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10 Token Travel Photos That are Really Tourist Traps

Alyssa Ramos

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Have awesome travel photos of a token landmark or site ever convinced you to go somewhere, only to discover that it’s actually a massive tourist trap? It definitely has for me, and while I’m usually a little disappointed, I’m also guilty being one of the people who have mastered angling and editing to make my travel photos look like it wasn’t. Sorry.

token travel photos that are really tourist traps mylifesamovie.com

Although tourist traps are easy to spot as soon as you get there, mostly because they require an entrance fee, you kind of just have to laugh at how well some people can make their travel photos seem like they were the only people around for miles, when in reality, they were basically at Disneyland. Yes, it’s annoying, and not the most fun to be crammed in a crowd. But you also have to realize that you’re not the only person in the world who wants to see cool, popular sites, and especially get those token travel photos!

You may not realize it from the finished Instagram products, but here are a few examples of token travel photos from myself and other bloggers, that when you zoom out, will see are really tourist traps.

1. The Blue Lagoon, Iceland

I literally hid in a corner and begged a life guard to take my picture when no one was in sight at the Blue Lagoon
I literally hid in a corner and begged a life guard to take my picture when no one was in sight at the Blue Lagoon
This is what the Blue Lagoon usually looks like...but can you blame them?
This is what the Blue Lagoon usually looks like…but can you blame them?

Me, @mylifesatravelmovie

Not only is The Blue Lagoon a breathtaking natural World Wonder that attracts thousands of visitors, but it’s also really close to the airport in Iceland, which makes it a prime site for tour companies to ship bus loads of layover passengers to. It’s nearly impossible to get a photo without at least one other person in it, but I managed to sneak back after they cleared everyone out for closing to get a shot of just myself in the famous lagoon.

2. Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Angor Wat is a World Wonder which makes it hard to get an empty photo of it like this...don't mind Jen's nose band-aid...
Angkor Wat is a World Wonder which makes it hard to get an empty photo of it like this…don’t mind Jen’s nose band-aid…
Their original photo before cropping shows how many tourists there are around them...
Their original photo before cropping shows how many tourists there are around them…
And a photo of the viewing area of Angor Wat shows how many people are there on a regular day.
And a photo of the viewing area of Angkor Wat shows how many people are there on a regular day.

Jenn and Jack, Who Needs Maps, @whoneedsmaps

The story about why Jenn has a band-aid in the middle of her face is more amusing (an AC panel fell on her face in bed in Vietnam), but as you can see, their photo editing skills make it seem like it was just the two of them in front of Angkor Wat, when really there were thousands of tourists.

3. Antelope Valley, Arizona

I had to purposely walk ahead or linger behind in Antelope Valley, because you can only go in on a tour and there's dozens of tours each day...
I had to purposely walk ahead or linger behind in Antelope Valley, because you can only go in on a tour and there’s dozens of tours each day…
This was the line to buy tickets for Lower Antelope Valley
This was the line to buy tickets for Lower Antelope Valley

Me, @mylifesatravelmovie

I thought Antelope Canyon was going to just be a giant natural area that you can just walk around in on your own. Turns out, nope, you not only need a pass to be on the Indian reserve that it’s on, but you also need to pay a fee for a mandatory tour, which gets fully booked on a daily basis.

4. Leaning Tower of Pisa, Rome

Getting a token photo of yourself holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa is a must...
Getting a token photo of yourself holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa is a must…
Clearly...look at all those silly people holding up invisible towers!!!
Clearly…look at all those silly people holding up invisible towers!!!

Vicki Garside, MakeTimeToSeeTheWorld.com, @maketimetoseetheworld

Obviously if you go see the Leaning of Tower of Pisa, you HAVE to take a perspective photo of yourself holding it up! Vicki’s came out great, and in the second photo, if you look closely, she managed to get all of the tourists doing the “Leaning Tower pose” in various areas which probably looks great in the final photo, but really funny in photos of them doing it!

