynastic and Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, New Kingdom, and Greco-Roman.

Solar Boat Museum

Or as we call it “Khufu Boat Museum” holds the largest royal vessel ever found in Egypt.  It is known to be the worlds’ oldest boat, aged around 4500 years!!! Made entirely of cedar wood and rope, it is considered to be an engineering masterpiece even today. It has been restored to its original condition and is housed in its own museum next to the Great Pyramids… not generally visited by tourists you should never miss this one!

Great Pyramids & Sphinx

Located on the West bank of the Nile; Giza Plateau is home to the Three Great Pyramids and their Guardian Sphinx. Considered to be the only remaining wonder of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Pyramid complex stands on the Giza plateau and rises from the desert as a bonfire of strength, inspiration, history & loads of mystery. For centuries, people from all over the world visited Egypt astonished by their magnificence. The Great Pyramid of Cheops is the oldest and largest of them all standing 137 meters tall (originally 147 meters) and containing 2.3 million stone blocks. Some archeologists believe that still today there could be hidden chambers containing the Kings treasures. The Sphinx stands guarding the Plateau with a body of a lion and head of a human being that comes from a great wisdom that the protectors of the Land should enjoy the wisdom of men and physical power of the lion king! A matter of doubt has always risen up about how the ancient Egyptian people built the Pyramids, some believe it was magic with others saying it was the tallest man on earth who did it – we will continue to seek the truth!

Memphis and Saqqara

Did you know that there are at least 118 Pyramids sprinkled between Giza Plateau to the Fayum Oasis? Every now & then as the landscape changes Egypt unveils more of them. A short drive south of Cairo lies Memphis, the first capital city of the Egyptian Empire. It was a thriving commercial center and retains many ancient ruins including a giant statue of the Pharaoh Ramesses II. In Saqqara, the oldest complete stone building complex known in history was built and is known as Djoser’s Step Pyramid.

Hanging Church

With a history dating back to the 3rd century, Saint Virgin Mary’s Church (the Hanging Church) or as we call it in Arabic “Al Mo’laaka” is one of the oldest churches in Egypt. Its name refers to its location above a gatehouse of the Babylon Fortification and was the first to be built in Basilican style; holding more than 110 icons dating back to the 8th & 18th century.!

Saladin Citadel

Dominating the skyline the Citadel stands to guard over the City offering a fresh breeze & magnificent panoramic views of the whole city. Well known to be a primitive Islamic Defense against the crusaders it was a royal residence for more than 700 years! This complex holds the Gawhara Palace, small museums, and several mosques, most notably the imposing Mohammed Ali mosque which was built by the Ottoman king Mohammed Ali as a replica of the famous Blue Mosque in Istanbul.

Egyptian Museum

Famed to be one of the largest museums in the world, it offers you the chance to immerse yourself in 50 centuries of Egypt’s ancient history. Founded in 1857 the museum holds more than 120,000 antiques from the ancient Egyptian era; including the treasures of the boy king Tutankhamun and his famous Golden Mask to the Royal Mummy Room on the upper hall where 9 royal mummies are displayed; well preserved and sharing many secrets about the mummification process. The Egyptian Government is currently working on relocating the whole museum to Giza where the Pyramids stand. It is a massive project that will take a couple of years but will be worth the wait with hidden treasures not currently on displayed.

Coptic Cairo (Old Cairo)

Digging deep into Cairo; Coptic Cairo is a unique place which embraces the Babylon Fortress, the Coptic Museum, the Hanging Church the Greek Church of St. George and the Ben Ezra Synagogue. It is believed that the Holy Family visited & stayed in this area at Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church (Abu Serga).

Saints Sergius & Bacchus Church (Abu Serga)

It is a matter of debate when exactly this church was founded with some saying the 5th & other historians believing it to be the 8th century! One of the imperative spots in this church is the cave where the Holy Family stayed during their expedition into Egypt.

Ben Ezra Synagogue

Cairo was built as the capital of Egypt in 969AD but the site of Old Cairo is even much older than this. Cairo is a special city even more evident today where the synagogue, the Church, and the Mosque embrace each other in unity; where different religions live together in one community in peace and love! This is Egypt.

