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» It is worth looking, if you have not already, at the example layout to see the guidelines each section of information is based on - or for other travel advice and site home head for http://travelindependent.info |
Editorial..Mexico is shown here, but is often classed by travellers as part of Central America. Both the United States summary (which was authored by Peter John), Canada (which was authored by Zamil Ansu) and the Mexico write up cover huge areas and for this reason the USA summary has been split up into various regions. Mexico and certainly the USA and Canada need a little more money to travel in that other options, but are fantastic destinations, highly varied and very rewarding. Too many closed-minded independent travellers object to American foreign policy or American mass culture, and don't bother with it. Their loss. |
North America 
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your bearings..
show/hide map of the region
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Canada can be considered liberal, tolerant and without doubt, very tourist-friendly. Several aspects of Canada will appeal to the independent traveller. From coast to coast, there is an extensive range of hostels and budget accommodations. There are also campsites all around that are popular among Canadians and tourists. It is also affordable and safe, especially in comparison to the US and certainly parts of Western Europe. Canada is sparsely populated outside the big cities and getting off the beaten track is not difficult at all. Nevertheless, don't get to enthusiastic and think you can tours tour the entire length of the country at one go (unless you have about 6-8 weeks & healthy budget). Whether you visit during the summer or winter, it is guaranteed your long flight will be worth it as you meet fun Canadians who will be proud to show what the country has to offer. |
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Visa strategy: Commonwealth nationals, US, Cubans, EU nationals among others who can enter without visa. None of the current and planned USA visa hassle.
Health: Use common sense when out in the wild. Make sure you have travel insurance!!! Canadian healthcare system is designed for Canadians only, so if you (a tourist) end up with a broken leg or a skiing accident, you must deposit around $500 to receive any sort of medical attention.
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Comment: At first I really enjoyed this site. Its easy to read and appears to be really engaging when looking for travel info. But as a Canadian traveller I was really disappointed to see Canada being omitted almost entirely from this site or being grouped with the US. Its a really great site for informationon countries, places to see and travel advice. Unfortunately, I was disappointed to see that Canada was not included norwas it even mentioned as a place to visit. I understand that Canada as a country may not be as old or have many ancients sights to visit or seem uninteresting compared to a lot of others places around the world. But I think that neglecting it altogether is just wrong. It's an absolutely beautiful country that welcomes many travellers every year but doesn't get the recognition it deserves. I don't think including it only in the country summaries section is fair and really disappoints me as a traveller who has travelled to many places all around the world and in Canada. I just hope you take this into consideration as this seems to be a pattern I have seen on a number of travel sights.
Tourist factor: 7/10, 8/10 in major cities. Many, many backpackers (book hostels, etc. weeks ahead). Expect many Japanese, Australasian, Scandinavian, British tourists. American students take advantage of the lower drinking age, particularly in Quebec. The downside is that you are bound to run into a drunk or stoned American who will treat the place like his own back-yard (sad but true)
Accommodation: something for everyone. From Hosteling Internationals to high end hotels, cheap campsites and backpacker lodges. Prices from US$18-20 (dorms) to US$45 for singles.
Average cost: Staying at a campsite, cooking own food and getting around on foot/hitchhiking will run you less than $40/day. Stay at a hostel, cook in the kitchen and get around on a backpacker bus for US$40-60/day. Long term discounts are of course available.
Food: nothing out of the ordinary, unless you end up going to Yukon or Nunavut and indulge in Arctic cuisine, vegetarians: no problems. Plentiful supermarkets, fast food joints and possibilities to cook your own.
Drugs, cigarettes and alcohol: Legendary beer, drinking laws vary from province to province, but usually cost is cheap. Cigarettes are heavily taxed and smoking is banned in public gatherings, nightclubs (again differs in provinces). Pot is widely available and Vancouver’s ‘pot block’ is a must see. It is still illegal though, but as long as you don’t act like an ass, even the cops won’t care. “Pot Cafes” can be found in Toronto and Vancouver. Just remember this isn’t Amsterdam so it’s not offered on the menu.
Miss at your peril: (stay away from the crowds) - 'Highlight
of Independent Travel'
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Highlights & Lowlights:
Highlights: The a traditional route from the Capital
South towards Central America will take in the following
highlights: México City (inc. surrounding areas such as
Teotihuacán), Palenque, Oaxaca
and Porto Escondido - but that's only the tip of the ice berg.
