Your letters in May

Thank you again for those who have wrote in to us in regard to the website or any other travel questions that you might have. As always we hope that our answers to your questions will help you in planning your trip better. Below are some of the emails we received in May that we want to share with all of you guys.



I'm going there for a trip to Brazil this summer and will be staying mostly in Rio de Janeiro and to be honest I am rather concerned when people tell me "it's dangerous". Does that mean that I shouldn't tour around during the day without a local guide?

Kate R. (Malaysia)


I think that common sense should prevail in any destinations that you wish to go but there is some degree of truth in regards to Rio de Janeiro especially after dark.

An interesting point to note while in Brazil especially in Rio is the favelas. Favelas are settlement for the poor, like an impoverished neighborhood clusters that are normally rule by drug dealers. There are actually day tours provided by the local travel agencies to take tourist to these spots but never ever wander to these locations by yourself especially if you do not speak any Portuguese. Due to the nature of such neighborhood, the crime rates there are rather high.

Avoid wearing jewelry or other signs of wealth if possible as these attract attention. Thieves have been known to run past targets and tear off necklaces, rings, and earrings without stopping. Earrings are particularly dangerous as tearing them off often harms the owner. If possible again try to stay in a group.

Be careful of some of the tourist scams that are out there especially when you are at Copacabana. Despite its relatively safe surroundings, tourists have rather been easy target for these scammers to prey on.

Again, let me reiterate this point, as long as you use common sense and not attract too much attention to yourself, even places like Rio should be safe enough for you.

We are planning a trip in Indonesia soon and we are looking for information about how to get a ferry from Java to Bali.

Rashid Ali


The ferry crossing from Java to Bali is very short, running from Banyuwangi (Java) to Gilimanuk (Bali).
Banyuwangi is probably most comfortably reached by train via Surabaya, though you can get direct buses to Denpasar in Bali from all major towns on Java; these will include the ferry crossing.

Could you please recommend the quickest or most convenient route from Penang to Krabi? If possible within the next 24 hours.

Stephanie. (Bristol)



Actually you could reach Krabi from Penang in approximately around 6 to 9 hours. The quickest way is to travel to Hatyai after you take a ferry from Penang to the mainland. You could either take a bus, van or the train depending on the schedule available.
From Hatyai you need to take a van to Krabi. You can purchase the tickets from any travel agents which are littered all over the place in Hatyai so it won’t be too difficult to find them.

I will be traveling to Sri Lanka around July and was hoping to catch some surf while I am there. Are there any beaches that you would recommend?

Chris (Perth, Australia)


Hi there Chris. I have yet to actually surf in Sri Lanka though some of my surf mates have nothing bad to say about the surf over there. I hope the link below would be able to help you mate. Do write back to us if the surf in Sri Lanka is as good as any out there ya.

Surfing in Sri Lanka

We will be traveling to France this summer and will be staying in Marseille for a bit. Are there any places you would recommend while we are there?

Joyce Ang (Singapore)


Aix-en-Provence is a must go whenever you are in Marseille. It's a beautiful, graceful town that provides a delightful distinction compared to Marseille which I quickly fell in love with. Below is a link to where I hope would be able to provide you with more information about the town.

Aix-en-Provence


And by the way have a great trip!