Reddit

One Reddit user recently posted six travel hacks they said “made my trips way cheaper and smoother”. The tips covered topics ranging from booking flights, to finding your way around and eating

Travel, whether it’s a relaxed few days on the beach with a cocktail, a fast-paced city break, or an exciting adventure exploring a foreign land, can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience – but it can also be very stressful. Whether it’s making sure you’ve packed everything you need, sorting out travel to and from your destination, and of course, remembering your passport, there are a lot of things to think about before setting off.

Thankfully there’s a wealth of handy tips online to help make any trip easier. One Reddit user recently posted six travel hacks they said “made my trips way cheaper and smoother”.

The first of these is to book flights online using your internet browser’s incognito mode. This allows you to browse the internet without storing history or data, meaning sites you visit won’t have any information about you and adjust prices accordingly.

The Reddit user said: “Check the same route on your phone’s browser, prices sometimes differ.” To access incognito mode on Google Chrome, click the three dots in the top right and click New Incognito Window. Others browsers operate in a similar way.

The second tip was: “Save the offline version of your Google Maps area before you even leave home.” This will allow you to navigate using your phone without relying on having internet access, and without using data abroad, which can be costly.

The next was: “Carry a cheap carabiner, hangs bags, locks zips together, secures stuff in hostels.” And the fourth tip concerned one of the most important parts of travelling. The user said: “Eat your big meal at lunch – same food, half the price in most cities.”

Something leaking in your bag can be a nightmare, and this can be doubly frustrating while travelling as you might not have a way of containing it or cleaning it up. The Reddit user has a solution for this. They said: “Always pack a ziplock bag: wet clothes, snacks, leaking toiletries, you name it.”

The final tip read: “Last one: When you arrive somewhere new, take the first hour slow, no rushing, just orienting. Saves mistakes and money.”

Reddit users added their own tips in the comments. One said: “Always bring safety pins! They can fix so many different problems and/or help other travellers.”

Another wrote: “My essentials case is small sewing kit (I collect the ones from hotel rooms), 5cm wide cotton adhesive tape (find it more versatile than duct tape), and superglue. Can fix almost anything with that.”

Someone else said: “Keep all important information in a small notebook. Key addresses, directions, passwords, etc, in case your phone battery goes dead, or your phone is lost or stolen. Have heard so many stories of people having major travel problems due to a dead or missing phone.

“Saves a lot of time, money, and stress. If traveling with a partner, never keep all wallets and phones in one bag in case one is lost or stolen. I’m a huge fan of traveling with Ziploc bags, packing blocks, bandannas, small fabric shopping bags.”

And a different user added: “Book hotels that offer breakfast if you are in an expensive city such as Reykjavik, Iceland. I stuff myself with good, delicious food that last me for the day.

“In between, I have tasting samples of baked goods or something very light to snack on. It’s well worth it since breakfast can easily cost about £22 ($30) per person anyway.”

Writing on Reddit, one poster lifted the lid on a tropical island they found while travelling. The photographs showed beautiful sandy beaches lined with palm trees, with crystal-clear seas, and barely another soul in sight

Sometimes the only solution to the stresses of everyday life is to jet off to a tropical island. But finding the perfect unspoiled paradise can be a trick, with ever-increasing tourism levels meaning many places can be overcrowded, or have lost some of their local charm.

Writing on Reddit, one poster lifted the lid on a tiny hidden island they had discovered while travelling in South Asia. The photographs showed beautiful sandy beaches lined with palm trees, with crystal-clear seas, and barely another soul in sight.

The Reddit user wrote: “My girlfriend and I were in the area (Sri Lanka) and decided to extend our trip with a new country, so flew to Malé and took a local ferry to an island two atolls away.” They continued: “(We) arrived in a little unspoilt paradise called Dhigurah, which only opened up to non-Muslim foreigners recently (at the time, 2023).”

Dhigurah is an island in the Alifu Dhaalu Atoll, a series of 49 islands in the Maldives. It is 3km long, making it one of the longest islands in the Maldives, and at points just 250 metres wide, according to maldives-magazine.com.

The waters surrounding the island are teeming with docile whale sharks, the website says, as well as stingrays and other marine wildlife. Whale sharks only eat plankton and tiny fish, and pose no danger to humans.

Continuing, the Reddit user said: “We spent our time snorkelling (the water, especially the closer to the shore, is literally teeming with sea life), swimming with whale sharks and stingrays and drinking freshly cut coconut juice on the beach.

“Seems like the local population were clearing the rainforest (which covered 90 per cent of the island at the time of our visit, 2023) at an alarming rate to make room for new hotels, some of which apparently already have appeared on Booking.com.”

Reddit users were amazed by the pictures. One wrote: “Man I wish I could be there now. Looks amazing.”

Another said: “Oh man I’m heading to Sri Lanka in about a month and was considering hopping over. I even booked a ‘just in case hotel on this exact island but cancelled and thought I shouldn’t rush Sri Lanka. Now I’m second guessing!!”

The original poster replied: “It’s indeed best to not rush Sri Lanka, it deserves your full time and attention!

“We were in Sri Lanka for 23 days and five days in the Maldives, so only three full days on this particular island, since the transport to/from the capital city and its only international airport took almost a full day on the local ferry – if you still decide to go opt for the speedboat option!

“The local ferry involves a transfer or two at other local islands and is bound to make you seasick, and takes three times as long as the speedboat.”

The island also has rave reviews on Booking.com, with one visitor writing: “The most beautiful sea I have ever seen in my entire life.”

However, asked if they would return, the Reddit user wrote: “The locals are clearing the islands’ palm tree forest at an alarming rate, already at the time of our visit (see picture 13 for a glimpse into that). So maybe it’s best to not spoil our fond memories of Dhigurah by being confronted with a vastly changed island.”

