The world,
written honestly.
First-hand guides from places we actually went. No press trips, no sponsors, ever.
Into the
wild spaces.
National parks, long hikes, high-altitude camps. The trips that need boots, not sandals.
- Patagonia
- New Zealand
- Zion NP
- Atlas Mts
Cities that
stay with you.
Old medinas, temple towns, street-food neighbourhoods. Places that change how you think.
- Kyoto
- Marrakech
- Hội An
- Porto
Salt water,
slow days.
Beach towns, island ferries, surf breaks. Destinations built for slowing all the way down.
- Jericoacoara
- Fiji
- Cinque Terre
- Sri Lanka
Every trip self-funded. Every opinion unsponsored.
Every destination visited in person before it's written about.
Never hosted by a tourism board, airline, or hotel brand.
And counting. New guides added every few months.
Everything we know about Brazil's northeast: after three visits.
The transport network, the best months to go, the towns worth slowing down in, and the parts of the coast that still feel undiscovered in high season.
Read the full guide →What travelers are reading
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At their best in July
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Latest posts
Road-tripping the American Southwest in winter
Fewer tourists, lower prices, same red rock formations. Why winter is the season the guidebooks get wrong.
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Jericoacoara: the beach at the end of the road
No paved road, no chain hotels, no crowds. How to get there and what to do once you do.
Read more →
The national parks no one tells you about
Beyond Yellowstone, spectacular parks that actually have parking and trails with no lottery.
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Ski resorts that are still worth it
Lift ticket prices are up everywhere. Here's where the cost still makes sense.
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Northeast Brazil: the part left out of the brochure
The part of Brazil that isn't on the standard itinerary, and should be.
Read more →
The coastal drives worth the rental car
Specific routes, actual driving times, honest notes on where to stop.
Read more →Fresh off the press
Just published
01Best Places to Visit in December 2027: Festive, Snowy, Sunny or Summer
December splits the travel world in two. The Northern Hemisphere goes cold and festive — Christmas markets, snow and Northern Light…
Read more →
Best Places to Visit in November 2027: Dry-Season Escapes
November is when the tropics reopen. The monsoon and hurricane seasons that shut down Southeast Asia, southern India, Mexico and the Cari…
Read more →
Best Places to Visit in October 2027: Shoulder-Season Gold
October is the shoulder-season sweet spot most travelers underrate. Across the Northern Hemisphere the summer crowds have gone home, pric…
Read more →
Savannah vs New Orleans (2026): Which Southern City Wins? An Honest Comparison
Savannah and New Orleans occupy the same corner of the American imagination: moss-draped, ghost-obsessed, humid, gorgeous, and slightly u…
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Puerto Vallarta and Cabo fight over the same travelers every winter. Both sit on Mexico's Pacific side, both have nonstop flights from ha…
Read more →
06Nice vs Cannes: Which French Riviera Base Should You Pick? (2026)
Nice and Cannes sit about twenty miles apart on the same curve of the French Riviera. They share a train line, the same improbably blue w…
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Naxos vs Paros (2026): Which Greek Island Should You Actually Choose?
Naxos and Paros sit so close together that on a clear evening you can stand on one and watch the lights come on across the water on the o…
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Malta vs Cyprus (2026): Which Mediterranean Island Is Right for You? An Honest Comparison
Malta and Cyprus get lumped together constantly, and I get why. Both are Mediterranean islands with a British colonial past — Engli…
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Key West and Miami sit at opposite ends of one of the most scenic drives in America, about four hours apart on the Overseas Highway, and …
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About Packzup
Honest travel writing,
nothing else.
Packzup is an independent travel blog. Every destination we write about was visited first-hand by someone who paid their own way. No press trips, no sponsored posts — just the itineraries we actually followed and the budget tips that actually worked.
Destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania. More guides added every few months.
New posts,
straight to you.
A few times a month: country guides, deep dives, field notes. No noise.
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