Backpacking Diplomacy by Andy A blog dedicated to sharing world culture, travel tips and building community.

Travel is often sold as a means for economic development; however far too often tourist dollars are spent in concentrated areas rather than small and locally owned businesses. Of course, we can say that some money trickles down to local populations, but not always as often as you think. As travelers, it is important for us to be good stewards …

New here? This is the 2027 preview. For the full history, the vejigantes, and what the carnival is about, see our complete guide: Carnaval Ponceño: The Complete Guide. Interested in previous years? Check out the 2026 event! Carnaval Ponceño 2027 has not had its official dates or lineup released yet. Based on the pre-Lenten calendar, we expect it to run …

New here? This is the 2027 logistics post. For the full history, traditions, and what SanSe is about, see our complete guide: SanSe: The Complete Guide to the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián. For last year’s full schedule, see our 2026 post. The Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián return to Old San Juan on Thursday, January 21 through …

New here? This is the 2026 logistics post. For the full history, the story of Cacique Hayuya, and what the festival is about, see our complete guide: Festival Nacional Indígena: The Complete Guide. For past programs, see our 2025, 2024, and 2023 recaps. The Festival Nacional Indígena returns to Jayuya in November 2026 for its 56th edition, continuing a run …

New here? This is the 2026 logistics post. For the full history, the story of the mojo isleño sauce, and what the festival is all about, see our complete guide: Festival del Mojo Isleño: The Complete Guide. This post covers the 2026 dates, the daily music lineup, and the certified 10K. The 23rd Festival Internacional del Mojo Isleño runs Friday, …

New here? This is the 2026 logistics post. For the full history, the story of the Castillo Labadie venue, and what the festival is all about, see our complete guide: Volky Fest Mocano: The Complete Guide. This post covers the 2026 dates, the daily music lineup, camping rates, and how to follow along. Volky Fest Mocano returns Friday, July 24 …

New here? This is the 2026 logistics post. For the full history and what the fair is all about, see our complete guide: Feria Nacional de Artesanías de Barranquitas: The Complete Guide. This post covers the 2026 dates, the daily lineup, and how to follow along. The 65th edition of the Feria Nacional de Artesanías de Barranquitas runs Friday, July …

July is one of the busiest months on Puerto Rico’s cultural calendar, and this is the full run of festivals, patron-saint fiestas, and town celebrations happening across the island this month. Quick answer: what’s happening in Puerto Rico in July 2026? More than 20 festivals and town fiestas run across Puerto Rico in July 2026, from the Festival de las …

Quick answer: The bus from Copán Ruinas to San Pedro Sula takes roughly 4 to 5 hours and runs a handful of times a day, all in the morning. In most cases, there is no online booking. You show up at the terminal before departure and pay the driver or his assistant directly, in lempiras. Because departures are morning-only from …

When I think back to my first impressions with Puerto Rico, I recall thinking that Puerto Rican food was basic. At that time, I had very little exposure to the variety of options that exist on the island and was also only speaking from a limited set of experiences, which predominately stemmed from street food. I also happened to be …

When I was traveling through Tajikistan, we stopped at a roadside outhouse. I found this old toilet out in nature and I wonder if it is among the world’s worst toilets, or at least among the dirtiest. I’ve seen a wide range of toilets from squatty potties, even outhouses over the amazon river in Peru. Toilets are something that all …

New to the festival? This is the 2026 details page. For the full story of what the festival is and what it celebrates, the coconut masks, the bomba, the history and the debates around it, see our complete guide: Fiestas de Santiago Apóstol in Loíza: The Complete Guide. The Fiestas de Santiago Apóstol return to Loíza in July 2026 for …

New to the festival? This is the 2026 details page. For the full story of what the festival is and what it celebrates (including the güiro and the flamboyán), see our complete guide: Festival del Güiro y el Flamboyán: The Complete Guide. The Festival del Güiro y el Flamboyán returns to Peñuelas in 2026, running July 24 to 26 at …

New to the festival? This is the 2026 logistics page. For the full history and what the festival is all about, see our complete guide: Festival de las Flores de Aibonito: The Complete Guide. This page covers the 2026 dates, prices, and daily schedule. The 2026 Festival de las Flores de Aibonito, Edición 56, runs June 26 to July 5, …

New to the event? This is the 2026 logistics page. For the full history and what the congress is all about, see our complete guide: Puerto Rico Salsa Congress (Destino Salsa): The Complete Guide. This page covers the 2026 dates, the weekly dance route, and how to follow along. The 2026 edition of the Puerto Rico Salsa Congress marks a …

TLDR So you want to drive in Corfu? Well you are not alone. I wanted to as well, and did. Although along the way I learned some things. Quad (ATV), scooter and car rentals are all popular ways to explore the island of Corfu. The island of Corfu is beautiful and rewarding in so many ways. From the mountain villages …

