The Niyo community gathered last Saturday (8th November 2025) at Third Wave Coffee, Santacruz, Mumbai 
, for a morning of shared travel stories, laughter, and inspiration 
. The room buzzed with energy, uniting seasoned and new travelers who spent the morning connecting, exchanging budget travel tips 
, and swapping incredible tales over coffee.
The Main Session with Host Priyank Mahajan 
The main session was led by host, @Priyank_Mahajan , a passionate traveler who has visited 40+ countries 
and has extensive global experience.
Priyank guided the discussion across continents, touching on travel planning, budgeting tips, offbeat destinations, and visa insights. His experiences from countries like Japan sparked curiosity and plenty of follow-up questions, with everyone adding their own stories and thoughts to the mix.
Here are the key takeaways from the meetup:
-
Schengen Visa Approval: For subsequent trips, apply for the Schengen visa from the same embassy you used previously. This can help increase the chance of approval.
-
Flight Search: Use platforms like Skyscanner
to find the cheapest flights and Hopper for price drop alerts. Always check Skytrax for airline ratings and performance before booking. -
Booking Trick (VPN): Always use incognito mode or a VPN (e.g., set to Vietnam or Indonesia) to score the best ticket prices.
-
Authentic Experience: Rather than relying solely on Instagram trends, talk to a local guide to make the best out of the spot and find hidden gems.
-
Free Trip: Use Couchsurfing to stay with locals for free. This allows you to experience the place authentically, trading services and connection for accommodation.
A Note from Niyo 
During the meetup, we also introduced Niyo’s new secured credit card. The community was excited to learn how it could help manage finances better while unlocking more travel benefits 
, especially when applying all those budget travel tips!
Wrapping Up 
As the event came to a close, people exchanged contacts, shared goodbyes, and promised to meet again. It was heart-warming to see how they walked in as strangers and walked out as travel buddies. 
A big thank-you to host Priyank Mahajan for making the session insightful and engaging, and to every participant who joined in and made this event a memorable one. 
Join the Niyo Community 
Love to travel? So do we!
Join the Niyo Community to meet fellow explorers, share stories, and be part of our upcoming meetups across different cities. 
Because at Niyo, we believe every great journey starts with a shared story and maybe, a good cup of coffee.
