Roaming fees on your phone bill are the worst souvenirs. These tips show you how to use apps and data stress-free while abroad.

With modern smartphones, travel is a lot easier than it used to be. The Android or iOS supercomputer in your pocket has all the crucial apps and baked-in features to smoothly reserve hotel rooms, navigate cities, translate signs through the camera and pay for goods and services. You can even translate conversations in real time with AI-powered tools as well as ask your AI-powered assistants for travel tips.

But all those fancy phone features and apps require a data connection, which is included in your domestic phone plan but typically costs extra through roaming fees when you travel beyond your home network. Here’s how to avoid those charges.

First and foremost, you’ll want to understand how pricey those extra charges are or whether you’ll be traveling to a region that’s cheaper or free with your carrier. Some mobile carriers have partnered with carriers in other countries for more-affordable roaming or even free service, albeit with some restrictions. For instance, some plans, such as T-Mobile’s Essentials, have free service in Canada and Mexico but only at slow “2G” and “3G”-like speeds, so don’t expect to stream a lot of video with that connection.

But traveling to most countries will require you to pay mobile roaming charges if you try to use data services, make voice calls or send text messages on your phone as normal. If that’s your plan, check out our guide for the best travel phone plans.

If you want to avoid mobile roaming charges, keep the following tips in mind.

Set up mobile service before you leave

Some carriers will let you pick traveling service options ahead of time, which can include daily, weekly or monthly flat fees to get service from partner carriers in other countries. You can wait until you arrive at your destination and wait to be prompted to select your chosen service or you can set it up ahead of time. Note that some carriers will simply default you to these services rather than charge you higher roaming fees, although it’s worth confirming before you travel.

These international plans are pretty convenient, although some may come with caveats such as being deprioritized behind other carrier customers, meaning you’ll get slower speeds during peak traffic times. Check the fine print of each travel plan to know its restrictions and what you may need to pay for extra service.

Verizon’s international plans start pretty simply, with $10 a day getting you 2GB per day of high-speed data and unlimited 3G-speeds data thereafter, as well as free voice calls and texting, in more than 210 countries. That plan is discounted to $5 per day in Canada and Mexico.

If you have one of the carrier’s latest plans, known as Unlimited Plus and Unlimited Welcome, you’ll get these features included for Canada and Mexico. Customers with Verizon’s top Unlimited Ultimate option will get this international data for Canada and Mexico as well as for more than 210 countries.

AT&T has a similar $10-per-day travel plan for unlimited data, voice calls and text. The data counts against your usual plan’s allowance; going over will result in a charge and/or reduced download speeds of a super slow 2G-like connection. If you don’t sign up for this plan, traditional roaming fees kick in, charging per text message, megabyte of data and minute of voice calling.

Unlimited data for Canada and Mexico is included in AT&T’s main Unlimited plans, while the carrier’s Unlimited Premium PL and Unlimited Elite plans also allow unlimited data in 20 Latin American countries.

T-Mobile has its own international plans with unlimited calling, but they’re pretty modest with data, starting at $5 per day for half a gigabyte of downloaded data. Keep in mind that the carrier’s standard plans also include some international data allowances.

The basic Magenta and Go5G plans offer up to 10GB of high-speed data a month in Canada and Mexico, and once that’s used up, get unlimited data at very slow 2G speeds (as previously mentioned, the cheapest Essentials plan only gets data in Canada and Mexico at 2G speeds). Go5G Next, Go5G Plus and Magenta Max plans have a small 5GB monthly travel allowance for high-speed data in more than 215 countries, although that’s subject to potential extra taxes and conditions. Standard Go5G plans get the same 5GB data allowance in 11 European countries.

Although it’s possible to bump up your plan for the month (or more) you’re traveling and return to your old plan thereafter, it’s likely simpler to just pay for international data.

