If you’re planning a trip to New Zealand’s South Island and thinking, “I just want to see cool New Zealand wildlife without completely winging it,” this quick guide is for you (and be sure to save the Google Map below to help you plan your trip!). New Zealand should be a renowned wildlife destination, but […]

If seeing penguins in the wild is on your bucket list, New Zealand is one of the best places in the world to do it! When I was researching where to see penguins in New Zealand for my South Island wildlife road trip — 6 weeks total, 2 of which I spent in a campervan so […]

If you’re visiting New Zealand and are a dolphin lover (and seriously—who isn’t?) you may have heard that you can swim with the world’s smallest dolphin species off the South Island! But before you start furiously searching Reddit for, “swimming with dolphins in Akaroa, New Zealand? What’s the best time to see dolphins in Akaroa? […]

When I was planning a two-month trip to New Zealand, I knew that many of my loose plans would involve zigzagging around the South Island looking for wildlife: fur seals on the coast, dolphins in the bays, and maybe even the elusive kiwi (the bird, not the fruit — though I sought out plenty of […]

If you’re wondering what to pack for Borneo in September (a great month weather-wise, and a good general list for most other months!) here’s the short answer: lightweight short and long sleeves, breathable pants, serious bug spray, quick-dry everything, fully body rain gear, and a dry bag. But that’s just the beginning! Borneo is hot, […]

A river safari in Borneo is one of those experiences that looks unreal in photos—orangutans swinging above the river, elephants on the banks, mist rising off the water at sunrise. But it’s also remote, time-intensive to get to, and the jungle = giant leeches, malaria and dengue fever-carrying mosquitos, sudden downpours—you get the picture. So […]

If you’re trying to figure out the best time of year for a river safari in Borneo, here’s the honest answer: there isn’t one single perfect month, and Borneo is a year-round destination! But there are better times depending on what you care about most. Weather, river levels, wildlife visibility, and even how crowded the […]

If you’re googling “Is Borneo safe for solo female travelers?” I’m going to guess two things: I went to Borneo solo for a river safari and I’ll say this: it was one of the safest solo trips I’ve done, but there are still some things (unexpectedly massive jungle leeches, rainforest weather, etc) you need to […]