This enormous park is my favourite place to relax on a sunny Seville day. It’s a bit of a way from the main attractions – if you’re in a rush then head to the more central María Luisa park. With Alamillo Park’s wide boulevards, lakes and lawns there’s loads of space for cycling, rollerblading or just lazing peacefully with a book. There is also a large bar/restaurant. Families gather there for parties, setting up camp all day with picnics, games and wine flowing freely. There are often fairs and free concerts, and on my first trip I even happened upon a dog show taking place in one corner. The children will love the miniature railway and, if you fancy it, you can even try out cableskiing.

www.parquedelalamillo.org/
Google map: bit.ly/10i7fQG

* Eloise is our Been there local for Seville. You can read her bio here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/seville-local-eloise-horsfield.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/EloiseHorsfield You can also catch her on Twitter at @EloiseHorsfield

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This splendid 16th-century building is one of the points on Seville’s UNESCO World Heritage triangle (the other two being the cathedral and the Alcazar) – and the only one with free entry. It was built to house Seville’s main commercial operations during the Golden Age, as more and more merchandise was brought back from the Americas. Since 1785 it has been used to store documents tracing all Spain’s dealings with the New World – some 80 millions of pages of them, on 8km of shelving. While most of the exhibits (maps, posters and documents) are labelled in Spanish, there is a very interesting 15-minute video on show, with English subtitles.

Avenida de la Constitución s/n (no number), 41004 Seville
+34 954 50 05 28
Google map: bit.ly/143kXe2

* Eloise is our Been there local for Seville. You can read her bio here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/seville-local-eloise-horsfield.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/EloiseHorsfield You can also catch her on Twitter at @EloiseHorsfield

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I discovered this place after the gas bottle in our flat ran out one day – right in time for lunch. ‘Go to El Rincón del Búho, you can get a menú del día there for €3.50!’ read a text from my flatmate. And off I toddled. It took me about three goes to find it, as it looks like flats from the outside and you have to go up a corridor to reach it.
Advertised as an ‘artistic and socio-cultural project’, the venue has a small bar and performance space. It offers music events (including flamenco), art exhibitions, children’s theatre and storytelling workshops. Cheap snacks (€1 for a homemade empanada or slice of pizza) and bottled beers are on sale when events are on. The €3.50 deal is available from 2pm till 4pm on Thursdays and Fridays, with vegetarians catered for well.

rincondelbuhosevilla.blogspot.com.es/
Calle Parras, 31, 41002, Seville, Spain
bit.ly/13xEm7l

* Eloise is our Been there local for Seville. You can read her bio here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/seville-local-eloise-horsfield.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/EloiseHorsfield You can also catch her on Twitter at @EloiseHorsfield

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This tip is for visitors to Spain who bank with Santander. When using Santander ATMs to withdraw euros, the usual cash handling fee and foreign exchange fee do not apply.
I'm not here to advertise Santander, but since this tip will save me lots of money I thought it might help others too.

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There are many options for good food in Hoi An, but at White Lotus you can enjoy your meal even more knowing your money is going to a good cause.
Since Australian Geoff Shaw set up Project Indochina eight years ago, this NGO has provided homes and medicines for the poor and installed waste and water treatment plants in schools and hospitals throughout Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
All proceeds from White Lotus go to the charity. The restaurant is also doing its bit to help break Vietnam’s poverty chain by employing and training local staff from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The restaurant is extremely clean and stylish and the food of a very high standard. Hoi An spring rolls will set you back 45,000 dong (£1.40), veggie mains 40,000 dong (£1.20) speciality mains 100,000 (£3) and pizzas 70,000 (£2.10).
Cookery courses with the head chef can also be arranged, which involve going to the local market to buy fresh produce, then returning to the restaurant by boat to prepare the food.

11 Phan Boi Chau Street, Hoi An, Vietnam
+84(0)5103501009
www.whitelotushoian.com
www.projectindochina.org

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At Manikarnika Ghat, visitors can watch Hindus burn their dead by the Ganges - an interesting and memorable experience.
However, today I nearly fell victim to a potential scammer. Since non-relatives are, understandably, not allowed near the burning pyres, they can view the process from a building nearby, which I was led to by some locals. When I entered a man said he was running a hospice and that the old people within had come there to die. He then told me quite a lot about the cremation ceremonies being carried out below.
As I left he asked for a donation for the “hospice”, gesturing to the old women sitting on the floor. When I didn’t give money, he got angry and told me I was a bad person and that I shouldn’t come back. However, after checking with two other locals I learnt that this man was not in fact running a hospice, and that he intended to pocket most of the money. Be warned!

