A WORLD OVER
Inspiring You To Travel Adventurously
HI THERE, I’M
Alan Palazón
an adventure traveler with years of long-term backpacking experience.
I document my travels on A World Over through in-depth destination guides to help you plan your trips and travel photography to inspire your next adventure.
On my blog you’ll find detailed guides packed with expert budget-travel tips for incredible, adrenaline-fuelled destinations such as hikes, waterfalls, beaches and other locations that are less-visited.
Want to know more about me? Then head to the About page or read my story here.
Latest Posts
The most recent content from my travels to inspire yours.
18 Top Things to do in Quito and Nearby for Adventure
I’ve never been a massive fan of built-up, urban areas, but Ecuador’s capital puts all that into question. Nestled in …
Hiking at El Parámo de Papallacta (Cayambe Coca Ecological Reserve)
Quito is surrounded by great hiking areas and one of the best has to be El Páramo de Papallacta (Papallacta …
Cuicocha Lake (Laguna Cuicocha) Hike Guide Ecuador
I love easy hikes in stunning locations and Cuicocha Lake (Laguna Cuicocha) is one of the best in Ecuador. The …
Guide to the Pasochoa Hike (Volcan Pasochoa) Near Quito
The Pasochoa hike can trick you into thinking all Andean peaks are easily conquered, which definitely isn’t the case. Still, …
Destinations
Discover all of the countries I’ve documented on A World Over.
Hiking & Walking
Discover all the hiking and walking destinations on A World Over.
Where will your next amazing viewpoint be?
Hiking at El Parámo de Papallacta (Cayambe Coca Ecological Reserve)
El Páramo de Papallacta sits within the Cayambe Coca Ecological Reserve near Quito. Here there are great hiking trails, interesting plant life and stellar views …
Cuicocha Lake (Laguna Cuicocha) Hike Guide Ecuador
The beautiful Cuicocha crater lake is near Otavalo and can be hiked as a fun and easy day trip from here or from Quito …
Guide to the Pasochoa Hike (Volcan Pasochoa) Near Quito
The Pasochoa hike is an excellent way to break into 4,000 m Andean peaks as the trail isn’t that technical nor is it a long trek …
Vilatuña and Condor Machay Waterfall Hike (Cascada Condor Machay)
The tallest of the 18 waterfalls on the River Pita, Condor Machay (Condor’s Nest) Waterfall stands a towering 80 m. And there’s another waterfall here too, Cascada Vilatuña (15 m) …
Rucu Pichincha Volcano Hike Guide
Hiking Rucu Pichincha is the wildest adventure near Quito. The extinct volcano is a technical challenge but a great introduction to high-altitude mountaineering …
Cocora Valley Hike Near Salento: All You Need to know
Instagram may have turned the Cocora Valley hike (Valle de Cocora) into a tourist favourite, but social media hasn’t ruined the experience yet …
Cerro Volador: A Quick and Fun Medellín Hike
Cerro Volador is a quick, fun and easy hike within Medellín’s biggest metropolitan park leading to great views of the city …
4 of the Best Hikes in Medellín, Colombia
A quick roundup of my top 4 best hikes in Medellín. Discover amazing views of the City of Eternal Spring while exploring these fun trails …
Hike Guide to Cerro Quitasol in Bello, Medellín
Find out how to do the Cerro Quitasol hike in Bello, the northern-most part of Medellín. Discover how to get to the trailhead and route guidance …
A Guide to Hiking Cerro de Las Tres Cruces in Medellín
A quick guide to the fun hike up Cerro de Las Tres Cruces in Medellín. Find out how to get to the trailhead and what the hike is like …
Barichara Guane: El Camino Real Hike Guide
The hike from Barichara to Guane via El Camino Real is easy and filled with great views. Read on to learn how to do this fun adventure …
A Complete Guide to the Los Pinos Hike in Minca, Colombia
The Los Pinos hike takes you into the mountains above Minca and, from the viewpoint, you can see all the way to the Caribbean coastal city Santa Marta …
Cerro Kennedy Hike Guide, Minca, Colombia
You can’t skip the Cerro Kennedy hike near Minca, the small, backpacker-favourite town just outside of Santa Marta, and this complete guide has all the information you need …
