Explore Cinematic Travel Stories
HindlesWorld
From Bamboo Huts to 5-Star Resorts: Affordable Adventures with Luxury Vibes
Explore HindlesWorld’s cinematic travel stories, where we share immersive films and blogs from our journeys around the world.
Travel is more than places though: it’s the feelings, the people, and the unexpected moments that stay with you. This page is where we share our most cinematic journeys. From ethical elephant encounters in Thailand to island-hopping in the Philippines, and thrilling rides around Costa Rica, we bring these adventures to life.
Sit back and discover tailor-made journeys that will transform you.
What Does Tailor-Made Exploration Mean?
Crafting Your Own Travel Adventures
What do we mean by Tailor-Made Exploration? For us, it’s about crafting your own journeys of discovery, sometimes to places you’ve never even heard of. And it’s about having the confidence to book everything yourself too.
This is the ultimate Do-It-Yourself opportunity. All the tools are out there to build your adventure: flights, guides, hotels, even transfers. You just need the guidance to pull it all together.
HindlesWorld can help you do the same by sharing how to:
DIY Travel Without the Price Tag of Luxury Agencies
One thing is for sure: you don’t need an expensive intermediary to create the ultimate holiday experience. Friends of ours recently planned a safari through one of the big-named agencies, which cost a mouth-watering amount of money.
With just a little more resourcefulness, they could have enjoyed a longer or more cost-effective adventure by booking directly, while still benefiting from expert local guides in the National Parks.
Building Confidence to Book Flights, Hotels & Guides Yourself
At HindlesWorld, exploration is not about ticking off destinations; it’s about forging meaningful connections with the world and its people. Our mission is simple: to help you craft experiences that resonate with your personality and aspirations so the travels you make become more than fleeting memories.
What Tailor-Made Journey are you after?
No matter what your budget is, sometimes you just need to get away to find something that brings you joy. It might be a simple cottage on a coastal path, where you can walk and feel the salt on your skin.
For me, I love the stillness of the morning; the calm when birds are telling their stories and you can reflect on all the good things in life. It could be simple things, like that change in the seasons when you see cobwebs wet with the morning dew. Or, those long summer evenings as you enjoy “Golden Hour”. The moments are even better when where you are in a place where you can enjoy being outside without the evening chill.
We live in England and there’s nothing worse than having to wear multiple layers of clothing to just enjoy a BBQ outside with friends. Bring on the heat of the Mediterranean or Asia!
Below are some ideas of places we still want to explore and some we have already enjoyed.
Let us know in the comments below What Journey are you on and what brings you joy?
Safaris with DIY Logistics + Local Guides
Safari Logistics You Can Plan Yourself
You don’t have to compromise on experiences to save money. By booking logistics yourself while still using expert guides on the ground, you get the best of both worlds:
- Professional expertise where it matters most
- Cost savings from booking logistics and accommodation yourself (sometimes more if you book directly with the hotel too!)
- Flexibility to extend or adapt your adventure
- The thrill of planning it yourself
Save Money While Supporting Local Expertise
We are planning two big adventures in the next 18 months:
- African Safari – Kenya / Tanzania / South Africa / Botswana / Namibia
- Sri Lanka – From beaches to the tea plantations, safari and culture
For both these adventures we will book all the flights, hotels, car hire and plan the route ourselves. There are certain things though where you HAVE to have a guide to be able to make the most of the adventure. All National Parks can be booked locally (be sure to do so in advance) and you’ll end up paying a fraction of what you would be charged had you done so through a big-brand agent.
Hiking & Cruising Adventures
Leveraging Local Knowledge
One adventure sticks out where we made the most of leveraging local knowledge and bundling this into a package of tours. This type of tour comes in handy when you want to explore by foot and don’t know the trails or don’t speak the local lingo.
One year, we toured the length of Vietnam, from Phu Quoc island in the extreme south all the way to the border with China in the north, near Sa Pa. We managed the logistics of travelling and stayed in Hoi An, Hué, Hanoi and Phu Quoc, but it turned out to be better value taking a 3-day, 2-night tour of Halong Bay and combining this with hiking around Sa Pa with a local company. It turned out our guide had climbed the 3,147m high Fansipan Mountain multiple times, so was a huge asset for our gentle hikes around the local villages.
Cultural Immersion
Exploration isn’t only about landscapes: it’s about people. During a journey in northern Vietnam, we bought Chinese writing pens to give to the children at a rural school. Many are tempted to leave education to sell trinkets, but this small contribution we hoped encouraged them to stay in class.
Authentic exploration is about giving back as much as discovering.
Featured Story: Big Dream Boatman: Our Favourite Exploration Adventure
The Ultimate Boat Trip: Coron to El Nido, Palawan, Philippines
This wasn’t just transportation, it was transformation. Joining 20 strangers on a 4-day, 3-night island-hopping journey through the Philippines’ most stunning seascapes became our defining exploration moment.
This was THE WAY of Exploring the Hidden Beaches of the Philippines
Why It Stands Out
- Authentic connections with fellow travellers
- Local crew sharing knowledge and stories
- Hidden islands and snorkelling spots beyond the reach of the day-tours from El Nido or Coron
- Sleeping under the stars in true simplicity
This journey reminded us why we explore: it’s more than places: it’s meaning, connection, and discovery.
Closing Thoughts
“Exploration isn’t about collecting stamps in a passport. It’s about the moments that change you, the connections that stay with you, and the stories that shape how you see the world.”
Why Not Join Us?
“Exploration isn’t about collecting stamps in a passport. It’s about the moments that change you, the connections that stay with you, and the stories that shape how you see the world.”
Travel
Explore
Discover
Where will you go next?
Keep exploring HindlesWorld through our 3 pillars — plan smarter, travel deeper, and discover true value.
🎥 Cinematic Storytelling
Immersive films and stories from our journeys around the world.
🧭 Holiday Cost of Enjoyment Index
Compare trips by joy, comfort, and value with our unique scoring tool.