The time that this little island was solely a diving paradise is long gone! Just like any other tourist destinations in Thailand, Koh Tao is getting more popular each year. Many tourists and travelers finding its way to this tiny little nirvana in the Gulf of Thailand. Traveling to Koh Tao is popular than ever before and there are numerous things to do besides diving. Hiking in Koh Tao is fabulous and with so many cool viewpoints it is one of the reasons to travel to Koh Tao in 2023.

For a lot of travelers this little hill town overlooking Dharamsala feels like coming home. Loads of travelers call McLeod-Gansj their home for a couple months per year. It is not only the vibe that makes people visit this picturesque town. The historical background is also why a lot people make their way up here. It was the Dalai Lama that found refuge here after he was named persona non grata in China.

In his trace loads of monks followed him and everywhere in town you can find them. May be that’s one of the reasons this village radiates such a peaceful vibe. The monks are happy to take a picture with you or teach you about Buddhism if you are interested. Nowadays you can even find iMonks: the ones making pictures of the sunset with their iPads!

Are you preparing a trip to the Alps in Europe and thinking about hiking the Tour du Mount Blanc? Then this is your complete guide with everything you need to know. Prepare yourself for an incredible journey through 3 countries. Mountain life, incredible views and an epic hiking adventure is waiting.

This blog was written by Daniella from Philadelphia USA, a Traveltomtom guest writer. Below you can read all about her experiences hiking around Europe's highest mountain, including a day-by-day summary of what the Tour du Mont Blanc trekking is like, how difficult it is and some tips for you to make the most of this incredible adventure.

Never underestimate the value and power of a good walking shoe. Over the years I have come to appreciate really good and decent walking shoes more and more. Especially after having had and worn out several inferior shoes in a short time. Since then I have decided never to opt for inferior and cheaper walking shoes again and to invest in quality. If you can test and use shoes from a brand like HANWAG, then you naturally say yes.

HOKA is known as one of the best running shoes available. However, they recently introduced a new model aimed at hiking. A new world for HOKA. We are always interested in good and decent hiking shoes. Especially when well-known brands such as HOKA take this step.

We had the opportunity to test the new HOKA Skyline Float X this summer. We went on some nice hikes in the Dolomites, in Austria and lately took them on our trip to Finland, where we extensively tested these new HOKA's.

For a bucket list trip to Lapland we got in touch with LOWA for the first time. Back then they provided us with their best winter boots. A great start to an even better collaboration with LOWA.

After this first experience LOWA even asked me if I was interested in walking the Nijmegen Four Day Marches on their behalf. And so I did in 2023 with their special Nijmegen Marches boots.

In fact, we are considering taking up the challenge of the Nijmegen Four Days Marches again in 2025.

No I don’t like to tick off countries and if you have been following my adventures over the years I love to slow-travel and see as much of a country as possible. But unfortunately due to a full travel schedule I only had one and a half day for my trip to Kosovo, one of the youngest countries in the world.