I had almost no idea what to expect in Corfu. Arriving from a different part of Greece, I knew it was an island, but I didn’t look into it that much. As I drove around the island by scooter, I noticed something that surprised me: trash. There’s trash everywhere. The amount of trash is certainly not something that you see …

Every year in late June, there is a small festival in the quaint coastal village of Benitses (Μπενίτσες) on the island of Corfu, Greece. Honoring St. John the Lampatari, presumably ‘the light’, it is known locally as Αη Γιάννης του Λαμπατάρη. My trip to Corfu happened to coincide with the festival and I was fortunately staying nearby the event. After attending, …

How to Celebrate America’s 250th Birthday While You’re Here for the World Cup If you’re in the United States for the 2026 World Cup, you’ve picked an extraordinary week to be here. The Fourth of July, America’s Independence Day, lands right in the middle of the group and knockout stages, and this year it isn’t just any Fourth. 2026 marks …

The first thing to understand about an International Driving Permit is that it is not actually a license. At least, not in the traditional license sense. It’s a translation of your existing driver’s license. That single fact clears up about half the confusion around these documents. To me, the IDP process is way more complicated then it needs to be. …

Down the Amazon: Iquitos to Manaus by River There are trips you plan and trips that plan you. Floating down the Amazon is the second kind. You can trace the route on a map ahead of time, but the river runs on its own clock, and somewhere past the first bend you stop fighting it and just let the current …

TLDR — Is Aegean Airlines Worth It? Aegean Airlines is Greece’s largest airline and flag carrier, a full-service Star Alliance member that’s the backbone of travel to and around Greece. Unlike the budget carriers, Aegean still includes the things that make flying pleasant: a real cabin experience, a strong loyalty program (Miles+Bonus), free onboard Wi-Fi for members, and a genuine …

The Quick Take: Midsummer (midsommar) is Sweden’s biggest summer holiday and arguably its most beloved, a celebration of the summer solstice built on flower crowns, a leaf-covered pole, pickled herring, cold schnapps, and a sun that barely sets. In 2026 it lands on Friday, June 19 (Midsummer’s Eve), with the public holiday following on Saturday, June 20. Cities empty out …

Noche de San Juan at a Glance Noche de San Juan (Saint John’s Eve) is one of Puerto Rico’s most beloved traditions, celebrated every year on the night of June 23, the eve of the feast of Saint John the Baptist, the patron saint the capital city of San Juan is named for. As midnight strikes, Puerto Ricans crowd the …

What to expect A complete guide to the dishes, regions, ethnic traditions, and table customs of one of the Silk Road’s great food cultures. From the national plov to Bukharian green rice and Korean-Uzbek carrot salad, what to eat, how it changes by region, the ethnic traditions behind it. Further, get my tips on how to navigate Uzbek food as …

Overview — Is Eurowings a good airline? Eurowings is the Lufthansa Group’s low-cost airline, a German budget carrier flying short and medium hops across Europe to city, beach, and other holiday destinations. It runs on the familiar European airline budget model: a cheap BASIC headline fare that’s a seat and a small personal item only, with everything else (cabin trolley, …

Overview: The Culebra and Vieques Ferry The ferry is the most affordable and scenic way to reach Puerto Rico’s island municipalities of Culebra and Vieques. Both routes are run by a single operator, Puerto Rico Ferry (operated by HMS Ferries, anchored by Hornblower), and, this trips up a lot of visitors, they now depart from Ceiba, on Puerto Rico’s east …

TLDR — Is Air Flamenco Good? Air Flamenco is one of Puerto Rico’s oldest island airlines, flying small Britten-Norman Islander aircraft between San Juan, Ceiba, Culebra, and Vieques, with charter service across the wider Caribbean. Founded out of Flamenco Airways in 1976, it’s a long-established local operator and reportedly the largest Britten-Norman Islander operator anywhere. For travelers heading to Culebra …

TLDR — Is Cape Air Worth It? Cape Air is a regional U.S. airline that, for Puerto Rico travelers, is one of the most useful ways to reach the islands of Vieques and Culebra and the west-coast city of Mayagüez from San Juan, plus a web of connections across the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. It flies small propeller planes …

TLDR — Is Vieques Air Link Worth It? Vieques Air Link (VAL) is Puerto Rico’s homegrown island airline, built specifically to connect the main island with Vieques and Culebra, plus a route to St. Thomas. It flies small Islander, Trislander, and Piper Cherokee aircraft on short hops between San Juan Isla Grande (SIG), Ceiba (NRR), Vieques (VQS), and Culebra (CPX), …