Khan El Khalili Bazaar

If you are seeking something special & looking for a unique experience; then you can’t leave Egypt without visiting the largest & oldest souq in Egypt “Khan El Khalili Bazaar”. It is not just a market; NO … it is the web of Old Egypt with handicraft makers, tent makers “Al Khyamaya”, oriental perfume makers, accessories, customs of belly dancers, Egyptian Galabya & you can even get a tattoo! Deep inside you will find a number of coffee shops where you can get hot & cold drinks, fresh juices or maybe try the Egyptian Shisha! One of the oldest coffees is “Fe Sha wy” it is always crowded but one of the best!

Nile Dinner Cruise

An enjoyable 2 hour trip sailing on the mighty Nile River with an amazing view of an enlightened Cairo by night! During dinner there will be a live show; folkloric with Sufi dancing well-known worldwide as “Tanoura Show”a live band & with belly dancers.

The pearl of the Mediterranean, Alexandria is Egypt’s second largest city named after Alexander the Great who founded the city in 331 B.C. and the capital of Egypt during the Greek-Roman era.

It was the knowledge & cultural center of the ancient world for quite a while. Famed for the Lighthouse of Alexandria or as we say it in Arabic “Al Manara”, (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World), holding the most popular Library “Bibliotheca Alexandria” & the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa. It is the main center of the international shipping industry and one of the most important trading centers in the world.

Qaitbay Citadel

Qaitbay fort is one of the most amazing places; Yes! It is a glorious fortress facing the Mediterranean Sea and one of the most important defensive strongholds along the Mediterranean Sea coast built in the 15th century. The fortress’s current form is not the original; It was heavily damaged during the British bombardment of Alexandria during a nationalist uprising against British hegemony in 1882 and rebuilt around the turn of the 20th century. The citadel gave up its military functions ages ago and for the time being it holds a small marine museum, of course, the current shape of the citadel is not how it was as it was seriously damaged. Most of the tourists long to see how it is by night; the entrance is lovely and always crowded; full of ice-cream sellers and vendors who offer pretty souvenirs! Our advice is to get as many photos as you can.

Pompey’s Pillar

This colossal Roman column is the largest of its type, build in 297 A.D. from a single piece of red Aswan granite to memorialize the victory of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. Its height is about 28 m with the diameter at the base 2.7 m pointing towards the capital, at the top it points to 2.3 m.

Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa

Or the Mound of shards was used as a burial ground during the 2nd & the 4th centuries AD, one of the still standing of the Seven Wonders of the middle ages, actually it remains in a pretty well shape! The necropolis consists of a series of tombs, statues and archaeological objects. It has been used as a burial chamber from the 2nd century to the 4th century before being rediscovered in 1900 by accidentally by a lost donkey. Three coffins have been founded, along with other human and animal remains.

Bibliotheca Alexandrina

It is not only a library, as it holds halls for music concerts, conference centers, 4 museums, 4 art galleries and a planetarium. Located on the sea front makes for an amazing visit (tickets & administration office is located in the back area).

The world’s premier travel destination, Luxor is the site of the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes. Separated by the beautiful River Nile the East and West Banks of Luxor each hold their own magnificent monuments. On the East Bank stands the breathtaking Karnak Temple Complex which connects to Luxor Temple via the Avenue of Sphinx; while the West Bank is home to the mortuary temples and tombs such as the Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, Hatshepsut Temple, Colossi of Memnon, Medinat Habu and much much more.

Karnak Temple

A massive temple complex and the largest ancient religious site in the world with a religious center consisting of temples, chapels, obelisks, sanctuaries, the sacred lake and the impressive Hypostyle Hall of 134 enormous columns; Karnak Temple is well known to be the second most visited historical spot in Egypt, after Giza’s Great Pyramids. Roughly 30 pharaohs contributed to the buildings, enabling it to reach the size, complexity, and diversity which is neither compared to or found anywhere else!

Mummification Museum

Ancient Egyptian people have always believed in life after death; no wonder they were the first to create the mummification process; they succeeded keeping the remains of royal mummies (human) & even remains of animals. At the mummification museum in Luxor, you will find well-preserved mummies dating back to the 21st-dynasty high priest of Amun, “Maserharti”, as well as a multitude of mummified animals and the tools & materials used during the process!

