Ljubljanica Kayaking: Vrhnika to the Ljubljana Marsh and the Capital’s Iconic Bridges

We did this kayaking trip down the Ljubljanica River on the 7th of March, 2024. Starting in Vrhnika, we paddled down through the largest marsh in Slovenia to the capital city Ljubljana. In Ljubljana we paddled through the center a bit before returning upstream to go home and deflate our boat. This trip is in preparation for paddling the Danube again. Contents1 Ljubljana, Slovenia: the Long Way to the Danube2 Taxi to Vrhnika + Inflating Zucchini Under Pressure3 Down the Ljubljanica to Podpeč4 Kayaking the Ljubljana Marshes + Lunch Break5 Entering Ljubljana + Ljubljana Kayak and Canoe Club6 Padding UnderContinue reading

Kayaking the Agger, Sieg, and Rhine – Zucchini’s Recertification River Trials for the Danube

We kayaked the Agger, Sieg, and a bit of the Rhine rivers on Thursday, the 29th of February, 2024. Besides having fun, this was also an important test for our inflatable kayak Zucchini, which had been in storage for over 4 years since paddling the Morava River. Will she float? If she passes her shakedown cruise on these three rapid rivers, we shall take her to Mohács to kayak the rest of the Danube River this year. Contents1 Four Years, Four Months, and Twenty-Nine Days of Slumber2 Inflating Zucchini + Testing for Leaks3 Planning the Agger Trip4 Zucchini’s Shakedown Cruise5Continue reading

Kayaking to Île aux Fous, Îlot Hollandais, and Île aux Diamant from Port Mathurin, Rodrigues

We did this paddling trip on Monday the 23rd of May, 2022. The route went from Pointe Monnier in Port Mathurin to the artificial Îlot des Hollandais, Île aux Fous, and Île aux Diamant. All these islands are located in the gigantic lagoon of Rodrigues, Mauritius. Contents1 The Idea to Paddle to Île aux Fous2 Where to Rent a Kayak in Rodrigues?3 Kayak Time!4 Paddling to Îlot des Hollandais5 Paddling to the Main Objective: Île aux Fous6 Hiking to the Beacon of Île aux Fous + Lunch7 Paddling to Île aux Diamant8 The Cave + Peak of Île aux Diamant9Continue reading

Île aux Bénitiers + Crystal Rock by Kayak! (Mauritius)

All this happened on the 10th of January, 2022. After asking around far and wide for a place that would rent us a kayak, someone came through. The caveat? The two-person kayak only had one paddle. But we made do and paddled to île aux Bénitiers and Crystal Rock. Watch the vlog to see what that’s like! Contents1 Green Village Saves the Day2 Paddling to Île aux Bénitiers3 Mystery Rock + Crystal Rock4 Crossing Île aux Bénitiers on Foot/Paddling Around the North5 Paddling Back to Green Village/La Gaulette6 Contact Info7 Good intel? Consider buying me a tamarind juice! Green VillageContinue reading

Kayaking to Pulau Tikus: a Sacred Island near George Town, Penang

We kayaked to Pulau Tikus on the 10th of July, 2020. If you want to know where and how to rent a kayak in Penang, click here. To get tips on what to bring, click here or visit my extensive kayak gear guide if you’re very, very serious. Contents1 The Idea2 Sea Currents, Wind Directions, and Weather Forecasts3 Not the day, not the day, THE DAY!4 Kayaking to Pulau Tikus5 The Shrine of Seyad Mohamed Kuddoos Oliyullah on Pulau Tikus6 Returning to Pulau Pinang and Tropicana 2187 In Short:8 Map of How we Kayaked to Pulau Tikus9 Was This Article HelpfulContinue reading

Kayaking the Ping River in Chiang Mai, Thailand

So far, Jonas and I joined the paddling meetup on the Ping River in Chiang Mai twice. Kayaking in a group usually happens once or twice a week in Chiang Mai. Click here to find the information to find the next kayaking meetup, the map of the route, and some tips on what to bring/wear. Paddling Addicts Since we finished paddling halfway down the Danube, Jonas and I have been looking for our next paddling fix. We once paddled down the Morava river in Slovakia before drying our dear boat Zucchini. But since then, we haven’t set foot in aContinue reading

Paddling the Morava River – A Day Trip from Bratislava

We finished our kayak trip down the Danube in Mohács. After that, we traveled back to Bratislava – our favorite city on the Danube – to work for one month. One day, we wanted to do a day trip with our kayak named Zucchini. We chose the tributary to the Danube named the Morava. Here’s the story of how we paddled part of the Morava River on Friday, October 4th (2019). Want to do it yourself? Here you can find the route details and the interactive map. Contents1 Plotting and Planning a Kayak Trip around Bratislava1.1 The Idea1.2 About the Morava/March River1.3 DoingContinue reading

Danube Kayak Trip Interactive Map

This is the fully-operative map of our Danube trip so far! You can use the left-side panel to summon or dismiss the information you’re looking for. I included information about the route, the distance, the obstacles in between, the places we’ve stayed at, which stretches require a permit, and which parts we (had to) skip on the Danube. Each paddle day has its own related blog post you can read. I’ll update this map the more we travel this majestic river with our inflatable canoe. Click in the upper right corner of the embedded map to open the map in GoogleContinue reading

Kayak Trip Day 49: Baja to Mohács – Farewell Paddling the Danube

The events in this story happened on Friday the 13th of September, 2019. We paddled our inflatable canoe Zucchini from Baja to Mohács on the Hungarian Danube. This was our 49th day paddling down the Danube and our final destination for 2019. In 2021 we intend to paddle from Mohács to the Black Sea. Our Stay in Baja Baja was indeed a very pleasant and stunning town. We cooked wholesome food for ourselves again, ate out, and walked around the center. We liked it so much that we’re considering going back to Baja when we continue our kayak trip.  Continue reading