The 10 Least Romantic Vacation Spots Around the World

Travel is rejuvenating—it can revive someone seeking respite from the mundane day-to-day. And for those of us in a perpetual period of singledom, burdened by absolutely zero obligations to another human, escaping is easy. But eloping to evade the PDA that seems to suffocate us isn’t necessarily easy. Proposals before national monuments and couples making out in winding canals will remind you every damn second just how painfully single you are. So if you’re looking to visit somewhere sick, but don’t want to be bombarded by the same love that eludes you, check out one of these totally unromantic destinations.

1. Dubai, UAE: A British couple was legitimately arrested in 2010 for kissing in public, and received a month in jail. The Dubai Mall has some serious signage asking guests to abstain from public displays of affection, too, so you really won’t have to worry about it.

2. Mykonos, Greece: Sure, Greece is toted as a honeymooners’ paradise—cobblestoned streets adorned with bougainvillea and whitewashed homes that overlook the azure sea. But it’s not always so romantic. During the Spring, all corners of the city boast massive speakers for makeshift concerts that draw in drunk spring breakers who litter the streets with party debris.

3. Bangkok, Thailand: Thailand is recognized for it’s flourishing sex industry and a whole lot of single dudes (seriously, the ratio outnumbers women 2:1), adds to the hook-up culture of Patpong Road.

4. Machu Picchu, Peru: It’s on everyone’s bucket list—as it should be. But you won’t find too many couples hiking the 7,970 feet to the Incan ruin. It’s usually groups of about twelve who do the four-day Inca Trail hike and a lot of people succumb to altitude sickness—so not romantic.

5. Casablanca, Morocco: Casablanca is a cultural hub and bustling fashion capital worth checking out, but it’s not anything like the film. It’s colorful medinas are full of merchants selling their goods and the streets boast high-end shopping outlets and malls. It’s home to Hassan II Mosque and possibly the world’s worst traffic. Kissing in public in this country isn’t really a thing, and many hotels won’t let men and women share a room unless they’re married.

6. Bali, Indonesia’s Kuta Beach: Yes, Bali is one of the first destinations people think of when they think romantic getaway. Sanur, for example, is a small beach town and popular spot for honeymooners. But Kuta Beach, which is one of the first beaches you’ll hit driving in from the short cab ride from the airport, is so not that. The nightlife is alive with electric clubs and rowdy bars where many sex workers hang out. You’ll find solo backpackers passing through as there are tons of cheap hotels, too.

7. Beijing, China: China is so worth visiting and, if you go, you really can’t skip the capital, Beijing. You’ll be surrounded by a blend of modern architecture and ancient sites like the grand Forbidden City complex—the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. But you won’t find lovebirds here, where the city is so polluted you can’t even see the sunset. In fact, it’s so bad that the city has installed LED screens to broadcast the sunset.

8. Brussels, Belgium: Brussels—it’s famous for chocolate, waffles, french fries and beer, galore. But many visitors are EU politicians there for work, as it’s the political capital of Europe and a central business hub. The city lends itself to a ton of architectural history and is still home to about 40,000 EU employees, 4,000 NATO employees and hosts about 300 lobby groups, embassies and press corporations. But the only romantic place you should avoid is one wine bar named Goupil le Fol, which is adorned with mood lighting and cozy couches—where you’ll find all of the city’s couples.

9. Singapore, Singapore: Singapore is basically one giant financial district with seemingly very little indigenous culture. It’s definitely a place you have to see while in Asia, as it’s the epicenter of much of the world’s start-ups (and Singapore Changi Airport is truly a destination in itself—we’re talking outdoor nature trail, swimming pool, movie theater, beauty and reflexology centers, sleeping areas and massage chairs everywhere), but it’s not at all romantic. Downtown is packed with partiers and the rest of it is made up of high-rises. Just steer clear of the 250-acre Gardens by the Bay, where you actually might find Mr. & Mrs. on a stroll.

10. Cardiff, Wales: Cardiff is a cool city. It’s very chill. In fact, it’s so chill that it’s your basic hometown-y city. No couple looking for a romantic getaway weekend is going to go to Cardiff of all places. It’s a nice place to check out if you’re touring the UK, since it’s an easy train ride from London or Edinburgh, but it’s not a place many tourists are eager to check out. It’s just a bunch of regular people doing regular things.

