Thank you for the kind words. I know what you mean about the image of Thailand and Bali, particularly among Australians. On one hand you could go to either of those places and easily avoid the most notorious party neighborhoods, but it’s probably easier to head somewhere else since both of those places are so crowded that time of year anyway. I do have a few suggestions, which I’ll describe briefly and then if you want more details about any that appeal to you I can do that in a follow up comment.



Most hotels these days include at least a small refrigerator, and some even include a full kitchen and stove. This is great because it allows you to shop locally for some fresh food options. Search online for nearby farmer’s markets or grocery stores and see if you can pick up some local meats or fresh veggies to have in your room. This is more likely to be an option in the warmer months.



Yes I travelled a bit by train in southern India, I got lucky on my first few journeys with lack of people, then I hit some Indian holidays and it was hellish. I remember the trains being booked up for all the upgraded a/c and upper class carriages. One time even the Indians were fainting on the over packed carriage so you can imagine the heat for little old gringo me!
In Central America you could consider Belize. It’s small, but it’s got islands and beaches (not everywhere though) and forests and other cultural sights, and English is more or less the official language. It’s not as well organized as Costa Rica, but it’s not bad and it feels safe. The other to consider there is Panama, which obviously has a lot in common with Costa Rica. It has far fewer adventure activities and the good beaches are spaced out a bit, but still it’s a relatively rich country with tens of thousands of Americans and Canadians living there as well as visiting, so they have a good tourist infrastructure and it’s safe.


Haveb been to kerela, Pondicherry, etc. we have coevred India a lot as we travel a lot and like exploring the world. We wanted to step out of India for this holiday. I was thinking of Maldives or Malaysia. 4-5 hour flight should be manageable but extending that more would be stretching it a bit i guess. So heer i am still confused and lost. Thaailand is an option again as there are several beaches which are serence and unexplored but i would not want to go to Phuket as its very crowded and touristy. Can you suggest a better island in Thailand which is quite, blue green water and less crowded.

That really depends on your starting point. Most of the cheapest places are in Asia, but the flight would be quite expensive if you are in North America or Europe. If you are in the US, your best bets for cheap places with good weather that time of year will be the non-resort towns of Mexico, or even the resort towns if your budget is a bit higher. Let me know your starting point and more about what you are looking for and I can give you a more complete answer. -Roger


The other place that comes to mind is Croatia, which also has reasonable weather in November. I’d recommend focusing on Split, which has many similarities with the more-famous Dubrovnik, but it’s easier to reach, much cheaper, and more authentic because Dubrovnik has become kind of cheesy as a cruise port. You could even take a bus to Mostar or Sarajevo in Bosnia for a couple days. The coast in that area is beautiful and there won’t be many other tourists that time of year. I hope these ideas help. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger

If you’re highly susceptible to the Christmas spirit and haven’t already committed the entire holiday season to wrapping presents with Aunt Linda, consider Cologne. The city has a whopping seven main Christmas markets -- definitely don’t miss the Cathedral Market, which has the largest Christmas tree in the Rhineland, or Angel’s Market, where you can sip eggnog punch and weave around people actually dressed as angels; Santa comes through once a week as well… on horseback. All that’s left for you to do is listen to the festive music and browse the stalls for an apology gift to send to Aunt Linda.


Of course, the Caribbean has its own share of problems. As I just mentioned to another reader, my list of Caribbean destinations from cheapest to most expensive has 32 entries and only about 6 of them were damaged by the recent storms. I would probably choose one of those instead. November is still technically the final month of hurricane season, but November storms are extremely rare. And the islands closer to South America haven’t been hit in over 50 years or so, such as Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.
If that doesn’t interest you I would point you towards the Playa del Carmen area, which is just south of Cancun and just across the strait from Cozumel. November is technically the last month of hurricane season and early in the month you’ll probably get at least a few quick rain storms, but actual hurricane in November are very rare. And at least Playa del Carmen is on the mainland and near a huge airport, so tourists would never be trapped there as they might on some small islands. Playa del Carmen is a fairly large touristy town with hundreds of little hotels, restaurants, bars, and things to do, so it’s good for a solo visit or with another person. Cancun proper, on the other hand, is mainly a long strip of beach hotels and time-share residences that are spread out and not well suited to solo visitors or small groups.
Hello. I love what I have read and hoping you can solve our family vacation debate. We are from the US (MI) and have two families (4 adults) plus kids aged 20, 17, 16, and 12 (8 total travelers). We are an adventurous bunch and want A TRIP OF A LIFETIME experience THIS Dec. 26th with two weeks ANYWHERE in the world. We all agree WARM, and money in the range of $35,000 total with airfare. How about 2 or 3 suggestions of some amazing, extremely fun vacation destinations with lots of activity 🙂 ???

Myself and my girlfriend are looking at travelling to a sunny destination during the first 12 days of December. We like beach and city vacations. Being from South Africa where it is warm in December we would prefer something different to our own culture. We’ve been to Thailand and Malaysia but never India, Sri Lanka or Vietnam. What would you recommend? Thanks Esteen

Unfortunately I’ve only been to Cartagena in Colombia, although I know of some travel bloggers who live in Medellin and love it there. The mild weather year round is one reason people love it. I don’t speak much Spanish, which is a problem in much of Latin America, but evidently there is a pretty big scene of various expats and English speakers, so Spanish isn’t so critical. In other words, I like the sound of your idea and I imagine it’ll be great, but I haven’t been there yet so I am really not qualified to give real advice. Best of luck with whatever you choose. -Roger
On the Ketogenic Success Facebook group we get a lot of questions about how to go on vacation at various locations and remain keto-compliant. It’s true that some places will be easier than others to find keto-friendly options, and sometimes you may have to bring your own food. This week, we went to what is probably the hardest place on earth to try and eat keto: a theme park resort.

I’d recommend 1 night in Auckland, then 3 nights on the North Island, and then a ferry to the South Island. If you can spend a week there, and return the camper van or car to Christchurch for a flight to Auckland and home, it would be perfect. As long as you can spend at least 4 nights on the South Island, it will be worth it. But if your schedule or budget don’t allow that much, you might just stay on the North Island. The most interesting place on the South Island is Queenstown, but there is plenty to see all over.
To the life aquatic now and Micronesia’s little-known islands scattered in the Pacific Ocean, which serve as the mating grounds for giant manta rays. With wingspans that can reach up to 5m, the chance to dive alongside these dancing behemoths shouldn’t be missed. From colossal to downright cute, rare (and ridiculously adorable) pygmy hippos can be found in Sierra Leone, once you've had your fill of lounging on palm-fringed beaches.