Valley of the Queens

A rare location between the southwest of the village & temples of Medinet Habu and almost 500 m. West of Deir el-Medina. This location has been carefully chosen as to protect the tombs from over pouring of the water from the rock cleft. The Valley holds like 90 of the tombs for the Princesses, Queens and higher category of officials in the New Kingdom. Many of the tombs, sadly have been a robbery victim. Tomb of Queen Nefertari considered one of the most beautiful tombs ever; has been discovered in the early 1900’s through an Italian scientific excavation by Ernesto Schiaparelli. The tomb is one of its kind, yet it is closed to the public due to its flimsy condition.

Karnak Temples evening Sound and Light Show

Karnak Temples comes alive at night with stories and secrets revealed during the Sound & Light show performance. As you walk through the temples music flows through the complex with ancient voices telling stories recalling the birth of the temple and the gallant achievements of our ancient pharaohs. It is a captivating experience to gaze at the glorious ruins specially illuminated to tell the tale!

Valley of the Kings

Located on the Western Bank of Nile River. It is the main burial site for ancient pharaohs, housing tombs for pharaohs from the new kingdom. The valley holds 63 tombs they know of and 26 tombs carved for the Kings and other tombs believed to be for the royal family. Most of them are not usually opened for visitors, even when they are opened there are strict rules about touching and photography to preserve them as they are. tour guides are not allowed to lecture inside the tombs to minimize time spent inside in order to keep the surface of the decoration.

Luxor Temple

“Ipt-Rsyt” as known in the new kingdom! “Al Aksur” in Arabic which means the Palaces! Temple has located anciently in the Capital of Egypt “Thebes” situated on the Eastern Bank of the Nile & dedicated to the king ” Amon-Ra”. It has always been a sacred sight, majestically standing as a remembrance to the ancient Egyptian civilization. It has an amazing entrance “Pylon” built by king Ramses II; anciently; the entrance of that complex was exclusively for the Pharoah, priests and some of the official’s ones. Now it is one of the top visited sights in Egypt.

Hot Air Balloon Ride

Rise high above the ancient temples, tombs and monuments of the West Bank of Luxor, watch the Mighty Nile floating tenderly on the rocks, guard the sun rising over the open air museum “Luxor” where the village wakes up so early starting their day. It is “One of its type Adventure”, A ride like no other to catch such a superb view of the city of Luxor and the lush green Nile Valley. The trip starts early in the morning to avoid sun heat & it takes almost 45 minutes; make sure not to miss this one!

Colossi of Memnon

In glorious view facing the Mighty Nile River and the rising sun with both hands rested on their legs they were there to guard the mortuary temple of Amenhotep. The twin statues are believed to date back to the 14th century BC made from blocks of quartzite sandstone, with a height of 60ft!

Believed to be a real living miracle; a place where you can revive your spirit and body. Well-known as the well of “Salt Sea” due to the waters of the Dead Sea being extremely saline with almost ten times the salt as the world’s oceans. It is a landlocked Salt Lake bordering Israel and Jordan. Jordan Rift Valley is a vividly gorgeous landscape stretching aong the dead sea for almost 400 km below sea level; this vast expanse of water obtains a good number of incoming rivers including the River Jordan. As soon as the waters reach the Dead Sea they are land-locked with nowhere to go; accordingly, they evaporate, leaving behind an impenetrable, rich, mixture of salts as well as minerals considered as a source of industry, medicine and agriculture with some of the finest products produced. The unique attentiveness of the Dead Sea waters has widely been known for its medicinal value. Located 30 minutes’ drive out of Amman it is a stunning sight when the sunset touches the distant hills with ribbons of fire across the waters of the Dead Sea; you can relax by the beach or float in the salty waters.

Kharga Oasis

Located South of Cairo is Asyut the Capital of the New Valley and very famous for “Hybis Temple”, “Bagwat Cemeteries”, “Temple of Qasr El Zayan”, “Dush Temple” and the “Antiquates Museum of El Kharga”. Well known for the for the sulfuric water wells that have the ability of healing diseases like Rheumatism, flue, stomach aches and more!

