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For decades, Siquijor has remained largely untouched by outside influence, thanks, in no small part, to its persistently...
18/01/2022

For decades, Siquijor has remained largely untouched by outside influence, thanks, in no small part, to its persistently spooky reputation. Whispered about as ‘The Island of Witches’ (witches being a firmly European concept thrust upon locals when the Spaniards settled in the 16th century), Siquijor is known for its ‘wise people’ and healers who source materials from the land to create their mysterious concoctions.

But a slow glug of curious travellers are making their way to this petite island, coaxed in by its pristine rivers, waterfalls, lagoons and thick jungle bloated with fruit bats. The island can be easily circumnavigated by bicycle, and you’ll find plenty of snorkel spots at which to cool down among the corals. There’s little by way of hotel development, but the options that do exist – most notably Coco Grove Beach Resort and some sound glamping and treehouse operations – are unfussy and comfortable. As a result, the island is rarely busy, although you might bump into a few blow-ins at Cambugahay Falls, taking long-exposure shots of the rapids.

Intriguingly, Siquijor’s mystic traditions are still very much alive and well. A Folk Healing Festival is held once a year during Holy Week, celebrating the island’s heady blend of Christianity, shamanism and other ancient practices. Healers, known locally as mananambal, gather at the sacred foot of Mount Bandilaan to proffer potions and tinctures made with ingredients gathered from Siquijor’s mountains, forests and seas. It’s a beguiling experience and reason enough to make the trip to this small but mighty island.

Although replete with the kind of fecund scenery that inspires poets, painters and natural history filmmakers, central T...
18/01/2022

Although replete with the kind of fecund scenery that inspires poets, painters and natural history filmmakers, central Tanzania is often overlooked by tourists, who flock instead to the country’s much-touted Big Five safari hotspots. But as the way we travel is evolving – encouraging us to pause for breath in those ‘in betweeny’ spots – this previously underrated area is finally getting its time in the sun.

There are high hopes, in particular, for a change in the way that we safari. Instead of simply pinging around in small planes between various elephant-pummelled airstrips, there’s hope that we might choose to take more considered overground journeys between camps, bringing focus and much-needed tourism to these oft-deserted areas.

In Tanzania’s Uluguru Nature Forest reserve – where the climate is so humid and land so isolated it has resulted in an eruption of diverse and endemic species – money has been funnelled into boosting tourism as well as ensuring sustainable farming practices. Local authorities have been working alongside traditional beekeepers to promote safer methods of harvesting, while wildfires have been drastically reduced and visitor numbers are on the up due to much-needed improvements to the roads.

In the south-central Udzungwa Mountains National Park, you’ll find the second-largest biodiversity of any national park in Africa (earning it the tantalising nickname ‘the African Galapagos’). The mountain range here is the most extensive in Tanzania, formed at least 100 million years ago by ancient crystalline rocks that were gradually uplifted through fault lines. ‘Old man’ colobus monkeys and Sanje crested mangabeys swing on stringy limbs through the trees, and the park sustains over 400 bird species, including four that appear nowhere else on the planet, making this overlooked prospect a true nature-lover’s utopia.

Sure, the thrill of visiting Ireland has never really waned, but 2022 is a landmark year for the Emerald Isle, marking 1...
18/01/2022

Sure, the thrill of visiting Ireland has never really waned, but 2022 is a landmark year for the Emerald Isle, marking 100 years since the Irish Free State Constitution Act was passed. Sweeping in with the poignant anniversary will be a raft of enticing new experiences and openings.

Country Tipperary has long held an appeal for history buffs due to the atmospheric Rock of Cashel landmark – the most spectacular cluster of medieval buildings in Ireland – but it has rarely been more than a half-day bullet point as part of a longer itinerary. But 2022 should see guests pump the breaks, as there is much more to enjoy in this cosy, characterful county, from local artisans and family-run woollen mills, to craft distilleries and ancient cave formations.