As a general rule of thumb the main tourist focus of the country
is the Yucatán (where there's plenty to explore) and with direct
flights from Europe and North America this is an obvious entry
point for package tourists seeking sun/sea and backpackers
heading for central America.
Those who enter the country at Mexico DF
the greatest temptation is to head South towards the well known
aforementioned highlights and to Central America. Distances
and/or limited time often put those heading this way off routes
to the North and West of the capital. Discount or write off
these routes at your expensive... among the less crowded
highlights are: Guanajuato, a phenomenal colonial city, more
Spain than Spain, great tunnels, architecture, mazes of alleys,
college culture and street actors. Zacatecas, the beauty of this
city at sunset can't easily be described; the food and museums
are cheap and world class. The architecture is a great mix of
Mexican and Moorish. Accommodation is great and seemingly hardly
anyone on the circuit in Mexico gets here.
San Miguel de Allende, despite the hype that its full of
Americans, it rarely is. A great cathedral, wonderful cheap
authentic food, perhaps the best nature preserve in all Mexico
(the botanical gardens - over hundreds of acres - above town),
one of the best hostel owners/hostel in Mexico, mellow street
life, calm mornings, great art scene and Spanish schools await
those who visit. Morelia, a colonial gem with amazing local
artisans and street life, cathedrals are world class, food (try
the sopa tarasca) is to die of.
Another gem, abet a bit more well known is Real de Catorce,
a little tiny town in the mountains of North Mexico. Very
popular with the backpacker crowd due to its otherworldly
landscape (the Mexican with Brad Pitt was filmed here) and
Peyote usage by local Indians (and of course travellers), this
little town has horseback riding (3$ US an hour) into the local
mountains and deserts, a hippie market, and the place looks like
a Sergio Leone/Clint Eastwood film. The journey itself is a
highlight, with a bus along on the world's longest cobblestone
road, into a one way tunnel through a mountain.
Diving - On a world scale, there is some truly superb diving in
Mexico. You can dive the cenotes in the Yucatan through caverns
with stalagmites, stalactites and haloclines - it really is an
incredible experience and pretty unique. There is also excellent
reef diving on Cozumel, in Baja California, and you can snorkel
with whale sharks in Holbox and Isla Mujeres.
Many
thanks to Eric Beecroft and Jason for sharing there expert
knowledge here.
Lowlights: If you are 21 or under have limited taste,
possibly American, you will love Cancún. For most it's one of
those loathsome place with only novelty value and nothing
(unless you have a big budget to keep you there). Playa de
Carmen and Cozumel Island are not far behind. The rate of change
in these places on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan is
unbelievable. See them to believe them. Large parts of the
Yucatan are not so bad as to avoided.
Another common complain along with the crowds and modernisation
in tourist hot-spots is the simple fact that México is not a
shoestring budget country when compared to Central America and
long distances on buses kill a budget. On a more critical side
not everyone is smitten by the highly and definitely over rated
San Cristóbal de las Casas, where due to the history of
up-risings and military presence in the area many of the
'cooler' travellers head to hang out and do little. San
Cristóbal de las Casas is to backpackers what Cancún is to
package tourists - a Mecca in México. For that reason if you
don't have time to 'hang-out' or wind your way there on the bus
you could happily give it a miss and spend your time elsewhere
such as some of the great places listed above in the highlight
section.
Last, but not least the border towns of Tijuana and Cuidad
Juarez (across from El Paso, Texas) are definite lowlights where
trouble is extremely easy to find.
Visa strategy: Tourist cards are issued free for 90 days at entry points for most nationalities.
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Money: ATMs are plentiful through-out much of the country and are a far more convenient way to carry money than travellers cheques. Any funds you take with you should be in USD. Credit cards can be used in some circumstances and are worth having.
Getting around: México has a highly developed bus system with many different options and of course considering its size a large network of internal flights. Taking into consideration how developed the bus system is most will favour this rather than taking internal flights. For flying the most popular and recommended option is México City to Cancún or vice versa as this is a hell of a long way to backtrack if you have a flight out of say Cancún.