Getting mobile service directly from a local carrier

Before carriers got friendlier with their international agreements to support each other’s customers, one of the better traveling strategies was to get service straight from the carrier in the country you were traveling in. Once you landed, you’d just walk into a local carrier’s retail store and get a prepaid SIM card to last you the length of your trip.

That’s still possible today but it’s a bit more complicated. If you have one of the many phones that lack a physical SIM slot, including the latest iPhone 15 series and Samsung Galaxy S24 series, you’ll have to register for service through one of the eSIM accounts on your device. It’s pretty easy to do and is in fact one of the benefits of having multiple digital eSIM slots — so you can have one for domestic use and one for traveling — but it requires you to register through the carrier in question. You can even load the eSIM before you travel, through apps such as Airalo and Ubigi.

Unfortunately, there’s something else to consider: whether your phone is unlocked, that is, not tied to a carrier and restricted in using eSIMs from other carriers (even international ones). If you bought your device unlocked, you’re in the clear.

If you’re paying off your phone in installments from your carrier, it’s complicated. Verizon users have it best, as their installment plans unlock phones after 60 days. AT&T and T-Mobile, however, require you to finish your installments and fully pay off your phone to unlock it. Because AT&T’s plans have a minimum of 36 monthly installments, customers may be out of luck getting a local carrier eSIM unless they’re nearing the end of their contract — in which case it may make sense to pay the balance for more travel freedom.

Relying on a hotspot and tethering

Another method to avoid roaming is a bit more roundabout and requires you to sign up for service with a local carrier anyway but you won’t have to fiddle with eSIMs. When you land in your country of travel, you can rent a mobile hotspot (or register service on one you already own), which is a handheld device that turns cell signals into Wi-Fi.

Note that you’ll still need to pay for service either from the hotspot maker or from a local carrier, and there’s no guarantee that their networks will play nicely with a given hotspot device. Check that it’ll work in the area you’re traveling to.

Once you have one set up, you just connect to the hotspot’s Wi-Fi using your phone as normal. While it’s a bit more cumbersome, this also lets you get internet for your other devices, such as tablets and laptops, pretty much anywhere you get a phone signal from a local carrier.

Another caveat is that you’ll need to keep the hotspot itself charged, which is another device battery you’ll have to worry about. It might be worth carrying an external battery to make sure your hotspot can last a full day while you’re out and about.

Ultimately, whatever option you choose should fit your travel habits and destinations. Some carrier partnership options will be more appealing but offer slower speeds than getting service straight from the local carrier. But don’t worry about getting locked into a choice: You can always try out one way when you arrive and switch to another if a better choice presents itself.

When you travel, one of the best ways to capture your favourite moments is with a camera. Photos are a living memory of your trip and also something you can show your friends and family. They freeze those perfect amazing moments while you’re travelling or on holiday.

I have been travelling for the past few years and in that time I developed a passion for photography. By no means did I have any idea what I was doing before that nor did I have much of an understanding of technology. In fact, until I got my first camera 2 years ago I hadn’t taken many photos before.

The reason this is important is that when I did start to learn, I found that this elusive industry was actually not that hard to pick up and learn.

Often photographers like to over complicate things. People like to think no one could do what they do, and maybe for some of the most elite photographers that is true, but, to take and edit a great landscape shot to post on social media or show your friends – it’s really not that hard.

I’m going to show you how to take better travel photos in this guide by explaining what makes a great shot and how to edit them.

Composition

A good composition is the most important factor for getting a great travel photo. The composition is what the photo is made up of, or what you include in the frame. Basically, it’s where you point the camera and at what.

Here are some great examples and styles of good composition’s to improve your travel photography.

Using the foreground

One of the best tips for creating a really engaging photo is by placing something in your foreground. This helps with depth of field and really makes images look more engaging to the viewer. It has the effect of putting them in the moment or taking you back to that moment. See images below for examples.

Human Scale

Using human scale is another great way of showing just how amazing the place you are shooting is. By putting someone in the frame far away you can really gauge the size of the place you are visiting. This is best used in large shots of valleys, mountains, etc.