One Reddit user said they had visited markets in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Finland, and Estonia last winter, and the experience soon began to lose its sheen.

Visiting a Christmas market is a delightful festive tradition for many. The ambience and festivity make them a great way to get into the seasonal spirit, and there’s a chance of finding some unique Christmas gifts you wouldn’t spot elsewhere.

But there can be too much of a good thing, as one Reddit user discovered when they visited eight different markets across Europe last winter. Posting on the social media site, the user said they had visited markets in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Finland, and Estonia, and the experience soon began to lose its sheen.

They wrote: “When I visited more than two or three markets in a short time (weekend) they all started to blur together really quickly. Each market had its own things, like different themes, food, and decorations, but after a few markets, it became hard to remember what things were in which city.

“All the markets started to feel repetitive, like a general ‘winter/Christmas market’ packed with people rather than something new and interesting in each location.”

They added they were disappointed to see local, handmade products were often drowned out by mass-produced goods. Concluding, they said they would still be visiting some Christmas markets this year, but would spread out their visits, and wouldn’t go to as many.

“I don’t regret my travel decisions – mainly because the markets were not the main point of my travels,” they said. “But if they were, I would be, just because it turns into one big blur so easily.

“So I will definitely recommend checking out some Christmas market or two if they’re your thing, just spend a little bit more time there to actually translate and understand all the cool local products they have.”

Commenters were mixed in their reactions, with some agreeing, but others saying they loved visiting Christmas markets in the lead-up to the big day.

One wrote: “I think going to one Christmas market – either here at home or somewhere else – per year can be charming, but to be honest, the whole thing has become so industrialised that I’m pretty done even after one. But I see it as more of an experience and usually don’t want to buy much.

“Like part of the charm is being outside, getting rosy cheeks, dipping in somewhere for a cappuccino or hot chocolate, or having eiswein, being with friends and not having structure or plans. Goes honestly for outdoor markets not at Christmas time, also, but there is something unique and charming at Christmas. It is sad about the squeezing out of real artisans.”

Another said: “Visiting too many Christmas markets quickly can really drain the experience and make them blur together tbh. It is actually smart to focus on one or two. I’d also support local artisans over mass produced souvenirs to keep the culture and quality alive.”

But a third said: “I’ve been to lots of Christmas markets with nice local food, crafts and arts that you can’t easily find elsewhere. And even if it is stuff you can find elsewhere, often the ambience is often quite nice. Talking about the real deal, German markets, and the best of Dutch markets; many other countries have markets which are fake touristy imitations of the real deal.”

And another said: “I love the markets, and go to several for the vibe and the food and the gluhwein. German village markets are fantastic.”

Australia’s upcoming social media ban for children under 16 years old will include the online forum Reddit and livestreaming platform Kick in addition to seven other well-known sites, according to the country’s online safety commissioner.

The social media ban will go into effect on December 10 and will also restrict access to Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube, Communications Minister Anika Wells said on Wednesday.

“Online platforms use technology to target children with chilling control. We are merely asking that they use that same technology to keep children safe online,” Wells said.

“We have met with several of the social media platforms in the past month so that they understand there is no excuse for failure to implement this law,” Wells told reporters in Canberra.

“We want children to have a childhood, and we want parents to have peace of mind,” she said.

Social media platforms have had 12 months to prepare for the ban since Australia passed its landmark online safety legislation in November last year.

Initial discussions focused primarily around Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X and YouTube, but the list was later expanded, and Wells said the list could continue to change.

While more than 140 Australian and international academics signed an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last year opposing the age limit ban as a “blunt” instrument, Canberra’s move is being closely watched by countries that share concerns about the impacts of online platforms on children.

“Delaying children’s access to social media accounts gives them valuable time to learn and grow, free of the powerful, unseen forces of harmful and deceptive design features such as opaque algorithms and endless scroll,” eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said.

Inman Grant said she would work with academics to evaluate the impact of the ban, including whether children sleep or interact more or become more physically active as a result of the restrictions on using social media.

“We’ll also look for unintended consequences, and we’ll be gathering evidence” so others can learn from Australia’s ban, Inman Grant said.

Critics have questioned how the restrictions will be enforced because users cannot be “compelled” to submit government IDs for an age check, according to a government fact sheet.

Discussions are under way with platforms about how to comply with the new rules, the commissioner said, while failure to comply could lead to civil fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (US$32.1m).

TikTok investigated over youth suicide

News that Australia would add more names to the list of banned platforms came as French authorities said they had opened an investigation into the social media platform TikTok and the risks of its algorithms pushing young people into suicide.

Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said the probe was in response to a parliamentary committee’s request to open a criminal inquiry into TikTok’s possible responsibility for endangering the lives of its young users.

Beccuau said a report by the committee had noted “insufficient moderation of TikTok, its ease of access by minors and its sophisticated algorithm, which could push vulnerable individuals towards suicide by quickly trapping them in a loop of dedicated content”.

TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Paris police cybercrime unit will look into the offence of providing a platform for “propaganda in favour of products, objects, or methods recommended as means of committing suicide”, which is punishable by three years in prison.

The unit will also look into the offence of enabling “illegal transactions by an organised gang”, punishable by 10 years in prison and a fine of 1 million euros ($1.2m).

With more than 1.5 billion users worldwide, TikTok, owned by China-based ByteDance, has come under fire from governments in Europe and the United States in recent years.

Concerns raised over the platform have included content encouraging suicide, self-harm or an unhealthy body image as well as its potential use for foreign political interference.

A TikTok spokesman told the French news agency AFP in September that the company “categorically rejects the deceptive presentation” by French MPs, saying it was being made a “scapegoat” for broader societal issues.