With regards to buses the subject could fill a web site alone. The system is both complicated and confusing and trying to understand it is impossible. Luckily you don't have to and in reality most Mexicans don't. At the end of the day anywhere you want to go there will be a bus going, you just have to find the station it goes from. Most cities have numerous stations (México DF has four). These may be split further by one for first class, one for second.. and so on. Just take it easy it is not too hard to get anywhere and buses are generally organised, clean and prompt - but no bargain.
There now exists three superior classes of bus plus second class buses. These are usually called Primera Plus, Futura and Ejecutiva. All these first class buses (not always all available), are excellent, but have prices about 40% higher than regular services making them really quite expensive for long journeys where you can do with the extra comfort. For most regular first class is the way to go, you still get AC, TV and a WC (for what they are worth).
Be aware that AC buses can get quite cool in the day and very cool at night. Have a sweater handy. Cheaper buses without AC and all the windows open are pleasant for shorter journeys. Films shown on buses are 50% of the time in English with Spanish sub-titles. When travelling over night front seats will keep you away for smelly toilets. On popular routes booking advance is often necessary and at busy times of the year (Christmas, August) very necessary, particularly in the Yucatan or in and out of México City. Due to the size of México it is more than likely you will have to do at least a few overnight trips.
Second class buses normally operate from a different terminal from 1st class buses and look a lot more antiquated. They call at towns and villages and use side roads that 1st class buses would never touch. For longer journeys 1st class buses are better, but on a second class bus with the windows wide open, music playing, local colour you have a great Mexican experience.
More info can be found in any guidebook and most major companies such as ADO (www.adogl.com.mx) have websites for more info, timetables and prices.
![[book]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/1843538431.01.TZZZZZZZ)
People vibe:
Locals: The friendliness of locals does vary dramatically especially in an out of tourist hot spots. There is a definite anti-gringo attitude around Cristóbal de las Casas and in other areas. However, on the whole if you speak Spanish Mexicans are wonderful people.
Other travellers: Various. Mainly European backpackers apart from on the Yucatan where the large numbers of tourists are mainly North American.
Tourist factor: From 10/10 to 5/10. As with many countries, many spots get very crowded during the European/North American summer holidays and there is a signification increase in tourists/travellers.
Accommodation: There is a wide range of accommodation in most places from very cheap dives to more expensive very nice rooms.
Hot water: In hotter areas and at the cheaper end, hot water may not always be available.
Average cost: From US$7 to US$30 (normally about in the middle). Found many cheap places that were very dirty and noisy so took a more expensive option. Prices are higher on the Yucatan and lower in backpacker hubs.
Communications: Internet plentiful and good value.
Media:
Books: American newspapers and magazines on the Yucatan. Elsewhere books and newspapers/magazines are in Spanish.
TV: Due to its proximity to American, cable TV is wide spread and always available in better hotels and in bars in tourist hot spots on the Yucatan, where sporting events are often shown. Cinemas in major cities are good quality.
Food: México is all about food which outside of Asia has the best street food in the world. Don't be afraid just dive in. Smarter restaurants aimed at tourists can be quite expensive by comparison. The best value is always small family run places. The meal of the day or set menu (comida corrida - make sure they give you the menu with this on) as in the rest of Latin America is always the easiest and cheapest way to eat. There are many fast food restaurants, both Mexican and America and numerous supermarkets (with excellent bakeries) so eating cheap on the move is easy.
Vegetarians: Fine, although eating on street stalls and taking advantage of the cheap set meals of the day will be complicated and often not possible especially if you don't eat chicken.
Hassle and annoyance factor: Limited, this is not Asia.
Women alone: Fine on the whole. Care is required same as everywhere.
Drugs, cigarettes and alcohol: Fantastic Tequila and Mezcal bars, especially in Oaxaca. Great beer everywhere, but open air drinking places are not very common. Pot is plenty available in most places in particular along the pacific coast and any backpacker 'hubs'.
Due to of the size and diversity of the United States, it has been
divided up in this section into seven subsections:
Introduction: the information which applies across the United States, such as visas;
The North-East: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Washington D.C.;
The South: Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas;
The Mid-West and the Great Plains: Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma
The West: Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, California;
Alaska;
Hawaii.