Alternatively, you can also use objects to show scale, or if you have a good camera for wildlife photography, animals work too!

Symmetry

I love composing shots with perfect symmetry. There is something so soothing about looking at a shot that’s perfectly symmetrical.

Leading lines

Using leading lines is one of the most powerful tools for directing someone’s eye to the subject. Leading lines are essentially anything in the photo that leads to something. This can be footprints, logs, roads, rivers etc. When out in the field looking for a shot, keep an eye out for anything that directs your eye to something.

Silhouettes

I love shooting silhouettes. They are great during early sunrise or late sunset. They also help the viewer imagine themselves in that location. A great tip is to focus on body shape. If you stand with your hands by your side and feet together you’re going to look like a blob. So keep your arms and legs out and your silhouette travel photos will be looking good!

Allow for Cropping

If you are shooting a photo from social media then you need to consider that in your composition. Let’s take Instagram for example. The best crop for Instagram is a 4×5 ratio. This allows your photo to take up the most of someone’s screen making it stand out more. No camera takes photos in that ratio so you need to allow for the cropping of your image in your composition.

If you shoot landscape, then you will only be able to use a small amount of that photo when you crop to 4×5. However, if you shoot in portrait you will be cropping less of the photo. This is why I almost always shoot in portrait when I am shooting a photo for Instagram. It makes it a lot easier to get a good composition.

Editing

Yep, it’s true! Almost all the photos you see on social media are edited, but it’s not always what you think.
Many photographers shoot in RAW instead of JPEG. This means that your image has not been processed at all and needs editing. A JPEG is essentially an edited RAW photo but it’s been done by your camera (as opposed to a person.)

So, don’t get too angry when someone says a photo is edited as any photo you take on a smartphone is edited by a highly smart internal computer!

The benefit to editing yourself is you can put your own spin on an image and be more particular about what you love about it and what you don’t. If you really want to take amazing travel photos then consider shooting in RAW as it means you can edit an image more without losing quality. With that said, you can edit JPEGs perfectly fine too.

Editing Software

The best editing software for beginners is Lightroom by Adobe. In Lightroom, you can make all your general adjustments and well as many more! You can get the Lightroom app for free, however, you do have to pay a monthly fee for the software. You can get Lightroom on mobile and desktop for as little as $9.99 USD per month.

To me, the program is good value and the Lightroom only plan comes with 1 terabyte or 1000gb of cloud storage.

There are two Lightroom programs. One is Lightroom CC, this is the app based editing and can be used on phones and desktop. It’s slightly simpler and easier to use version.

The other is Lightroom Classic CC. This is for desktop based editing and is a little more complicated but still very easy to use. It comes with a few extra features. There is a package that includes both Lightrooms and Photoshop for $9.99 per month.

I honestly use Lightroom every day and love the software. It improved my travel photos a lot.

Learning how to use Lightroom

The best way to learn is on Youtube – this is how I learned. There are countless videos that show you how to use Lightroom, and to be honest, once you learn the basics it’s really easy. The trick is to develop your own style and it helps bring out the artist in you.

Get a tripod!

Travelling with a tripod is a great way to improve your travel photos. When it comes to getting the right composition a tripod really helps but it also helps keep your photos as sharp as possible no matter your shutter speed.

When it comes to using it for composition, it is a great idea to switch from your eyepiece to your LCD screen so you can see a live photo of what you’re shooting. This means you can really visualize the shot and make small adjustments. It’s crazy how the most minor adjustments can affect your photos.

Of course, tripods can be bulky so it best to get a lightweight travel tripod in order to make travelling with it easy. A lightweight travel tripod actually makes for a great gift idea for hikers or travelers who love photography! I got mine for Christmas last year and was thrilled!

Stop putting pressure on yourself!

I really believe that your mood shows in your photos. If you’re stressed about getting an amazing shot it just won’t happen. Shooting should be done with a smile and a positive attitude. Just remember that there are plenty of times to shoot again.

