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A Guide to (Solo) Travel Guatemala - From a Female Traveller's Perspective
The ultimate Guatemala travel guide based on my 8+ months of solo travel experience in Guatemala. Including practical advice on safety, transport, best destinations, digital nomad life in Guatemala, budgeting, language and customs, and how to travel Guatemala more slowly and responsibly.

Ilse
6 days ago24 min read


From Iquitos to Santa Rosa by Boat - Crossing the Amazon Rainforest in Peru (2026 Guide)
Traveling from Iquitos to Santa Rosa by boat is the only way to reach the Peru–Colombia–Brazil border through the Amazon rainforest. In this guide, I explain the difference between the slow cargo boat and the fast boat, how much tickets cost (in PEN), where to buy them, how long the journey really takes, and how to cross the border to Leticia or Tabatinga step by step. If you’re planning to continue through the Amazon overland, this is everything you need to know before getti

Ilse
Feb 2118 min read


A Digital Nomad & Slow Travel Guide to Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Thinking about traveling to Salvador, Brazil or staying a little longer as a digital nomad? In this guide, I share my honest experience living and working in Salvador de Bahia, including safety tips as a solo female traveller, best neighborhoods (like Barra, Rio Vermelho and Pelourinho), beaches near the city center, how to get around, internet and coworking options, and what daily life actually feels like. It’s a travel guide on what to expect in Salvador - written from my p

Ilse
Feb 1428 min read


Festa de Iemanjá in Salvador: Celebrations in Rio Vermelho can give a Preview for Carnaval in Salvador in 2026
Experience Festa de Iemanjá in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, an Afro-Brazilian ocean ritual in Rio Vermelho that offers a powerful preview of the energy of Carnaval in Salvador 2026.

Ilse
Jan 318 min read


Crossing the Amazon Rainforest in Peru: Travelling by Boat from Yurimaguas to Iquitos
I crossed the entire Amazon rainforest, travelling from Peru to Suriname. In this post I will give you all the details on how to get from Yurimaguas to Iquitos - either with a fast boat (in 24 hours) via Nauta, or with the slow boat in 3 nights, sleeping in hammocks. Incl. what it costs to travel from Yurimaguas to Iquitos, what to do in Yurimaguas, what to do in Iquitos, and how safe I felt as a solo female traveller (safe!).

Ilse
Jan 1714 min read


Mayan Weaving Traditions and Ethical Travel
While living in Xela, Guatemala, I volunteered for women-led Mayan weaving cooperative Trama Textiles. I learned about Mayan weaving history, Mayan weaving patterns and colours, and the role of Mayan weaving in ethical travel.

Ilse
Sep 10, 20255 min read
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