Intro: The world's dominant economy, military power and origin of so much mass culture. Its third most populous country, and fourth biggest in area. Many of the world's most exciting cities, and a good chunk of its best scenery. The people are also remarkably diverse, from the Cajuns of Louisiana to the cowboys of Montana to Little Italy in New York to the Melungeons of West Virginia or the indigenous Hawaiians. Although Americans reading this might find it strange to hear, but America (as a whole, explored in some depth) is every bit as strange and culturally bizarre/perverse to other nationalities as somewhere in Asia might be for an American. Everyone has an opinion on America and Americans. Too many closed-minded independent travellers object to American foreign policy or American mass culture, and don't bother with it. Their loss.
Visa strategy: 3 months, available on arrival for Europeans, Australians, South Koreans and New Zealanders under the “visa waiver program” (VWP) scheme. Eligible nationals of countries on the “visa waiver” list get the 90 day visa on arrival, but must possess an e-passport and an approved authorisation through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The ESTA is a free, automated system used to determine the eligibility of visitors United States under the VWP. It collects the same information as the paper I-94W form that VWP travellers currently fill out en route to the United States. ESTA applications may be completed online at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/ and submitted at any time prior to travel. They are valid for up to two years and for multiple entries. Extensions available. Working in the US very difficult for non-Americans without special skills. The Immigration and Naturalisation Service is very inflexible and rules-bound.
Citizens whose countries are involved with the US in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) will need a machine-readable passport and depending on where and when the passport was issued you might need one with a chip in (biometric passport) or US visa to enter the country. Further details and information on the changes to the visa system can be found at the US government visa website. Fingerprinting now in effect at most airports.
Dangers: tiny chance of violent crime – the usual, common sense precautions apply.
Costs: Expensive, especially for single travellers. With car hire and motels, difficult to get by on less than 100 USD/day, though sharing reduces these substantially, many motels will take 3-4 in a room for the same price of 1/2 and pushes cost down to very cheap on a per person basis. New York and San Francisco as expensive as they come. Of course a visit based in one city staying in a hostel will run to about 50 USD/day. It's motels and car hire (if not split) that really eat the money. It is America's big cities that are arguable the most interesting and where accommodation cost are by far the highest. With a car staying in a motel outside a city, cost can be very much reduced, only having a car in a city is a nightmare and very expensive to park. Equally having a car (if shared) is one of the more cost effective ways to cover longer distances.
Money: Many banks off the tourist trail refuse to take travellers cheques (too many fakes). America is covered in ATMs, which usually take all cards, generally with a 1-2 USD fee (rising to 5 USD in clubs).
Tourist factor: 7/10 on the beaches, 8/10 in major highlights and 4/10 elsewhere. Getting off the beaten track in America is fairly easy from an international traveller point of view, but American domestic tourists can be found in large volumes almost everywhere.
Getting Around: It's not cheap or really easy to get around the whole country and the cost of doing so is significant for a budget traveller. Greyhound and similar buses services are the staple for many travellers. Trains are useful for some routes, but almost always more expensive than the bus alternative. Quite simply the best way of seeing America is with a car, either hired or bought. Costs aren't too bad if sharing and the freedom you get can't be beat. Many rental companies have excellent deals for week+ rentals, but quotes that can be as attractive as US$100-150 per week will include no insurance which will at least double if not triple (for full coverage) the cost. If driving long distances and transiting cities a GPS is a very worthwhile investment (or rental).
Accommodation: Extremely high standards and high prices, even in hostels. Motels everywhere, but not really a budget option (35-70 USD/night for a single room, 10 USD more for a double, plus local taxes, except in big cities, where you can easily pay 100 USD/night for the cheapest room). Always heating and hugely powerful air-conditioning if appropriate. Hostels mostly in big cities or camping areas, usually 20-30 USD/night, and sometimes attract local beggars and winos.
Hot water: Always.
Average cost: Hostels at least 20 USD/night. Roadside motels cost at least 35 USD/night+tax for a single room, considerably more near big cities.
Communications: Surprisingly difficult to find Internet access. Although nearly every public library in the States has free internet access--even in small towns. The nationwide copy chain Kinko's has Internet access, but it is expensive. Some foreign newspapers available in large bookstores or at airports. Wi-Fi access for free in most motels and many other public places (including most coffee shops, at least in the West and NE) if you take a laptop or smart phone.
Health: The only exceptional danger is the huge cost of American health care. In one LA hospital, it cost 235USD just to walk in the door, and would have cost me much more had I seen anyone or had anything done. Get the best insurance you can afford.
