Whether driving with wine or flying with wine, a lot goes into figuring out what is the best wine travel bag, and that can include wine luggage or a wine suitcase. But it also can include a wine carrier bag, or just packing wine in a suitcase. What is most important is how to transport wine securely and safely.

In this wine carrier bag buying guide, we are going to walk through how to pack wine bottles in a variety of ways. This will cover everything you need to know about taking wine on a plane, as well as advice on how to protect wine on the ground with a wine bottle carrying case.

*This post contains compensated links. Find more info in my DISCLAIMER. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Best Wine Suitcase And Wine Luggage

Buying Guide – Best Wine Suitcase And Wine Luggage – 2022

There is a lot that goes into bringing wine on a plane. Unfortunately, most international flights don’t permit wine in carry-on luggage unless it’s purchased from duty-free. Whether you want to learn how to pack wine in luggage or purchase official wine luggage that is made for transporting wine, we can help.

Below we cover in more detail the different wine bottle packing options, but if you are looking for some quick recommendations for a wine carrier bag, here are our top recommendations. We recommend using Amazon for purchases like this. First off, they deliver around the world. Second, if you have Amazon Prime many of these products ship for free. (Get 30 days of Prime free here).

What To Consider When Looking For The Best Wine Travel Bag

Before we share reviews for each of the options we cover in the wine luggage buying guide above, there are a few questions to answer to narrow down your needs.

Then, take a look at the descriptions of each of the options below to determine the best wine luggage that fits your needs. All of these suitcases can be bought on Amazon. I recommend reading all of the product descriptions on Amazon to make sure it fits your needs.

Are You A Wine Professional? 

If you are a wine professional who travels regularly with high priced bottles of wine, then the best wine travel suitcase is one for wine professionals. In this case, invest in something durable and sturdy. Ensure that the bottles will be safe within the padding of the suitcase and that you can use a TSA approved lock. This is important anytime you check wine with an airline as baggage handlers might not treat it like the precious cargo we think it is.

Although the TSA does not place restrictions on the amount of wine you can travel with, the airline might place restrictions on the total weight you are allowed to check. Last, if you are a wine professional, you probably want to focus on 12 bottle wine transport luggage, something made for professionals.

How Often Do You Travel With Wine? 

Although there are days when I feel like a wine professional, particularly when I look around at our overflowing wine racks, I am not. Many wine travelers are merely wine enthusiasts. They travel to a destination, visit wineries, and fall in love with a handful of wines that they want to bring home with them. This is us. The question is how often do you do this.

If you travel to several wine destinations a year with an intention of bringing wine home, then it is worth it to invest in a quality wine luggage bag. This is probably the most important issue to consider when purchasing a wine travel case.

How Many Bottles Do You Want To Carry? 

Last, how many wine bottles do you plan to travel with? If you plan to travel with six or more bottles on a regular basis, then it’s probably time to think about investing in proper luggage. If you are an occasional wine transporter, we recommend some more casual options as well below.

The Best Wine Carrier Suitcases

When looking for a serious wine travel case, there are a few options. Most of these are hard-sided wine travel suitcases. This is an alternative to placing the wine in checked luggage, for wine travelers who know they are going to be purchasing wine, a wine luggage carrier is a great choice.

Admittedly, this is for some serious wine purchases, perhaps someone traveling to Bordeaux or Champagne. But, really, it can be for anyone who knows they will be buying 12 bottles of wine that they plan on checking, and want to bring home safely.

There are two primary types of wine carrying cases that can be called wine luggage. One looks like typical wheeled luggage, and the other looks a little more hard-core. Both are hard sided, have wheels, and will protect even the most expensive wine.

The Best Wine Luggage – VinGardeValise

Our top pick for a wine bottle carrier that can work for both a wine professional and a wine collector looks and acts like traditional luggage, but it can, of course, hold wine.

VinGardeValise has to be the leader in wine luggage. It’s our favorite and one of the most popular wine suitcases purchased by our readers. They offer a few different options, with different sizes and a variety of inserts to customize the interior of the bags.

VinGardeValise Grande

The VinGardeValise Grande 12 Bottle Wine Travel Suitcase is one of the best wine luggage options on the market. It’s super slick, with 360-degree spinner wheels. It holds up to 12 bottles of wine, or 10 bottles of wine and two Champagne-sized bottles.

It also has a TSA approved lock to keep your wine safe when traveling. And, you can actually add clothing and toiletries into the bag, so it’s not entirely dedicated to wine. 

VinGardeValise Grande 12 Bottle Wine Travel Suitcase

VinGardeValise® Grande Wine Suitcase – 12-Bottle Travel Luggage, TSA-Approved, Durable Hard Shell, Shockproof Foam, Secure Bottle Protection for Enthusiasts & Collectors - Silver

Price Disclaimer

VinGardeValise Petite

If the 12 wine bottle luggage carrier is a bit large, VinGardeValise also makes a VinGardeValise Petite 8 Bottle Wine Travel Suitcase. It has a lot of the same features as the larger version.

And, the newer VinGardeValise suitcases include one year of HomingPin lost luggage locator service. This is important if you plan to travel with high-value wine. You can also customize the inserts to hold large bottles or even craft beer.

Learn more about the VinGardeValise wine suitcase:

The CasePro 12 Bottle Wine Carrier

This is the most serious of the wine luggage options. The CasePro 12 Bottle Wine Carrier with Wheels holds 12 bottles and is thermally insulated to keep the wine bottles at the perfect temperature during a flight. And, there is a wine accessory space to hold corkscrews, aerators, and other accessories that you can’t carry on. This wine luggage also works well for the traveling wine professional in addition to the wine traveler.

CasePro 12 Bottle Wine Carrier With Wheels

CasePro CP-WINE-12B 12 Bottle Wine Carrier with Wheels, Polypropylene/High Density Polyethylene Foam, 25.63" L x 19.50" W x 15.63" H, Black

Price Disclaimer

Wine Travel Case – Wine Check Luggage

If looking for something a little more like a wine bag than wine luggage, this Wine Check Luggage Complete Set is approved by the US FAA to be checked as wine luggage. The wine bag is collapsible making it easy to take on the outgoing flight, it’s reusable, and lightweight, weighing under 5 pounds. And, even when packed with a full 12 bottles, the bag will still be under the 50-pound luggage limit for most airlines. The wine bag also has wheels to make it easy to transport.

12 Bottle Wine Check Luggage

Wine Check Complete Set Red

Price Disclaimer

Recommended Wine Cooler Bag

This wine carrier bag is more for on-the-ground travel. Its a wine carrying case that has a lot more everyday uses. 

A wine bottle cooler bag allows you to travel with crisp, cold wine for any occasion. This insulated wine bag holds six bottles of wine in a water-resistant should bag. And, the liner can be removed to transform it from a wine carrier bag to a traditional beverage cooler. One thing to note, this bag cannot be used as checked wine luggage. I am including it as an option for people who oten drive with wine in their cars (we do!).

6 Wine Bottle Premium Insulated Wine Carrier Tote Bag

Wine Sleeves For Airplane Travel

The other wine travel solutions and wine carrier bag options are pretty intense for serious wine travelers (of which we are proud members). But sometimes it makes more sense to consider packing wine in a suitcase instead of purchasing a separate wine suitcase to travel with.

Many people who purchase wine while traveling might only travel with a bottle or two. Or, they might be traveling with a bottle of gin or other liquor. In this case, the solution is more similar to how to package wine for shipping – carefully.

These are some of the handiest tools out there. They are like wine bubble wrap, and how fun does that sound? There are different kinds of wine bottle travel protectors that can be placed inside your own luggage. And, this one in particular, let’s you be a Wine Hero.

These are a safe solution that is the perfect alternative to attempting to wrap a single wine bottle in loads of plastic bags at the last minute. They are almost like wine bubble wrap, where the wine traveler just slides the bottle into the sleeve and seals it shut. The wine bottle protector is then sealed at the bottom, which not only protects the wine bottle from breaking, as well as guarantees no spillage.

Wine sleeves pack flat until they are ready to use, which makes them easy to travel with on the outgoing flight. They also work for liquor bottles, olive oil, vinegar, and other liquid food souvenirs. Last, they can be used on the ground as well when transporting bottles to ensure they arrive safely.

WineHero – 6 Pack Reusable Leak Proof Bottle Protector Bag for Travel

FAQs – How To Pack Wine – Traveling With Wine Bottles

*This post contains compensated links. Find more info in my DISCLAIMER.

Pin It! The Best Wine Suitcase and Wine Luggage Option

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But, after traveling to over 70 countries, now I know the secrets. Today, I share those secrets with you. In this post, we will answer the burning question: Is the Priority Pass worth it? We will provide a Priority Pass review to help you make the decision on whether to become a member. This includes an update for 2020 Priority Pass Membership pricing.

Priority Pass Lounge Review - Barcelona

Priority Pass Lounge Review - Barcelona

What are the Different Levels of the Airport Priority Pass?

In this Priority Pass review, I explain the different membership levels. There are three levels: Priority Pass Standard, Priority Pass Standard Plus, and Priority Pass Prestige. Here are the details on all three memberships including what limitations there are when it comes to access to the priority pass lounges.

Comparison of Priority Pass Card Levels And 2020 Pricing

The main difference between these Priority Pass membership options is that with the higher level of membership you receive more liberal and included access to lounges. This makes it stress-free when traveling. 

Determining which VIP Priority Pass membership is the right one for you depends on how much you travel. If you don’t travel a ton, then the Priority Pass Standard Plus might be enough. But, if you travel a lot (like we do) the full Priority Pass Prestige is a better value.

It also means you don’t need to keep count of visits or pass up a lounge experience to save it for a longer visit. As for the Standard Pass, this is more like a Priority Pass membership discount, because it offers discounts on each lounge visit.

What are the Benefits of a Priority Pass Membership

Each membership offers different Priority Pass Benefits. It depends on the type of Priority Pass card you have. For example, the benefits with some of the Priority Pass credit card programs differ from the benefits from purchasing a membership direct. When purchasing direct, for example, some of the memberships allow entrance to airport lounges with a Priority Pass digital membership card. Our Chase credit card program doesn’t. That’s one benefit to purchasing direct.

But, overall, the Priority Pass provides access to over 1200 lounges worldwide, with about 40 of them located in the US. In some locations, the card doesn’t provide lounge access but instead provides credit at a restaurant within the airport. This is becoming more of a trend. Friends recently traveled with their cards and used the airport credit. They were able to rack up a rather large bill and have it all be covered because each member of the group had their own card!

Is Priority Pass Lounge The Largest Network?

The Priority Pass Lounge system claims to be the largest airport lounge network. I haven’t personally counted. I continuously update this Priority Pass review and they are always adding new lounges, new restaurants, and renovating old lounges. They recently renovated our Barcelona lounges and they are way nicer than before! 

How We Have Priority Pass Lounge Access

We have access to Priority Pass Lounges around the world with our Chase Sapphire Reserve Priority Pass credit card. There are several credit cards that offer free priority pass access. For example, there is an American Express Priority Pass (or Amex Priority Pass).

But, if you don’t buck up for one of these premier credit cards, is it worth it to purchase Priority Pass Lounge membership on its own? In this Priority Pass review, we explain how to get airport lounge access at over 1200 airport lounges around the world.