Manikarnika Ghat, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

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Bodhgaya is a beautiful, peaceful place that’s of great importance to Buddhists as it’s where Buddha was enlightened under a tree in 6 BC.
However, I thought I’d better warn readers of a probable scam I experienced during my visit.
A man approached me and introduced himself as Mikku. He said he worked for a charity called Sidharath Welfare Trust School that provided schooling to orphaned children found on the streets. He said it was set up by a Scottish Buddhist, and that he, too, was a Nepalese Buddhist – although frankly he looked pretty Indian to me.
He asked if I wanted to visit the school and donate money or rice, and was rather persistent – giving me 14 missed calls the following day. This made me suspicious, so I checked the internet and couldn’t find any reference to the charity he mentioned. Then I asked another local about it. He informed me that it was probably a scam whereby the men take you to an orphanage, ask to give rice or lentils to the charity and then take the rice back to the shop and pocket the money.
I’ll never know whether Mikku was for real or not, but I wanted to let other people know they should stay on their guard against this sort of scam, the suspicion of which, unfortunately, made my trip to Bodhgaya much less pleasant than it should have been.

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If you're anywhere near Kolkata, chances are you're hot, sweaty and dreaming of a dip in some nice cool (and more to the point, clean) water.
Well, a trip to Wet-O-Wild could be exactly what you need. This outdoor water park complete with slides and wave pool provided a fun and refeshing day out for me and three friends.
Because it's India, you have to wear your clothes in the pool - shorts and t-shirts are fine (girls, I wouldn't advise vest tops). The rules say cotton is not allowed, which flummoxed me until I tried to use one of the slides wearing an entirely cotton outfit. I stopped halfway down because of the friction. So, go for man-made materials such as nylon football shirts. These can be hired at the pool if necessary.
Decent food and drink is available on the poolside (dosas, noodles, chaat, tea, coffee etc).
Entry to Nicco Park plus the pool complex is 270 Rs (£3.70) - a bit expensive for India, you might say, but to me being able to cool down like that was priceless. There are theme-park-style rides in Nicco Park too, which require a separate ticket.

Nicco Park, Kolkata
We took a taxi from Sudder Street (near Park Street metro), which cost 160 Rs (£2.20) and took about half an hour.
HM Block, Salt Lake, Kolkata, West Bengal 700106, India
+91 33 2357 8101
Google map: bit.ly/kgE4q2

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This cosy restaurant with a clear and varied menu serves up delicious Tibetan and Chinese food.
I went for the Thenthuk veg soup with flat noodles for 65 Rs (95p) and fried vegetable momos (Chinese dumplings), which were the nicest I'd had anywhere. The soup was warming and extremely satisfying - ideal if you're finding Darjeeling a little chilly.
Other options are Bhagthuk soup, which as far as I can tell is the same as Thenthuk but with round noodles, spring rolls, plus lots of other noodle dishes like chop suey and chow mein.
The fresh mango juice I had was mouth-wateringly tasty.
Kunga also does breakfasts, including Tibetan bread for 60 Rs (90p) which is made with eggs and fried, resulting in a texture a bit like doughnuts but less sweet.
One curious item on the menu was 'Tibetan tea (salt and butter)' - but since I didn't order it you'll have to discover it for yourselves!

51 Gandhi Road, Darjeeling
+91(0)354 2253971

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This cheerful eatery in the heart of Kolkata serves delicious dosas and other South Indian specialities for extremely good prices. I knew it was going to be good because it passed the two recommended tests of a) being busy and b) attracting lots of families. I was so impressed that I ended up going almost every day during my week-long stay in Kolkata.
The dosa is a kind of pancake made of fermented rice, stuffed with a spicy potato filling and served with coconut chutney and sambar, a tasty vegetable sauce. At Sarang, the dosa list takes up half the menu, and each costs 30-50 rupees (about 50-70p – normal for India). The price depends on which filling you choose. I particularly liked the ones with green peppers (capsicum) and onion.
Sarang’s chana bhatura (chickpeas served with Indian breads) is also particularly good and the puffed breads they serve with it are very fresh. I’d also recommend their lassis (the Sarang version is flavoured with rose water) and freshly squeezed juices. Lip-smacking stuff!

15/A Jl Nehru Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
(opposite KFC and Domino's Pizza)
+91 98 31 936175 ‎
Google map: bit.ly/mMrsX1

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Many Vietnamese banks won’t allow you to withdraw more than two million dong (just under £60) in one transaction. This is bad if you’re getting charged a set fee by your UK bank for each withdrawal you make.

