Blog in English - The Solivagant Soul

The 7 best and weirdest festivals in Spain

7 most funny and weirdest festivals in Spain, from the San Fermines and the Fallas to something as unusual as a coffin parade

Despite not being universally known, some of the weirdest festivals in Spain occur all around the country, not only in Pamplona or in Buñol. Spain is known for fiesta and siesta. Then because of Paella and chorizo. And then, because of our sun and beaches. The truth is that when you look deeper, there are some unique things typical to Spain that sometimes make it to famous travel blogs or the local news now or then. What would these be? Well… have you ever heard of the San Fermines? La Tomatina? If there’s something we have in Spain are strange…

The Ugly five of Africa, and the best places to find them

Africa, Travel 13

Famous animals in Africa - The Ugly Five, the shy five, the little five, the impossible 5 and the big five. The very best of the African Wildlife and where to find them during a Safari.

The Ugly five of Africa, do not confuse them up with the big five! In my last post, I told you the best tips and tricks to find Africa’s big 5 animals. Even though these where the animals I was initially looking for during my safari through Southern Africa, once there, I heard about another group of interesting animals: The Ugly Five of Africa. Which animals are the Ugly Five of Africa Even though not strictly hideous, these animals will never rank as the most beautiful in the Sabana. They are quirky, often overlooked, and not too-nice to look at,…

Where to see Africa’s Big Five

Africa, Travel 2

Where to find Africa's Big Five | How to see Africa's Big Five. Africa's big five are a group of animals that make the wish list of all safari enthusiasts. This list includes Elephants, Rhinos, Water Buffaloes, Leopards and Lions. Even though they do not all live together it is possible to see them in some areas of South Africa, Botswana and Kenya. #kenya #botswana #southafrica #safari #wildlife #photography

Seeing Africa’s Big Five is one of the most precious memories you can bring from a Safari through Africa. Many factors will determine whether you will see them, starting from which national parks and reservations you visit. The time of the year. The hour of the day. And, of course, the most important one: how lucky you are. What are the Big Five The big five are a series of wild animals that, often, are quite hard to see. They represent some of the most iconic animals in the continent and once I tell you which ones are they, you…

Facing a croc while discovering Chobe National Park in Botswana

Africa, Travel 5

It was very early. Almost 4 am. By the time I woke up, half of the tents were down and people were getting ready for breakfast. Today, we were going to visit one of the most amazing natural reserves on Earth: Chobe National Park. The early morning As soon as I left the tent, I realized two things. The first, my hands and feet are covered in mosquito bites. I guess, from walking from the shower to the tent the previous night. The second, we were all pros at mounting and dismantling tents. In less than five minutes all were…

Best tips on how to see the Northern Lights

Europe, North America, Travel 5

A detailed guide on how to see the Northern lights and find the most outstanding Aurora Borealis in Iceland, Norway, Canada or Greenland. From tips on how to know the intensity of the Northern Lights as well as the best places to see them. #Northernlights #auroraborealis #sunstorm #wintertravel #naturalwonders | The Solivagant Soul Travel Blog

The Northern Lights are one of the most awe-inspiring natural wonders in the world. Unless you live in an area close to the poles, hunting the Northern Lights is often an adventure that may or may not result in success. Here is a detailed guide on how to see the Northern Lights, and the best tips to go Northern Light hunting. Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at no cost to you, I will earn a small comission when you purchase something that will help me keep this blog alive. What are the…

Best beaches to visit from Barcelona

Europe, Travel 13

When people travel to Barcelona they often ask me which beaches are the best on the city. Insider’s tip here: there are no good beaches in Barcelona. If you want to go to the beach for half an hour then, the Barceloneta, Barcelona’s beach, would be fine. But if you really want to enjoy a day at the beach, these are the best beaches to visit from Barcelona. Geography of the Catalan coastline Barcelona is basically in the middle of the Catalan coast. North from Barcelona, there is the Maresme, an area of relatively flat beaches. This is not a…

Discovering the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans in Nata, Botswana

Africa, Travel 8

Discovering the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans in Nata, Botswana On the day marking one week since my departure, we visited the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans in Nata, Botswana. Starting the day the best possible way For the first time in what felt like ages, my alarm woke me up. Not people waking up two hours before we were supposed to leave. Not my tent partner. It was wonderful. It was 6.30h in the morning and the day looked promising. I had some dry cereals with fruit (my lactose free milk had gone missing), and by 7 the tents were down and we…

8 Things to Avoid in San Juan, Puerto Rico

North America, Travel 11

8 Things you should avoid in San Juan, Puerto Rico. From learning a little bit of the local language (Spanish) to the beaches you should avoid. Here is a detailed guide of 8 things to should never do in San Juan and one that you must. #SanJuan #PuertoRico #USA #Caribbean #beaches #summer #paradise | The Solivagant Soul Travel Blog

Following up on the series of things to not do in specific locations, today I bring you 8 things to avoid in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This list of things to not do is brought to you by Yina from My Nomad Tips. She has some amazing travel tips there. Not only on her native Puerto Rico, but also in many different destinations she has visited. Do not miss out on the previous entries of this series. We have touched very different destinations such as: Barcelona (Spain), Muscat (Oman), Seoul (South Korea), Madrid (Spain), New York (USA) or Shanghai (China).…

The ultimate Northern Spain itinerary for One Week. Or Two.

Europe, Travel 27

The Ultimate Northern Spain Itinerary starting in Galicia and ending in Pamplona. One week, 10 days or two week itinerararies. | The Solivagant Soul Travel Blog | #spain #galicia #cantabria #castillayleon #navarra #basquecountry #picosdeeuropa #spanishmountains #Rioja #navarra

In this post I will show you the ultimate Northern Spain Itinerary to visit this area of Spain in one week, 10 days or more. I will suggest you the best stops as well as tips on what to do and visit in each place. At the end of the post I have also included a breakdown of stops and days you need to visit Northern Spain in a week, in 10 days or in two weeks. Even though this is the ideal roadtrip through Northern Spain, it is possible, though a challenge, to follow this itinerary with public transport.…

11 things to avoid in Shanghai, China

Travel, Asia 5

Things to do in Shanghai, China | What to Avoid in Shanghai | The Solivagant Soul #traveltips #travelchina #shanghai

Following up with our monthly series of “things to avoid in ____”, this month we have Shanghai. This post is brought to you by Menty from GustoBeats. She has the insider point of view and has wrote this beautiful post about 11 things you should avoid in Shanghai, China. Things to avoid in Shanghai Shanghai is a megacity of China. With over 1.4 billion Chinese population on China, Shanghai contributes to that number with over 24 millions. Besides being the largest city in the country, it is also listed as the strongest financial centre, the biggest trading port… and much…