5. Machu Picchu, Peru

One of the main perks of hiking the Inca Trail, is getting to be one of the first people at Machu Picchu in the morning before all the tourists arrive...
One of the main perks of hiking the Inca Trail, is getting to be one of the first people at Machu Picchu in the morning before all the tourists arrive…
Then when they open the general entrance, Machu Picchu gets packed with tourists like a theme park
Then when they open the general entrance, Machu Picchu gets packed with tourists like a theme park

Me, @mylifesatravelmovie

I knew Machu Picchu was a tourist trap before I went there, which is part of the reason why I wanted to do the 4 day Inca Trail hike to it to be one of the first people there before the main gates open. It was nice to see it so empty, but there were still about 200 people on the Inca Trail with me, and once the main gates opened, I literally felt like I was at an amusement park.

6. Taj Mahal, India

Even in this epic token solo shot of the Taj Mahal, you can still see all of the tourists doing the same thing in the background
Even in this epic token solo shot of the Taj Mahal, you can still see all of the tourists doing the same thing in the background
Eventually Drew just asked everyone else taking photos to jump in his with him!
Eventually Drew just asked everyone else taking photos to jump in his with him!

Drew Binsky, TheHungryPartier.com, @thehungrypartier

Drew is really good at taking token travel photos, even if there are tourists in the background doing the same thing. This is a nearly impossible shot to get with no one else in the background though so why not asking other photo-takers to jump in yours??

7. Boulder’s Beach, South Africa

Looks like a Nat Geo picture of penguins in their natural habitat right?!
Looks like a Nat Geo picture of penguins in their natural habitat right?!
Well, minus the dozens of other tourists at Boulder's Beach who also paid to go see the penguins..
Well, minus the dozens of other tourists at Boulder’s Beach who also paid to go see the penguins..

Me, @mylifesatravelmovie

Behold! The mysterious and adorable penguins of South Africa, that can only be found at Boulder’s Beach! Although you can definitely spot them in their natural sunny habitat, you’ll be alongside dozens of other spectators who just like you, paid a relatively hefty fee just to go see them. Don’t forget to get your token penguin souvenir in the gift shop!!

8. Ice Hotel in Quebec City, Canada

A beautiful shot of the Ice Hotel in Quebec City...seemingly without any tourists around...
A beautiful shot of the Ice Hotel in Quebec City…seemingly without any tourists around…
In reality, there are so many tourists, many of which who are constantly touching the walls, that it makes it hard to get a good picture...
In reality, there are so many tourists, many of which who are constantly touching the walls, that it makes it hard to get a good picture…

Tracey Hansen, JournalOfACityGirl.com, @traceypictor

“Tourists wielding their selfie sticks, children stroking the walls and climbing on all the ice sculptures makes it hard to just take a stroll through Hotel de Glace, North America‘s only true ice hotel. It’s a challenge to appreciate the sheer scale, how detailed the ice sculptures are when you are being jostled down the corridors and need to queue to see and photograph the rooms.”

9. Gulfoss Waterfall, Iceland

Gulfoss is the most popular waterfall in Iceland, it's also a stop on the most popular tour (The Golden Circle). I snuck a pic in an empty spot, but you can see the tourists all around me..
Gulfoss is the most popular waterfall in Iceland, so always packed with people

Me, @mylifesatravelmovie

Gulfoss is one of the most popular waterfalls in Iceland due to its enormous size and also because it’s a stop on the most popular tour (and easily accessible), The Golden Circle. I snuck a pic in an empty spot, but you can see the tourists all around me..

10. Chocolate Hills, Philippines

You can get a really good photo in front of the Chocolate Hills in the Philippines...
You can get a really good photo in front of the Chocolate Hills in the Philippines…
If you're willing to wait your turn...
If you’re willing to wait your turn…
Courtney Jones, JetSetBrunettexo.com, @Courter
“The Chocolate Hills is this amazing geographical formation on the island of Bohol, Philippines. There are well over a thousand hills within a 50km radius, which means that it makes for an amazing photo op. The place is totally Instagram-worthy…well, that is, if you’re willing to wait your turn to get a good photo! The first photo makes it look totally secluded. The second shows the reality of the experience.”

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Alyssa Ramos is one of the first original travel blogger/influencers who helped normalize solo female travel. She’s been to 146 countries so far, plus Antarctica 4x, and all of her tips are on this blog!