In Hanoi, the main branch of ANZ Bank allows larger withdrawals. I got out out 10 million (around £295) and was told by another traveller that you can get up to 12 million.

From the large Highlands Coffee next to Hoan Kiem Lake (south-west of the old quarter), take Le Thai To Street with the lake on your left and walk for about five minutes. You will see AZM’s blue sign on the right after about five minutes.

ANZ Bank
14 Le Thai To, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Vietnam
+84(0)4 825 8190
Google map: bit.ly/iketTp

From the large Highlands Coffee next to Hoan Kiem Lake (south-west of the old quarter), take Le Thai To Street with the lake on your left and walk for about five minutes. You will see AZM’s blue sign on the right after about five minutes.

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We all know Skype is the cheapest way to ring home from abroad, but if like me you're stuck without access and need to make an important call, you won't find better value than this call centre in Hanoi's old quarter.
Calls to most countries cost an incredible 1,500 dong a minute (compared with about 5,000 from Vietnamese SIM cards and 20,000 from travel agencies), and to ring the US or Canada it's even cheaper.
Be warned though, the owner doesn't keep too strictly to the advertised 8am-10pm opening hours. I was caught out as early as 6.30pm as he'd obviously decided to knock off early.
But if you catch it open, you'll be able to natter to your heart's content without your call costing the earth.

3 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi's old quarter
Down a smallish alley between Hang Buom and Hang Bac.
Google map: bit.ly/gnarE3

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This attractive café on Hanoi’s famous Food Street (Tong Duy Tan) is an ideal place to enjoy a few beers after sampling some Vietnamese cuisine in one of the many eateries nearby.
Puku is advertised as ‘Western owned and operated’. While this might be the main appeal for some, for me its principal attraction is the fact it’s open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s spacious and stylish, and the dim lighting and chilled ambiance make Puku a very pleasant place to forget the time and relax in this sometimes chaotic city. The other day I accidently stayed till sunrise after failing to notice the clock was ticking.
The crowd is mostly Western (both expats and backpackers) with a few trendy young Vietnamese folk too.
Large bottled beers go for 25.000 dong (less than £1). The food is also reasonably priced.

16-18 Tống Duy Tân, Hanoi, Vietnam
+84(0)91457 2952
Google map: bit.ly/h1zT2f

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I spent two nights at the Siam Classic in Bangkok and couldn’t find fault with this stylish hostel. Handily, it’s located at Hua Lamphong (one end of the metro line), just five minutes from Bangkok Central Station and also on the edge of the old town.
For 4,500 Thai baht (about £9) I had a cosy, clean and sweet-smelling single room with free Wifi and a simple breakfast (egg and toast) in the morning. The shared showers were strong and hot and there was a lovely roof terrace - perfect for chilling out away from the city noise. There are also banks opposite and a launderette just round the corner.
I went on the recommendation of a friend who’d formed such a bond with the owners that they’d let him store some of his luggage while he went away for a month. While I’m obviously not guaranteeing they’ll provide this service for all their guests, hopefully this indicates what nice folk the guys at the Siam Classic are.

www.siamclassic-hostel.com/index.php
+6626396363
Google map: bit.ly/end42K

Five minutes from Hua Lamphong metro station

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If you're thinking of getting the night bus between Sapa and Hanoi instead of the train, my advice would be DON'T.
I just did the leg from Sapa to Hanoi in a bus and hardly slept a wink. The road is terrible for a lot of the journey. I spent at least the first half trying not to be thrown around, which is hardly conducive to a good night's kip.
I was also uncomfortably close to the man next to me. It was hard not to move without touching him, and I felt very hemmed in.
While I'm usually OK with long coach trips, in this case I'd definitely opt for the slightly-more-expensive sleeper train!

www.seat61.com/Vietnam.htm

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While it feels a little odd to be recommending a visit to a cemetery, it’d be a shame to pass through Stoke Newington without experiencing the historic and very lovely Abney Park.
I enjoy wandering through and getting a bit lost in there once in a while, perhaps stopping for a quiet sit-down and a ponder on one of its old benches. It’s very peaceful considering it’s in an inner-city borough. When I’m deep inside, the whoosh of the Hackney traffic is almost completely masked by the tweeting of cheerful birds.
It’s overgrown and higgledy piggledy, with curious little pathways leading in between the ancient graves, some of which house beautiful stone statues. The park is a local nature reserve, and the eerily empty gothic-style chapel slap bang in the middle is now a Grade II listed building.
There are two entrances – the main one on Stoke Newington High Street and smaller gates on Stoke Newington Church Street. It's a lovely location to spend a quiet half an hour in London, and priceless on a sunny day.