Media:
![[book]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0140042598.01.TZZZZZZZ)
TV: everywhere. Most motels have 50-100 channels, some many more. Much of it is formulaic and terrible, but there are good documentaries and innovative programming on HBO. Plenty of places to see a movie.
Reading: There are dozens of excellent reads based around travel in the USA, but probably the best place to start is On the Road by Jack Kerouac. (more details: USA, Canada or UK). Also recommended are: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson; The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig
Food: the whole gamut in New York or LA (Japanese-Ecuadorean or New Age Ethiopian are some of the more unusual). In small towns, you may be stuck with roadside diners and lousy fast food, most of it deep-fried (especially in the South). Portions famously gigantic. Don't forget that restaurant prices can seem low compared to Europe, but you have to add 15-20% tip (unless the service has been disastrous) and local sales tax onto the bill. Also, juice bars for smoothies and coffee shops everywhere. It is worth noting for budget travellers that water is free in all restaurants and fast-food places.
Vegetarians: No problems, except maybe in rural diners, but even there you can usually find something vegetarian, finding healthy food is normally more challenging.
Hassle and annoyance factor: No real hassle. Annoyances include the (on the whole) strictly-enforced minimum age of 21 for alcohol.
Women alone: as usual, avoid walking in big cities after dark.
Drugs, cigarettes and alcohol: cigarettes and alcohol widely available. The minimum age for buying cigarettes is 18 to 19 (depending on the state), and for alcohol always 21, and these are strictly enforced (with only a very few exceptions). Marijuana is widely available, especially in student towns and big cities. The penalties vary by state, and there are some savage laws – being caught with drugs near a school is very bad news indeed. If you are caught with any drugs, you can be deported and will never be readmitted.
Miss at your peril: (okay it's well worth missing some parts) - 'Highlight
of Independent Travel'
Note: Many thanks to Peter John for supplying this summary on mainland states and Michael Cain for information on Hawaii. The information here is from this author and not the site author. The views and facts expressed here are well research and good quality, but just bear in mind they should perhaps not be compared directly to other country summaries by other authors.
» The North-East
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» The South
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Intro: Known as the nations "breadbasket", the Midwest is primarily flat and used for farming. Midwesterners are open, friendly, and straightforward. Home of Mark Twain and the Mississippi River. The heartland, the breadbasket… whatever you call it, this is often considered "real" America. The people are generally open and hospitable but, in small towns, can be narrow minded and are famously poorly dressed. Culturally the least diverse area of the US, there are lots of Scandinavian and Germanic roots to be found here.
Highlights: Chicago has Lake Michigan and an
assortment of entertainment palaces including The House of
Blues. Minneapolis for the strong arts scene or the Mall of
America if you like kitsch and all the outdoor sports you could
ever want. Kansas City has awesome barbeque while St. Louis'
Gateway Arch is the site to see. Des Moines has the Bridges of
Madison County and a huge new Science Center and IMAX. Cleveland
has Lake Erie if you're hopping the Great Lakes. Duluth and the
north shore of Lake Superior, Wisconsin beer tours, the Michigan
Upper Peninsula, the sand dunes in western Michigan and the
Badlands, driving along the Mississippi during fall colours,
canoeing in the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota. Basically
anywhere that is near the Great Lakes. Music fans can track down
the Buddy Holy crash site (it's a field) and Mount Rushmore
stands as one of the most impressive sights in the country.
Lowlights: If you're not near a city it's probably a lowlight. The long, soul-crushingly boring drives through the plains. Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota (except Mt. Rushmore/Badlands), North Dakota, Iowa, western Minnesota and southern Illinois are incredibly flat and empty. Food choices outside of the cities are poor, repetitive and not very vegetarian friendly. Winter is brutally cold in the more northern states. There are some BIG empty open spaces and some real oddities such as Branson, but this is real America?
Hot/cold, wet and dry: Winters can be brutal in the northern states, lasting from November-March and sometimes going a month at a time before the temperature gets above freezing. Spring (late March-May) is rainy with pleasant temperatures, Fall (Sept-October/November) is cool, crisp and clear. Summers (June-August) are warm and humid, but generally pleasant.
When to go: Avoid winter (Nov/Dec-Feb/March) and late July / early August (hot and humid) if you can. May, June and September have the nicest weather.
