How to skip the longest lines in Paris

203 Challenges — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 01:01:12 +0000

We challenge you: Use your time in Paris to have fun instead of waiting in lines

Paris has so much to offer when it comes to museums, and you’ll probably have just a few days in the city, like the millions of tourists who visit it every year. The lines are huge but your time is limited. So be smart and informed. Here is how you can beat the crowds and have more time for fun in the City if Light…

How to skip the line at the Louvre

As the most visited museum in the world, you can’t expect to have the Louvre all to yourself. Few people know that on Wednesdays and Fridays the museum is open late (9:45 pm) and if you are at the entrance at 6 pm, you usually don’t have to wait at all. For all the other days (except Tuesday, when it’s closed) you can buy tickets online here and skip the line.

How to skip the line at the Orsay Museum (Musée d’Orsay)

If you want to beat the crowds here, you can buy your tickets in advance from the museum website here (you don’t need to print the ticket, simply save the ticket on your smartphone). Then go directly to entrance C. Another option is to come on Thursday when the museum is open until 9 pm – if you are here at 6 pm, not only will it be almost empty but the ticket will also be cheaper.

How to skip the line at the Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral

This cathedral has free entrance, so the crowds are even bigger. The secret is to come earlier, while the big tourist groups are still eating their breakfast at the hotel. If you are an early bird, come between 8 and 9 and you can have a pleasant visit. Have in mind that there are two lines – one for the inside of the cathedral and another one for climbing the towers.

Bonus information: There are free guided tours of the cathedral in 8 different languages. You can check the schedule here.

How to skip the line at the Versailles Palace

The best option here is to buy a ticket in advance from the website of the palace here. Then you proceed directly to the entrance, skipping the ticket office.

Bonus information: You can visit the gardens of the palace for free at all times. You can visit the palace for free every first Sunday of the month from November to April.

How to skip the line at the Paris Catacombs

The Paris Catacombs are a fascinating and creepy destination at the same time. Also, it is the destination with the longest waiting time. You should spare at least two hours for the line outside. The catacombs are not so big and the maximum number of people that can be inside at the same time is 200. Basically, when one person goes out, one enters. Unfortunately, you can’t buy tickets in advance here – the only way to save a little time is to come 30 minutes before opening time. You will wait about 30 minutes, but this far less than 2 hours.

How to skip the line at the Eiffel Tower

We have the impression that the lines at the Eiffel Tower are getting longer every year. To skip them buy a ticket online, each ticket has a reserved date and hour when you need to arrive and just enter, leaving hundreds of waiting people behind you. The ticket can be bought here and can be saved on your smartphone.

The post How to skip the longest lines in Paris appeared first on 203Challenges.

Angkor Wat: How to avoid the crowds and skip the lines

Maria Angelova — Fri, 15 Jan 2021 04:23:55 +0000

Sunrise at Angkor Wat has turned into one of the world’s most iconic, exotic travel images. As such, you shouldn’t be surprised to learn that on the day you have chosen to visit the Cambodian temple complex, you may be sharing the view with as many as 6,000 other people. This makes the ambiance quite tense at times, especially when you add the dust, the heat, and the competition for the best photo spots.

That said, there are still a few ways to enjoy the Angkor Temples without every other man and his dog. Here are a few hacks and tricks to help you beat the crowds and skip the lines.

Buy your tickets the day before

If you arrive in Siem Reap in the afternoon, buy your tickets valid from the next day. Make sure you know the correct location of the office – it was changed in 2016 and is now quite far from the Angkor Complex itself. The office is open from 5 am to 5:30 pm, but the lines in the morning are chaotic from as early as 4:30, as all the last-minute tourists try to make it in time for sunrise. Tickets can be valid for one, three or seven days, so plan your sunrise and sunset tours carefully.

Sunrise at Angkor Wat, Siem Reap | © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Don’t see too many temples in one day

On the first day, you are incredibly excited to see as much as possible, but then the sightseeing fatigue sets in and just a few hours later you realize you don’t want to see another temple for the rest of your life. This is a common mistake many visitors make. To avoid it, get a three-day or seven-day ticket and explore the Angkor Archaeological Park in small portions. Thus, if you’d planned to see Angkor Thom today but then realize that it’s full of people, you can leave it for tomorrow and move on to your next destination. It’s a good idea to mark the temples you’ve already visited in some way (on your map or your app) because, at some point, it’s impossible to keep track.

Religious blessing at Angkor Wat | © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Waking up early won’t help

Everyone arrives before sunrise at Angkor, and while this would usually be a wise tip, waking up early is of no help here. The best times to explore the archaeological site are early morning and late afternoon, because the heat is unbearable at noon.

Enter from the East Gate istead of the main West Gate

Assuming you have already seen the sunrise at Angkor Wat, begin the rest of your days by entering from the small East Gate instead of the main West Gate. This will give you the chance to enjoy the temples on this side of the archaeological park without being surrounded by hordes of tourists. No selfie sticks, no elbow-pushing, no vendors.

Go counter-intuitive

The three main attractions at Angkor are Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom (featuring the huge Bayon Temple), and Ta Prohm (the filming location from Tomb Raider). This is where the biggest crowds concentrate. If someone has just one day at Angkor, they will visit these three locations. The logical order of visiting these areas is: 1. Angkor Wat 2. Angkor Thom and 3. Ta Prohm. You can outsmart the crowds and avoid big groups by acting counter-intuitively and starting from the bottom of the list. For example Ta Keo – between Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm – is a ghost temple in the early morning.

Accept that some crowds are inevitable

Everyone wants to see the sunrise at Angkor Wat, but the sight of the hundreds of visitors competing for the best photo spot in the mud by the bank of the pond in front of the temple may be heartbreaking. Accept it. Just like you, everyone wants to experience something they have seen in all those amazing photos. Be patient and tolerant. The same goes for the sunset at Phnom Bakheng and for climbing the Central Angkor Wat Tower, where only 100 people a day are granted access.

3 simple ways to make friends with Cambodians

Where to see Rafflesia in Thailand – the biggest flower in the world

Pin these tips for later:

The post Angkor Wat: How to avoid the crowds and skip the lines appeared first on 203Challenges.

skip the lines Archives - 203Challenges