If you ever want to visit a place where geology, history, and human stubbornness have conspired to produce something improbably charming, go to Kalk Bay. Wedged—almost accidentally—between a mountain that scowls like a Victorian schoolmaster and a sea that shrugs with ancient indifference, it is a village that smells exactly as a fishing village should: salt spray, drying kelp, and—delightfully—fresh cinnamon bread. It’s the sort of place you wander into, fall hopelessly in love with, …
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Situated in Norway, 217 miles above the Arctic Circle, the charming city of Tromso is the gateway to a captivating land of mountains, fjords, and legends. Whether you visit to observe the breathtaking phenomenon of the northern lights, spot magnificent killer whales in the fjords or hang out with huskies, Tromso immediately captures the heart.
I visited during the polar night – the period of time between late November and mid-January when the sun doesn’t …
Unless you’re at the beach, going anywhere on St. Vincent becomes an adventure in traveling up and down. This is a volcanic island with extensive hilly terrain, even near its shoreline, but it also offers a contrasting impression of green interiors, black beaches, bright pastel-colored buildings, busy town waterfronts, and dramatic rocky crags on islets just offshore. It takes a little more effort to get to St. Vincent than more accessible islands like Barbados, Jamaica, …
The Dolomites are no doubt one of Europe’s most dramatic mountain landscapes. Beyond their UNESCO-recognized geological splendor, however, lies an equally fascinating cultural story—one in which Austrian Gemütlichkeit (snugness) meets Italian dolce vita, and an ancient Romance language you may never have known about persists in five high valleys.
The Dolomites sprawl across five provinces—Bolzano, Trento, Belluno, Udine, and Pordenone—covering approximately 350,000 acres of vertical walls, narrow valleys, and jagged peaks that reach above …
While everyone else is fighting crowds at Europe’s usual hotspots, a select group of villages worldwide is quietly showing what travel should really be about: authentic experiences, stunning landscapes, and communities that actually want you there.
The United Nations’ list of Best Tourism Villages reads like a dream itinerary for travelers tired of Instagram’s greatest hits. These 52 destinations across 29 countries aren’t trying to be the next Santorini or Tuscany. They’re something better—places where …
How would you “measure” a city many believe to be the world’s smallest? Population? Surface area? While the metrics for the distinction are open to debate, the fact is that sitting quietly in the hills of Croatia’s Istrian Peninsula is the village of Hum, widely regarded as the smallest town in the world. With a population that rarely exceeds two dozen residents, Hum is less a bustling destination and more a living artifact that rewards …
In a country packed with Alpine delights, four languages, and the world’s topmost producers of watches, sights are of an epic scale, but distances between them are short. Thus, against a backdrop of immense forested mountains, lush meadows, azure lakes, and cobalt-blue skies, I travelled across just a small part of the immaculate alpine passes and ravines and saw Switzerland as it’s meant to be seen – from the road driving a Porsche 911 Carrera …
This year, South African Tourism is celebrating 100 years since the establishment of Kruger National Park. Kruger is one of the world’s great treasures, helping to preserve and protect some of Africa’s incomparable wildlife. Kruger makes the wildlife experience accessible to all.
I tend to agree with Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan’s assertion in their film and book on the National Parks that they were “America’s Best Idea”. One of the best, anyway.…
Exciting news – I’ve found a country I like so much that I’m planning to return time and time again.
After a wonderful week in Panama, I’m already itching to go back for more exploring. It’s got exactly what I’m looking for in a holiday, all in such a compact place that you can do everything almost instantly. If you want a beach, there are some tiny Caribbean islands with turquoise water and only a …
Route 66 embodies the American Dream. From Chicago to Los Angeles, from wide-open plains to scorching deserts and pine forests, this iconic road is integral to the history of the USA. Established in 1926, Route 66 played an essential part in the westward migration of the 1930s. A couple of decades later, the road became famous for its mom n’ pop diners, neon signs, and quirky roadside attractions.
In 1995, the road was decommissioned and …
While visions of Australia often contain pictures of the Great Barrier Reef or the Sydney Opera House, South Australia is often overlooked. This area may be the best find of all, offering an abundance of activities in and out of the water.
Rich History
It was in 1836 that the first British settlement was established in Kingscote, Kangaroo Island, and Adelaide would be founded a few months later, but evidence of mining and rock art …
I travel frequently, and always prepare for my various jaunts doing fact-finding, participating in forums, asking friends, and even reading literature from my destination country. I’m prepared, but not too prepared, ever open to the spur-of-the-moment experiences traveling promises. For my month-long voyage to Southern India I spent an excessive amount of time planning. Hours, days, and months were spent investigating the merits of the SteriPEN® and concocting a route south from Mumbai. I weighed …
Perched in the misty hills some 3,800 feet above sea level in central Panama, the small town of Boquete (Spanish for ‘the gap’) has attracted countless visitors interested in the flora and fauna of the cloud forest since its founding some 100 years ago.
Boquete’s elevation gives it a dramatically different climate and feel from the lowlands and tropical coasts that are usually associated with Panama, yet some of these areas are just 40 miles …
When it comes to bucket lists, travel writers are luckier than most; we get the chance to cross off many items. Machu Picchu has been on my bucket list since before the term “bucket list” even came into common usage. In fact, it’s been on my list since I was a young boy, and I’m thrilled by the adventures of explorers such as archaeologist Hiram Bingham, who discovered the Lost City of the Incas on …