Dakhla oasis

Situated North West of Cairo is El Kharga Oasis also famous for the water spring “Mot” with its natural hot water of 45c and housing a variety of historical spots; “Village of El Qasr” ‘Deir El Hagar”, “Village of Bashandy”, ‘Village of Balat” and “Necropolis of Muzawaka”.

Farafra Oasis

Positioned 320 KM North West of Dakhla Oasis Farafra is well known for holding ruins of “Farafra Palace” & “Abu Monkar Palace” dating back to the Roman époque.

Reflects the idea of an Oasis with its fascinating Palm trees, natural water springs and surrounding mountains combined with the ruins dating back to the Pharaohs & Roman eras. Its natural water spring offers a cure for lots of diseases, with the well-known wells of “Cleopatra Bath”, “Arayes, Moulol”, “Hamawat” and much more. The not to be missed “City of Shaly” with the fortress in the middle, “Temple of Oracle”, “Mountain of Dead” or gabal el mawta is a must.

Bahrya Oasis

Located 360 km North of Cairo, housing more than 260 natural water springs; a terrific place where you will be impressed with the breathtaking nature, culture and a desert rich with superb monuments; “Valley of the Golden Mummies”, “Temples of Ain Muftella”, “Necropolis of El Mozawaqa”.

Fayum Oasis

One of the adventures that you should not miss when you visit Egypt; a unique place offering an exclusive combination of nature, culture and activities! Fayum is tremendously rich with many archeological sites. Holding many Pyramids like ‘Hawara” ,”Pyramids of Meidum” & Pyramids of “Lahun” along with many monuments dating back to the Pharaohs, Coptic and Islamic eras “Qasr Qarun”, “Obelisk of Senusert”. Housing the famed lake “Lake Qarun”, which is becoming a targeted place for many tourists visiting Egypt for hunting, water skiing and much more. The home of the natural protectorates of “Wadi El Rayan” and “Wadi Hytan”; you will never lack activities as you can enjoy bird watching, hiking, trekking, sand-boarding and fishing. One of the not to be missed visits is “Tunis Village” or the pottery village, you can watch and even learn how to make pottery! In addition to the standard hotels at Fayum Oasis you will find many comforting eco-lodges that you can stay at like “Kom El Dikka” & Lazib Inn Resort” and more…

“Red Rose City” or the “Lost City” is a world wonder and no doubt it is one of the attractions visited by tourists in Jordan. It is a unique city carved into the utter rock face by the Nabataeans (Arab nomadic tribes who settled there 2000 years ago). In 1985 the Archaeological Park in Petra was declared as a UNESCO heritage site. Carved into vivacious red, pink, white & sandstone cliff faces, the primitive Jordanian city of Petra was “lost” to the Western world for hundreds of years. That’s how it gained both the name “Red Rose” & Lost City”. Nothing can describe the beauty & unique combination of this city!

Wadi Rum Protectorate

Wadi Rum has been declared as a natural protectorate in 1988 as the government of Jordan recognized its unique wild nature & history. You can reconnoiter Wadi Rum in various ways; jeep, camel ride, horse ride or even on foot. The camel ride short trip is a common activity as well as hiking (Bedouin Local Guide will help you with this). From the dramatic sandstone mountains; to the wildlife where you can catch a view of few animals; as most of those desert creatures are nightly ones! Furry small mammals are also communal in Rum, like gerbils -active only at night time; you can rarely get a chance to watch them. As for the weather; well it is extreme both seasons, wild summer heat & as well as extreme cold winter.

Is a Piece of Rome positioned in Jordan dating back 6500 years ago and is considered to be the third favorite destination in Jordan after Petra and Wadi Rum. Striking Hadrian’s Arch in Jerash was built 129 AD honoring the visit of Emperor Hadrian. On the South gate stands the well-designed remains of Zeus from the Temple of Zeus, believed to be built 162AD.

The ancient town at Jordan Plateau, 30 km away of Amman seen as one of the most unforgettable places to visit. Madaba is famous for its 6th-century mosaic map of the Holy Land in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George; you will be astonished to know that it is made out of two million pieces of brilliantly colored local stones, which portrays the hills, villages, valleys and towns.

