Guides checked on the ground in 2026
Pick a place.Pack for the fun part.
Practical guides to 220 countries and territories: where to stay, when to go, how to get around. Every fact has a date and the name of who checked it.
Must read
Where to stayWhere to stay in Fort-de-France: four bases from downtown to the bay
ItineraryWashington, DC in 3 days: Capitol, Mall, museums and a rain plan
Where to stayWhere to stay in London: five areas compared
Where to stayWhere to stay in Bangkok: five areas by train, boat and airport
Trip ideaChristmas markets by train: five cities in a week
Field reportThe Isle of Skye by bus in August: what runs, what does not, and the midges
Data storyRechecked: every entry rule that changed in 2026 so far
Field reportSleeping on the Nightjet: a four-berth couchette, hour by hourWhere to stayWhere to stay in Bangkok: five areas by train, boat and airport
Where to stayWhere to stay in Marrakech: medina riad or new town hotel
Where to stayWhere to stay in Paris: five neighborhoods compared
Where to stayWhere to stay in Istanbul: four areas on two continentsTrip ideaChristmas markets by train: five cities in a week
Things to doWhere to eat when Dōtonbori has a queue: four streets to try instead
CultureWhy Italian cafés charge more to sit down
Field reportA week in Osaka on ¥10,000 a day, with receipts
Head to headRila Monastery or the Seven Rila Lakes from Sofia: which day trip?Field reportThe Isle of Skye by bus in August: what runs, what does not, and the midges
Field reportKumano Kodo inn to inn: what the hosts told us about booking
Field reportEl Nido to Coron by boat: the island-hopping tour, the ferry and the day in between
Where to go
Country and city guides checked against official sources this year.
All 221 countries, A to Z
AsiaJapanJapan is known for old temples and cities linked by fast trains, with Mount Fuji, hot springs and mountain trails beyond the big cities.Explore
MartiniqueExplore
ThailandExplore
MoroccoExplore
AustraliaExplore
EuropeAustriaAustria suits travelers who want imperial cities, Alpine peaks and lakes, linked by rail.Explore
EnglandExplore
ItalyExplore
The NetherlandsExplore
MontenegroExploreAfricaMoroccoMorocco pairs walled imperial cities with Atlas Mountain valleys and the Sahara, and most trips run as a loop through all three.Explore
Guinea-BissauExplore
ZambiaExplore
BurundiExplore
Cabo VerdeExplore
Central AmericaCosta RicaVisitors come to Costa Rica for volcanoes, cloud forest, wildlife in national parks, and beaches on both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts.Explore
NicaraguaExplore
El SalvadorExplore
GuatemalaExplore
BelizeExploreAustralia & PacificAustraliaA large, sparsely settled country with coastal cities, the Great Barrier Reef off the north-east coast and large deserts inland, where distance shapes every trip.Explore
KiribatiExplore
Papua New GuineaExplore
New ZealandExplore
French PolynesiaExplore
North AmericaMexicoGo to Mexico for regional food, colonial cities, Maya ruins and beaches on both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts.Explore
USAExplore
CanadaExploreCaribbeanMartiniqueA French island in the Caribbean where you swim off southern beaches, tour rum distilleries, and drive north to the volcano at Mount Pelée.Explore
Puerto RicoExplore
Trinidad & TobagoExplore
GrenadaExplore
St-BarthélemyExplore
Middle EastJordanJordan is known for Petra's rock-cut tombs, the red desert of Wadi Rum and the salt shore of the Dead Sea, each a few hours' drive from Amman.Explore
LebanonExplore
IraqExplore
BahrainExplore
Saudi ArabiaExplore
Where to stay
Neighborhoods first, hotels second. Walked at night before we recommend them.
All stay guidesEvents worth the trip
Festivals, concerts and races, with where to stay and how to get there.