What Is Priority Pass Select Membership

First, let’s walk through a Priority Pass Select review. Priority Pass Select Membership is an airport lounge membership program that generally is received through a US financial institution, i.e. a bank or credit card company. Which credit cards offer priority pass? An example of this is that we received our membership through a Priority Pass credit card relationship with Chase. This is a slightly different product than what is available to the public generally. I will explain.

The Priority Pass Select benefits include access to Priority Pass Select Lounges for members. Each Priority Pass Airport Lounge is different, and it really depends on the airport location.

Through the Priority Pass Select membership, we generally receive access for Eric and two guests through his card. But, this Priority Pass Select membership is limited to people who live in the US and can get approved for a Chase Reserve Priority Pass credit card or an American Express Platinum Priority Pass enabled credit card.

This is pretty much impossible for international travelers who don’t live in the US, and even for many Americans as well. This Priority Pass Lounge review focuses on the type of membership that people who don’t have credit cards have access to. But, I wanted to note this difference.

So, Is Priority Pass Worth It? 

We have our Priority Pass Card through our Chase Sapphire Reserve card, which is not cheap. It’s USD $450 a year but comes with a load of benefits. Having Priority Pass Lounge access is just one of the benefits.

Even if we didn’t have Chase Priority Pass Lounge access I would still purchase this membership. It’s one of the best benefits we get from the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. For 2020, the Priority Pass cost is only $426 (before the 10% discount). The price comes down to $386 with the 10% discount.

With that, it provides free airport lounge access at over 1200 lounges around the world, including our “home” airport of Barcelona. I will say, many of these lounges are outside of the US, like almost 1200 of them. So, it really is a benefit for international travelers who don’t travel in business class, and otherwise had airport lounge access.

Using The Priority Pass Digital Card

And, there is usually the possibility to use the Priority Pass digital card, within the Priority Pass app, to access a lounge, even if you forget your physical card at home. Something we struggled with at the Frankfurt airport years ago, when they wouldn’t let us access the Star Alliance lounge solely based on our status written on our boarding pass. We needed to have the actual card.

With the Priority Pass airport lounge club, that’s not a problem. We’ve never had a problem accessing a lounge.

How Do We Use Our Airline Lounge Access

In general, I find it so much more relaxing to be in the airport lounge rather than in with the “general public.” Maybe that makes me a snob. I like to think it makes me a professional traveler. There is food and drink, and usually alcohol, along with wifi and private bathrooms.

So, is the Priority Pass worth it? Generally, every time I sit inside a Priority Pass Lounge during our trips, and I log on to the internet, get a glass of wine, a little snack, and a bottle of water to bring on board, I could scream yes! We don’t need to buy food or drink in the airport, which saves us money each trip.

We really made the most of our lounge club membership when traveling from Jamaica. At the Montego Bay Airport, the line for security was so long it made my head spin. But, I saw that Priority Pass members got to skip the line! It saved us at least 45 minutes. We were also able to scarf down one more Jamaican meat pie too, all in the lounge!

And, when traveling from Dusseldorf, we had extra time to kill between when we needed to check out of our hotel, and when our flight took off. It was particularly hot that summer day in Germany, and the airport, in general, felt overheated. But, in the Priority Pass Lounge Dusseldorf, it was pleasantly cool. I enjoyed a final German beer, with air con, and actually whipped out my laptop and wrote for a good two hours while charging my devices. I felt much more productive. It was one of those times that having free airport lounge access felt more like a mirage!

We’ve also used our lounge access to make overnight unbearable layovers in the Middle East, slightly more bearable! So, yes, the priority pass is definitely worth it.

*This post contains compensated links. Find more info in my DISCLAIMER.

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In this post, we share our Avalon Danube River Cruise review based on our recent experiences aboard the Avalon Impression. This includes an introduction to the concept of river cruising and what to expect on river cruise ships.

More than anything, though, this post highlights what’s different about Avalon and why it’s altered our view of what a river cruise through Europe should be. 

*This post contains compensated links. Find more info in my DISCLAIMER.

What Are European River Cruises

River cruises are a great way to explore Europe. Cruise passengers embark in one city, cruise up or down a river, and disembark in another city. They can last between a week or 10 days, although some are longer.

Each day, the ship will stop in one or more villages allowing passengers to explore the countries as they cruise. The cruise ship company will plan village tours and excursions, giving passengers the option to do as much or as little as they choose. Most European river cruises explore the Rhine River, the Rhone River, or the Danube River.

Why We Enjoy Cruising

I enjoy this way of traveling in Europe for a few reasons. First, I love the idea of unpacking my bag and moving into my cabin. I don’t like moving from place to place and having to pack and unpack every few days. It’s just a lot more relaxing.

Second, I like the idea of seeing small villages and towns that I wouldn’t find on my own or make a point of visiting. Some of the villages are ones I have never heard of before.

Most of all, it’s just a unique way of travel, one that combines exploration and relaxation – the best of both worlds. 

What Is A Danube River Cruise

The Danube River is the second longest river in Europe. It flows from western Germany and ends up in the Black Sea. It actually passes through a full 10 countries, including Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine.

River cruises, though, tend to focus on traversing Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia. This is some of the most stunning scenery in Europe. The cruises will pass villages, wineries, and mountains, all with a decidedly Germanic-feel. 

Our Danube Itinerary

Our Avalon Danube Cruise started in Budapest, Hungary, and ended in Linz, Austria. We passed through Slovakia although we didn’t stop there. We stopped in Danube river cities including Visegrad in Hungary. In Austria, we visited Vienna, Krems, Grein, Engelhartszell, and Linz.

Our cruise took nine days, but the first night we stayed in a hotel in Budapest. Avalon also runs the cruise in reverse, from Linz to Budapest. Sometimes we spent a night in a location and other times we just popped in for a few hours.

Typical Danube Cruise From Budapest To Linz

A typical Danube River cruise from Budapest to Linz will stop in Vienna, but the smaller towns and villages might differ. Avalon attempts whenever possible to find unique places to dock for a few reasons.

First, they want to provide interesting experiences for their passengers. Second, they are always conscious about the effect of the cruise on the local towns. If one town becomes too popular, it will be overrun with passengers. This is not sustainable for the local community, so they might vary their route over time.

Talking with the crew on board, I loved some of the ways the Avalon (and its parent Globus) is really focused on sustainability. This was just one example.

Most Danube River cruises will stop in Budapest, Vienna, and Linz as well as a handful of other towns or villages. Every European river cruise company will include a handful of excursions as part of the cruise.

Normally, this includes walking tours of villages but also might include a winery visit, visits to monasteries and cathedrals, and other cultural points of interest. 

Traveling On A River Cruise For Food And Drink

To be honest, this doesn’t really appeal to us. We travel for food and drink, so many of the typical cultural-related excursions just don’t fit our travel style. Mostly, though, we’ve been traveling Europe for 20 years and we live in Europe.

I don’t feel the need to visit every cathedral or museum we see. I like learning about a culture through food and drink. Most Danube River cruise lines just don’t fit our needs.

What Is Active Cruising

There is a trend in the cruising world to create something known as an Active Cruise. Overall, particularly with European river cruise companies, passengers tend to skew older. Some cruise companies are trying to create more active itineraries in order to attract younger passengers.

Avalon Waterways Active & Discovery does just that. Their goal is to create cruise excursions that are exclusive, that allow passengers to discover a destination in a deeper way. They also focus on getting passengers active and that includes opportunities for hiking, cycling, and kayaking. Avalon runs a handful of these cruises in different European destinations each year.

What Is It Like For A Non-Active Traveler On An Active River Cruise

When I first heard “Active & Discovery,” I wondered how we would do with the itinerary and excursions. We don’t generally hike. I really don’t like cycling. We don’t get along well with each other when kayaking and avoid it in order to preserve marital harmony.

Instead of traditional active excursions, we chose those that were more in line with the discovery part of Avalon’s Active & Discovery.  This included activities more in line with how we like to travel – on our stomachs. It also helped us to learn something about the local culture in the way that appeals to us. 

What Are Active & Discovery Excursions

We reserved enough excursions to keep ourselves active and to make the most of the trip, but not so many that we were exhausted by the end. We wanted downtime as well.

Excursions In Hungary

In Budapest, we took a Retro Tour in old-school Hungarian Trabants, a Communist-era car. The tour included a stop at a ruin bar as well as a visit to the famous Memento Park to check out all of the Communist-era statues.

Before leaving Hungary, we hiked up to a small castle, enjoyed a local liquor called palinka, and watched a Medieval Knights Tournament. We even took turns trying to throw an axe (I did better than Eric). 

Excursions In Austria

While in Austria, most of our excursions focused on learning about the local culture through food and drink. This included traditional dishes, wine, beer, and liquor. We spent two nights in Vienna, which gave us a chance to explore the city more.

Avalon set us up on a tour to learn about absinth and other local liquors and schnapps. We hiked through Austrian vineyards and ended the evening with a traditional Heurigen dinner, involving platters of grilled meats and local Austrian wine.

In Krems, we visited an Austrian winery with one of the most unique wine tours we’ve seen. That’s saying something. Together, we’ve been to well over 100 wineries together but this was our first 4-D wine tour experience. We even took a Viennese cooking class where we learned to cook traditional Austrian dishes like schnitzel and apple strudel.

We explored the local pubs in Linz and even met a count. Yes, a real count! During our visit with Count of Clam in the village of Clam they were hosting a concert series. While speaking with the Count and learning about the castle, Foreigner played in the background.

The cruise ended with a final stop in Engelszell, where we visited a Trappist Abbey to try their beer. Trappist beer is only made in 14 monasteries around the world and we visited one of them.

What’s Different On Avalon River Cruises

This was not our first European river cruise, but it was my favorite ship and cabin. This was not just because of the excursions but because of the ship as well. Overall the ship is very contemporary in decor, which I liked.

Most of the Avalon cabins onboard the Avalon Impression are Panorama Suites. Avalon developed a unique way to maximize cabin space, by eliminating balconies in favor of more space in the cabin. On its face, this sounds like a bad idea. But, what Avalon did was to create wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling sliding doors, which made the whole cabin feel like a balcony. 

Considering during our first river cruise we had some bad weather we never once used our balcony. During our Avalon cruise on the Danube, we spent a lot of time actually enjoying our “in room” balcony.

This also meant that we could even enjoy the view from our bed. That’s because the bed actually faced the window, not a boring wall. This was one of my favorite parts of the cruising experience. Relaxing in bed, with a view of the Danube and the countryside in the distance. 

What Was The Food Like On Avalon’s Danube Cruise

I was super impressed with the food on board Avalon’s Impression. Not only did we learn about the local dishes and drinks during our excursions, but the food on board skewed local at most meals. With some of these dishes we had the “normal” ones in Budapest or Vienna and then ate them on the cruise, and the cruise ship versions were spot on. 

When cruising in Hungary, the chef arranged typical Hungarian dishes including goulash, but even lesser-known dishes like hortobágyi palacsinta, a savory, stuffed crepe. They even managed to whip up langos, which is a well-known Hungarian street food, often referred to as “Communist pizza.”

When cruising in Austria, we ate more Austrian and German-influenced dishes. Of course this included schnitzel and all sorts of sausages. It also included Wiener Backhendl, kind of like Austrian fried chicken and various types of noodles and dumplings, my favorite.

Questions To Ask When Considering A Luxury Danube River Cruise

When looking at Danube River cruise companies, there are a few questions to ask and things to research. Regardless of the number of excursions you choose to take, you will be spending a good amount of time on the boat, so choose wisely.