I always get the best photos when I’m happy and relaxed. I find myself far more creative and inspired! So relax, smile, and enjoy capturing beautiful moments without worry!

How to take better travel photos is a big topic online. Honestly, there is no magical answer just a few techniques that can help you improve. The best way to learn is to take some of the examples I used and copy their different styles in the field. This will be great practice for you and will help get you on the right track.

Nepal is a great-value destination for travelers at any budget level.

From independent backpackers solo-hiking Annapurna to luxury safari tent lodges in Chitwan and Bardia National Parks, you’ll get more in Nepal for any given budget than in most popular tourism destinations. Kathmandu has had a strong budget-travel scene since the Hippie Trail era of the 1970s, and in the years since, this has expanded to include cities and trekking routes all across the country.

While prices are no longer quite what they were in the ’70s, Nepal is not expensive, and there’s plenty of value to be had for visitors that follow these budget tips.

A guide to daily costs in Nepal

• Hostel bed: from Rs 400

• Basic room for two: from RS 1500

• Public bus Kathmandu to Pokhara: from Rs 800

• Tourist bus Kathmandu to Pokhara: from Rs 1300

• Espresso-based coffee: from Rs 200

• Plate of momos (dumplings): from Rs 130

• Fancy dinner for two: from Rs 3300–6500

• Daal bhaat (traditional Nepali dish of rish and vegetables) at a mountain lodge: from Rs 400–850

• Craft beer at a Kathmandu bar: from Rs 400

Average daily cost: from Rs 2000–6700
Average cost to travel to Nepal for 2 weeks: Rs 28,000–94,000

Aim for the shoulder seasons: February/March and September/October

The busiest seasons for tourism in Nepal are mid-October into late November and late March through April; prices go up for accommodation across the country during this period, and on popular trekking routes it can be difficult to show up and find a room as lodges sometimes book out completely. Visit just outside of these periods in the shoulder seasons, however, and expect far fewer visitors and lower prices across the country – in towns this might mean a 20–30% discount on mid-range hotels and guesthouses, while in the mountains it will often mean free charging or wi-fi negotiated as part of your room price. The tradeoff is occasional rainy days, but of course your legs do need a rest day at some point.

Walk away from Kathmandu airport

You came to Nepal for walking, right? Taxis at Kathmandu airport often quote laughably high prices to arriving travelers. Walk approx 80m (260ft) down from the airport building to Ring Road, where you can expect more normal taxi rates – expect around Rs 600 to the popular Thamel neighborhood – or catch public transport to your destination in the city. If that’s not appealing, contact your hotel in advance, as many arrange fixed-price or even complimentary transfers for guests staying multiple nights.

Get around town with Pathao and InDrive

Even better than hailing a taxi on the street, download the Pathao or InDrive mobile ride-hailing apps to get taxis at local prices. Pathao works well in Kathmandu, while outside of the valley InDrive is by far the more reliable choice.

Get out of Thamel to eat and sleep

Thamel is arguably the most convenient area of Kathmandu for travelers who need to stock up for long treks, arrange tours or guides, or want restaurants catering to foreign cuisines and palates. However, this also means prices are higher in the neighborhood than at comparable venues elsewhere in the city. The edges of Thamel are easy places to look for good-value accommodation – some up to 20% less than somewhere more central – and for dining you’ll find better value (if certainly less variety) elsewhere in the city.

Consider Boudhanath as an alternate base

While certainly still a touristy area, the neighborhood immediately surrounding Boudhanath Stupa is a great alternative to Thamel with good-value accommodation and food but a much more relaxed vibe. Expect to be dodging crowds of pilgrims rather than rickshaws, and waking up to Buddhist chants far more often than car horns. It’s also very convenient to the airport, so makes a good base for a few relaxing days in the city at the end of a trip.