An awe-inspiring mixture of history, nature and city life encircled with stunning mountains and blue waters. This city enjoys a stable warm climate all year round and offers beach relaxation, water activities and coral reef exploration with rare colorful fish. Swimming with the welcoming sea turtles and dolphins as they missile among the schools of multi-colored fish is exciting and will leave you with a feeling of being a part of the wild. Nightly dives divulge the nocturnal sea creatures like crabs, shrimps and lobsters as they go seeking their nighttime snacks. You will be impressed with the great number of antiquity that has been found there which you can enjoy watching in the Museum and in Archaeological Parks.

Umm Qais – Ancient Gadara

30km northwest of Irbid you can visit the Decapolis city “Gadara” which is a day trip worth taking. Exploring the Archeological remains of the Decapolis city “Gadara” the ancient city of Palestine shaped by the borders Jordan, Israel & the Golan will transport you back in time. After Alexander the Great passed away in 323 BC, Gadara was taken by the Ptolemy’s and used as a borderline station with the Seleucids to the north. In 218 BC, the Seleucids took the city yet it came under control a century later from the Jewish Hasmoneans. Once the Roman general Pompey forced an order throughout Syria in 63 BC for the reconstruction of Gadara in favor to one of his favorite freed men Gadarene. It is well known for a place to spend public holidays especially Fridays.

Stax Records, Gordon Ramsay and more TV shows to stream this weekend

• Show more sharing options
• Copy Link URL Copied!

Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone getting a little stir crazy for summer vacation.

It’s not quite the same, but Screen Gab No. 134 contains plenty of recommendations to help you get away — whether it’s into the past, with “Stax: Soulsville U.S.A.”; at the side of Gordon Ramsay, in “Uncharted”; in search of luxury real estate, thanks to an emerging franchise of Netflix series; or to the movies, inspired by a beloved anime. Read on to fast-forward to your next trip (without having to leave the house).

You are reading Screen Gab newsletter

Sign up to get recommendations for the TV shows and streaming movies you can’t miss, plus exclusive interviews with the talent behind your favorite titles, in your inbox every Friday

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

Must-read stories you might have missed

30 years after Nicole Brown Simpson’s murder, her sisters tell her story in docuseries: Denise, Dominique and Tanya Brown say they decided to speak about their sister in a new Lifetime docuseries to preserve her memory and to humanize the sibling they loved.

‘The Sympathizer’ author reveals the ‘red line’ he wouldn’t let HBO series cross : In the Emmy-season premiere of The Envelope podcast, we sit down with Maya Erskine, star of “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” and Viet Thanh Nguyen and Don McKellar from HBO’s “The Sympathizer.”

For ‘Under the Bridge,’ Archie Panjabi mined a mother’s loss: ‘I could not control the pain’: Panjabi stars as Suman Virk in Hulu’s “Under the Bridge,” about the real-life murder of Reena Virk, and tells what it was like to tap into a mother’s grief and to forgive.

Being bad is good for Walton Goggins, whose turn in ‘Fallout’ has kept his star rising: The veteran character actor from “The Shield” and “Justified” is having a standout year, playing the Ghoul in Prime Video’s “Fallout” and a role in Season 3 of “The White Lotus.”

Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times

“Stax: Soulsville, U.S.A.” (HBO, Max)

This marvelous four-hour documentary dedicated to the life and music of the great soul and R&B label in Memphis, Tenn. — home to Otis Redding, Rufus and Carla Thomas, Booker T. and the MGs, Sam and Dave, Isaac Hayes, the Staple Singers and others — does not feel a minute too long, though the ride can sometimes be rough and the lessons hard. After a brief period recording country music, Stax — founded by white siblings Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton — and its attached Satellite Record Shop turned to Southern soul, creating new sounds and becoming a magnet for young Black musicians and music lovers. (And, notably, some white ones: House band the MGs were integrated in a segregated city.) It’s the story of a company and a community, of personal and national tragedy, of music and the music business, of getting knocked down and getting up again. From local dances to Monterey Pop to Wattstax, it’s inspiring, heartbreaking and, unlike a lot of music documentaries, actually full of music. — Robert Lloyd