Stoke Newington High Street/Stoke Newington Church Street, N16 0LH
www.abney-park.org.uk‎
+44(0)20 7275 7557
Nearest train station: Stoke Newington
Buses: 67, 73, 76, 106, 243
Google map: bit.ly/ihms8p

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This meat-free eatery in the heart of London is my current favourite for a face-scoffing session – and coming from a life vegetarian, that’s something.
What makes Tibits special is the fact it’s a buffet. This means the variety of dishes you can have on your plate is much wider than in your average restaurant. The food is incredibly fresh and colourful, making it hard not to overload. Curries, salads, stir fries, grains, pulses, seeds, steamed and fried vegetables, pasta, tofu and cheese are all present, but the abundance of choice doesn’t mean for a second that the quality is compromised. Since it’s all good, wholesome stuff, I usually decide that it’s OK to indulge myself a bit.
My plate piled high, I go to the till to have my dinner weighed and pick up my free bread roll. It usually comes to about £8. It’s the same procedure again with desserts – although my quirky dad likes to put his on the same plate as his main to save time (he doesn’t mind at all if his soya yoghurt runs into his lentil dahl).
The drinks are OK value considering you’re in the centre of town. I usually wash it all down with one of their posh herb teas.
Despite the buffet set-up, Tibits maintains the relaxed feel of a normal restaurant thanks to an attractive décor and unobtrusive lighting and music. It’s very spacious, and there are toys in the downstairs bit for the children.
The staff, mostly young and European, seem happy in their work and are helpful and smart.
Overall, Tibits is a relaxed and classy joint where you really will enjoy your food.

14-18 Heddon St, London W1B 4DA
+44(0)20 7758 4110
www.tibits.co.uk/e/
Google map: tinyurl.com/6kwrjft
Nearest Tube: Green Park (Victoria, Piccadilly and Jubilee lines)

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This café near the seafront in Hastings is spacious, welcoming and relaxed.
If you’re looking for somewhere to take small children, you couldn’t really ask for better. There’s a play area to keep them occupied while you sip tea and enjoy a nice slice of cake, plus baby-changing facilities, a children’s menu and plenty of high chairs.
For those visiting without youngsters, it’s still an enjoyable venue for a light meal or afternoon coffee. It might be wise to sit nearer the front, away from the kids’ bit, but the place is big enough for any noise to stay safely in the distance. The outdoor area out the back also looks as though it’d be a hit in the summer.
The veggie and vegan options are really impressive – you can even have your pizza with tasty vegan cheese. Soya milk and non-dairy margarine are available, as well as quite a few wheat- and gluten-free options. The menu is simple – panini, soups, jacket potatoes and salads, but it’s done well and the food is good value.
The artwork on the walls adds a classy touch to an already friendly and appealing space.

12 Claremont, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 1HA
+44(0)1424 426768
www.eat.uk.net/
Google Maps: bit.ly/fuQcLk

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This is a truly brilliant little pub that almost fooled me into thinking I was sitting in my grandma's front room. Comfy seats, a warm fire and delicious ale (all from small, independent UK breweries) - what more could I need?
I arrived feeling delicate the afternoon after a big night out, and a couple of hours of its relaxed vibe and a few pints of yummy stuff sure did set me straight again, no problem.
Foodwise, I was most impressed to hear they offer a veggie scotch egg with a lentil batter instead of pork, as well as other meaty stuff.

This is the type of pub everyone wishes they had around the corner.

139 Highgate Road, London NW5 1LE
+44(0)20 7485 1511
Tube: Kentish Town or Tufnell Park (Northern line)
Google maps: tinyurl.com/4nnpsuv

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Parc Monceau in Paris is quieter and less touristy than the city’s main parks, and well worth a visit if you’re up for seeing a slice of real Parisian life.

As well as large green spaces, the park boasts attractive shady walkways plus a number of interesting features such as mock Roman ruins that wind tastefully around a small lake, several statues, and an 18th-century rotunda – which is also a handy public toilet.

Once inside the spectacular iron gates, you’ll see locals strolling along, walking their dogs, enjoying an ice-cream (on sale within the park) or draping themselves over the park’s extensive grassy lawns. There’s also a playground for children and plenty of room for a decent jog.

It really is a pleasant place to while away a couple of hours, especially in the summer – and the 17th arrondissement (immediately north of the park) is great for an idle wander too.

Location: 8th arrondissement
Metro: Monceau on Line 2 (the dark blue one) or Villiers on Line 3
Google maps: bit.ly/hptxgw

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