Extend tickets to Kathmandu Valley’s major tourist sites

Boudhanath, Patan Durbar, Kathmandu Durbar, and historic Bhaktapur are rightfully some of the most popular cultural attractions in Nepal. Ticket prices range from $3 in Boudhanath to $15 at Bhaktapur, but what many tourists don’t realize is that you can get any of these extended on-site for reuse (mostly for one week, though Kathmandu Durbar is valid until the expiration of your tourist visa). You’ll need your passport to extend any of them, and, at Kathmandu Durbar, passport photos as well.

Eat local – especially when trekking

There’s a large price gap between Nepali and international dishes, not only when comparing restaurants in places like Kathmandu and Pokhara but also when choosing between dishes in high mountain trekking lodges. In the mountains, daal bhaat (a mixed plate of lentil soup, rice, and curried vegetables) is the best value around – and with all-you-can-eat refills of lentils and rice, it’s the ideal way to refuel after a long day of walking.

Book the tourist bus instead of the local

While not the cheapest option available, the many tourist buses that depart each morning for Pokhara, Chitwan and Lumbini consistently offer more comfortable and faster trips for just a few dollars more than the local option. By hour six or seven you may still be cursing yourself for not taking that domestic flight, but when you calculate the money saved in terms of momos to be eaten, it’ll all seem worth it.

Find a trek at your skill level, and do it unguided

The most popular treks in Nepal are along well-defined and busy paths, so hikers with a firm grasp on the fundamental skills of trekking in mountainous terrain can be reasonably confident of managing the journey without a guide. This is not to say you should go solo – a risky proposition at any skill level – but know your own limits in the outdoors and select a trek based on those limits.

If you go guided, arrange it once you arrive to Nepal

Whether for safety concerns, cultural insights, or just ease of planning, many tourists do prefer to hike with a local guide in Nepal. If that’s you, and if you’re not on a tight schedule, consider waiting until you actually arrive to make arrangements. Tour agents in the cities can advise on suitable trekking routes based on hiking experience and personal preferences, as can independent guides themselves (though always ask about qualifications), and you’ll save a good chunk of money by cutting resellers out of the process. If you find a guide you get along well with, keep their contact info handy for future trips or to pass to friends, as most are freelancers and can happily arrange tours independent of booking agencies.

Rent gear for short treks

Similarly if you intend to do a short trek as part of a longer itinerary and don’t want to travel with a full load of trekking gear, or just don’t trek much in general and don’t own all the necessary kit, consider renting equipment for the duration of your hike once you arrive in Nepal.
Expect to spend around Rs 100 per day for a jacket or bag, most reliably available in Kathmandu and Pokhara’s touristy areas.

Taking a vacation can really knock us off our routines, and that includes how often we go to the bathroom. For many people, traveling can really back things up. In fact, it happens so often there’s even a name for it: travel constipation. Although it isn’t a medical term, it is used to describe a complaint among people who can’t poop when they’re away from home for extended periods of time (we’re talking more than just being out for the day). It’s really common. “The person sitting next to you on the airplane, or someone on the flight crew, or another person you’re meeting likely has the same issue,” says David M. Poppers, MD PhD, and professor of medicine in the division of gastroenterology at NYU Langone Health.

Constipation is uncomfortable regardless of when it happens, but no one wants it to ruin their vacation. Try these expert tips if you experience travel constipation.

What Is Travel Constipation?

Anything that disrupts your routine can affect bowel function, Dr. Poppers says. “And travel disrupts routine,” Dr. Poppers says. You’re likely not eating the same things, drinking the same amount of water, or getting the same amount of sleep, all of which affects bowel movement.

How do you know if you’re constipated, anyway? You’ll have no more than three bowel movements a week, according to the National Institute of Health. Further, you may have hard, painful stool and feel like your movements are incomplete, or like you didn’t finish. So the phrase “travel constipation” simply refers to not having bowel movements when you’re away from home—we’re talking for more than just an afternoon.

