Just Wanderlust https://justwanderlustblog.com/ Less touristed. More Wonder. Fri, 30 Jan 2026 03:21:23 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://justwanderlustblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/cropped-favicon-transparent-background-32x32.png Just Wanderlust https://justwanderlustblog.com/ 32 32 Things to Do in Khiva: Uzbekistan’s Fairytale Walled City https://justwanderlustblog.com/things-to-do-in-khiva/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=things-to-do-in-khiva https://justwanderlustblog.com/things-to-do-in-khiva/#comments Wed, 29 Oct 2025 22:01:12 +0000 https://justwanderlustblog.com/?p=1937 Ahh Khiva, Uzbekistan — where do I start with you? I could write a love letter to this charming walled Silk Road city. Once a key stop along the ancient Silk Road, Khiva is a UNESCO-listed old town known for its blue-tiled minarets, desert walls, and maze-like alleys. While a bit out of the way...

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]]> https://justwanderlustblog.com/things-to-do-in-khiva/feed/ 2 Is Uzbekistan Safe for Women? 2025–2026 Safety Guide for Solo Female Travelers https://justwanderlustblog.com/is-uzbekistan-safe-for-women/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=is-uzbekistan-safe-for-women https://justwanderlustblog.com/is-uzbekistan-safe-for-women/#comments Tue, 07 Oct 2025 02:21:20 +0000 https://justwanderlustblog.com/?p=1698 Is Uzbekistan Safe for Women? Here’s My Quick Answer If you’re wondering if Uzbekistan is safe for women to solo travel, let me cut to the chase — yes, it absolutely is. I’ve traveled extensively across Europe, the Middle East, South America, and beyond, and I felt safer in Uzbekistan than in popular tourist destinations...

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]]> https://justwanderlustblog.com/is-uzbekistan-safe-for-women/feed/ 1 22 Things to Do in Uzbekistan for a Truly Immersive Trip https://justwanderlustblog.com/things-to-do-in-uzbekistan/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=things-to-do-in-uzbekistan https://justwanderlustblog.com/things-to-do-in-uzbekistan/#comments Sat, 04 Oct 2025 16:23:51 +0000 https://justwanderlustblog.com/?p=1493 Of all the Central Asian countries, Uzbekistan is the best set up for tourism, and there’s no shortage of things to do in Uzbekistan. I traveled here independently in 2025 after doing a ton of research. My goal was simple: hit up the best places to visit in Uzbekistan while also digging into the attractions...

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]]> https://justwanderlustblog.com/things-to-do-in-uzbekistan/feed/ 1 Is Uzbekistan Worth Visiting? Why Now is the Perfect Time https://justwanderlustblog.com/is-uzbekistan-worth-visiting/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=is-uzbekistan-worth-visiting https://justwanderlustblog.com/is-uzbekistan-worth-visiting/#comments Tue, 30 Sep 2025 15:00:00 +0000 https://justwanderlustblog.com/?p=1439 Uzbekistan may not be the first place you think of traveling to, but those who make it here are blown away. Is Uzbekistan worth visiting? 100% yes. Among the Central Asian “stans,” it’s the one that gives travelers the most: the ancient Silk Road cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva, UNESCO-listed mosques and madrassas with...

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]]> https://justwanderlustblog.com/is-uzbekistan-worth-visiting/feed/ 1 Socotra Island Tourism (2025-2026): The Complete Guide to Visiting Responsibly https://justwanderlustblog.com/socotra-island-tourism/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=socotra-island-tourism https://justwanderlustblog.com/socotra-island-tourism/#comments Thu, 04 Sep 2025 22:54:50 +0000 https://justwanderlustblog.com/?p=1293 Socotra Island tourism has always sounded a little mythical to me. An island off Yemen that people call the “Galápagos of the Indian Ocean,” with species you can’t find anywhere else? Dragon’s blood trees that actually bleed red, bottle trees shaped like they came from another planet, and miles of pristine empty beaches (be still,...

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]]> https://justwanderlustblog.com/socotra-island-tourism/feed/ 4 Can You Visit Socotra? Here’s What I Wish I Knew Before I Went https://justwanderlustblog.com/can-you-visit-socotra/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=can-you-visit-socotra https://justwanderlustblog.com/can-you-visit-socotra/#comments Sun, 24 Aug 2025 23:24:23 +0000 https://justwanderlustblog.com/?p=1220 Can you visit Socotra? Yes, but not in the way you might imagine. This isn’t the kind of place where you hop online, grab a cheap flight, and go explore on your own. Socotra is a remote island where independent travel isn’t possible. You can’t even book your own flights. You have to go through...

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]]> https://justwanderlustblog.com/can-you-visit-socotra/feed/ 3 How to get to Socotra (2025-2026 Guide) https://justwanderlustblog.com/how-to-get-to-socotra/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-get-to-socotra https://justwanderlustblog.com/how-to-get-to-socotra/#comments Tue, 19 Aug 2025 03:25:32 +0000 https://justwanderlustblog.com/?p=1126 Why Socotra? Why this guide? Some call Socotra Island the “Galápagos of the Indian Ocean.” It’s long been an off-the-beaten-path kind of travel destination — the kind only the most intrepid travelers bothered with. But that’s changing. Today, it’s gaining popularity as one of the most unique destinations in Yemen. How to get to Socotra,...

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]]> https://justwanderlustblog.com/how-to-get-to-socotra/feed/ 3 Is Socotra Safe? My Experience and What You Need to Know https://justwanderlustblog.com/is-socotra-safe/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=is-socotra-safe https://justwanderlustblog.com/is-socotra-safe/#comments Sat, 16 Aug 2025 01:07:13 +0000 https://justwanderlustblog.com/?p=1093 Socotra is one of the most unique and otherworldly places I’ve ever visited and one of the safest to travel in Yemen. With dragon blood trees, turquoise beaches, and almost no crime, it feels far removed from the country’s ongoing conflict. But since Socotra is part of Yemen, travelers often ask: “Is Socotra safe?” Here’s...

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]]> https://justwanderlustblog.com/is-socotra-safe/feed/ 2 16 Incredible Things to Do in Socotra Island (and Why You Should Go) https://justwanderlustblog.com/things-to-do-in-socotra/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=things-to-do-in-socotra https://justwanderlustblog.com/things-to-do-in-socotra/#comments Wed, 13 Aug 2025 00:07:25 +0000 https://justwanderlustblog.com/?p=1032 Why Visit Socotra Is everyone talking about Socotra yet? I’ve known about this remote island for decades, but in recent years it’s become one of the must-see places to visit for adventurous travelers — and for good reason. Socotra Island, part of an isolated Yemeni archipelago in the Arabian Sea, feels like nowhere else on...

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]]> https://justwanderlustblog.com/things-to-do-in-socotra/feed/ 3 10 Incredible Places to Visit in Baghdad, Iraq: From Ancient Streets to Modern Monuments https://justwanderlustblog.com/places-to-visit-in-baghdad-iraq/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=places-to-visit-in-baghdad-iraq https://justwanderlustblog.com/places-to-visit-in-baghdad-iraq/#comments Sat, 07 Jun 2025 20:05:41 +0000 https://justwanderlustblog.com/?p=911 Think there’s no reason to visit Baghdad, Iraq? Think again. I spent several days in the capital during my 10-day trip through Iraq—and let me tell you, Baghdad is buzzing with life. Before visiting, everything I’d ever heard about the city focused on war, politics, and yet another missile strike on the news. But once...

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