“Haikyu!” (Crunchyroll, Netflix)

Finally hitting U.S. theaters on Friday is “Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle,” a movie that picks up where “Haikyu!!” left off at the end of its fourth season. The anime series follows Shoyo Hinata and his high school volleyball team as they make their way to nationals. Hinata fell in love with the sport as a kid after catching a glimpse of Karasuno High School’s “Little Giant” — their small-in-stature volleyball ace — in action on TV. Short and energetic, Hinata is athletically gifted but never had the chance to be properly trained or compete in matches. He enrolls in Karasuno High to follow in the Little Giant’s footsteps, only to discover that his middle school rival is there too. The series is full of humor, heart and heartbreak, following the high-schoolers as the team gels through practices, training camps and competitions. It’s also plenty accessible to those who have no prior knowledge of volleyball. (And while watching the series is not required to enjoy “The Dumpster Battle,” familiarity with the show and its characters does enrich the experience.) — Tracy Brown

Everything you need to know about the film or TV series everyone’s talking about

If you already knew the name Daniel Daggers when he turned up as the head of a luxury real-estate firm on Netflix’s latest high-end property series, “Buying London,” you are either a very wealthy Brit who needs better hobbies or, like me, a devotee of the streamer’s answer to “The Real Housewives” and “Below Deck.” After all, Daggers — who first appeared on “The Parisian Agency: Exclusive Properties” as a potential partner to the lovably close-knit Kretz family — has assumed the same role that Mauricio Umansky does at his (much messier) family business in “Buying Beverly Hills” and oversees stylized office high jinks like those of “Selling Sunset ,” spinoff “Selling the O.C.” and since canceled “Selling Tampa.” (Yet another entry, New York-set “Selling in the City,” has been ordered to series; the separate “Owning Manhattan” premieres June 28.)

Of them all, it’s “Buying London,” piecing together the parts of an entire programming category into a Frankenstein’s monster of their worst instincts, that most clearly crystallizes the possibilities and risks of Netflix’s strategy. It is, in theory, proof of concept for an infinitely repeatable global format, one the platform has successfully ( albeit controversially ) achieved with “Love Is Blind” — no company in Hollywood is better prepared to hang its shingle in Monte Carlo, Dubai, Singapore, Sydney. But unfortunately, populated by both insipid architecture — too much Airbnb minimalism at an ultra-rich price point — and insipid characters — whose names, besides Daggers’, I never managed to remember — this iteration better illustrates the difference between enjoyably trashy and just plain trash.

It’s all in the execution, as they say. Seeing one cookie-cutter open-concept kitchen after another in Laguna Beach, for instance, seems logical, albeit numbing; to find such a lack of idiosyncrasy and charm in London is a serious disappointment. (“The Parisian Agency,” which has lately visited a stud farm and a converted church, easily fulfills this end of the bargain.) More to the point, in splitting the difference between the crisp professionalism of “The Parisian Agency” and the craven clout-chasing of its California counterparts, “Buying London” leaves itself in no man’s land, neither sincere enough to embrace nor arch enough to laugh at. When it comes to reality TV fireworks, the famed reserve of the British upper crust is what you might call a wet blanket. — Matt Brennan

A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching

Gordon Ramsay has no taste for idleness. Perhaps that’s why the star chef and TV personality, who trekked to Jordan, Cuba, Hawaii and more far-flung locales for Season 4 of “Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted” (Nat Geo, Hulu, Disney+), looks to athletes like Tom Brady and Michael Strahan for inspiration. “He has his hand in so many things,” Ramsay said of the former footballer and “Good Morning America” co-host. “I know I travel a lot, but that man must be in the sky as much as me.” Before “Uncharted” returned this week, he stopped by Screen Gab to discuss what he’s watching, what “The Bear” gets right about restaurant kitchens and more. — Matt Brennan

What have you watched recently that you are recommending to everyone you know?

I really loved “The Dynasty: New England Patriots” on Apple TV+. Being in the States has made me an American football fan, and I became fascinated by Tom Brady after my first NFL game. That first game, ironically, was when Tom Brady beat the Falcons at the Super Bowl. So to understand what was happening behind the scenes was incredible, not just as a sports fan but as a former player myself. It also taught me his catchphrase, which I use all the time now. LFG!