*This trip is a project managed by iambassador in partnership with Avalon Waterways. As always, With Husband In Tow maintains full editorial control of the content published on this site. Learn more about Avalon Waterways Active and Discovery Cruises where they help you explore more while cruising.

Avalon Danube River Cruise Reviews

We love using Pinterest to help plan our upcoming trips. It also helps to inspire us to find new food and drink destinations and new ways of exploring Europe. Feel free to pin this Avalon River Cruise Review for later by saving it to your favorite Pinterest board.

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The region is most known for being home to the Malt Whisky Trail, a collection of whisky distillers dedicated to tourism. But, there is more to Moray Speyside than whisky. It’s home to some of the best Scottish food and drink. In this post, we will share our tips on how to explore Speyside while traveling on your stomach.  

*This post contains compensated links. Find more info in my DISCLAIMER. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Food And Drink On The Malt Whisky Trail – Moray Speyside Scotland

What Is Moray Speyside

Moray Speyside is a region in Northeastern Scotland. It’s a little more than a three hour drive north from both Edinburgh and Glasgow. It’s located just to the east of Inverness and to the west of Aberdeenshire. The political region of Moray is actually pronounced closer to “Murray” in the Scottish accent.

Travelers more know the region as Speyside, though, due to it being home to more than half of the 100 or so whisky distilleries in Scotland, along the River Spey. What many food and drink travelers don’t know, though, is that the region is home to an incredible array of quality food and drink producers beyond the world of whisky. 

Towns And Villages In Moray Speyside

Elgin is the largest town in the region and sits relatively at the center geographically. The region spreads in all directions, with varying landscapes.

To the north is the Moray Coast, with towns like Cullen, Lossiemouth, Burghead, and Findhorn. This area is home to rugged beaches, seafood restaurants, and fisheries.

To the west is Forres and to the east is Fochabers, areas containing wide swaths of farmland, with cows grazing and pigs rolling happily in the mud. 

Some of the most well-known towns and villages are to the south of Elgin, predominantly because of the importance of the Speyside whisky region. Towns include Dufftown, Keith, and Aberlour and the landscape is dotted with whisky distilleries and old, stone manor houses. Further south is Grantown on Spey and the Cairngorms National Park.

Why Visit Moray Speyside

We spent about 10 days in Moray Speyside, certainly more than the average visitor. Many travelers just pop through for a day trip to a distillery. Travelers who stay longer are often there for fishing, golfing, or even a castle holiday. There are a handful of impressive castles dotted throughout the region.

For us, though, we wanted to learn about the food and drink in Moray. In addition to whisky, there are craft breweries and artisan gin distillers. There is a dedication to local produce and food products. And, the region is home to some of the most traditional Scottish dishes as well. There’s so much to do and to eat in Moray Speyside. 

The Malt Whisky Trail

Moray Speyside is most known for being home to the highest concentration of whisky distilleries in Scotland. Although there are around 60 operating distilleries in Speyside, only about a dozen have visitor centers that are open for tours and tastings.

A handful of these distilleries are located on the Malt Whisky Trail. In reality, though, this is Malt Whisky Country, regardless of the list of distilleries on the current “trail.” 

There are a total of nine stops on the official Malt Whisky Trail, which include working distilleries, a historic distillery, and the Speyside Cooperage. Sure it is possible for visitors to pop into one or more distilleries on a quick trip to Moray Speyside. The real treat, though, is looking beyond the whisky distillers to learn about the food and drink of the region.

Food On The Malt Whisky Trail

There is a dedication to using local ingredients that underscores all of the food in Moray. One of the must-eat dishes is haggis, which is probably Scotland’s national dish. Don’t be afraid of trying haggis. Many of the pubs and restaurants in Moray Speyside have done a great job of preparing haggis in a variety of ways.

The same goes for black pudding. We ate some of the best black pudding ever in Moray. One of the best ways to eat black pudding in Moray is with seared scallops from the nearby Shetland Islands.

Shortbread And Oatcakes

When it comes to asking what is Scotland famous for, there is one thing that many people might associate with England that is quintessentially Scottish. Shortbread is a super-buttery cookie that has been around since the 1700s.

One of the most famous shortbread companies is Walkers, based out of Aberlour. Another family-owned company is Maclean’s Highland Bakery, which is also known for artisan shortbread cookies.

They also both produce Scottish oatcakes. Oatcakes are simple crackers made with a base of oats. They are not all that crunchy. They are softer, almost crumbly, with a little bit of sweetness to them.

Cullen Skink

In addition to shortbread and oatcakes, one of the most famous Scottish dishes is also from Moray – Cullen Skink. Cullen Skink is a creamy Scottish soup made with smoked haddock (white fish), potatoes, and leeks.

Cullen Skin originated in Cullen, Scotland, along the Moray coastline. Visit Lily’s Kitchen Cafe or the Cullen Bay Hotel for award-winning Cullen Skink. They’ve each been voted best Cullen Skink in the past.

Our favorite, though, was the Bothy Bistro in Burghead. Burghead is a little farther west than Cullen along the Moray Coast. It’s a lovely little cafe with some darn flavorful Cullen Skink.

Meat, Fish, And Seafood in Moray

Much of the coastline of Moray is home to lobster and langoustine fishermen. For salmon-lovers, there is no better place to eat than Scotland. At one point Scottish salmon was the UK’s number one export. Normally it is served smoked, sliced, and served with capers. 

For land lovers, Scotland is known for beef, pork, lamb, and venison too. It’s impossible to miss all of the farm animals in Moray. From pig farms along the side of the road, to herds of deer in places like the Glenrinnes Estate.

We visited Byres Farm in Fochabers to learn about how they grow barley for the Glenlivet Distillery. They also have cows, sheep, and pigs to support the local industry.

Recommended Speyside Restaurants and Eateries

Here are just a few recommendations on where to eat in Speyside. This runs the gamut from butchers with takeaway meat pies to fine dining restaurants with tasting menus and traditional Scottish pub grub. 

Cafes And Casual Restaurants

Starting with cafes and casual restaurants, check out one of our favorite places to eat in Moray, the Bothy Bistro in the seaside town of Burghead. They serve fresh seafood, sandwiches, and traditional Scottish dishes like Cullen Skink.

The owners of the Bothy Bistro also opened Dory, a double decker bus restaurant in the West Beach Caravan Park in Hopeman, just down the road. Dory is not a typical takeaway with dishes like black pudding and scallops, all with a view of the sea just in front.  

Inside the Walled Garden of Gordon Castle in Fochabers, the Gordon Castle Cafe cooks up seasonal Scottish dishes using fresh produce and herbs from their very own garden.

Their Plant, Pick, Plate approach to cooking takes Zero km food to a new level. Lily’s Kitchen Cafe in Cullen offers a wide range of hot and cold drinks, meals and snacks including breakfast, sandwiches, and its award winning Cullen Skink. 

Square Roots Cafe is located in Keith near the historic Strathisla Distillery. Using local ingredients and family recipes Square Roots serves up delicious sandwiches, hamburgers, and traditional Scottish flare.

Try the haggis toasted sandwich. For a classic fish supper, check out Fochabers Fish Bar in Fochabers. It was ranked Scotland’s number one fish and chip shop in 2017. For meat lovers, check out SA Mackie Butcher in Aberlour during the day to pick up a freshly baked meat pie or sausage roll. 

Scottish Pubs And Fine Dining

For more traditional Scottish pubs, we really enjoyed the Copper Dog Pub in Craigellachie. Located in the Craigellachie Hotel, the Copper Dog Pub focuses on farm to fork traditional and contemporary Scottish food from with in Speyside. They also offer local craft beers, gins, and whisky cocktails including their own Copper Dog Whisky.

The Seven Stills is a small, family-run Pub, Lounge and Bistro with a French twist in the heart of whisky country in Dufftown. Serving homemade soups, mains and delicious desserts, the French chef at the Seven Stills uses the finest local Scottish ingredients. 

Knockomie Inn in Forres offers traditional and contemporary Scottish dishes including local game and venison. Staying local, Knockomie has over 70 whiskies available as well as a wide range of locally distilled gins. Crown and Anchor in Findhorn is right on the Moray Coast and is one of the best spots for seafood in the region. 

For slightly more elevated dining, check out the two restaurants located in the Dowans Hotel in Aberlour. Spé offers a nightly four course tasting menu featuring locally sourced produce and proteins.

Along with wine or whisky pairings. Or, for everyday dining, their restaurant 57 prepares a seasonal and locally sourced menu showcases the diverse range of food products from the Moray Speyside region. Not to be left out are traditional Scottish dishes such as haggis with neeps and tatties. 

Drink On The Malt Whisky Trail

Sure, enjoy a dram or two or more while visiting Moray Speyside, but there are other options for drink travelers. Most notable are the craft beer and artisan gin producers. 

There are a handful of craft beer producers in Moray. Look for these beers on tap and some of the local restaurants and pubs. Some of the local brewers include Speyside Brewery, Spey Valley Brewery, Brewmeister Keith Brewery, and Windswept Brewing Company. 

To dive into the beer scene a little more, Speyside Brewery offers tours during the week or Spey Valley Brewery offers tours on request. Or, Windswept offers tours, tastings, flights, and more in their tap room. Or, check out Against The Grain, a taproom in Elgin that serves both local and international beers on tap, or in bottle or can.

Speyside Gin Experience

We visited Moray Speyside during the first annual Speyside Gin Experience. Hosted by the same folks behind the Speyside Whisky Festival, a collection of 12 local gin producers participated. I couldn’t believe how much great gin there is alongside the whisky distillers at the Malt Whisky Trail. 

Most notable are Caorunn, which is probably the most well-known Scottish gin distillers. We started drinking Caorunn when living in Bangkok.

We also visited Eight Lands Distillery on Glenrinnes Estate. They are an organic gin and vodka distillery run by women. They offer tours as well. Even Gordon Castle is producing its own artisan gin with botanicals pulled from the Gordon Castle Walled Garden.

Accommodations In Speyside

Unfortunately, many travelers to Moray tend to only pop in on a day trip on the way to or from somewhere else. This is a mistake. There are loads of great things to do, see, eat, and drink and it’s easy to spend a long weekend, or even longer, in Moray Speyside.

For travelers looking to spend a few nights, here are some recommended hotels and accommodations in Moray. All of these options are located close to some of the sights on the Malt Whisky Trail too. 

The Craigellachie Hotel

Built in 1893, the Craigellachie Hotel and its 26 rooms feels more like a luxury, countryside family-home than a hotel. The Craigellachie Hotel features the Quaich bar with over 900 whiskies lining its walls. Their Copper Dog Pub serves locally sourced traditional and contemporary Scottish dishes seven days a week. 

The Craigellachie Hotel, Victoria St, Craigellachie, with rates from £140 including breakfast, book here 

The Dowans Hotel

Originally a Victorian mansion, the Dowans Hotel was reborn in 2012 by the Murray family. With 16 contemporary en-suite rooms, the Dowans Hotel maintains its historic past while providing modern comfort and hospitality. Both of their restaurants, Spé and 57, feature locally sourced Scottish meat, fish, and produce. 