This Kickass New Train Tunnel Will Make You Want to Book a Flight To Switzerland ASAP

How and Why to Travel Solo

My curiosity feeds an impetus for travel, and my travel whets an abiding curiosity. I’m homesick for places I’ve never been and forever tempted by thoughts of elsewhere, wherever that may be. And because I don’t know where exactly, I’d rather go alone than drag along a crew.

Truthfully, I love impulsive solo travel because I’m selfish. I want to do what I want to do when I want to do it. Laozi, some ancient Chinese philosopher who I’d probably quoted in AIM away messages back in the ’90s, once said, “A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving.” I never have any plans and I’m rarely intent on arriving because, for me, travel is not to go somewhere, but to go—anywhere. For travel’s sake.

I caught the bug in 2012 and have since backpacked nearly 30 countries spanning five continents. I’ve streaked in the Sahara Desert with nomadic drummers—and ridden a camel (see photo below),  shared meals in Southeast Asia with refuged sex workers whose names I never learned but whose stories I’ll never forget, sacrificed sheep in remote tribal villages of North Africa, protested at kissing rallies in the Middle East, gone off-roading across Central America and more.

People tell me I’m crazy, especially because I’m a chick. I’m often asked if I’m afraid of rape. Or if I’ve seen the movie Taken. I am and I have. But rape happens everywhere, and Kim wasn’t alone when she was abducted in Paris. Fear doesn’t consume me; it drives me. It drives me like I have a point to prove. People say they’d be bored, too. But I’m here to tell you how to travel fearlessly, and I promise that you will never get bored.

1. Don’t wait for others to join or you’ll never go anywhere.
If you rely on other people, you’ll start to take on their setbacks as your own. I used to plan trips with friends, until I realized that none of those plans ever came to fruition—conflicting schedules, dissimilar interests, varying priorities. Time is of the essence, so never allow yourself to miss out on an experience for excuses that don’t belong to you.

2. Go with the flow, because you can.
When you’re not restricted by friends’ fears, inabilities or apprehensions, or confined to their itineraries, you can legitimately do anything you want to do, and that’s insanely liberating. Instead of going to see what you’ve gone to see—because, with friends, you’ll likely have to agree on what to check out—you have the option to just see whatever you see. And that’s a way realer experience than that of a typical tourist.

3. Don’t be afraid to delve deep into the culture.
Surround yourself with familiar faces and you’ll seldom break out of your comfort zone. You’ll become a bystander. Surround yourself with strangers and you’ll be forced to engage and learn their stories. Whether you’re with locals or sharing a dorm in a hostel (which I recommend a million times over a private room), you’ll meet new people. Before you know it, your path will take turns you never anticipated—indulging in meals you’ve never tried, partaking in religious customs you’ve never understood or dancing dances you’d never seen.

4. Communicate however you can.
Nothing revives childlike wonder like being in a place where you’re ignorant of almost everything, can’t speak the language and are equipped with only the most rudimentary sense of how things work. You’ll be forced to communicate in ways beyond words, which connects humans on a level that doesn’t divide us by native tongue. And when you return knowing how to seamlessly interact with anyone anywhere, the world suddenly seems borderless.

5. Discover yourself.
Experiencing new things inevitably means discovering yourself. You learn your strengths, limits, likes, dislikes, comforts, discomforts. And, off the grid and unencumbered by the burdens of everyday life, you have time to reflect on those discoveries. It’s rejuvenating and will allow you to become a better version of yourself.

6. Earn your own trust.
Traveling solo means having only yourself on which to rely. You have to have your own back, trust your own instincts and be your own pilot and co-pilot. In doing so, you begin to find joy in the little things—something as simple as boarding the right bus becomes thrilling and rewarding. And because you have time for self-reflection, you allow yourself to pat your own back. It’s something we don’t do enough, as we’re all too often being our own toughest critics.

7. Take written notes on everything.
The best thing I ever did the first time I left the States was write down everything—random thoughts, restaurant names, profound conversations, what I ate for breakfast. I have notes with exact times of the day so I can reminisce in vivid detail. Today, I look back at notes and my personal growth is palpable. I laugh at things I wrote had scared me then, and I recall details I’d have otherwise forgotten.