4 of the Best Antón Valley Hikes in Panamá
There are a bunch of great trails to explore in and around this beautiful Panamanian town, but here are 4 of the best Antón Valley hikes …
Hike to Mirador La Gaita in El Valle de Anton, Panamá
Mirador La Gaita – sometimes called Cerro La Gaita – is a viewing platform atop a hill near the Anton Valley with great views of the Coclé Province countryside …
Hiking Cerro Gaital in Panamá’s El Valle de Anton
Cerro Gaital is a tough hike and you’ll need both stamina and upper body strength to reach the summit. However, the challenge is worth it for the great views of …
Hiking Cerro La Silla in El Valle de Anton, Panamá
Cerro La Silla is a beautiful and fairly easy hike at the south-eastern end of the Anton Valley (Valle de Anton) in Panamá that all visitors should do …
La India Dormida (Sleeping Indian) Hike in El Valle De Anton
One of the easiest and most accessible trails in El Valle de Anton (Anton Valley), La India Dormida hike (Sleeping Indian) is a must-do-activity during your stay …
Ancon Hill Panama City (Cerro Ancon) Hike Guide
The views of Panama City from atop Ancon Hill (Cerro Ancon) are fantastic and, in this quick guide, I share everything you need to know to do the hike …
Hacienda La Chimba Mantra Trail Hike Guide San José
A quick guide to the Mantra hiking trail at Hacienda La Chimba in San José, Costa Rica. Find out what the experience is like and if it’s worth doing …
12 Amazing Hikes in Costa Rica You Can’t Miss
A comprehensive list of the best hikes in Costa Rica with all the information you need to know for each route. With trails ranging from easy to hard, there’s an …
Metropolitan Natural Park Panama City Hike Guide
A very quick guide with all the information you need to know to get to and enjoy Metropolitan Natural Park in Panama City …
How to Visit Monte Sky Mirador Ecologico (Ecological Viewpoint) in Orosi
A quick guide on how to visit Monte Sky Mirador Ecologico (Ecological Viewpoint), a hiking reserve near Orosi in Costa Rica …
Hike to Mirador de Orosi (Orosi Viewpoint)
The Orosi Valley is a fun natural escape from the city at just 1 h 30 min from San José. For the best views of the valley, head up to …
High Mountain Cross Hike Orosi Hike Guide
The High Mountain Cross Hike is a challenging trail with great views of the Orosi Valley and its coffee-finca clad hills. Find out how to do the hike in this …
A Guide to the Drake Bay Hiking Trail in Costa Rica
The Drake Bay hiking trail is the perfect way to explore the dreamy coastline of the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica. Read on for a complete guide to the route …
Hiking in Parque Ecologico Volcan Arenal (Arenal Volcano Ecological Park)
If you want to hike near Arenal Volcano, but prefer more challenging trails than those in the national park, then head to Parque Ecologico Volcan Arenal (Arenal Volcano Ecological Park) …
A Guide to Hiking in Arenal Volcano National Park
A comprehensive guide including the key information you need to know for hiking in Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica …
A Guide to Hiking Cerro Chato Volcano in Costa Rica
Hiking Cerro Chato is tempting because your sweat and hard work are rewarded with a swim in an emerald green volcano crater lake. But a word of warning: the hike …
Mirador la Paloma Hike Guide Medellín
A quick but complete guide to hiking up to Mirador la Paloma (Dove Viewpoint) above Medellín, Colombia …
Cerro Chirripó Costa Rica Hike: Complete Guide
Find out all you need to know to organise and conquer your hike to the summit of Cerro Chirripó, the tallest mountain in Costa Rica …
Parque Eólico Santa Ana Hike Guide: Costa Rica
The views over San Jose and the surrounding countryside from Parque Eolico Santa Ana are incredible. Find out how to reach this amazing mirador (viewpoint) …
Llyn Cwm Llwch Circular Walk Guide: Brecon Beacons
A complete guide to the Llyn Cwm Llwch circular walk in the Brecon Beacons National Park …
