The Restless Beans is a curated travel and photography blog, written by Claire + Nick – two distinctly average (but restless) humans from the United Kingdom.
This site is about independent adventures, accompanied by aesthetic photography, detailed guides, and (highly questionable) anecdotes.
You’ll also spot some (intermittently thoughtful) ramblings of two introverted people travelling long term, who occasionally have extraordinary moments, love taking pictures, and care about their impact on the planet.
So, if you’re someone who daydreams of noteworthy journeys and humbling encounters; ones that take up far more space in your mind afterwards than they did in the moment, we hope you can find some inspiration here.
Pop over to our about page if you want to know more, or contact us directly, we’d genuinely love to talk travel with you!
recently on the blog
coffee break material
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Photographing the Djerbahood Street Art Project – A Decade On
It’s been nearly a decade since Erriadh, Tunisia, was inundated with contemporary street artists to create Djerbahood. We checked the village out to see how it was doing in 2023 – have a peek at… Read More >
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Al-Qatt Al-Asiri Art – Celebrating the Folklore and Heritage of Saudi Women
In southern Saudi Arabia, near the border with Yemen, is a unique artform designed and implemented entirely by women, called Al-Qatt Al-Asiri. The bold, bright, geometric patterns caught my eye immediately on arrival in ‘Asir.… Read More >
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Journey to Jaylah – Oman’s Most Remote Beehive Tombs
The Jaylah Beehive Tombs are a remote archaeological site in the eastern mountains of Oman. Here, we discuss why you should visit, how to get there and what myths and legend surround them. Read More >
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Cat Cat Village – a Cultural Catastrophe in Sapa, Vietnam
Cat Cat Village, Sapa, Vietnam – an authentic ethnic tribal experience in the mountains of Vietnam. Or is it? Read on to find out why we definitely, definitely do not recommend visiting. Read More >
EXPLORE THE MIDDLE EAST’S MOST UNDERRATED COUNTRY
Welcome to our favourite country in the world, Oman.
This unassuming outdoor wonderland, traditional yet modern, packs a punch you can only really process after you leave.
Trek through soaring wadis; drive unfathomable offroad tracks; be enchanted by the cities and charmed by the villages.
The Sultanate of Oman is everything you could imagine the Middle East to be, and more.
We hope you love it as much as we do.
Find out more →
road trip inspiration
love photography?
interested in the big issues?
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Visiting the Battambang Bat Caves: Everything They Don’t Tell You
In Battambang, Cambodia, is a giant limestone karst hill which is home to millions of bats, who all live in a large cave there. Every night, a ribbon of these whoosh out at dusk, en-masse, to pick up a mosquito-based breakfast. To our dismay, this experience was one of the…
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Travel Burnout – What it is and How to Fix It
Have you ever just felt a bit ‘off’ while travelling? This is often called ‘travel burnout’ and is a surprisingly common problem. Here, we talk about why it happens, what to do about it and our experiences.
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The Woes of the Koh Chang Elephants
Koh Chang is a little paradise island off in the Gulf of Thailand. If you are considering a visit to this little slice of apparent perfection, have a read about the Koh Chang elephants before you decide to visit any of the camps. It’s far from perfect.
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Is Dual Pricing for Tourists Fair?
The act of charging a foreign tourist more than a resident for access to an attraction is a common phenomenon. Is this reasonable? Check out our post for the lowdown – see if you agree!