Events calendar
Día de Muertos in Mexico CityWhere to see the altars and parades in Mexico City, how to visit a cemetery vigil with respect, and where to stay for the first days of November.Read the event guide
- Oct 31 – Nov 7, 2026SportMelbourne Cup
- Nov 6 – 10, 2026CultureDiwali
- Nov 17 – 25, 2026CulturePushkar Camel Fair
- Nov 19, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027Christmas Markets in EuropeSalzburg Christkindlmarkt
- Nov 24 – 26, 2026CultureLoy Krathong and Yi Peng
- Nov 27 – Dec 24, 2026Christmas Markets in EuropeNuremberg Christkindlesmarkt
Día de Muertos in Mexico CityWhere to see the altars and parades in Mexico City, how to visit a cemetery vigil with respect, and where to stay for the first days of November.Read the event guide
Edinburgh's HogmanayEdinburgh's four-day New Year festival, from the torchlight opening to the Street Party and the free First Footin' trail: what is ticketed, what is free, and where to sleep.Read the event guide
Melbourne CupThe Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington: which of the four race days to pick, what general admission costs and covers, the dress rules, and how to get there by train or tram.Read the event guide
Día de Muertos in Mexico CityWhere to see the altars and parades in Mexico City, how to visit a cemetery vigil with respect, and where to stay for the first days of November.Read the event guide
Rush Fifty Something TourGeddy Lee and Alex Lifeson are back on the road as Rush, with Anika Nilles on drums, playing an evening-with show and no opening act. The North American run ends in Vancouver on December 17, 2026; South America follows in January 2027, and Europe runs from Paris on February 19 to Helsinki on April 10. London gets three nights and 13 other cities get two, so one hotel can cover two shows.Plan the tour
- Nov 2, 2026 – Jul 30, 202731 cities · Nov 2026 to Jul 2027Westlife 25: The Anniversary World Tour
- Nov 5, 2026 – Mar 3, 202715 cities · Nov 2026 to Mar 2027Foo Fighters Take Cover Tour
- Nov 6, 2026 – Jul 24, 202722 cities · Nov 2026 to Jul 2027Karol G Tropitour
- Nov 6, 2026 – Mar 7, 20275 cities · Nov 2026 to Mar 2027Stray Kids World Tour "RUN IT"
- Nov 7, 2026 – May 10, 202719 cities · Nov 2026 to May 2027Olivia Rodrigo The Unraveled Tour
- Nov 7, 2026 – Jan 10, 20278 cities · Nov 2026 to Jan 2027BABYMONSTER World Tour [CHOOM]
Follow a tour
Oasis Live '27 tour dates and where to stay
Oasis Live '27 is 42 stadium shows between 21 May and 26 September 2027: Glasgow, 11 nights at Manchester's Etihad Stadium, five mainland European cities, Foxborough and Las Vegas in the US, then Slane Castle in Ireland and six nights at Knebworth Park. Every date is sold out, so the trip starts with a resale ticket. Each night below has rooms near the venue and the journey on to the next city.
- GlasgowMay 21, 2027 · Sold out
- GlasgowMay 23, 2027 · Sold out
- GlasgowMay 25, 2027 · Sold out
- + 39 moreGlasgow, Glasgow, Manchester
eSIMThe best eSIM for Japan: five plans we tested on the groundRead the guideInsuranceTravel insurance for Japan: what hospitals actually ask forRead the guideRailIs the JR Pass still worth it? Price your route firstRead the guideEntry rulesEES, explained: what changes at Schengen bordersRead the guide
Outdoors and national parks
Permits, trails and where to sleep near the trailhead.
All outdoors guides
Who is behind RoamLedger
A small team of writers who live in the places they cover, and editors who recheck every price, rule and train time on a schedule.
- We go there. Place guides need a field visit before they publish.
- Every fact is dated. You see who checked it and when.
- Money never picks. Partners pay us after we choose, never before.
- Mistakes get fixed in the open. Tell us what is wrong and we correct it, with a dated note on the page.