Boquerón Pride 2026 at a Glance What: Orgullo Boquerón, one of the Caribbean’s largest LGBTQ+ pride festivals Where: El Poblado de Boquerón, Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico (West region) When: June 12 to June 14, 2026 Parade: Sunday, June 14, starting at 12:00 p.m. from Boquerón Beach Cost: Free to attend This is the 2026 event page. For the full story …

TLDR — Boquerón Pride at a Glance Orgullo Boquerón (Boquerón Pride) is an annual LGBTQ+ pride parade and street festival held each June in the beach village of Boquerón in Cabo Rojo, on Puerto Rico’s southwestern coast. Founded in 2003, it draws up to 40,000 attendees and ranks, alongside San Juan Pride, as one of the two largest pride events …

TLDR — Is easyJet Worth It? easyJet is one of Europe’s biggest budget airlines, flying to over 150 destinations across the continent. I’ve flown with them multiple times and my overall verdict is positive. Value-wise is hard to beat for short-haul travel. That said, the hidden costs around baggage, seat selection, and food can catch you off guard if you …

Over the years, I’ve made a few visits to the United Kingdom. Since my last trip in 2024, the UK has instilled an electronic travel authorization (ETA). This is a requirement to enter the United Kingdom to visit cities like London, Edinburgh or Manchester, as well as the greater British isles such as Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man. I …

Traveling between the French and Italian islands Are you looking to travel to and from Sardinia or Corsica — or perhaps vice versa from Corsica to Sardinia? The ferry service between the two islands is relatively straightforward and accessible for travelers of all types. We recently made the journey and wanted to share our experience. Overview If you plan to …

In today’s digital era, you can share pictures across the globe instantly. Snap a photo, share it online or text it to friends and voila. So easy right? With this rise of insta-sharing, the traditional art of post card sending has seen a drastic decline. Post cards used to be prominently displayed on the sidewalks in front of souvenir shops …

After our experiences in crossing the Mexico and Belize borders, we had a lot of questions about how the Guatemala Honduras Border crossing compared. The vast majority of tourists traveling to Honduras never pass through the mainland, while we were traveling exclusively from the Rio Dulce area in Guatemala to Copán Ruinas. In Honduras, Roatán and Útila are far more …

Festival International de Louisiane returns to downtown Lafayette, Louisiana for its 40th anniversary, April 22–26, 2026, bringing together more than 45 live music acts across five outdoor stages for one of the largest free international music festivals in the United States. From Louisiana zydeco and Cajun French traditions to world music spanning Mali, Cuba, South Africa, Jamaica, Peru, Scotland, South …

Planning to head from south from Belize towards Guatemala? Or perhaps you are heading northly through Belize? Even to Mexico? Traveling to and fro between Guatemala and Belize is a common undertaking for travelers, especially among the backpacker communities. Guatemala shares Belize’s largest stretch of border. Although a large majority of the Belize Guatemala border is covered by thick brush …

Of all of the places that I’ve traveled, Belize is one of the most unique. In this context, when I say unique I don’t necessarily mean that I liked everything about it. It’s quirky; it’s unexpected; and it was surprising in a lot of ways. Belize has an incredibly small population If you have never looked, the population of Belize …

If you are looking for a warm escape, then you may have heard of the village beach community called Placencia, Belize. Perhaps you are looking for relaxing beaches or maybe even an excursion to see the black howler monkeys. As you do your research into Placencia, we’ve written this article to try and give you some first hand perspective from …

Looking to escape the winter? Or perhaps, work remotely from somewhere while you get your diving certificate. But as a remote worker you know, that working remotely has its challenges. With access to the internet, distance is no longer the factor, well as long as you do in fact have the internet. Enter, the digital nomad’s dilemma. So what is …

If you are planning to cross the border from Mexico into Belize via the Subteniente López (near Chetumal) and Santa Elena crossing then you are probably wondering what it is like to cross the border. Is there a tax to leave Quintana Roo? Does a corruption scandal exist in that border crossing? Will the border agents request a bribe? Is …

New here? This is the 2026 recap. For the full history, the vejigantes, and what the carnival is about, see our complete guide: Carnaval Ponceño: The Complete Guide. Carnaval Ponceño 2026, the 168th edition, ran Thursday, February 12 through Tuesday, February 17, 2026, in downtown Ponce. The whole week was dedicated to the centennial of Catalino “Tite” Curet Alonso under …

The time has come. The schedule is made, the 2026 Yauco National Coffee Festival will take place from February 22nd to March 1st. The Yauco Coffee Festival, known locally as Festival Nacional del Café de Yauco Freddie León Maldonado will kick off its 51st annual event honoring the coffee harvest on the morning of February 22nd. 2026 Yauco Coffee Festival …