@mylifesatravelmovie
Alyssa Ramos | Most Traveled Women

@mylifesatravelmovie

One of the World’s Most Traveled Women 146 countries (solo, so far) • 7 Continents Expert • Activist • Entrepreneur GroupTrips: @mylifesatraveltribe
  • Before the term “influencer” or “content creator” existed, I was one of the original travel bloggers, unknowingly helping pioneer what is now a multibillion dollar Creator Industry.

I helped transform solo female travel from taboo to trendy, and taught thousands of people how to work remotely and build a brand.

I’ve done so much more than just create content, although hardly anyone sees the behind the scenes. And it’s been 14 years that I’ve owned the title of travel bloggers/influencer so…

Allow me to re-introduce myself.

I am Alyssa Ramos, the founder of My Life’s a Travel Movie brand, one of the very first travel “influencers” and one of the pioneers of the creator industry, of normalizing solo female travel today, of influencer-hosted group trips, and of getting paid to travel via social media!

I started my blog in 2012, then started using social media to promote it in 2014, earning me the title of “influencer”but what was never fully seen was the entrepreneur behind it who helped create an entire new industry with no money and when hardly anyone believed it would work.

Soon after I became one of the first travel blogger/influencers to make a full time living from it, I was asked to speak at conferences, interviewed in the press, and I was one of the very first people to make the courses about how it’s done (they didn’t exist when I started!)

I had a big dream to get paid to travel the world, and to normalize solo female travel, and once I succeeded, I kept going.

Today I am not only a travel influencer, but also a humanitarian, animal activist, a trailblazer, an author, speaker, writer, entrepreneur and…one of the most experienced solo female travelers in the world.

So far I’ve been to over 150 countries (off the 197 list), all 7 continents (Antarctica 4x), and I average 20 countries per year.

Now I’m going bigger. I’m launching a travel show, more speaker events, writing another book, and I’ve started the Travel Tribe Foundation to give back through my group trips.

Thank you everyone who has been here with me for so long, and welcome to anyone new!

To follow along with my updates, please comment “travel
  • Before the term “influencer” or “content creator” existed, I was one of the original travel bloggers, unknowingly helping pioneer what is now a multibillion dollar Creator Industry.

I helped transform solo female travel from taboo to trendy, and taught thousands of people how to work remotely and build a brand.

I’ve done so much more than just create content, although hardly anyone sees the behind the scenes. And it’s been 14 years that I’ve owned the title of travel bloggers/influencer so…

Allow me to re-introduce myself.

I am Alyssa Ramos, the founder of My Life’s a Travel Movie brand, one of the very first travel “influencers” and one of the pioneers of the creator industry, of normalizing solo female travel today, of influencer-hosted group trips, and of getting paid to travel via social media!

I started my blog in 2012, then started using social media to promote it in 2014, earning me the title of “influencer”but what was never fully seen was the entrepreneur behind it who helped create an entire new industry with no money and when hardly anyone believed it would work.

Soon after I became one of the first travel blogger/influencers to make a full time living from it, I was asked to speak at conferences, interviewed in the press, and I was one of the very first people to make the courses about how it’s done (they didn’t exist when I started!)

I had a big dream to get paid to travel the world, and to normalize solo female travel, and once I succeeded, I kept going.

Today I am not only a travel influencer, but also a humanitarian, animal activist, a trailblazer, an author, speaker, writer, entrepreneur and…one of the most experienced solo female travelers in the world.

So far I’ve been to over 150 countries (off the 197 list), all 7 continents (Antarctica 4x), and I average 20 countries per year.

Now I’m going bigger. I’m launching a travel show, more speaker events, writing another book, and I’ve started the Travel Tribe Foundation to give back through my group trips.

Thank you everyone who has been here with me for so long, and welcome to anyone new!

To follow along with my updates, please comment “travel
  • I thought I was going to shipwreck trying to get to an existing shipwreck in the Solomon Islands…and I was traveling solo with just a fisherman driving me on his small boat. 😳

But! We made it, even with a massive storm approaching, and I experienced one of the most incredible “my life’s a travel movie” moments in my 12 years of continuous solo traveling!!