8. Take your experiences home with you.
Traveling with friends makes memories, but they can quickly devolve into “that one time in Mexico.” Once you’ve traveled solo, the voyage is immortal; it doesn’t end. Because wherever you venture, those places somehow become a part of you. And you look at the place to which you return with new eyes.

9. Keep your mind open before, during and after the trip.
I’d never have eaten sheep testicles with my friend quivering beside me, just as I’d never have prayed in a mosque beside my Catholic friend. Our responses to cultures and opportunities are very often molded by the company we keep, and we consciously or subconsciously temper our curiosity because of that. Solo travel and you’ll come back armed with education, modesty and empathy—all things we need to create effective change in this world.

13 Reasons Portland, Maine, Is the Best Portland in America

Lobster beats the Trail Blazers every time.

Let the record note that Oregon has a great Portland. I fully understand why it’s celebrated as a model of urban planning and is a destination of choice for people looking to be mocked by Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein.

It’s not Portland, Maine, though. Portland, Maine, is the better Portland. I know this because I left it yesterday and can’t wait to return. Here are the 13 reasons why it’s superior.

1. It has America’s least aggravating airport.
Technically, it’s an International Jetport: small enough not to get crowded and big enough to be a destination for JetBlue and major airlines. Flying in, you can land and go straight to the rental car counter, then through the door to the garage to get your car and be in downtown Portland in 10 minutes. And frankly, it’s hard not to be charmed by a place that put out an official statement titled: ”Porcupine Sculpture Donated to Jetport.”

2. It’s compact.
This Portland has a population of roughly 66,000, or 2.5% of the borough where I currently reside. Consequently, Portland is deeply accessible; wherever you may be staying, the Old Port is never far away. Yet while it’s small…

3. There’s a bizarre amount of stuff to do.
Apparently everyone in Portland spends all their time either starting hip businesses or hanging out at hip businesses, because the numbers just don’t make sense. We’ll start at the most obvious attraction…

4. The seafood is amazing.
If you go to Maine, you expect delicious fish and damned if you don’t get it. While there are many fine options, I highly recommend J’s Oyster Bar on the waterfront, where my wife and I gorged on oysters, raw scallops and buckets of steamers. (And yes, whenever a food is served in a bucket, it shall be amazing.) Of course, I leave off the most famous Maine offering of all…

5. Their lobster is the best lobster.
It’s not hard to find lobster in Maine—I think local banks offer lobster rolls when you open a new account—but it’s still surprising just how delicious it can be. For instance, we took a short drive to Portland Head Light lighthouse and encountered the Bite into Maine’s Mainecentric Mobile Eatery (a.k.a. a food truck), which serves multiple types of lobster rolls, including the tremendous Picnic style, complete with coleslaw and celery salt. But it’s good to take a break from lobster and even seafood completely because…

6. The food’s ridiculous in general.
Which is why you can pop in to Empire for superb dim sum and then drift over to the “very Thai” street vendor-inspired Boda. Of course, you eventually need to do more than eat. They have you covered, for…

7. There are awesome sodas.
Maine Root Blueberry Soda is simply delicious and at least in theory quite healthy, thanks to actual blueberry juice and no caffeine. Likewise, the Green Bee Lemon Sting combines carbonation and local honey magically. And if you require a real sting…

8. Portland’s a fine place to drink beer.
Most beer drinkers have enjoyed an Allagash or two, but it’s hardly your only local option. My wife and I stumbled upon Rising Tide Brewing and its samplers, not to mention Baxter Brewing Co.’s highly refreshing Summer Swelter. Should you be one of those people allergic to cans and pint glasses…

9. There are also kickass cocktails.
In particular, I’ll cite the drinks at Isa and The Bearded Lady’s Jewel Box. (At the Box, I mentioned a fondness for smoky alcohols from peaty single malts to mezcal, at which point the bartender served a cocktail I can only describe as a forest fire in my mouth.) And if you somehow do stop eating and drinking and explore the city, you’ll find…

10. It’s charmingly lost in time.
Do you collect vinyl? Portland has so many places selling it you can engage in an “epic record store crawl.” (Again, under 70,000 residents.) Or have you chosen to embrace 30 Rock’s Dennis Duffy’s theory that “Technology is cyclical” and declined to make the jump from CDs? Head to Bull Moose, which looks like a Tower Records in its prime. The feeling of having stepped back in time only intensifies as you find numerous bookstores and buy a ticket to the new X-Men for under 10 bucks. Then you discover…

11. They’ve got stuff that’s genuinely odd.
Like “the world’s only cryptozoology museum.” Or take a short drive to beautiful Mackworth Island, which includes the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf, Governor Baxter’s Pet Cemetery (the final resting place of his horse and 14 Irish setters) and a fairy village (yes, rules are posted on how you should construct your fairy homes; don’t even think of using artificial materials).

