Where to travel in November?

The island of Santiago is one of the 10 principal islands of the Cape Verde archipelago, located about 500 km from the coasts of Senegal and Mauritania. Praia is the capital of Cape Verde, and the main city of Santiago island. The island enjoys a tropical climate with rains concentrated in the months of August and September and are almost always characterized by short showers. So the weather is generally good to visit Cape Verde, but the sunshine is more pronounced between November and June.

The island of Santiago is not the most touristic one in Cape Verde. Nevertheless, there are some beautiful beaches with fine sand, colorful boats and crystal clear sea, like in Tarrafal for example. For hiking and beautiful walks, Pico de Antonia is the highest point of the island at 1392 meters above sea level, it is part of the protected area of ​​the Serra do Pico de Antónia natural park. Finally from a historical point of view, the main points of interest on the island are the 16th century Real de São Filipe fort, the town of Cidade Velha and the ruins of its cathedral, as well as the Plateau, which is the historic center of the city of Praia.

Founded by the Portuguese in the 18th century, Montevideo is the political capital of Uruguay, as well as the economic and cultural center of the country. To learn more about the history of Montevideo and go back in time, it is essential to visit the “Ciudad Vieja”. The Old Town, characterized by its craft shops and its old lampposts dating from the last century, contains the most beautiful palaces and museums in Montevideo. Here you will find the Salvo Palace, the Taranco Palace, the Torres Garcia Museum, and the Gurvich Museum. Also located in the Old Town, the Sole theater is considered as one of the most beautiful in the world. I advise you to eat at the very typical harbor market where you can taste delicious parrilladas and other recipes based on seafood.

The Independence Square is the main square of Montevideo, which represents the border between the old and the new City. For a panoramic view of the city, I advise you to go up to the 22nd floor of the city’s municipal palace, there is a superb view and it’s free! You can also do the very interesting guided tour of the Legislative Palace of Uruguay. Other attractions not to be missed include the large letters of MONTEVIDEO located near the pocitos beach. Finally stroll on the Rambla, the magnificent coastal road of Montevideo, 22 km long, which is one of the favorite places of locals for running, walking and sport in general.

Macau is one of the two autonomous regions of China, along with Hong Kong. It is bounded to the north by the city of Zhuhai, and to the east and south by the mouth of the Pearl River. Macau is the only part of China where gambling is legal. It therefore has many casinos and hotels, the most famous ones are the Venetian, which, as you can imagine, is inspired by … Venice! The Parisian, another huge luxury hotel and casino inspired by … Paris! There is also the historic casino of Macau: the Grand Lisboa, which is one of the most emblematic buildings of this dynamic city. The city’s highest point is at the top of the impressive Macau Tower, which is almost 340 meters high.

Beyond the casinos, the historic center of Macau, declared World Heritage by UNESCO, is definitely worth a visit too. It is a collection of around twenty places that testify to the conviviality and the fusion between Chinese and Western cultures. Indeed Macau is a former Portuguese colony and there are many Portuguese touches in its historic center. Thus, the magnificent Senate Square with its floor paved with black and white mosaics in the shape of waves is very reminiscent of those of Lisbon. There, you can also cool off at the fountain and admire the colonial architecture of the pastel-colored buildings. Finally, don’t miss the Ruins of St Paul, a superb facade of what was once the Church of Mater Dei (Church of the Mother of God).

Limassol, located on the south coast of Cyprus island, is the second largest city of the country. With its typically Mediterranean climate, Limassol enjoys a very long summer which runs from the end of May to October. One of the essential places in the city to visit is the medieval castle, very close to the old port. It was built in the Byzantine era, around the year 1000. Among the most important museums of Limassol, we can cite the archaeological museum which presents a remarkable collection made up of many antiquities, from the Neolithic to the Roman period. The Museum of Popular Art, located not far from the center of the city, is also very interesting. The seaside of Limassol is really to discover in all its length. It’s the ideal place to jog or relax near the beach.

Not far from Limassol, the archaeological site of Kourion, one of the main kingdom-cities of Cyprus in antiquity, is a must-see if you are a lover of remains. The site is particularly famous for its Greco-Roman theater which is today used for concerts or other artistic performances.

Ayutthaya is one of the main cities in Thailand, located 80 km north of Bangkok. It is a very old city founded in 1350, very rich in history, and with many Buddhist temples, statues and ruins dating back to the time of the Kingdom of Siam. Today, these ruins constitute the historic park of Ayutthaya, around which the modern city developed.

The historic park is certainly the first thing to visit in Ayutthaya, it has been part of the UNESCO heritage since 1991. It is a magnificent archaeological complex which contains the ruins of buildings which belonged to the Kingdom of Siam, including the temples of Wat Phra Sri Sanphet, the oldest of all, the magnificent Wat Ratchaburana or even Wat Mahathat with his famous Buddha head encrusted in the bark of a tree.

The Royal Palace is located on the Chao Phraya River, outside the center of Ayutthaya. It is a group of buildings belonging to the Siamese leaders, who used it as a summer residence.

Mumbai (formerly called Bombay) is the commercial capital of India. It is in this town that the 7th Indian art developed: Bollywood. The visit to the famous Bollywood Studio is therefore a must in addition to the theme show that takes place there every weekend. Other places to discover are the gate of India, the magnificent Chhatrapati Shivaji station, without forgetting the beach of Chowpatty and the walk on Marine Drive.

I advise you to meet the people living in the Dharavi slum, the 2nd largest in Asia with nearly a million inhabitants. The visits are made with associations that help the local populations and taking pictures is forbidden there. Nevertheless, you can buy a photobook called “Inside Dharavi” whose profit are used to “create change in underprivileged communities”. I always keep this book in my room at home to remind me how lucky I have been to grow up in France.