I truly felt like I was in a movie! The ship is an old cruise ship that hit rocks and slowly sank as it washed ashore on Roderick’s Bay. It’s only half sunk, so you can swim around it (it’s super creepy and dangerous, don’t do it alone), and since it’s completely unregulated, you can also climb it and zip line into the water (also dangerous, can’t recommend)

The angle of the ship also created one of the most vibrant marine sanctuaries I’ve seen in a while, with lots of actual colorful coral and fish (including clown fish!)

I went to Solomon Islands after my second trip to Papua New Guinea, on my quest to slow solo travel to every country in the world.

Would I go back to the shipwreck? Probably not. That boat ride was terrifying. But I’d go back to see more of the islands in the Solomon’s, there’s so many!

Would you brave the ride to get to this shipwreck?

For any fellow extreme adventurers, my Solomon Islands travel tips and itinerary is on my website linked in bio!

———————-

For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos of @mylifesatravelmovie - one of the most traveled and most experienced solo female travelers  in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far over 12 years, and love rare destinations and animals! My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path and to shatter negative stereotypes about “dangerous” destinations. Follow me for expert tips and inspiration!
  • D. R. Congo and Silverback Gorillas both have reputations for being extremely dangerous, and that’s true, to an extent. But hear me out.

First a disclaimer: I am one of the most experienced solo female travelers in the world, and I also have a degree in Animal Science plus extensive experience with wild animals. All of my animal encounters are ethical, researched, and done with professionals. My goal is to promote responsible animal tourism that actually benefits and protects the animals, Don’t try to do any of them on your own!

Ok so the Mountain Gorillas! Yes, they can be extremely dangerous! However, many of them have been socialized, and are therefore accepting of human visitors (and very curious)

Gorilla trekking tourism is what protects these beautiful animals, because it generates more money to have them alive, so it forces the govs and other orgs to implement strict rules and anti-poaching efforts!

In fact, these gorillas were almost poached to extinction before trekking became popular, and now most of the trackers (people paid to find the gorillas to trek to) are former poachers! 

I’ve gone gorilla trekking 5 times and it’s always a safe and beautiful experience (the trek is difficult though and can be up to 8 hours through thick jungle)

Now about D.R. Congo…. Shortly after my first solo travels there, Virunga National Park closed and remains closed due to armed conflict with rebel groups..:

I still went to visit Goma several more times, and I truly love Congo, but I will be waiting with anticipation for the safety to increase, because the gorillas in DRC were my top favorite see! 

For more info on DRC or the other 150 countries I’ve traveled solo to, please check out my blog linked in bio!

———-

Please follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for more extreme adventures with purpose 💖

#alyssaramostravels #mylifeisatravelmovie #mylifeisatravelmovie
  • I have a “bucketlist tattoo” that I add to when I complete a major bucketlist check! This one was a double check: seeing a wild Polar Bear and reaching my farthest latitude north (so far): 82 degrees North!

For reference, the geographic North Pole is at 90 degrees North, so we were very close to it! Maybe one day I’ll reach it!

There’s only one tattoo shop in Longyearbyen, therefore it’s officially the northernmost tattoo shop! And I also have tattoos from the Southernmost tattoo shop in Ushuaia for my 4 trips to Antarctica!

Anyone else have cool tattoos?

——————-

For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos of @mylifesatravelmovie - one of the most traveled and most experienced solo female travelers in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far over 12 years, and love rare destinations and animals! My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path and to shatter negative stereotypes about “dangerous” destinations. Follow me for expert tips and inspiration!
  • This is my 3rd year being an American living on a vineyard in Italy (married the owner!) and I def have a lot of tea/wine to spill about it 😂

People have this dreamy or glamorous “Emily in Rome”-esque idea about traveling to Italy, falling in love, preferably with someone who owns a vineyard, and living happily ever after…well I did that, and it can be a bit more “difficile vita” than “dolce vita” at times!

Shall I give the full interview for the “real Netflix documentary about an American living in Italy”?? 😂
  • I’ve swam with Orcas, a crocodile, and my for-fun hobby is shark diving, but I draw the line at poisonous swimming snakes. 🙅‍♀️🐍 It really just came up to me like that when I was sitting on the beach on an island in New Caledonia! 

I had been contemplating going swimming with the turtles nearby, but changed my mind after I saw this!

