French Canadian desperately looking for inspirations.
Posted by Boring_Wanderer@reddit | Shoestring | View on Reddit | 22 comments
Like the title says, I just had my leaves approved for the whole month of March 2025 and I am hitting a dead end in terms of travelling ideas. I was thinking of Morocco but my research (blog & Moroccan colleague) about Ramadan (Feb-28 to Mar-30) has effectively ''scared'' me enough to prevent me of thinking of any Muslim countries for this year. I have been to SEA in the last 2 years so I would like to go somewhere else since i'm not looking only for warm destinations, but I would like somewhere that the trees still have their leaves if possible :D
Also, I’m not in great shape but I love the outdoor. I also love history/art/food related stuff as well as natural wonders. I do amateur photography and I dive occasionally (while on vacation). But I don’t have any kind of gear with me when I travel as I try to travel light. Furthermore, i am a completionist. One month for India for example would be really really too short for me to feel like i have even scratched the surface of the interesting stuff to do and see there. Although i try to keep an open mind to only partially do a bigger country, but i might need some good arguments haha.
So, if you have been somewhere in March that seems to fit this description and is not really expensive for a solo traveller than shoot me your ideas and why you would/did go there :)
PS: This is my first time posting since I just made this account for travel related stuff only. So, if you have more questions, just ask ! (I might take some time to answer since i don't have access to my phone until 7pm EST)
jmes_c@reddit
Mate, Madeira seems perfect. The weather will be nice, the nature is BEAUTIFUL, plenty of walks (some are challenging, like Pico arieiro, but there are so many hiking paths to chose from) and a great base camp in Funchal to stay in.
The only thing is that it’s obviously not the biggest place, but you’ll be able to get a really, really good feel of the island in ~2 weeks. Then maybe when you’re done, check out portugal, like the other person mentioned.
You will probably want to be somewhere southern as march can be quite chilly.
How about Greece? The Cyclades will be pleasant, and less busy. You can hop over to the next island once you’ve completed everything you wanted to see
Boring_Wanderer@reddit (OP)
Sorry for the long wait !
Portugal seems like a great idea, although i would probably want to have enough time to research the history and culture thoroughly. which i may be lacking now that i'm a few months away from ma departure.
The cyclades looks like a great idea too. Thank you for the idea !!!
Is Greece still considered cheap tho ?
Aplaceandatime@reddit
Australia! Great weather in the south, plenty of great outdoor activities and nature, and amazing food!
Boring_Wanderer@reddit (OP)
Yeah, someone mentioned it in another thread. I have been tempted by Australia for a few years now but I'm held back by the potential cost of it all, especially for transport. Have you been to Australia before ? how was your experience getting around locally and for longer distances along the east coast ? :)
Aplaceandatime@reddit
I live here! Yes it can be expensive but also lots of fun things are free- beaches, hiking, lots of galleries.
Boring_Wanderer@reddit (OP)
And how do you deal with all the living things that want you dead ? Like spiders and shit lol. I live in Canada and dealing with wild animals I'm used to, but the amount of poisonous things that are found on land and in the sea around Australia has always been a little of a deterrent for me 😂
MushroomBright8626@reddit
Jamaica.
Boring_Wanderer@reddit (OP)
Really? All I ever read or heard about it was that it was kind of unsafe. 🤔 Or maybe it's a preconceived idea 😅
Miss_Meaghan@reddit
Why not Argentina or Chile? The weather's pretty nice at that time of year (late summer/early fall for them), and there's plenty of beautiful art, history and good food. Mexico would be another incredible option, you could see a lot in a month and it sounds like Mexico City, Oaxaca, and San Cristobal would be a great fit for what you want to do.
Boring_Wanderer@reddit (OP)
I would love both, but I thought they were going through some "cyclical economic rough patch" at the moment with rempant inflation reminiscent of their past economic hardships ? ^^'
Miss_Meaghan@reddit
Argentina is, but the dollar has stabilized so it's not such a pain to convert cash anymore (no need to go to the black market for the blue dollar rate). I don't believe Chile and Mexico are in economic crisis. Prices in Chile and Argentina are on par with Canada if not a bit cheaper (I was there in March), and Mexico is definitely more affordable. It's not Thailand or Morocco but it's still cheap.
Boring_Wanderer@reddit (OP)
Yeah of course Mexico is doing okay, I just keep reading Reddit posts about Argentina not being great right now and articles about how Chile and Argentina are at a crossroad economically. I think I even remember news reports about unrest in Chile's streets (Santiago mainly) and high inflation of the cost of living in both of them.
But maybe I should look into it more now, it could have changed 🤔
Diarrhea_420@reddit
México is nice in the winter. You can fly into Mexico City and jump off to other points. I recommend Oaxaca. You can bus there from the city in about 6-8 hours for about $600mxn. The cultures and food of Oaxaca are incredibly diverse. There are over 100 indigenous cultures within the state itself. I haven't visited the Oaxaca de Juarez (the city) but have spent some time on the beaches of Oaxaca (the state) and had a magical time.
Boring_Wanderer@reddit (OP)
Sounds like a place I should look more into! I'm going to look it up tomorrow 😁
RainInOctober@reddit
Maybe try West Africa, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire?
Boring_Wanderer@reddit (OP)
Oh yeah, have you been there yourself? How was your experience? :)
Additional_Noise47@reddit
Portugal would be a good option.
Boring_Wanderer@reddit (OP)
Yeah, some European countries come to mind for sure. Although I always hear people going to the Iberian Peninsula in mass during winter time 😅
Have you been there before ? What was your experience like ? 😁
Additional_Noise47@reddit
They do, but March isn’t really peak travel time for anyone. I have been to Portugal and Spain several times. Portugal is easier to get a complete tour of in a month. It’s got stunning nature, cheap and excellent food, and some classic European cities. I have stayed in Lisbon a couple times, which is a city with tons of charm and a lot to explore. I have also explored a little of the east and south of the country. I would definitely spend time in the Algarve again. I have also been to Sao Miguel in the Azores, and it’s like nowhere else in the world.
I’ve never traveled there on a tight budget, but most of the things I did and ate were very moderately priced for Europe.
Boring_Wanderer@reddit (OP)
Wow sounds incredible, Like most of Europe I bet haha.
May I ask how much and how long was your cheapest budget for a visit in Portugal? 😅
Additional_Noise47@reddit
Hard to say. I probably spent about $150 per night (split between multiple people) at nice hotels in Lisbon and the Algarve last time I went, but if I were planning a cheap trip just for myself I know I could do MUCH less. $30 for a hostel bed is reasonable. I remember eating a lot of meals that cost $10-15, even for multi-course meals some places. Museums, ferry rides, train tickets, city tours were also less than I would pay in most of Western Europe or North America. Flights were my biggest expense last time, but only because I didn’t have flexible dates.
Boring_Wanderer@reddit (OP)
Woah, I'll definitely look into it then ! 🙏🏼