The Dowans Hotel, Dowans Road, Aberlour, with rates from £170 including breakfast, book here

Knockomie Inn

Beginning life in 1812 as a country villa, Knockomie Inn has transformed over the years into a 15 room hotel and gastro destination. Knockomie Inn is ideally located to explore the Speyside region. Dining at Knockomie allows guests to enjoy delicious traditional and contemporary Scottish dishes. With its focus on all things local, Knockomie has over 70 whiskies available as well as a wide range of locally distilled gins. 

Knockomie Inn, Grantown Road, Forres, with rates from £135 including breakfast, book here

Ardgye B&B

Ardgye House B&B is a cosy and comfortable bed and breakfast a five minutes drive from the center of Elgin. Originally built in 1904, this Edwardian mansion sits on 150 acres of land. 

Ardgye B&B, Ardgye Guest House, Elgin, with rates from £79 including breakfast, book here

Gordon Castle Cottages 

Dating back to the 1770s Gordon Castle has been a fixture on the landscape of Speyside. Available all year round the five charming cottages sleep between two and eight guests. All cottages are self catering and equipped with all the comforts of home. 

Gordon Castle Cottages, Gordon Castle Gordon Castle Estate, Fochabers, with rates from £135 with no breakfast (self catering). Book on Airbnb but save €30 if you’re trying Airbnb for the first time with this link.

Food And Drink Shops In Speyside

To learn even more about the local Moray Speyside food and drink, check out one of the unique and sometimes historic shops sprinkled through the region. These are perfect shops to stop for culinary souvenirs, or to purchase whisky and gin to take home. 

Gordon & MacPhail

Most notable of the shops is Gordon & MacPhail in Elgin. Since 1895, the Gordon & MacPhail shop has been provided high quality grocery products, cheeses, chocolates, wines and of course whisky.

The shop is owned and operated by the same family who distills Benromach whisky. The shop features the Whisky Room, which contains over 1000 single malt whiskies including several old and rare bottles. In store tastings are available. 

The Spey Larder

In Aberlour, check out the Spey Larder and the Speyside Whisky Shop. The Spey Larder first opened in 1864 and is currently a food speciality shop featuring a wide range of specialist foods, fine wines, malt whiskies and country style gifts.

The Speyside Whisky Shop

The Speyside Whisky Shop specializes in fine and rare collectible single malts with a large variety of gin, tonics, whisky, and merchandise. The two shops are located only a few doors away from each other. Or, in Dufftown, check out The Whisky Shop, which offers over 600 whiskies with a super knowledgeable staff. They offer tastings in the evenings. 

Shortbread Shops

For shortbread lovers, check out Maclean’s Highland Bakery in Forres or Walkers Shortbread in Aberlour. Maclean’s runs a bakery shop with fresh-baked breads and cakes as well as shortbread and Scottish oatcakes. Walkers Shortbread Factory Shop sells various styles of shortbread cookies and other treats. 

**We were hosted by the Moray Speyside Tourism Board but all of our views are our own.

Food And Drink On The Malt Whisky Trail – Moray Speyside Scotland

We thoroughly enjoyed our time eating and drinking on the Malt Whisky Trail. Yes, we loved the whisky, but there was something more to the area. Everyone we met showed a passion and a pride for the region. And every meal we ate was a fabulous reputation of traditional and contemporary cuisine using local ingredients. Moray Speyside is a must-visit destination for any food and drink traveler in Scotland.

The post Food And Drink On The Malt Whisky Trail – Moray Speyside Scotland appeared first on With Husband in Tow - Food And Travel Blog.

And, when we moved to Bangkok, we choose a building only a few blocks away. I was thrilled to be within walking distance of what I now consider my absolute favorite spa in Bangkok.

Guide To Booking a Couple Massage In Bangkok

In this post, I will share the details of our couple massage in Bangkok experience, including information on how to book this treatment. Most importantly, this is a legitimate massage, and one of the best things to do as a couple in Bangkok. T

his makes this post a little different than other, more nefarious posts, about how to spend your time in Thailand. you know the ones I am talking about. I will also share some general Thai massage and travel tips for Thailand as well. 

What Is A Thai Massage

The massages that most people are used to experiencing in the Western world include oil and long, strong strokes. That is certainly not a Thai massage. Thai massage is more, well, interactive.

When I receive a Thai massage, first they offer me an outfit to change into. Eric often leaves his own t-shirt on as the spa shirts are usually way too small. We lay down on cushions on the floor, and the Thai massage begins.

There is a lot of squeezing and kneading, along with a lot of interactive stretching and pulling. It is not uncommon to feel like a pretzel. The Thai massage therapist ends up straddling, or sometimes even standing, on top of the guest.

A well-trained Thai massage therapist will ask whether the guest wants their massage soft, medium, or hard. I used to always ask for hard. Perhaps I thought that if I asked for anything less than a hard massage I would not be getting my money’s worth.

After several really good Thai massages at Dahra Spa in Bangkok, though, I realized it was time to start requesting medium.

Either way, at the end of a Thai massage, I feel, remarkably, relaxed. Shockingly so, because a Thai massage is not as inherently relaxing as a western oil massage. Yet, despite that, I do always feel better after.

There is something about the Thai massage therapists attention to trigger points that just releases the tension. You can find cheap Thai massages all over Bangkok for as little as $5, but the quality is not as good. Sometimes they are so bad you could end up hurting yourself. That is why I recommend going to a recommended spa for a Thai massage. 

Other Bangkok Massage Treatments

It’s easy to book all sorts of massage treatments in Bangkok. Treatments can include Thai massage, western oil massages, shoulder and back massages, and foot massages. Spas are everywhere, particularly around the busy tourist areas on Sukhumvit Road.

Even at the busy weekend market, you can find a place to get a foot massage for only a few dollars. Our friend once called many of these massage parlors to be perfect for a good slap around, but they do not offer great quality or even clean facilities. 

Where to Stay in Bangkok

Mandarin Oriental, a luxury option, on the Chao Phraya river, and very historic, with rooms from $500 a night. Grab a cocktail at the famous Bamboo Bar and use the hotel riverboat for transport (Check out Trip Advisor Reviews here | Book here)

Sofitel So Bangkok, a contemporary option, away from the noise of Sukhumvit, but still centrally located, with rooms from $160 a night. Their rooftop bar offers a view over Bangkok that cannot be found anywhere else. (Check out Trip Advisor Reviews here | Book here)

Pullman G Bangkok, another contemporary value option, again away from the noise of Sukhumvit, with rooms from $115 a night. They offer one of the best burgers in Bangkok downstairs and a great cocktail bar with views upstairs. This option is also only a 5-minute walk from Dahra Spa (Check out Trip Advisor Reviews here | Book here)

What Is Dahra Spa?

Dahra Spa is a little oasis in the bustling city. It is unbelievably serene and well appointed. And not that much more expensive than the cheap-o Bangkok massage places, with lines of chairs for foot massages in the window, and bored Thai massage girls playing on their phones waiting for customers.

Yes, Bangkok massage prices can be super cheap. But, sometimes it’s better to splurge just a little bit for a really good Bangkok massage.

Dahra is heavenly in comparison to the cheaper Thailand massage places. We’ve done a few Thai massages at Dhara, and a foot massage in a quiet little room that allowed us to take a nap while getting a foot massage. It was like multitasking. For relaxation.

While living in Bangkok we visited Dahra every few weeks for almost two years. Yes, it was our local Bangkok spa, and no they are not paying me to say this! It was our local Bangkok massage spot. 

How to Book a Thai Couples Massage in Bangkok

We wanted to splurge on a full spa day in Bangkok and knew Dahra was the way to go. They offer amazing deals if you book on the Dahra website. And, I swear they are not paying me to say any of this. Their half day couples spa package was 50% off, and other treatments and Thai massages booked online were 20% off.

We arrived just as the spa was opening. The spa receptionist walked us through our choices for our 3 hour and 45 minute couples spa day in Bangkok, including scrub, wrap, and facial. 

The choices were diverse, and we walked through the choices with the receptionist based on our skin types, the fact that we were hungover. You know, the usual when traveling in Bangkok. We walked upstairs to the couples spa room to begin the treatment. 

We each put on the little spa panties, and they were, honestly, the best spa panties I ever used. And, I have worn a lot of spa panties. 

A Thai Couples Massage – The Scrub

After a traditional Thai herbal compress, we moved onto our scrubs. I choose a coffee scrub, which was mixed with salt to rid the body of toxins. I thought this was a good idea after our evening out with friends.

Nothing like showing up for a treatment like this slightly hungover, but I am sure I am not the only person who has arrived for a couples spa day in Bangkok, of all cities, after a late night out. 

Eric chose the sea coconut scrub to combat dry skin. We both smelled fabulous after the therapists spent a good amount of time rubbing the scrubs all over our bodies. 

At the end, we were told to take a shower to clean off the scrub. After a new pair of spa panties, we laid back down on the tables for a wrap. Eric paused on the way back to give me a little kiss on the forehead, so romantic he is.

Check out other Fun Honeymoon Ideas here

How to “Enjoy” a Couples Massage in Bangkok – The Wrap

Neither of has had ever had a spa wrap before. I was not sure what to expect. I chose the black sesame seed wrap to smooth and moisten the skin. 

Eric chose the licorice wrap, which restores damaged and inflamed skin. We each laid down on plastic wrap covered tables, Dexter style, and they started to rub the product all over. 

A few short minutes later they wrapped us up, like a couple of burritos. They pulled the sides of the plastic wrap over us and placed another layer on the top. They covered us in a large towel.

And then, wrapped some heavy blanket around us, until we each looked like mummies. Just after the women left the room I said to Eric “Well, this is new.” I wish I had a photo to share, but there was no way to escape. And, therein lies the problem.

I am naturally fidgety, always have been. It is one of the reasons why mediation is super hard for me. When they wrapped us up I tried a little mind over matter. I don’t think I had ever lasted this long without moving. 

I was able to survive for most of the thirty minutes by catching a bit of a snooze. Eric fell asleep as well and I could hear a light snore coming from his massage table just as I woke up.

Within a minute or two after waking I realized I could not stay plastic wrapped much longer. We chatted a bit, Eric saying he felt like a “glazed donut.” I felt a bit of anxiety. I had not moved a millimeter the entire time. 

I stretched my fingers out.  I stretched my toes. It was like I opened the floodgates of movement, resulting in a freak out of sorts.

I bent my knees to release my back, which distorted the blanket and wrap, and like a butterfly from a cocoon, I sort of exploded myself out of the wrap. When my massage lady returned, she sort of looked at me all disheveled and said “oh, ok.”

I informed her it was just a bit too long for me. In the end, I lasted about 25 minutes before freaking out, but I was pleased to move onto the next stage.

Massage & More – Best Couple Spa in Bangkok?

But, first a shower, our second of the treatment. Man, I had scrub and black sesame seeds all over. And I mean ALL over. It took some time. On with another pair of spa panties, and for the next stage, a rejuvenating oil massage, which was heavenly. 

After I just had to rinse the oil off. I felt as though I would have turned into a fried chicken if I walked out in the Bangkok sun with all of that oil.

After our third shower of the spa day, and back into our street clothes, we were escorted downstairs to the facial room. Eric’s massage lady was joking that she deserved a big tip because Eric had such a big body. 

I was not sure how I felt about that comment after she had just spent close to three hours working on Eric in his tiny little spa panties. When I mentioned this later to Eric he just smiled and shrugged his shoulders. 