Getting around: a car is virtually essential to explore outside Chicago, and the distances are so small that flying is not recommended. Greyhound busses go between cities, but are slow. Car rentals are everywhere, and often cheaper if booked in advance from abroad. Mass transit and cabs are available in cities.
Rating: 5.5/10, much higher in/for Chicago and Minneapolis
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» The West
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» Alaska
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Highlights:
O`ahu: Learn to surf (summer in the south shore) or watch the pros surf the big waves (60 ft faces some days in winter in the north shore). Great Asian and Fusion cuisine. Visiting the Arizona Memorial is surprisingly powerful and moving, and should not be missed. Good public transportation. Amazing hiking trails are a quick bus ride away. Ocean Kayaking to the Moku Lua islets is a great afternoon.
Maui: Makena’s Little Beach is unofficially nude, and has great body surfing and a surreal Sunday sunset drumming circle / fire dance / party. Hiking in Haleakalā is otherworldly.
Hawai`i: Best bet for backpackers. Excellent opportunities for hiking, biking, and adventure. Stunning beauty and diversity – desert, alpine landscapes, ōhi`ā and koa forests, waterfalls in the jungle, etc. Hilo is still very local and mostly un-touristed thanks to all the rain. Hilo and Pahoa have the only budget accommodations outside of O`ahu. Hilo’s Saturday market is a major event. Must sees include Waipi’o Valley, the old plantation towns on the Hāmākua Coast, the wild jungles of Puna, and – of course – Kīlauea, the world’s most active volcano.
Kaua`i: Kaua`i offers a lot for the outdoors-person. The Nā Pali trail is a rugged, two-day trek to the isolated Kalalau Valley. Waimea Canyon has numerous hiking opportunities. Polihale is an huge, isolated windswept beach on the west side. Has a small handful of budget options in Kapa`a and Hanalei.
Moloka`i: The most Hawaiian of the islands. Few accommodations, but camping is easy. Visiting the leper colony at Kalaupapa is a haunting and unforgettable experience. There are still a few residents – it will become a National Park when the last ones pass away. Should not be missed.
Lowlights:
Oahu: Any tourist bus! Polynesian Culture Center is expensive and more like a Disney-version of the islands. Luaus are expensive and not authentic – go only for the kitsch value. Food in Waikīkī is expensive and not good. Waikīkī nightlife can be trashy [but maybe that’s a highlight!].
Maui: There is no escape from the tourists. They are everywhere. Mega-resorts occupy the best beaches. Fewer locals than on other islands, and Maui can feel more like Marin County than Hawai`i. Few budget options. No public transport, although hitching is a bit easier than on other islands.
Hawai`i: No public transport, and hitching can be difficult. A car is a necessity. Kona side is over-developed and dominated by Californians. Kihei is run down.
Kaua`i: No public transport, and hitching can be difficult. Hard to escape the tourists.
Moloka`i: Not really designed for tourists.
Dangers: Break-ins occur at isolated beaches and trailheads – don’t leave valuables in your car. Violent crime is rare, and there are less guns around than in the rest of the US. Smile and live aloha and you’ll be fine. Walk around with an attitude and people will take offense.
Hot/cold, wet and dry: Winter’s are slightly cooler and wetter, but the islands all have their own micro-climates. Locals think that 70 degrees F is cold and will wear coats. Windward sides tend to be wet, leeward sides hot and dry. If the trade-winds die down this reverses itself. Hottest time is generally August-November. Surf season: the south swell comes between Mother’s Day and Halloween, and is the best for long boarders, beginners, and recreational surfers. The huge winter waves can come anytime between Thanksgiving and the beginning of March. Pro contests are clustered around the holidays.
Costs: As you might expect1
Money: ATM’s are plentiful. Banks can exchange Yen and Euros, but few other currencies.
Getting around: Bus on O`ahu, rental cars on all other islands. Hitching is an option on Maui.
People vibe:
Locals: Show aloha, you’ll get aloha back. Smile, say hi to everyone, make small talk … you’ll be fine. Throw around attitude, you might get beat up. It happens.
Other travellers:
O`ahu / Waikīkī – everyone under the sun!