How to Stay Regular While Traveling

Be Sure to Poop Before You Leave

“Prevention is the best remedy,” says Wendi LeBrett, MD, a Los Angeles-based gastroenterologist. You don’t want to head into your trip backed up! She recommends increasing your fiber and liquid intake (more on both ahead) about two to three days before you’re set to leave, as they are two of the most important tools in fighting constipation.

Sneak in Your Fiber

As we mentioned, getting enough fiber is one of the most important things you can do, because it helps form your stool and makes it easier to pass, Dr. Poppers says. Fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains may not be your ideal vacation foods, but they are all high-fiber foods.

Try eating some fruits and vegetables at every meal when you’re traveling, Dr. LeBrett advises. They don’t need to make up the entirety of your diet, but getting a serving every time you eat can help you get to your daily fiber goal, which is set at 14 grams per 1,000 calories of food per the USDA dietary guidelines. As a precaution, include a package of prunes or dried kiwi into your carry-on bag for snacking, both of which can help you poop, Dr. LeBrett says. “Prunes are a classic option, but kiwi is also really effective for helping with constipation,” Dr. LeBrett says. “There are a number of studies showing that eating two kiwis a day is equivalent to some of the more traditional laxatives.”

Stop Neglecting Your Fluids

You probably don’t realize you’re doing it, but many people drink far less liquid while traveling, Dr. LeBrett says from her experience working with patients. And that’s a problem, because dehydration makes constipation worse. “When people are traveling and out sightseeing, they naturally tend to drink less water because they don’t have access to a public restroom as easily,” Dr. LeBrett says. Recommended fluid intake is dependent on a variety of factors including a person’s activity level, size, and where they are located. Generally, women need an average of approximately 2.7 liters of water, which can come from food and beverages too, and men need an average of 3.7 liters of water, according to the The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine. You may want to drink more if you’re in a warmer climate or if you’re drinking more alcohol than you typically would, Dr. Poppers says.

If you’re flying, it’s important to know that air travel can cause dehydration because plane cabins can have low humidity. Keep this in mind when the flight attendant comes around with the beverage cart!

Get Moving

This can include traditional exercise, but it doesn’t have to. For example, you can walk instead of taking public transportation when sightseeing. Regardless of the specifics, getting plenty of movement can get things moving, Dr. Poppers says. “Activity increases motility, and with that, the intestinal tract has less time to absorb water,” he explains. Although it may seem counterintuitive, you actually develop dry, hard stools when your colon absorbs too much liquid. “So you get a more lubricated stool after exercising,” Dr. Poppers says.

Going out of your way to exercise can feel like a chore, so try Dr. LeBrett’s favorite way of slipping it in. “I’m a big advocate for walking after a meal,” she says. “It helps with the digestion process, so it can prevent constipation, gas, and bloating,” Dr. LeBrett says.

Maintain Your Routine

As much as it’s possible, you want to keep up the habits that keep you pooping regularly (assuming you do. Otherwise, that’s a different story!). “Our guts are creatures of habit,” Dr. LeBrett says. “They’re used to the same diet, the same routine, and the same sleep patterns,” she says. You don’t need to adhere to a strict schedule, but at least be mindful of how drastically you’re veering away from a typical day. For example, if you normally sleep a solid eight hours, never drink alcohol, eat from all colors of the rainbow (meaning you probably get loads of fiber), and start your morning with a workout, then you don’t want to do the exact opposite when you’re away from home. Think about ways you can enjoy your trip and practice moderation, by say, having one less glass of wine with dinner, drinking plenty of water, and taking that post-meal walk.

Try Stretching (on the Toilet)

If you are hit with traveler’s constipation, Dr. LeBrett recommends trying the piriformis stretch, named after the muscle being stretched, which is located in the gluteal region. This stretch can help relax your pelvic floor muscles, making it easier to have a bowel movement. You can see how to do the stretch on Dr. LeBrett’s TikTok page. Alternatively, Dr. LeBrett says a toilet stool can help relax your pelvic floor muscles as well.