When it came time for the facial, Eric went Asian with a green tea facial, while I chose the “desincrusting facial” to extract impurities from the skin. It was lovely and refreshing, but my body was starting to cry out. 

I had just spent too long laying down in the middle of the day. Perhaps it is not normal to spend close to four hours getting treatments during a spa day in Bangkok, but I am so glad we had the experience at Dahra Spa. 

See what other travelers have to say about Dahra Spa on TripAdvisor

The Perfect Spa Day in Bangkok?

Was it the perfect couples spa day in Bangkok? I never anticipated it would be the cheesy, romantic couples experience. We are just not like that. For us, Dahra Spa was perfect, because we had some lovely spa treatments, and had fun and laughs. Even with my fidgety wrap disaster, it was money well spent.

Dahra Spa & The Best Couple Massage Bangkok Offers

Dahra Spa, the best spa in Bangkok for couples, is located on Silom Road near the Chong Nonsi BTS. Book online for great discounts, including 20% off all treatments. We booked the full spa package on a promotion, and by booking online, saved 50%.  That meant our 3 hour and 45 minute couples massage in Bangkok cost only $75 a person!

FAQs About the Best Spa in Bangkok

What To Do in Bangkok

Here are our recommendations on what else to do when traveling in Bangkok, after you’ve finished the best massage in Bangkok! These tours include spa and wellness classes, as well as some of our favorite Bangkok food tours.

Traveling to Bangkok?

Where to Stay in Bangkok: Get more hotel recommendations here.

Find more Bangkok tips in our Southeast Asia food travel guide.

Learn more: Get a Luxe Guide to Bangkok or the Lonely Planet Guide from Amazon.

For more luxury travel tips and stories, check out our Luxury Travel Guide.

*This post contains compensated links. Find more info in my DISCLAIMER.

Pin It For Later! Best Couple Massage Bangkok Can Offer – Bangkok Massage Guide

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In this guide, we share some of the Austrian alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic drinks to taste while visiting Austria.

*This post contains compensated links. Find more info in my DISCLAIMER. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Austrian Drinks Guide

Traveling Austria For Food And Drink

Normally we have no problem tracking down beer and wine when traveling. It’s sort of a gift. On this trip, though, we dived more deeply into the food and drink in Austria.

This was in part because we were traveling with Avalon Waterways on one of their Active and Discovery Cruises on the Danube. Avalon’s goal is to encourage passengers to explore more during their cruises, by offering active excursions (think biking, hiking, and canoeing) and cultural excursions that do more to help travelers learn about the traditions of the country they are visiting. 

Much of what we learned about food and drink in Austria came from these Avalon excursions. From beer and wine tastings to alcohol-related museum visits, we learned so much about typical Austrian cuisine and that includes drinks! I also did a lot of research before our trip too, in order to create this comprehensive list.

Check out this post about how to plan a road trip in Austria and actually get out to see the wine country! 

Typical Austrian Drinks

In this guide, we share our list of what to drink in Austria and in some cases where to drink these Austrian beverages. I also hope to share some of the history and tradition behind these drinks. 

Coffee

The Ottoman Turks introduced coffee to Austria and the Austrians have not stopped drinking coffee since then. Vienna is the peak of coffee culture in Austria, with some beautiful cafes that are sprinkled across the city.

This fascination with coffee pairs perfectly with the Austrian reputation for cakes and pastries. The Kaffeehaus Kultur means you can sip coffee for hours at a Viennese cafe.

Austrian Red Bull

It’s not common for us to put an energy drink on a list of what to drink in any destination. Red Bull is probably one of the most famous Austrian products even if most people don’t realize it is from Austria.

I am personally not a fan of Red Bull. But, if you are a fan, their headquarters is located in the town of Fuschi, about 90-minutes south of Linz.

Almdudler – Austrian Soda

Almdudler is a carbonated beverage made with extract of elderberry. Options include sweetened, light, uncarbonated and, as a spritz mixed with soda water. Or, try it with Austrian beer, called an Almradler, which is kind of like a shandy. Or, it is even mixed with Austrian wine as a kind of spritzer.

We tried the original version of this Austrian soft drink, with a lovely Alpine couple on the front of the bottle. It was sweet and carbonated and I can imagine it being tasty mixed with wine or soda water

Lattella – Austrian Dairy Drink

Lattella is a fruit-dairy-drink from the 1970s. It comes in a variety of flavors and almost tastes like a yogurt drink. It’s sweet, creamy, and refreshing.

The base of this drink is made from whey, which has all of the nutrients of milk but a lot less fat than other dairy products. Lattella likes to say it is the perfect Austrian breakfast drink too!

Austrian Beer

When it comes to Austrian alcoholic drinks, the most common are beer and wine. Different parts of the country tend to drink one more than the other. For example, around Vienna and in the Wachau Valley, wine is dominant. But, in Upper Austria, closer to Bavaria and Germany, beer rules the day. The average Austrian drinks over 100 liters of beer each year. 

The quality of Austrian beer is quite high, similar to Czech beer and German beer. Most breweries produce beer inline with the strict Bavarian Beer Purity Laws from the 1500s. This means they brew beer using nothing more than water, malt, and hops. Because of these strict rules, it’s not common to find Austrian craft beer, although it is possible. 

There are over 200 Austrian breweries. Some of the most popular Austrian beer brands include Stiegl, Zipfer, Gösser, and Ottakringer. When in Vienna, definitely try Ottakringer, which has been producing Austrian beers within the city since the 1830s.

Wieselburger Bier has been a popular Austrian beer since 1770. In the Vienna region, try the Wieselburger Stammbräu that comes in the traditional clip lock bottles. For a true Austrian drinking experience, try to find a local beer garden. 

Trappist Beer In Austria

If looking for the best beer in Austria and for something truly unique, look for Trappist beer while traveling in Austria.

At its most basic, Trappist beer is beer produced by Trappist monks. It’s definitely a niche product as there are only 14 monasteries in the world that produce beer. As one of our Avalon excursions we visited the only abbey where Trappist beer is produced in Austria. 

We toured Engelszell Abbey and their grounds on our last cruise excursion. We were so far up the Danube we were practically in Germany. The church is absolutely stunning, but we visited to taste the Trappist beer.

A certified “beer sommelier” walked us through how to properly taste the beer. I am not sure this was the best Austrian beer but all three styles we tried were pretty darn good. My favorite was the bock-style, which had flavors of coffee and chocolate. Even on a hot day, I could have knocked back several of the bock beer.

Austrian Beer Drinking Tips

Here are some more tips on how to drink beer in Austria. There are several styles of beer in Austria including the following: 

• Märzen is light in color with a balanced flavour and lighter in hops
• Pils is a style of beer from the Czech Republic, which is more hoppy and full-strength
• Wheat beer is made using 50% wheat malt, which often has a more cloudy look
• Zwickel is an unfiltered beer, which looks cloudy because of the yeast still in the beer

Beer Sizes In Austria

Beers come in a variety of sizes in Austria, in addition to the most common 300ml and 500ml sizes and each has its own word when it comes to ordering:

• Pfiff is extra-small, similar to a caña in Spain, and measures 200ml
• Seidel or Kleines Bier measures 300ml
• Krügerl or Großes Bier is a large beer, measuring 500ml
• Mass is an extra-large beer measuring at one liter, which is more common in Bavaria and not generally served at most Austrian bars or restaurants

Austrian Wine 

Just like its neighbors, Austria produces a lot of great wine. I have to admit, this surprised me. I’ve tried Hungarian wine and German wine, and we’ve toured the Luxembourg wine region of Moselle, where they make sparkling wine.

But, Austrian wine? I was entirely unfamiliar before visiting. Austrian wine goes well with some of the most traditional Austrian dishes, just as well as beer does. It’s worth looking into when traveling in Austria. 

Austrian Wine Experiences And Tastings

We drank incredible Austrian wine on board our Avalon cruise at each meal. We also visited the Wachau Valley, just outside of Vienna, to learn more about the history of wine production in the region.

UNESCO listed the Wachau Valley as a world heritage site in 2000. There are only a little over one hundred wine producers in the valley, which is about 12 miles long and runs along the Danube. 

Austria is known for both white and red wine, although the white wine is probably a little more well known. They grow international grapes like Riesling but also a local grape called Grüner Veltliner.

Grüner Veltliner is a light, slightly mineral white grape that produces some very easy drinking wines – perfect for pairing with a wiener schnitzel! During our cruise, we visited a Wachau Valley winery for a tour and tasting.

As part of the more active style of cruising that Avalon offers, we also took a hike of the vineyards just outside of Vienna. At the end of the hike we enjoyed a traditional Heuriger wine dinner – with a crisp white wine and a giant meat platter at picnic tables in a wine garden. 

Sturm And Most

Sturm and Most are grape-based drinks that are produced during wine fermentation. Most is almost pure grape juice. Sturm is a super young Austrian wine that is more like grape juice than wine.

Sturm is normally available in the fall, just after harvest. Be careful, though. Sturm might taste like grape juice, but it does have alcohol.

Kaiserspritzer

This is the Austrian version of a wine spritzer. It’s normally made with Austrian white wine and sparkling water or soda water. We drank a good amount of this in Hungary before arriving in Austria.

It’s quite popular in summer months, but generally is not served with ice. The American in me says it would be a lot tastier with some ice! 

Austrian Schnaps

This type of alcohol is produced across Europe, but the Austrian version is a must-try when visiting the country. Schnaps can take many forms but in Austria, they are distilled spirits normally made from apricots, cherries, or pears. This Austrian liquor is clear, normally around 40 proof, which is drunk straight. It acts as a digestif, to be drunk after a meal. 

Austrian Schnaps Museum

We visited an Austrian Schnaps museum in Vienna as one of our Avalon-hosted excursions. The Alt-Wiener Schnapsmuseum is located in the 10th District of Vienna in the Friedrich Fischer building.

In addition to learning about the production of schnaps, the building is an interesting look into the history of Vienna. The entire street and neighborhood were bombed during WWII. The road where the shop is located on was the road that led all the way to Trieste, Italy, and to Fascist Italy. At the end of the war, the shop was the only building still standing.

Friedrich Fischer is a fifth-generation Austrian liquor producer. They started producing raspberry juice in the late 1800s. He bought his first still at the Paris World’s Fair and switched to alcohol.

The family still owns the production today. They produce schnaps, fruit liquors, and cream liquors, which can be tasted and purchased at the museum shop.

Absinthe 

When we made our way ashore from our Avalon ship to the schnaps museum in Vienna, I did not expect to be seeing green fairies before the end of the day. Okay, there weren’t any green fairies, but I didn’t realize that Austria has a history and tradition of absinthe.

We’ve only tried absinthe once before, in Hong Kong, at the end of a long evening. I don’t really remember much about the drink (maybe it was the fairies) so Avalon provided us an opportunity to learn more. 

There is a mythology around absinthe that says that people hallucinate when drinking it and possibly see green fairies. There is a long history of absinthe, but there are no worries with today’s version. It doesn’t cause people to hallucinate. Still, it’s fun to try and imagine.

How To Drink Absinthe

Absinthe is a strong liquor made predominantly from wormwood and other herbs. It has an anise flavor and a characteristic green color. It is served by heating sugar cubes over the absinthe and allowing it to drip into the glass. Then, it is watered down a bit to cool the liquor. It’s also increasingly common to make Austrian cocktails from absinthe, including an absinthe mule made with ginger beer.