What’s your go-to “comfort watch,” the film or TV show you return to again and again?

“Wicked Tuna,” hands down. Whenever I’m traveling or working in America, I find Nat Geo and put it on. I love fishing so much, I do it every summer, and I’ve been known to some times to sneak away when the cameras aren’t rolling on “Uncharted.” I just love seeing the grit, hard work and, of course, the amazing fish they catch. It’s my dream one day to be on that show.

With “Uncharted,” you continue a trend of expanding into new genres: cooking shows, docuseries, competition shows, travel shows. Who’s your TV inspiration, the person whose onscreen career you look to as a model for your own and why?

That’s a tough one, since before “Hell’s Kitchen,” food wasn’t as mainstream as it is today. With that said, I have to look at Michael Strahan. He’s a former footballer like me, but I actually use my feet to play, and he has his hand in so many things in his next stage in his career. I know I travel a lot, but that man must be in the sky as much as me.

Unvarnished opinion: How close is “The Bear” to an actual restaurant kitchen?

The kitchen Carmy builds in Season 2 is the kitchen any Michelin-starred chef dreams of. Trust me, I was jealous. I think why so many chefs, like me, love the show is we’ve been through so many of those moments the show captures. That said, I haven’t been locked in a walk-in before.

The complete guide to home viewing

Get Screen Gab for everything about the TV shows and streaming movies everyone’s talking about.

Matt Brennan is a Los Angeles Times’ deputy editor for entertainment and arts. Born in the Boston area, educated at USC and an adoptive New Orleanian for nearly 10 years, he returned to Los Angeles in 2019 as the newsroom’s television editor. He previously served as TV editor at Paste Magazine, and his writing has also appeared in Indiewire, Slate, Deadspin and numerous other publications.

Tracy Brown is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times covering television, film and other pop culture.

Robert Lloyd has been a Los Angeles Times television critic since 2003.

More From the Los Angeles Times

‘American Idol’ alum Mandisa’s cause of death revealed: complications of obesity

June 4, 2024

Entertainment & Arts

‘Westworld’ actor Jonathan Tucker helps rescue neighbor’s family during home invasion

Erich Anderson, working actor and writer known for ‘Felicity’ and more, dead at 67

Company Town

Netflix, Ava DuVernay settle defamation lawsuit brought by ‘When They See Us’ prosecutor

Learn. Explore. Grow.

At  SOUL OF CUBA TRAVEL, we offer the experience of a lifetime!

A wide range of well-organized activities are tailored to your interests, where you will be the protagonist discovering the Soul of Cuba. We prepare your itinerary for "Support of the Cuban People," which will be made up of visits to cities and regions with a wide cultural trajectory, flora, and fauna. Our guides and team of vast experience will take you through an attractive world of stories, learning experiences, and entertainments in direct contact with the sociocultural and ecological world within the fascinating multilayered tropical cocktail which is the island of Cuba.

Let us take you on a Cuba cultural adventure! 

We organize trips to all the most amazing places Cuba has to offer! Specializing in ecological and cultural tourism, among other varied options, we establish a complete itinerary full of unparalleled experiences, which you will enjoy firsthand and in direct contact with the Soul of Cuba. 

Songs of Travel 9+

An interactive graphic novel, causa creations interactive media gmbh, designed for ipad, screenshots, description.