In spring, Relais & Chateaux will open its newest property in Cashel. An artful renovation of a grand 18th-century house once home to Ireland’s archbishops, Cashel Palace will offer 42 smart rooms and suites, a promising spa and a restaurant focusing on hyper-local, seasonal dishes. A cornucopia of goodies can also be gobbled up on Tipperary Food Tours, which take in honey farms – showcasing the importance of protecting the tiny but impactful Irish black bee – and trad cheesemakers where you can indulge in an unfathomably creamy wedge of Cashel Blue. Walk it all off along the blustery shoreline of Lough Derg, where you’ll be joined by kayakers, paddleboarders and cyclists whizzing alongside acres of cheerful wildflower meadows.

Simply the world’s greatest building, Shah Jahan’s monument to love does not disappoint. Volumes have been written on it...
10/01/2022

Simply the world’s greatest building, Shah Jahan’s monument to love does not disappoint. Volumes have been written on its perfection, and its image adorns countless glossy brochures and guidebooks; nonetheless, the reality never fails to overwhelm all who see it, and few words can do it justice. A workforce of some twenty thousand men from all over Asia completed the Taj Mahal in 1653 after twenty years of toil, and it is undoubtedly the zenith of Mughal architecture in India.

The breathtaking beauty and majesty of the Gorges du Verdon – also known as the Grand Canyon du Verdon – almost matches ...
10/01/2022

The breathtaking beauty and majesty of the Gorges du Verdon – also known as the Grand Canyon du Verdon – almost matches that of its American cousin, albeit on a much smaller scale. Peppered with spectacular viewpoints, plunging crevices up to 700m deep, and glorious azure-blue lakes, this area of Provence in France is absolutely irresistible. The river falls from Rougon at the top of the gorge, disappearing into tunnels, decelerating for shallow, languid moments and finally exiting in full, steady flow at the Pont du Galetas at the western end of the canyon. Alongside is the huge artificial Lac de Sainte-Croix, which is great for swimming when the water levels are high.

An enigmatic and utterly beguiling country, Ethiopia has endless intrigue. From its unique, highly sociable cuisine – th...
10/01/2022

An enigmatic and utterly beguiling country, Ethiopia has endless intrigue. From its unique, highly sociable cuisine – the basis of which is injera, a spongy sourdough pancake, piled high with piquant curries and stews and shared between friends – to its ancient language and curly Amharic script, there’s very little that’s familiar about this place, and your trip will be all the better for it.

Ethiopia is a largely Orthodox Christian country, and its religious festivals and structures are something to behold. The sunken churches of Lalibela, hand-carved out of the red rock below ground some nine hundred years ago, are an astonishing feat of engineering. Come January, the network of tunnels and staircases that connect all eleven churches fill up with thousands of worshippers dressed in white, celebrating the birth of Christ with a twelve-hour mass.

While the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, has long lured visionary types to its bohemian neighbourhoods, it’s slipped under t...
10/01/2022

While the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, has long lured visionary types to its bohemian neighbourhoods, it’s slipped under the tourist radar for years. That may have something to do with its turbulent recent history: although Georgia gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, there followed a period of civil war, violence and ethnic tensions.

Over the past decade, however, a new generation has reignited Tbilisi’s cultural scene through a mix of local art galleries, exhibition spaces, music venues, concept stores and creative hubs. A growing crop of industrial- style hotels is springing up across the city, many set in Soviet-era factories and publishing houses. The food scene is thriving, too – innovative chefs have taken the helm in the kitchens of new restaurants, where they reimagine traditional Georgian cuisine with a modern twist. The revolution is underway. Read more about why Georgia is the ultimate adventure destination.

Hidden in the Himalayas, with all the matchless scenery you’d expect, the tiny country of Bhutan is staggeringly beautif...
10/01/2022

Hidden in the Himalayas, with all the matchless scenery you’d expect, the tiny country of Bhutan is staggeringly beautiful. Piercing peaks and plunging valleys fold into its borders, where you can climb to mountaintop monasteries, hike through ancient forests and horseback ride over lush green plains, while local guides give a real insight into the country’s living spirituality.

Bhutan has been quietly forging its own path for centuries. Now, it’s leading the way in sustainable tourism. With at least sixty percent forest cover, Bhutan takes environmental conservation seriously. It’s already carbon negative, and while the target to become the world’s first fully organic nation by 2020 has been pushed back, they are still actively working on it.

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