This was a “Blake-banded Sea Krait”, common to this area in the South Pacific Islands, I’ve heard several divers say they’ve seen them! But no thanks, I prefer sharks. 😂

Animal safety tip: as an experienced animal encounteress, i never ever suggest provoking or trying to “fight off” any dangerous animal that isn’t actively trying to attack you. Stay calm and still and let it pass like I did in this video. Then, feel free to run. (Jk I’d still suggest carefully and slowly backing a way, keeping an eye on it).

What would you do if you saw a swimming snake?!

——————

For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos of @mylifesatravelmovie - one of the very first travel “influencers” and now one of the most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far over 12 years, and love rare destinations and animals! My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path and to shatter negative stereotypes about “dangerous” destinations (and animals). Follow me for expert tips and inspiration!
  • I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
  • Yes, that is a real, wild Crocodile. Yes, I swam with him (several times) Would you dare?

This is Panchito the Crocodile, he lives alone in Casa Cenote which is close to Tulum. Crocs are not commonly found in cenotes (pronounced “seh-note-ay” and are deep fresh water reserves throughout the Yucatán peninsula ) and no one is really sure how he got there.

Panchito is allegedly “friendly”, but it’s more like “unbothered until provoked”.

Recently for the first time ever Panchito attacked a swimmer because some unintelligent people were throwing rocks at him to try to provoke a reaction for a video 😡

Even this last time when I was there, while I was freediving in the cenote, other tourists were loud and slashing at Panchito, causing him to interrupt his tanning session, jump into the water, and dive under the mangroves until the people were gone (I watched all of it and was honestly a bit scared when he came swimming towards me underwater).

Anyway! If you want a unique wildlife experience, check out Casa Cenote but do not disturb Panchito!!! Or any wildlife! Animal karma is real!

I live in Tulum half-time and have lots of posts and tips about it and also this cenote, all on my website along with tips for over 140 countries - MyLifesAMovie.com