Guide to the Best Pen y Fan Walking Routes (Brecon Beacons)
Discover several of the Pen y Fan walking routes including the one I think is the best way to climb the highest peak in the Brecon Beacons National Park (Bannau …
Llyn y Fan Fach and Llyn y Fan Fawr Circular Walk Guide
Llyn y Fan Fach and Llyn y Fan Fawr circular walk is an epic 15 km adventure serving up some of the best scenery in the Brecon Beacons National Park …
Guide to the Dragon’s Back Brecon Beacons Circular Walk
My complete guide to the Dragon’s Back Brecon Beacons walk including detailed route guidance, timings and where to park your car. Don’t miss this incredible Black Mountains hike in South …
Blaen-y-Glyn and Fan y Big Walk: Circular Route
Find out all you need to know to do the Blaen-y-Glyn and Fan y big walk in the Brecon Beacons. My guide includes the hike difficulty, timings and where to …
The Keepers Pond and Blorenge circular Walk Blaenavon
The Keepers Pond and Blorenge circular walk is an easy trail atop the Blorenge hill in South Wales that’s packed with beautiful views. Find out all you need to know …
Pen y Fan Horseshoe (Brecon Beacons) Complete Hiking Guide
The Pen y Fan horseshoe walk is the ultimate trail of the Brecon Beacons. Find out about the route, timings, terrain, difficulty and car parking for this epic hike …
How to Hike Scafell Pike from Great Langdale: Circular Route
In my opinion, the best hike up Scafell Pike is from Great Langdale. Find out the route, its difficulty and timings, safety and parking information in this guide …
A Guide to the Penpych Waterfall and Mountain Circular Hike
Find out how to get to Penpych waterfall and complete Penpych Mountain circular hike in this guide …
A Complete Guide to the Snowdon Horseshoe Circular Hike
Find out all you need to know about the challenging Snowdon horseshoe hike, including its peaks, duration and difficulty in this complete guide …
All You Need to Know About the Aber Falls Walk in Snowdonia
Read on for a guide to the Aber Falls walk including how to get here and how to avoid the crowds at this beautiful spot …
Cnicht walk guide: circular route from Croesor
In this complete guide to the circular Cnicht walk starting and finishing at Croesor, find out where to park, how difficult the route is and how long it takes …
A Guide to the Moelwyn Mawr Walk via the Snowdonia Slate Trail
This guide explains how to do a Moelwyn Mawr walk that starts from and finishes at Croesor and goes via the Snowdonia Slate Trail …
How to Hike the Sugar Loaf Hill in South Wales
Discover how to hike the Sugar Loaf in Monmouthshire, Wales — which, contrary to popular belief, is a large hill and not a mountain …
How to Do the Skirrid Fawr Walk, Wales
Find out how long it takes to climb the Skirrid and how hard it is in this guide to the Skirrid Fawr walk …
How to Do the Twmbarlwm Walk, South Wales
Read on for a guide to the Twmbarlwm walk starting from the town of Risca. Find out how long it takes and how tough the walk is …
The Best Walks in Torfaen, Wales
I’ve put together a list of the best walks in Torfaen, which also happens to be my backyard …
How to Do the Garth Hill Walk, South Wales
The Garth Hill sits just a few kilometres outside of Cardiff and a stone’s throw from Taff’s Well. It’s a quick hike with a number of routes to choose from …
Waterfall Guides
Find your next waterfall adventure here.
Essential Advice
Tips you can’t miss to make the most of your trip.
How to Afford Travel: Ultimate Guide to Funding Your Trip
Once you’re set on the idea of a world adventure, there comes the inevitable question of ‘how to afford travel?’. Find out in this ultimate guide of travel-budget stretching tips …
What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Travel?
I share what I think are the main advantages and disadvantages of travel, in particular long-term backpacking …
How to Prepare for Travel: The Ultimate Guide
Got travel plans? Then get completely set for your trip with my guide on how to prepare for travel. It’s got all the tips you need to put your plans …