Travel is full of enthralling encounters, of moments that stick with you forever — a glimpse of a wild gorilla, an African sunrise, your first sight of the pyramids.
But those moving moments wouldn’t seem so spectacular if they weren’t peppered with less exciting experiences. For every lion kill there’s a lame museum; for every gargantuan sculpture there is a giant ball of yarn. Here are eight utterly underwhelming tourist attractions, places that have you …
Shanghai. It sounds so exotic and glamorous. And let’s be frank, when you put those two adjectives together, you are often talking about expensive, as well. But the fact is that China has traditionally been and remains a budget traveler’s dream, as the Chinese RMB rises in value but the local way of life is cheap, cheap, cheap.
As in any place, budget travel in Shanghai is all about making the right choices. Hostel over …
Sand…sun…sea; the checklist to the perfect summer break. The trouble with settling on which beach to choose is that usually everyone else has discovered it as well. If you prefer your slice of sandy heaven to come without being sandwiched in by the sun lounger crowds, plan a beach break with a difference in one of the forgotten corners of coastline below.
Ninety Mile Beach – New Zealand
It may be famous in New Zealand …
Dear Travel IQ: I’ve decided I would like to live abroad for a year. I’m not flush with cash, just nerve. What are my pennyless options?
Signed: Expat to be in Charleston, SC
We’ve all felt it: that longing sadness that sinks to the bottom of your stomach as you realize your dream vacation is coming to an end. Just as you thought you were getting a feel for the place, …
Holidays have become all about the destination, not the journey. We cram ourselves into an airplane, jet off for a couple of weeks in a different culture, and often return more exhausted than when we went away. Maybe that’s because we’re forgetting that life is a journey, not a destination.
Yet in today’s fast-paced, instant-access world, there are still amazing journeys to be had if you take a trip on a freighter ship. Deep within …
It’s always the weird sights that grab my attention on holiday.
While other tourists are admiring a gaudy temple in Ho Chi Mihn City, I’m fascinated by a frog.
He’s supposed to be compliantly waiting for death in a metal bowl in a pavement market. But this is Adventure Frog. He suddenly springs clean out of the bowl and starts hopping for freedom down the street. The stallholder leaps up and gives chase, plonking him …
Lunch with Jaws: Diving with Sharks, South Africa
There’s nothing quite like a dinner invite when you feel like part of the meal rather than a fellow guest. As fascinating as it is terrifying, you’ll get about as near to the teeth of a Great White as possible as you’re lowered underwater in a metal cage that suddenly seems incredibly flimsy now that you and the ocean’s greatest predator are eye-to-eye.
How-to: Gansbaai (a 2.5 …
A plain old soak in the tub is now officially passé. Here are just five of the many weird and wonderful places around the world which put more zing in your bath time.
Hamam scrub-down: Istanbul, Turkey
You haven’t been to Turkey until you’ve experienced the hamam (or Turkish bath) and where better to partake in a traditional scrub and soak than in the sultan’s ex-playground of Istanbul. An experience not for the modest, a …
Is normal travel becoming a yawn? Well why not try a new era as well as a new place. Head to the Roman ruin of Jerash to experience gladiators battling it out or joust-it-up with the knights of Kaltenberg Castle; from local festivals to historic re-enactments, the world is full of wacky ways you can journey back in time, not just across oceans.
Up Helly Aa Festival, Shetland Islands, UK
Pillaged, plundered and then settled …
When it comes to tropical paradises, few places beat Thailand. According to April Cole, a director at Journeys Within, a tour company specializing in Southeast Asia,‘the key with planning honeymoons is that you’re providing people with an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime trip -because that’s what a honeymoon is. A trip the couple will look back on forever. And that’s exactly what Thailand provides.”
If you need more reasons to head to Thailand, here are four additional ones:…
WINDAMERE HOTEL
The elegant Windamere Hotel, surrounded by tea and cardamom estates, is a gracious Colonial gem with grand views of the Himalayas.
Here old rituals of politeness and respect hold sway, where turbaned staff serve afternoon tea in cosy inviting corners in the library or front parlour where books and newspapers are strewn around. The deep Victorian sofas, immense gilded paintings and framed photographs of stiffly posing people is somewhat reminiscent of an elderly …
Quietude is a term unbefitting of Hong Kong, one of Asia’s largest and noisiest cities. But amidst the incessant cacophony of human activity that fuels this bustling metropolis of seven million souls exists a rare oasis of peace and serenity quite at odds with its locale. Nestled among the bamboo and fish ponds of Lantau island, the aptly-named Trappist Haven monastery provides pure sanctuary from the decibel-defying roar of the densely populated city.
The largest …
The thought of India evokes many images to travelers, but none more iconic than the majestic Taj Mahal. Although this wonder of the world is a relevant and magnificent site on the tourism circuit, consider adding a dash of adventure to your Indian experience. India’s diverse landscape and climate make it an exciting destination for adventure activities, including trekking, rafting, scuba diving, camel expeditions, and skiing. Additionally, India remains one of the most affordable destinations …
Long before I became a travel agent, I was always seen by my friends and family as a culinary enthusiast. I see food as an essential cultural element, alongside art, literature, music, holidays, and customs. Culinary travel has now become an area of specialization for my agency that I am very passionate about.
With so many travelers interested in visiting China and other popular destinations in Asia, I thought I would share a little about …