—————————

For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos of @mylifesatravelmovie - one of the most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far over 12 years, and love rare destinations and animals! My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path and to shatter negative stereotypes about “dangerous” destinations. Follow me for expert tips and inspiration!
Before the term “influencer” or “content creator” existed, I was one of the original travel bloggers, unknowingly helping pioneer what is now a multibillion dollar Creator Industry. I helped transform solo female travel from taboo to trendy, and taught thousands of people how to work remotely and build a brand. I’ve done so much more than just create content, although hardly anyone sees the behind the scenes. And it’s been 14 years that I’ve owned the title of travel bloggers/influencer so… Allow me to re-introduce myself. I am Alyssa Ramos, the founder of My Life’s a Travel Movie brand, one of the very first travel “influencers” and one of the pioneers of the creator industry, of normalizing solo female travel today, of influencer-hosted group trips, and of getting paid to travel via social media! I started my blog in 2012, then started using social media to promote it in 2014, earning me the title of “influencer”but what was never fully seen was the entrepreneur behind it who helped create an entire new industry with no money and when hardly anyone believed it would work. Soon after I became one of the first travel blogger/influencers to make a full time living from it, I was asked to speak at conferences, interviewed in the press, and I was one of the very first people to make the courses about how it’s done (they didn’t exist when I started!) I had a big dream to get paid to travel the world, and to normalize solo female travel, and once I succeeded, I kept going. Today I am not only a travel influencer, but also a humanitarian, animal activist, a trailblazer, an author, speaker, writer, entrepreneur and…one of the most experienced solo female travelers in the world. So far I’ve been to over 150 countries (off the 197 list), all 7 continents (Antarctica 4x), and I average 20 countries per year. Now I’m going bigger. I’m launching a travel show, more speaker events, writing another book, and I’ve started the Travel Tribe Foundation to give back through my group trips. Thank you everyone who has been here with me for so long, and welcome to anyone new! To follow along with my updates, please comment “travel
5 days ago
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Before the term “influencer” or “content creator” existed, I was one of the original travel bloggers, unknowingly helping pioneer what is now a multibillion dollar Creator Industry. I helped transform solo female travel from taboo to trendy, and taught thousands of people how to work remotely and build a brand. I’ve done so much more than just create content, although hardly anyone sees the behind the scenes. And it’s been 14 years that I’ve owned the title of travel bloggers/influencer so… Allow me to re-introduce myself. I am Alyssa Ramos, the founder of My Life’s a Travel Movie brand, one of the very first travel “influencers” and one of the pioneers of the creator industry, of normalizing solo female travel today, of influencer-hosted group trips, and of getting paid to travel via social media! I started my blog in 2012, then started using social media to promote it in 2014, earning me the title of “influencer”but what was never fully seen was the entrepreneur behind it who helped create an entire new industry with no money and when hardly anyone believed it would work. Soon after I became one of the first travel blogger/influencers to make a full time living from it, I was asked to speak at conferences, interviewed in the press, and I was one of the very first people to make the courses about how it’s done (they didn’t exist when I started!) I had a big dream to get paid to travel the world, and to normalize solo female travel, and once I succeeded, I kept going. Today I am not only a travel influencer, but also a humanitarian, animal activist, a trailblazer, an author, speaker, writer, entrepreneur and…one of the most experienced solo female travelers in the world. So far I’ve been to over 150 countries (off the 197 list), all 7 continents (Antarctica 4x), and I average 20 countries per year. Now I’m going bigger. I’m launching a travel show, more speaker events, writing another book, and I’ve started the Travel Tribe Foundation to give back through my group trips. Thank you everyone who has been here with me for so long, and welcome to anyone new! To follow along with my updates, please comment “travel
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I thought I was going to shipwreck trying to get to an existing shipwreck in the Solomon Islands…and I was traveling solo with just a fisherman driving me on his small boat. 😳 But! We made it, even with a massive storm approaching, and I experienced one of the most incredible “my life’s a travel movie” moments in my 12 years of continuous solo traveling!! I truly felt like I was in a movie! The ship is an old cruise ship that hit rocks and slowly sank as it washed ashore on Roderick’s Bay. It’s only half sunk, so you can swim around it (it’s super creepy and dangerous, don’t do it alone), and since it’s completely unregulated, you can also climb it and zip line into the water (also dangerous, can’t recommend) The angle of the ship also created one of the most vibrant marine sanctuaries I’ve seen in a while, with lots of actual colorful coral and fish (including clown fish!) I went to Solomon Islands after my second trip to Papua New Guinea, on my quest to slow solo travel to every country in the world. Would I go back to the shipwreck? Probably not. That boat ride was terrifying. But I’d go back to see more of the islands in the Solomon’s, there’s so many! Would you brave the ride to get to this shipwreck? For any fellow extreme adventurers, my Solomon Islands travel tips and itinerary is on my website linked in bio! ———————- For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos of @mylifesatravelmovie - one of the most traveled and most experienced solo female travelers in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far over 12 years, and love rare destinations and animals! My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path and to shatter negative stereotypes about “dangerous” destinations. Follow me for expert tips and inspiration!