Friedrich Fischer also produces absinthe and they have quite the story behind it. They produce the original Mata Hari absinthe, which is made with wormwood and other herbs including peppermint, chamomile, and licorice.

Unlike other absinthe, it is not as green in color. It has a “louche” effect, where it becomes a milky green color when mixed with water. They also produce Grüne Fee, which translates to Green Fairy, which is a lot more green. We tried all the different varieties at the museum when Avalon set up a special tasting experience for us. 

*This trip is a project managed by iambassador in partnership with Avalon Waterways. As always, With Husband In Tow maintains full editorial control of the content published on this site. Learn more about Avalon Waterways Active and Discovery Cruises where they help you explore more while cruising.

The post Austrian Drinks Guide – What To Drink In Austria appeared first on With Husband in Tow - Food And Travel Blog.

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Austrian Food Guide

How We Traveled Through Austria

This trip through Austria was a little unique for us. We explored Austrian cities and the villages on board a Danube river cruise with Avalon Waterways. Before this experience, I was probably like a lot of travelers who think that cruising means eating mediocre food on a cruise ship while spending the days on typical walking tours of each destination.

This could not be further from the truth. Not only did Avalon do a fabulous job of offering traditional Austrian cuisine at each meal, but their Active and Discovery Cruise meant loads of super-unique Austrian food and drink experiences. They helped us learn what to eat in Austria. 

We also didn’t feel overly scheduled during our cruise. Some of the dishes we mention in this Austrian food guide were dishes we tried onboard. In Vienna and Linz, though, we explored on our own a bit as well.

Avalon’s way of cruising means you can be as scheduled or as independent as you want. That’s how we spent much of our time in Vienna researching what to eat in Vienna and then tracking down those dishes in the cities and villages we visited.

What Is Austrian Food

It’s sometimes difficult to define traditional Austrian food. There are so many influences from Germany and other nearby countries. This is particularly true because at various points in their history these countries were joined, separated, occupied, or liberated.

As a result, Austrian food culture is intertwined with that of Germany, Hungary, and other nearby countries. There is also a distinct difference in some of the most typical dishes based on region. Our tour through Austria focused on the Danube. When it comes to what food to try in Austria, many of the dishes will depend on the city or town you are visiting. 

What To Eat In Austria

Austrian cuisine shares a lot of similarities to the cuisine of its neighbors, including Germany and Hungary. This is not surprising. I tried to include in this list the most Austrian of dishes, but recognize some of them might originate with their neighbors.

These are, though, the dishes you are most likely to find on an Austrian restaurant menu. There are also some regional specialties as well, although you are likely to see most of these dishes on a menu in Vienna, which is an international city.

Wienerschnitzel – National Dish of Austria

This is probably the most famous Austrian dish. Although called Vienna Schnitzel in Vienna, it is known elsewhere in Austria and in many countries of Europe as Wienerschnitzel or wiener schnitzel as two words.

The Wien portion of the name is actually a reference to Vienna, which means this is a true Austrian dish. And if you are wondering what to eat in Vienna, this is the number one dish to recommend. 

At its most basic, Wienerschnitzel is a thinly pounded piece of meat, generally veal, that is breaded and deep fried. It is normally served with a cold potato salad and a wedge of lemon.

Avalon Waterways organized a cooking class for us as one of our excursions. I put Eric to the task of pounding the meat thin but enjoyed learning a new recipe for potato salad. These are pretty easy dishes meaning it’s possible to make Austrian delicacies at home.

Where To Eat Wienerschnitzel is Austria

As to where to eat Wienerschnitzel is Austria? Pretty much everywhere. You will have no problem tracking down this dish.  Be prepared, it’s normally a big dish. Perhaps share a portion.

Although normally made with veal, which is traditional and regulated by Austrian law, restaurants do also offer chicken or pork versions as well. Look for Wiener Schnitzel vom Schwein for the pork version. 

Where to eat wiener schnitzel in Vienna? Our friend Matt from Landlopers swears by Figlmüller in Vienna.

Austrian Snacks and Appetizers

After covering the Austrian national food, I want to start with Austrian appetizers and snacks. These are foods that people snack on during the day. Some of them are considered Austrian street food. This is a great way to try a variety of foods without committing to a big dish at a sit-down restaurant.

Belegte Brote – Open-Faced Sandwiches

Similar to the open-faced sandwiches we’ve eaten in Prague, these are a must-eat dish in Vienna. They are small pieces of bread topped with all sorts of tastiness.

The most traditional are herring, chicken liver, and egg, but there are so many varieties now. They are normally eaten for a weekday lunch or as a snack. Although this is really a Czech import, the family that founded Trześniewski is Austrian. They have about a dozen locations in Vienna. 

We tried a variety of belegte brote (brote means bread in German). My favorite included something similar to cole slaw and pickled beets and one topped with paprika sauce.

Eric liked one with hard-boiled egg and relish. I will note, you should definitely like egg salad if try this dish. Although not every version included egg salad, most did. To me, they were entirely tasty. An order of six open-faced sandwiches cost about €8.

Wiener Würstels – Vienna Sausages

There is no shortage of sausages in this part of the world, which is why Eric loves the food so much. Look for Wiener Würstels at a Würstelstand, meaning it’s an Austrian street food that you can find at sausage stands.

These taste best with a cold Austrian beer and some spicy mustard. This is Austrian street food at its finest. Walk up to a stand, order a beer and a sausage and use one of the ledges or tables to eat street-side. 

There are different varieties of Vienna sausages as well, including ones that are spicy (called Bosna) or stuffed with cheese – you know, to make it healthier. Some of the variations are specific to regions within Austria.

You might be asked if you want it semmel or mit brot. Semmel is in a bun and mit brot is with bread. If you order it with bread, they will slice the sausage, making it easier to eat. Here are some of the most commonly found sausages at a wurst stand.

Grillwurst or Grillwurst Scharf – grilled sausage or spicy sausage, served with ketchup and mustard and sometimes shredded horseradish

Käsekrainer – grilled sausage stuffed with cheese, served with ketchup and mustard

Bratwurst – original Viennese style white sausage

Currywurst – sliced sausages served with curry sauce and bread or fries (the perfect late night snack)

Weisswurst – Bavarian White Sausage

In Upper Austria, they speak the same dialect as the Germans do in Bavaria. We traveled so far up the Danube we were a stone’s throw from Germany. So it is no surprise that there is some Austrian dishes that are Bavarian influenced.

This is true for the weisswurst, a Bavarian white sausage. It’s a veal and pork sausage made with onion and parsley. It’s super soft and even the casing feels almost delicate.

They may look a little grey, but taste much better than they look. Avalon served the Bavarian white sausage along with sliced bread dumplings and sauerkraut. It doesn’t get much better than this for a typical Bavarian lunch.

Leberkäse or Käseleberkäse

Leberkäse is pressed meat and is also served at most wurst stands, but it is in a different category to all of the sausages above. It is made of pork and has the consistency of spam.

It is sliced, placed on a roll, and slathered in mustard or ketchup. Käseleberkäse is also pressed meat, but there is cheese pressed inside the meat, so it oozes out when sliced.

Gulasch – Goulash

One of the most typical dishes found in Austria, Hungary, and other neighboring countries. Goulash is an Austrian beef soup or stew made with meat, potato, and vegetables and flavored with paprika, which is definitely a Hungarian influence.

For something more Austrian, look for Saftgulash, which is more slow cooked. It includes beef and onions. There’s no better way to eat goulash than with a few dense potato dumplings to soak up all of the juice.

Vienna Sacher Sausage With Goulash Sauce

Let’s keep heading down the sausage rabbit hole. While exploring the Nachmarket in Vienna, we stumbled upon a traditional Austrian restaurant where Eric could not say no yet another form of sausages.

This type is more similar to an American-style hot dog, long and thin. In this case they served it with a smoky, beef-flavored goulash sauce, which was perfect for dipping. 

Tafelspitz

This is a seemingly simple dish, with a hard to pronounce name. That is not unusual, though, when talking about Austrian cuisine. Tafelspitz is boiled beef or veal that is cooked in a seasoned broth with vegetables. It translates to the tip of the meat, which is a reference to the cut of meat.

It is often served with apples, horseradish or sour cream. One of the reasons why it is so popular is that it was rumored to be a favorite of the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph.

Wiener Backhendl

Is it rude to call this Austrian fried chicken? That’s really what it is, breaded chicken legs and thighs, with a crispy breading. We actually ate this on our Avalon cruise during lunch one day and the breading had a little bit of spice to it. Everyone at the table seemed to grab seconds on this one. 

Austrian Dishes With Noodles And Dumplings

My fascination with all things noodles and dumplings is not a secret. Some of these are main courses in their own right, but some might be served as side dishes or snacks as well.

These might not be the most famous Austrian food dishes, but I was thrilled with all the different varieties of pasty-type dishes in Austria. Here are just some of them to eat while traveling in Austria. 

Kaspressknödel – Cheese Dumplings

I love all things dumpling, regardless of which continent they come from. Add some cheese into the mix and I am in heaven. Kaspressknödel originate from Tyrol. They can be described as Austrian macaroni and cheese, so how could I say no.

The menu described it as cheese gnocchi. Kaspressknödel are small dumplings and normally served pan-fried or baked. The version I ate was slathered in creamy cheese sauce and topped with fried onions. I couldn’t even come close to finishing this dish. 

Where to eat Kaspressknödel in Vienna: Zur Eisernen Zeit at the Vienna Naschmarkt

Schlutzkrapferl Tris and Spinatknödel

Talk about a dish that is difficult to pronounce, this was one dish I was happy to point to on the menu while smiling instead of butchering the Austrian language.

Schlutzkrapferl Tris is an Austrian filled pasta that is reminiscent of a ravioli. It can be stuffed with a variety of fillings, often changing with the seasons. Look for Austrian cheese or spinach. The sauce is simply melted butter.

You might also see Spinatknödel on a menu, which is a slightly more dense dumpling made of spinach. The version we ate was served in a melted onion butter. These dumplings have a more sticky consistency. 

Schnupfnudeln

Schnupfnudeln is an Austrian potato-based pasta that is normally served with sauerkraut and pork. It almost has the consistency of a dense gnocchi, but the version we had was pan-fried giving it a nice texture.

Austrian Desserts And Pastries

We always say we are not huge dessert people because we always fill up on the savories. We made a few exceptions though for some of these Austrian desserts and pastries because they are so darn good. It also helped that when we were on board the Avalon Impression, their pastry chef did a heck of a good job at putting desserts right under our noses! 

Sachertorte

If you ask people what Vienna is known for they would most likely answer schnitzel and Sachertorte. It’s a rich, layered chocolate cake with an apricot jam in the center. To top it off there’s chocolate icing on the top and is served with thick whipped cream. It was invented in the 1800s and most traditionally enjoyed in a beautiful Viennese coffee house. 

Where to eat Sachertorte in Austria

We went to the original at Cafe Sacher at Hotel Sacher in Vienna. We sat in an elegantly decorated, historic coffee house (with a lot of other tourists) to try their famous €7.50 Sachertorte.

We are not big dessert people, and when we do eat dessert we try for something light on the chocolate. I will note that we are not alone in saying the cake portion of the tort is rather dry, so this was not my favorite food to eat in Austria. I actually enjoyed the version I had on board Avalon better as it was more moist and layered with apricot. 