An animated graphic novel exploring the unique stories of five migrants. An animated graphic novel exploring the unique stories of five migrants seeking new beginnings in Europe. Together, these stories paint a mosaic of themes such as our hopes, dreams, and identities and the things we treasure most. The aim of Songs of Travel is to bring the personal stories of migrants to a wider audience and paint a vivid picture of the topic of migration. The narratives are tied together by the experiences of the Syrian artist Jack Gutmann, who co-developed the award-winning game "Path Out" with the game’s developer, Causa Creations. These tales are set to the backdrop of a specially curated soundtrack by Northern Irish composer Elaine Agnew. The use of this music is a vital element of the project, which will be presented in the four partnering festivals in Ireland (Cellissimo), Sweden (Fairplay Chamber music), Norway (Valdres Sommersymfoni) in 2024, and in the Netherlands (Piano Biennale) in 2025. Follow the narratives of: * Light, a non-binary Syrian refugee who arrives in Vienna after years of hardship and war in Syria and the United Arab Emirates. * Vân, the daughter of a Vietnamese contract worker who grew up in East-Germany and who must deal with the duality of being Vietnamese-German. * Michele, the son of Francesco Cicora, an Italian coal miner who died in the great mining disaster of Marcinelle 1956 in Belgium. * Hasan, who came to Austria at the age of 1, when his mother moved there from Istanbul, Turkey. * Olya, a Ukrainian lawyer and a refugee who has had to flee twice: first when she left her home of Donetsk in 2014 and fled to Kyiv, and then when she fled from Ukraine once war erupted in 2022.

App Privacy

The developer, Causa Creations Interactive Media GmbH , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Not Collected

The developer does not collect any data from this app.

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

More By This Developer

Mein erstes Spurenbuch

Die Andere Stadt

You Might Also Like

Playing Kafka

Vampire: The Masquerade - CoNY

The Wanderer:

Burly Men at Sea

S15 Ep16: Soul Sisters - Soft Travel, Find Your Soul Mate, Ben & Jlo

• Podcast Episode

Add a plot in your language

User reviews

• June 3, 2024 (United States)
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed.

Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Soul Of The Gorons Walkthrough

S oul of the Gorons is a side quest in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom , where you will craft the legendary weapon of Daruk. The Boulder Breaker is one of the most powerful weapons in the game, and it can demolish any boulders blocking your path in an instant.

This quest is not only about finding the weapon but also honoring the legacy of one of the greatest Goron’s champions. In this guide, we will help you start this side quest and collect the materials necessary to craft Boulder Breaker.

Talk to Rohan and Fugo at Goron City Forge

Soul of the Gorons side quest can only be obtained and started after completing Yunobo of Goron City ‘s main quest. Once you defeat the Marbled Gohma, return to Goron City by fast traveling to the Marakuguc Shrine.

Glide from the Marakuguc shrine to see an old Goron working at the forge ( 1690, 2498, 0396 ). His name is Rohan, and he won’t sell you any weapons. Talk to his young apprentice, Fugo, who will ask you to help him craft the greatest weapon ever.

It is the only way Rohan will accept him. This will start the Soul of the Goron’s quest in Zelda: TotK

Craft the Boulder Breaker

Fugo will ask you to find the following items to craft the Boulder Breaker weapon.

• 1x Cobble Crusher
• 3x Diamonds

These items can easily be acquired by following our guide precisely.

1. Cobble Crusher: To obtain a Cobble Crusher, fast travel to the Eldin Canyon Skyview Tower . Don’t use the tower to get airborne. Go to its west and jump from the cliff.

Glide until you see a wooden shed at the following coordinates ( 1499, 1184, 0179 ). There is a treasure chest beneath the shed. Open it to obtain a Cobble Crusher.

2. Diamonds: You can purchase Diamonds from the ore traders in Goron City. However, you will have to pay a hefty price (1000 Rupees each) to acquire them.

If you are not interested in paying for the diamonds, you can try the following shrines, which offer diamonds as a reward.

• Mayaotaki Shrine
• Sakunbomar Shrine
• Maoikes Shrine
• Jochi-ihiga Shrine
• Ganos Shrine
• Jinodok Shrine

3. Flint: This Ore is the easiest one to obtain. You can visit any cave and mine ore nodes there to collect flints.

Flints are also available near stables . Just look around the cooking pots, and you will find at least one Flint.

Once you have obtained all the items required to craft the Boulder Breaker, return to Goron City and talk to Fugo again.

Hand over all the items and he will craft the legendary weapon of Daruk. This will complete the Soul of the Gorons’ side quest in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom .

Quest Reward

Fugo will give you the Boulder Breaker as a reward. This weapon has 38 attack power and can be used to destroy boulders.

The best part about Boulder Breaker is that if it ever breaks, you can simply return it to Fugo, and he will repair it for you.

The post Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Soul Of The Gorons Walkthrough appeared first on SegmentNext .