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D. R. Congo and Silverback Gorillas both have reputations for being extremely dangerous, and that’s true, to an extent. But hear me out. First a disclaimer: I am one of the most experienced solo female travelers in the world, and I also have a degree in Animal Science plus extensive experience with wild animals. All of my animal encounters are ethical, researched, and done with professionals. My goal is to promote responsible animal tourism that actually benefits and protects the animals, Don’t try to do any of them on your own! Ok so the Mountain Gorillas! Yes, they can be extremely dangerous! However, many of them have been socialized, and are therefore accepting of human visitors (and very curious) Gorilla trekking tourism is what protects these beautiful animals, because it generates more money to have them alive, so it forces the govs and other orgs to implement strict rules and anti-poaching efforts! In fact, these gorillas were almost poached to extinction before trekking became popular, and now most of the trackers (people paid to find the gorillas to trek to) are former poachers! I’ve gone gorilla trekking 5 times and it’s always a safe and beautiful experience (the trek is difficult though and can be up to 8 hours through thick jungle) Now about D.R. Congo…. Shortly after my first solo travels there, Virunga National Park closed and remains closed due to armed conflict with rebel groups..: I still went to visit Goma several more times, and I truly love Congo, but I will be waiting with anticipation for the safety to increase, because the gorillas in DRC were my top favorite see! For more info on DRC or the other 150 countries I’ve traveled solo to, please check out my blog linked in bio! ———- Please follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for more extreme adventures with purpose 💖 #alyssaramostravels #mylifeisatravelmovie #mylifeisatravelmovie
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4/9
I have a “bucketlist tattoo” that I add to when I complete a major bucketlist check! This one was a double check: seeing a wild Polar Bear and reaching my farthest latitude north (so far): 82 degrees North! For reference, the geographic North Pole is at 90 degrees North, so we were very close to it! Maybe one day I’ll reach it! There’s only one tattoo shop in Longyearbyen, therefore it’s officially the northernmost tattoo shop! And I also have tattoos from the Southernmost tattoo shop in Ushuaia for my 4 trips to Antarctica! Anyone else have cool tattoos? ——————- For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos of @mylifesatravelmovie - one of the most traveled and most experienced solo female travelers in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far over 12 years, and love rare destinations and animals! My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path and to shatter negative stereotypes about “dangerous” destinations. Follow me for expert tips and inspiration!
1 week ago
3
View on Instagram |
5/9
This is my 3rd year being an American living on a vineyard in Italy (married the owner!) and I def have a lot of tea/wine to spill about it 😂 People have this dreamy or glamorous “Emily in Rome”-esque idea about traveling to Italy, falling in love, preferably with someone who owns a vineyard, and living happily ever after…well I did that, and it can be a bit more “difficile vita” than “dolce vita” at times! Shall I give the full interview for the “real Netflix documentary about an American living in Italy”?? 😂
2 weeks ago
13
View on Instagram |
6/9
I’ve swam with Orcas, a crocodile, and my for-fun hobby is shark diving, but I draw the line at poisonous swimming snakes. 🙅‍♀️🐍 It really just came up to me like that when I was sitting on the beach on an island in New Caledonia! I had been contemplating going swimming with the turtles nearby, but changed my mind after I saw this! This was a “Blake-banded Sea Krait”, common to this area in the South Pacific Islands, I’ve heard several divers say they’ve seen them! But no thanks, I prefer sharks. 😂 Animal safety tip: as an experienced animal encounteress, i never ever suggest provoking or trying to “fight off” any dangerous animal that isn’t actively trying to attack you. Stay calm and still and let it pass like I did in this video. Then, feel free to run. (Jk I’d still suggest carefully and slowly backing a way, keeping an eye on it). What would you do if you saw a swimming snake?! —————— For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos of @mylifesatravelmovie - one of the very first travel “influencers” and now one of the most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far over 12 years, and love rare destinations and animals! My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path and to shatter negative stereotypes about “dangerous” destinations (and animals). Follow me for expert tips and inspiration!
2 weeks ago
17512
View on Instagram |
7/9
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!! Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!) I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁 The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island… Check out my Shebara blog post for full details! Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while.. You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too. I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!) I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!! These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy? One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget! The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi! One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide! Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! An incredibly u
2 weeks ago
22317
View on Instagram |
8/9
Yes, that is a real, wild Crocodile. Yes, I swam with him (several times) Would you dare? This is Panchito the Crocodile, he lives alone in Casa Cenote which is close to Tulum. Crocs are not commonly found in cenotes (pronounced “seh-note-ay” and are deep fresh water reserves throughout the Yucatán peninsula ) and no one is really sure how he got there. Panchito is allegedly “friendly”, but it’s more like “unbothered until provoked”. Recently for the first time ever Panchito attacked a swimmer because some unintelligent people were throwing rocks at him to try to provoke a reaction for a video 😡 Even this last time when I was there, while I was freediving in the cenote, other tourists were loud and slashing at Panchito, causing him to interrupt his tanning session, jump into the water, and dive under the mangroves until the people were gone (I watched all of it and was honestly a bit scared when he came swimming towards me underwater). Anyway! If you want a unique wildlife experience, check out Casa Cenote but do not disturb Panchito!!! Or any wildlife! Animal karma is real! I live in Tulum half-time and have lots of posts and tips about it and also this cenote, all on my website along with tips for over 140 countries - MyLifesAMovie.com ————————— For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos of @mylifesatravelmovie - one of the most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far over 12 years, and love rare destinations and animals! My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path and to shatter negative stereotypes about “dangerous” destinations. Follow me for expert tips and inspiration!
2 weeks ago
10.6k174
View on Instagram |
9/9

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