Apfelstrudel – Apple Strudel 

This is one of the most famous desserts to eat in Austria and in surrounding countries as well. The word strudel translates roughly to swirl, so it is a pastry swirl layered with thinly-sliced apples, butter, and cinnamon. Some versions also include rum-soaked raisins for an extra kick. 

Where To Eat Apple Strudel In Austria

It’s pretty easy to find this pastry as a dessert on most traditional Austrian menus. There are also shops that specialize in strudel. I ate this dish a few times during our cruise from Budapest to Linz, but we also learned to make our own.

One of the best excursions we took during our Avalon Waterways cruise was to a Vienna cooking class. We learned to cook apple strudel from scratch!

I have a lot more respect for the seemingly simple strudel now that I know how to cook it. From rolling out the dough to soaking the raisins in rum and slicing the apples super thin. I look forward to taking what we learned home with us. 

Kaiserschmarrn – Austrian Pancakes

I always hesitate to use a word like pancakes to describe dishes because it is a word used to describe so many different foods. In this case, Kaiserschmarrn are cut into small pieces, are covered in powdered sugar, and have more of an egg taste than an American pancake.

Instead of syrup, they are normally served with fresh fruit or preserves. This dessert is actually named after the Austrian Emperor Franz Josef, the Kaiser. Apparently these little pancakes were his favorite dessert. 

Palatschinken – Austrian Crepes

Palatschinken is also a pancake or crepe but is very different from Kaiserschmarrn. These are more traditional crepes, which are also found in Hungary. They are often layered with apricot jam and rolled. 

Manner Wien

I’ve seen these snacks at shops throughout Europe but didn’t realize they originate from Vienna. A little silly because the label says Wien, which is the word for Vienna.

Manner Wien are a layered wafer treat, filled with chocolate in between. While visiting the Vienna Schnapps Museum during one of our excursions with Avalon I even saw a liquor flavored like Manner Wien – and the flavor seemed spot on! 

Wiener Buchtein

Wiener Buchtein is a Viennese sweet yeast bun, filled with apricot jam or plum jam and served with warm vanilla sauce. They are baked in a large pan so that they sort of stick together and need to be pulled apart. This is a Bohemian dish, but we tried it on board our Avalon cruise. I liked it because it was not overly sweet. The perfect treat after a typical Austrian lunch. 

*This trip is a project managed by iambassador in partnership with Avalon Waterways. As always, With Husband In Tow maintains full editorial control of the content published on this site. Learn more about Avalon Waterways Active and Discovery Cruises where they help you explore more while cruising.

The post Traditional Austrian Food Guide – What To Eat In Austria appeared first on With Husband in Tow - Food And Travel Blog.

When visiting the Dingle Cookery School we finally learned how to make Irish brown bread. Here, we share our traditional brown bread recipe. It’s not as difficult as one might think. If I can do it, so can you!

What is Traditional Irish Brown Bread?

There are two primary types of Irish bread that people are familiar with: Irish soda bread and Irish brown bread. Traditional Irish brown bread is the darker, more dense sister of the of soda bread. They are both what are considered “quick breads.” 

One of the benefits of Irish brown bread is that it doesn’t require yeast. That means there is no need to wait for it to rise. You can mix the Irish brown bread dough, and put it in the oven.

Irish brown bread is heavy and dense, more so than Irish soda bread. Irish soda bread is a white bread. Both taste great with warm Irish butter. They are both staples of the Irish diet, even today.

To me, the best Irish brown bread is served as a thick slice, still slightly warm, with Irish butter on the side. Even better? It is served alongside a perfect cup of Irish seafood chowder, which allows me to dunk the crust into the chowder.

How to Make Irish Brown Bread

The reason why I chose to share the Irish brown bread recipe is, in part, because I’ve always been afraid to try baking my own bread. That said, I love warm and fresh bread.

After falling in love with the Irish soda bread at the Beech Hill Hotel in Derry, I found myself determined to learn how to make it. I felt that it was important, as someone of Irish heritage, to learn how to make Irish brown bread.

Well, my determination failed me while staying with family. Days wore on, and I had yet to attempt to bake anything other than a box of Betty Crocker brownies (they were tasty though).

When Chef Mark placed the Dingle Cookery School recipe book in front of me, I saw the Traditional Brown Bread Recipe. I started grinning from ear to ear. Once I learned how easy it was to make, I knew I had to share this bit of traditional Irish food.

Traditional Irish Brown Bread Recipe Ingredients

-300g brown flour

-200g plain white flour

-80g oat flakes

-tablespoon of bread soda (baking soda or bicarbonate)

-300-360 ml of buttermilk

-pinch of salt

Irish Brown Bread Recipe

I absolutely love recipes that start with “mix all dry ingredients together.” Done. Simple. Next step.

Add the buttermilk until it reaches a stiff porridge consistency.

Place the Irish brown bread dough onto a floured tray and shape into a round bread, or a flat loaf, baker’s choice. Use a knife to make a cross on the dough. See the criss-cross pattern on the Irish brown bread above to get an idea.

Bake the Irish brown bread in a hot oven for about 15 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to about 190C or 375F. The high heat allows the bread to get a nice crust on the outside. Lowering the temperature allows the bread to finish cooking on the inside.

There’s no magic time when the bread is ready. You can tell by its weight. If it is heavy and dense, it needs some more time. If you slide a thin knife into the bottom and it comes out clean, it’s done.

This is probably the most difficult thing about the traditional Irish brown bread recipe. It might take some trial and error to figure out when the Irish brown bread is done. 

That’s it. When it’s done, place on a cooling rack. Slice and serve with creamy Irish butter.

I was so excited to learn how to make Irish brown bread. 

Learn How to Make Traditional Irish Food At Home

Real Irish Food: 150 Classic Recipes from the Old Country

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The Dingle Cookery School & Irish Brown Bread

The Dingle Cookery School is just to the west of the center of Dingle, near the Aquarium. Look out for a white sign on the right side of the street heading out of town. The Cookery School offers regularly scheduled Traditional Irish cooking classes, and also schedules special cooking events.

We were hosted by Failte Ireland during our food tour of the Wild Atlantic Way, but all opinions are my own.

Check out our Ireland Food Travel Guide for more recommendations on what to eat in Ireland.

The post Traditional Irish Brown Bread Recipe – How to Make Irish Brown Bread appeared first on With Husband in Tow - Food And Travel Blog.

I already wrote a post about living with the bugs in Bali, and this post goes hand-in-hand with that one. It’s important for travelers to Bali island to know what to expect when traveling around the island.

Is Bali Dangerous? 

Let’s start with the question that is always on peoples’ minds, is Bali dangerous? In this post, we will only talk about the animals in Bali, not any other security issue. Bali facts are changing all the time, so here it’s only possible to talk about the Bali animals rather than any other dangers of Bali.

When it comes to Bali wildlife, there are no tigers or bears or crocodiles in Bali. There are elephants in a “sanctuary” but certainly none running wild. There really aren’t a lot of dangerous animals in Bali. The Bali geography, though, because it is a tropical island, means there may be some less than savory animals.

The Bali native animals mostly include tropical animals, domesticated animals, and farm animals, not necessarily in that order. Each morning, we woke to the sounds of the roosters in our neighborhood, or banjar in Balinese.

The roosters would crow, mixed with the sounds of Balinese dogs, and during the rice harvest, ducks quacking. You can ride your motorbike or a bicycle down the street and have all three of these animals cross your path.

For more Bali travel tips check out our post on Whether Bali is Worth Traveling To

Bali Dogs and Cats

Dogs are everywhere. A Balinese taxi driver told me during one of our earlier visits that there are so many Bali dogs because Bali is a Hindu island surrounded by a thousand Muslim islands. He informed me that Muslims don’t like dogs, so the Balinese use the dogs as protection. I am not judging, it’s just how the Bali religion was explained to me. 

Some of the dogs are a little mangy, and some are simply adorable. There are a few nonprofits that work on keeping the dogs healthy, such as the aptly named BARC, a Bali dog rescue. There aren’t many cats, but occasionally we would see some of the rice fields.

One once walked into our villa, through the front yard, hung out for a while, and walked out. There were also a few skinny black and white cats living at the Yoga Barn, where we practiced yoga. I loved seeing them before or after a class.

Pro Tip on the Animals in Bali: One thing to note, if there are any dangerous animals in Bali, it could be the Balinese dogs. Yes, some are adorable. Many are street dogs, though, and can carry diseases. If you do not know the owner of the dog, just beware.

Other Animals in Bali

We lived in two different villas during the time we lived in Bali. Between the two villas, and our time generally exploring Bali, we ran into all sorts of Bali animals. We had little frogs that hung out in the greenery surrounding our pool. They hung out on our front step, and often in the driveway. 

We could hear them chirping and ribbiting in the early evenings. Eric, the novice motorbike driver, is left trying to maneuver around the frogs on the driveway.  

The same happened with a large snail one night at the top of the driveway. A couple of weeks later a giant snail was just outside our door. I wondered if it was a second snail, or was this the same one on the driveway, and it just took him that many days to make his way to our door. It’s a decent length walk.  

And, I have not even mentioned the monkeys yet. There have to be monkeys in Ubud, after all there is a Monkey Forest Sanctuary and Monkey Forest Road. We never had monkeys at our villas, though, the Monkey forest is too far away. 

Pro Tip on the Animals in Bali: Be wary of the monkeys at the temples. They’ve become so accustomed to travelers, and to tourists feeding them. They can get a little aggressive. I’ve seen or known of, monkey stelling glasses, bags, water bottles, and more.

If you want to get a close up view of the monkeys and other animals in Bali, perhaps pick up a pair of compact binoculars for travel before our trip. 

Bali Reptiles

Bali reptiles are pretty common. Most of the snakes in Bali are harmless, like garden snakes. There is one snake to avoid at all costs. It’s a bright green tree viper. It’s sort of small, but bright, almost fluorescent green. If you see that snake run away. Seriously.

We learned from our gardener, Pak Mejo, quickly to avoid the green tree viper at all costs. The good thing is that your chances of seeing one are pretty slim. We maybe had 3 or 4 run-ins with this particular Bali reptile. I also had a major run-in with a Bali snake on my motorbike, but that is a story for a different day.

Geckos in Bali (And Other Bali Lizards)

Like any tropical area, it’s not uncommon to see all sorts of different Bali gecko varieties. Geckos are small lizards that scurry around on the ground or up the walls. They are more like a common house gecko. It’s almost guaranteed you will come across these types of geckos on an Indonesia tour.

They are nothing to be afraid of. In fact, they eat the Bali bugs, which is a good thing. I love all of the Balinese gecko varieties because not only do they eat the bugs that annoy me the most, but they are just fun. They are fun to watch. We spent many nights out, drinking a cold Bintang beer watching the Bali geckos scatter around.

There are two relatively unique types of gecko in Bali. One might not be characterized fully as a gecko. The skink is a small lizard, that always looks wet, but doesn’t make a gecko sound. It’s mostly brown with a yellowish color in the center of the body.

They are not dangerous. But, like true geckos, they are fun to watch slide across a floor. We never had many skinks visit our villa, but they were always at the yoga studio we frequented. I would be working on my chatarungas and a slimy little lizard would walk on by. Just like any other day living in Bali with fun Bali lizards.