O`ahu / North Shore – surfers, Brazilians, celebrities
Maui – Skinny guys with dreadlocks, condo owners
Kaua`i – Rainbow children, Gen X types, golfers
Hawai`i – hippies, radical faeries, Angelenos
Tourist factor: Usually very High. O`ahu has the most tourists, but most stick to the beaten track, so that it is the easiest island by far to escape the tourists. Maui and Kaua`i see more tourists than residents, but they all have rental cars and books on “Hidden and Secret Places in Hawai`i” - and it will be virtually impossible to escape them. In Hawai`i, the tourist factor for Hilo, Ka`ū, Puna, Hāmākua, and North Kohala Districts is low. It is very, very high in North and South Kona and South Kohala.
Accommodation:
O`ahu / Waikīkī – Some basic hostels in the Lemon Rd / Cartwright area
O`ahu / North Shore – Camping; “hostels” in Sharks Cove where you rent a room in a small plantation house; vacation rentals are a good deal if you have a group.
Maui – Budget options are limited
Kaua`i – Camping, limited budget hotels
Hawai`i – Hilo has hostels, Puna/Pāhoa has affordable vacation rentals if you have a group.
Communications: Waikīkī has internet cafes.
Health: A warning about entering fresh water with open sores as schistosomiasis is common. Equally remember that the ocean is a dangerous place, and that the mountains and jungles are true wildernesses – even on O`ahu! People can and do get lost and die.
Food: Plate Lunches are filling: grilled or fried meat, two scoops of rice, and macaroni salad. A healthier bet is to look for the smaller Korean, Thai, or other Asian restaurants. Tourist areas are significantly pricier.
Vegetarians: Easy in Asian restaurants.
Hassle and annoyance factor: Almost none.
Women alone: Should have no problems
Drugs, cigarettes and alcohol: Smoking is illegal in bars and restaurants. Drinking age is 21. Pot can be found in the countryside, but isn’t as easy to score as you’d think. Crystal meth is a serious problem in rural communities on all the islands.
Many thanks to Michael Cain for contributing the above Hawaii summary.
Please find Central America info on
that page. Info on The Great Plains is required if anyone wants to
help out - the USA can always use some updating. Many thanks to Glen
Risco and Michael Cain for their help on Maui and the Mid-West. Any
others is more than welcomed.
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Remember, this is only a take (an overview if you will); very few get the chance to see every inch of every country or have the time to get everyone's opinion (you are welcome and encouraged to mail in yours). Please, please if you have been anywhere recently send your comments to contribute and help keep all information fresh for future travellers. Or if you are about to head off remember this site when you return and put a few lines in an e-mail to let us know if things have changed. |
'The tragedy of life is not so much what men suffer, but rather what they miss'
Thomas Carlyle
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Some things you might want to know in the way of
backpacking, budget travel country advice, tips, info and
summaries for: North America - 
The
downside from the country's size (and terrain which is far from
flat) is the necessity to spend many hours on buses of which the
cost of can seriously mount up - even more so if you take
advantage of the better services. For example the six hour
journey from México City (N.B. referred to as México City here,
but really just México or México DF) to Oaxaca on a premier bus
will blow the daily budget of any budget traveller and then
some. It is common to hear backpackers throughout the Americas
moan at just how expensive México is and wonder how locals can
afford to live. It is not that México is expensive, I mean far
from it when compared to the super power to the north, but in
relation to the rest of Central America it is more pricey in the
same way as Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina use to be to South
America, and just like these countries it is transport and
tourist hot spots that get you. Lets take the Yucatan for
example, Cancún is nearer to Miami than México City and has many
daily direct charter flights from Europe.
Typical
tourist trail: The majority of tourists disregard the
north of the country (above México City) which is mainly dry
and harsh and not particularly rich in highlights. Unless
they are making trips from America into the spectacular
scenery of Baja California or to the Copper Canyon (which
are both highlights). The vast majority of tourists fly into
the Yucatan and spend there time there. Those with a bit
more time may start in México City which is brimming with
things to see and do. From there a typical path may head
either directly to Oaxaca or to the coast at Acapulco (or
further north) and then down along the coast to Porto
Escondido and then up to Oaxaca. From Oaxaca the trail heads
to Palenque, either via Villahermosa or Cristóbal de las
Casas. For here on either Guatemala or the many amazing
temple sites of the Yucatan will call you.
Maine,
Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode
Island, New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware,
Washington D.C.