Without fail, every single person we told warned us against a trip to Mexico. Don’t you know how dangerous it is there, they would warn, speaking of killings, kidnappings and drug crime. Don’t believe the hype – Go to Mexico!!!

For those who haven’t been there, what they say about Tuscany really is true: gorgeous hills planted with olive trees and vineyards. While you could spend your trip in a rustic villa, swimming, sipping and sleeping the days away, taking in the culture and public life of Tuscany is fascinating. Read on for our top choices, which may surprise you…

During this eight-month leg of our trip through Central America, we crossed paths with countless travelers coming up north as we headed down south, and listened to their tips and advice for places we had yet to visit. The only place that nobody could tell us much about was Honduras. It seems many people wonder whether it is safe or not to go there – here is our take.

You can go independently or hire a guide, cycle to the ruins or hop in a tuk tuk to get there. From dawn til dusk, thousands of tourists explore Cambodia’s Angkor Wat site each day. Find out what we think are the best ways to take in this awe-inspiring UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The cooking course in Leon was not exactly what we expected, but turned out to be an unforgettable glimpse into Nicaraguan life. We wouldn’t have had it any other way. (No Indians, young or old, were harmed in the making of this meal).

Leon quickly became our favorite place in Nicaragua. Don’t take this to mean that Leon is some sort of paradise. On the contrary, the city is far from perfect. Read on for why rolling with the punches made us want to suck up as much of the culture the city had to offer.

With the sounds of surfer talk like ‘gnarly’ and ‘dude’ ringing in our ears, the morning sun could have easily been shining over Santa Monica or Venice, California, but we were actually seated at a restaurant thousands of miles south on the Pacific coast in small beach town called San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua.

Montezuma is easily one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful beaches, but my love affair effectively ended after spending three days there in February 2011. The Damn the Man attitude has been cast aside by the hippies who grew up, got jobs, and put Montezuma on the tourist map.

If you are looking for the best island to visit in Thailand, look no further: Koh Tao has it all – beautiful beaches, diving and snorkeling, breathtaking sunsets and amazing food!

The long anticipated ‘luxury’ train ride from Panama City to Colon turned out to be quite different from what we had expected. Is it worth taking the train along the Canal?