The other unique gecko is one I would even describe as a cute gecko. It’s the tokay lizard, and it was such a big part of our time living in Bali. It’s not guaranteed that you will see a tokay gecko during an Indonesia trip, but if you do, it’s pretty cool.

The Tokay Gecko Bali

Some people might describe the tokay as a “large gecko” or a “giant gecko.” Yes, it is larger than a normal gecko, but still pretty small when compared to larger lizards like the Komodo dragon, a neighboring Indonesian lizard.

We first learned about the tokay Bali geckos when we lived in our first Bali villa. We started to hear some unique gecko sounds at night, just after dark, right outside our bedroom door, on the balcony. In the morning, we would find gecko poop outside our door.

We were used to living with geckos as part of everyday life, just part of living with Bali animals and Bali bugs. But the tokay gecko sounds are totally different.

The tokay gecko is also way cooler looking than other Bali geckos. He is almost a green-blue gecko with bright orange spots on his gecko skin. Yeah, definitely one of the coolest of the Balinese animals. 

The tokay gecko sound also has to be one of the most recognizable Bali lizard sound. The tokay Bali gecko sound only comes out at night, generally around dusk. It’s a higher pitched noise, in two syllables, like a “wah-wah.”

Interesting Tokay Gecko Facts and Balinese Folklore

It’s possible to find tokay geckos in other tropical climates, but they might not come with the Balinese folklore that the tokay gecko Bali does. Apparently, they are territorial.

At our first villa, we had two living outside our door. They felt like our new guard dogs. They were there almost every night, after dark. I swear they would smile at us when we tried to take photos of them before the scattered off.

We had three tokay geckos living “with” us at our second villa. We named the first two George and Daisy after our friends’ dogs. When we found the third, we named him Clyde. We had no idea whether they were male or female Tokay geckos, just that one was smaller than the others. 

Our Balinese friend, Komang, told us that these Bali geckos bring good luck. When one was in a villa near ours, a guest cursed and yelled at the gecko, chasing it out. The following morning, the guest fell down the villa stairs. Don’t cross the tokay Bali gecko.

This is why we became so friendly with these particular lizards in Bali. At one point we even had a baby tokay gecko in our house, but he didn’t seem to last very long. When a tokay managed to make its way into our bedroom at night, we gently encouraged him to wait outside for us until the morning. Seriously, it was like having a pet. And, it was our favorite of the Bali animals. Keep your eyes, and ears, open for them.

Pro Tip on the Animals in Bali: Don’t antagonize the tokay geckos. You don’t want the Bali folklore to work against you!

The post The Animals in Bali: The Tokay Gecko Bali and Other Bali Animals appeared first on With Husband in Tow - Food And Travel Blog.

Most of them, you just get used to. After living in Bali for 18 months, though, I maybe became too accustomed to the most common insects in Bali. Since that time, one of the most common questions we get from people traveling to Bali is what are some of the things to be careful of in Bali?

Is Bali Safe From Bugs?

In this post, I will answer the common question: “Is Bali safe” at least when it comes to the common bugs and insects, and some of the other animals as well. We will not really touch on Bali belly but will focus more on the mosquitoes in Bali, and the other less pesky, more fun Bali insects.

And, I am coming at this Bali insect post from a traveler and resident perspective, not a scientist perspective. This is not a roundup of every type of Bali insect or Bali bug. Just the bugs travelers to Bali are most likely to come across.

What Are The Common Insects In Bali

Everyone who travels to Bali, and to Southeast Asia, has to get used to the bugs. It’s just part of traveling to a tropical destination. When we rented our villa in Bali, we knew we would be living with bugs because the villa was the epitome of indoor-outdoor living.

Although we can close the sliding glass doors to the bedroom and sleep with air con, the room is far from sealed from the outside world. The entire downstairs is open air, with no real walls on the front and side.

Our second villa in Bali, where we lived for well over a year, we had no air con, which meant the doors and windows were open a lot. Most of the living in Bali is indoors and outdoors – many traditional Balinese homes few walls. 

Dragonflies In Bali

One of the most common insects in Bali are dragonflies. They are lovely. Sometimes they rest on the edge of the pool, and I would have a conversation with them.

Eric became the dragonfly whisperer any time one landed in the villa. He would gently walk over to the dragonfly and get him to step onto Eric’s finger. Then, he walked them outside.

These are the types of Bali bugs I was happy to get used to. They are kind of charming and do no harm. It’s the other bugs in Bali that took some time to get used to.

Check out this post that discussed Is Bali Worth Traveling To At All? Is Bali Worth It? 

Bali Ants

We also had Bali ants. Lots of ants. Different kinds of ants. We had large beefy looking ants, medium-sized ants, small ants, and microscopic ants. Almost every morning we went into the kitchen, which was open to the elements, we would have a trail of ants leading somewhere. They will find the tiniest morsel of dropped food and will go to town. 

The ants are everywhere. I never saw red ants in Bali. The big ants just freak me out they are so big. My least favorite was the microscopic Bali ants. They occasionally bite. They don’t leave a mark or an itchy bite, they just hurt for a second. But, how can something that small hurt so much?

This means that when traveling in Bali you have to get used to the insects in Bali. All of the typical Bali insect varieties. There are cockroaches in Bali and ants in Bali. For the most part, the insects of Bali are just a nuisance.

There’s nothing you can do about Bali ants or Bali cockroaches other than to keep your hotel or villa as clean as possible. Don’t leave any food out, even bread. It all must be kept in the fridge or tightly sealed.

Mosquitoes in Bali

This is the most commonly asked question we get. Is there malaria in Bali? Is there dengue in Bali? The short answer is yes and yes. There really isn’t a Bali mosquitoes season. There are mosquitoes in Bali year round. Though, they do tend to get worse during the Bali rainy season, which runs from October to April. Malaria mosquitoes bite at night. Dengue fever Bali mosquitoes bite during the day.

Learn more about the Bali rainy season here or get recommendations for the best mosquito repellent here

Are there mosquitoes in Bali? Yes! There are a few things to do, though, to avoid the problems of a mosquito bite in Bali. Chances are, though, you will get one or more mosquito bites.

The worst time for Bali mosquitoes in during what I call “the witching hour,” around dusk. This is the most important time to ensure you are using mosquito repellent.

The best way to avoid mosquito bites, though, is to wear loose clothing that covers your arms and legs. It’s also better to wear light color clothing. The worst I found was when taking yoga classes at dusk. The mixture of sweat and tight black leggings meant I would get bites through my leggings. Yuck!

Malaria Tablets For Bali?

We never took malaria tablets for Bali. And, I don’t think you need them if staying in the most popular areas, like Ubud or the Bali beaches. If you have a mosquito net in your room, then feel free to use it. We never did. I always found it got too hot.

The best mosquito repellent for Bali? Honestly, stay away from natural reppellent. They just don’t work. Try Repel Sportsmen Max Insect Repellent

Are There Snakes in Bali?

Yes, Bali reptiles are pretty common. There are lizards in Bali, which I talk about in more depth in another post. But, yes, there are snakes in Bali. Most of them are harmless, like garden snakes.

There is one snake to avoid at all costs. It’s a bright green tree viper. It’s sort of small, but bright, almost fluorescent green. If you see that snake run away. Seriously.

We learned from our gardener, Pak Mejo, quickly to avoid the green tree viper at all costs. The good thing is that your chances of seeing one are pretty slim. We maybe had 3 or 4 run-ins with this particular Bali reptile.

What About Bali Spiders?

It’s more likely that you will come across Bali spiders, in every shape and color. There are loads of different Bali spider species, from tiny ones to big gnarly ones. Most types of spiders in Bali are not poisonous.

In fact, scientists say that there are no “lethal” Bali spider species or poisonous spiders in Bali. The ones that have all sorts of bright colors on them, though, I would avoid.

We got used to the spiders in Ubud and just sort of let them be. The one exception was the bigger nastier looking spiders, ones that were larger than the diameter of a coffee cup.

Eric had a nifty method of removing the bigger Bali spider varieties from the house that involved a plastic storage container and a cutting board. This was particularly true if they were in the house at night. I didn’t need to be thinking about a big Bali spider roaming my bedroom while I slept.

Are There Bali Wasps?

Yes. The Bali wasps are nasty. When living in our first villa we had a big problem with giant wasp-like creatures flying around. I wasn’t sure if they were Bali wasps or a Balinese hornet. I just avoided them without naming them.

They hung out on the balcony and occasionally would zoom in and out of the bedroom. One started to build a hive on our bedroom ceiling, but we put the kibosh on that pretty quick.

One Bali wasp sort of “attacked” us while we were driving on our motorbike. Eric drove, I was behind. The wasp flew into his shoulder, bounced off of it, and hit my hand. It stung. The Bali wasp sting hurt like an *expletive.*

I have a slight bee allergy. I used ice to reduce the swelling of the Bali wasp sting. Of course, I took some painkillers as well. The bite mark on my hand was there for at least a week and was uncomfortable. It was not a fun experience, but I survived.

The Bali Frogs

Yes, there are frogs in Bali. They are everywhere, particularly around the rice paddies in Ubud. Most of them are small. Some of the Bali frogs are bigger. They would be in our house, in our yoga studio, jump out at us from our motorbike. They are not dangerous, just surprising and something to get used to.

What It’s Like Living With Bugs in Bali

What does it mean to be living with Bali bugs? Exactly what do you have to look forward to when traveling in Bali? We had a spider living in our bathroom for four months. He was just inside the open air part of the shower.

At first, I watched him like a hawk when I showered, watching for any fast moves. He never went anywhere. Eventually, I realized this Bali spider was our first line of defense against other Bali flying insects that would try to enter the bathroom.

For example, one morning there was a large spider web across our kitchen with four Bali mosquitoes trapped. Little spiders would pop up everywhere: on walls, floors, stairs, but they were easy to spot and easy to avoid. And, they eat the other insects.

I found an ENORMOUS spider within the first few months living in Bali, like a killer-looking spider, in my bathing suit when I pulled it off the drying rack. Eric found the same spider near our closet a short time later. 

That was fun, watching him try to capture it as he realizes this spider was the size of a small dog. Eric dropped him over the balcony. He was last seen on the tree next door.  

We have geckos, which are the most fun. Watching them with their funny little feet climb all over. We have seen them eat mosquitos, and unfortunately pretty butterflies.

I know it is survival of the fittest and the food chain and all that, but it still kind of bothers me. Unfortunately, the villa is a breeding ground of bugs, and these geckos are just not holding up their end of the bargain. They also leave gecko poop all over the floor.  

How To Survive The Indonesian Insects In Bali

We had bugs in the kitchen, the bathroom, on the toilet, and in the bed. Our cheap rice cooker leaked and became a nesting ground for ants. I swear there was a colony of small bugs living inside the keyboard of my MacBook. I was never more fidgety in my life than when living in Bali.

All I did was swat away bugs and ants. All day long. It made me mental. Even when nothing was crawling on me I still felt the sensations, and just thought they were crawling over my skin. Don’t they say the same thing about heroin addicts?

Back in the US, I would freak out if there were ants in the house. In Bali, I felt like I should be charging them rent. It’s just part of the experience of traveling in Bali. Just accept them. 

FAQs – More Commonly Asked Questions About the Bugs in Bali

There are other common animals and insects in Bali. We saw other strange bugs and creatures from snails and frogs, to weird slug-like things that move slowly and then stick to the wall. They seem to die on the wall. I never was able to figure out that particular Bali bug.

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