12. Oh, and they have a minor league baseball team.
With a tremendous Spot the Sea Dog statue. And finally…

13. The trip home is painless.
Flying out, the TSA line was short enough my wife and I considered hanging around so the guard wouldn’t be too lonely. Even if you get held up at the Jetport, it’s an inviting space with rocking chairs, a children’s play area and, most importantly, multiple bars. With massive travel delays predicted at airports across the nation this summer, it’s nice to know you’re at a place that always ranks low on the misery index.

Ball’s in your court, Oregon version.

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How to Book a Private Jet for (Relatively) Cheap

Private jets are the stuff of luxe legend. When we hear about them we picture the filthy rich 0.1 percent relaxing on Italian leather with bikini-clad models, swirling Scotch in a jewel-encrusted tumbler, pondering how to acquire their next billion.

To us common folk the idea of eschewing the crowds at major airports and discomfort of commercial flights for driving up to a jet and getting airborne in minutes sounds like a dream. But believe it or not, the experience isn’t quite so out of reach as you might think.

We asked industry and travel experts for the best ways to get a taste of the high (up) life without losing everything you’ve got. Here are five tips worth trying.

“The best part about empty leg flights is that you have the entire jet to bring friends, family and pets—not just a seat,” adds JetSmarter Founder and CEO Sergey Petrossov. “Empty legs usually become available about one to three days prior to departure.”

1. Do Your Research
“The best thing about shopping around is not so much that you’ll save a mint (although it can be nice),” says Ryan Schneider, Founder/President of Jackson Aviation Group. “It helps the consumer get a better understanding of what a flight typically costs. Shopping will also help you find a private jet broker that you know and trust.”

2. Team Up
JustLuxe.com Lifestyle Editor Mila Pantovich recommends gathering a solid group of friends and family who love travelling as much as you do: “Many companies want you to fill the entire jet and while a six-seat flight may cost over $3,000 that’s still less than $600 per seat when split up.” Dan Kahn, Vice President of Charter Sales at ExcelAire, agrees: “The more people you put on a private jet, the more cost-efficient it becomes.”

3. Find the Right Jet
Jason Middleton, Co-Founder of Silver Air, recommends matching your numbers and distance to your aircraft: “Light jets like a CJ2 will best serve 4-6 people and can travel up to 800-1,200 miles.  A mid-range Lear 60 holds 6-8 passengers and can travel 1,600-1,800 miles. Heavy jets like a G450 or GV carry up to 14 passengers and a cabin attendant and can take you just about anywhere in the world with a range of 4,500-6,000 miles.” To make the most of your money, look for a “goldilocks fit,” says James Butler, CEO of Shaircraft Solutions. “Not too large, not too small—just right.”

4. Utilize Empty Legs
Henry Thompson, Founder/CEO of Charter BuNo, believes empty legs (a segment of a round trip that is scheduled to be flown with no passengers) to always be the best-priced option: “Some individual jet companies can literally have thousands of empty legs a year that go unsold.” Just keep in mind empty legs are generally one-way, meaning private air palace out, commercial ride back, or vice versa. “The best part about empty leg flights is that you have the entire jet to bring friends, family and pets—not just a seat,” adds JetSmarter Founder and CEO Sergey Petrossov. “Empty legs usually become available about one to three days prior to departure.”

5. Be Spontaneous
“I look at last minute deals,” says Kyle Stewart, The Trip Sherpa. “And usually those where I can get an easy flight back, as they are all one-way trips and there is no guarantee you can get an empty leg on the way home.” B2 Aviation Founder and President Bernie Burns provides some good examples: “Jet Suite’s ‘SuiteDeals’ [hit] their website the day before. You can access these flights for as low as $536.”

Burns also suggests checking out the intriguing membership site Surf Air. Because hey, if you’re not going to be an Internet mogul, you can at least use the Internet to fly like one…

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