Skip to content

Dog Day Afternoon

As we approached the Mendenhall Glacier, I could see several tiny black specks in the distance. The helicopter landed, and I took my first shaky steps onto the glacier. I was greeted by the overwhelming sound of nearly 200 barking sled dogs, letting me know they were ready to run. I recently went on an […]

Connect the Dots

We’ve got some serious connections here at Trufflepig. Great trips depend heavily on who you know, so we have many contacts up our bespoke sleeves. But with 30-plus countries on our plates, we’re no match for the specialized knowledge of these amazing concierges. Andrew McEwan, Singita Ebony Lodge, South Africa Yes, everyone knows the service standards […]

A Pig by Every Other Name

I have two tiny kids, so my travel these days isn’t always far-flung and exotic. Think Chinatown, as opposed to say, China. But I still get ye olde travel itch on a regular basis and am always looking for little ways to scratch it. With the kids in tow, of course. This past weekend was […]

McCarthy Lodge

I am staring at a spoonful of carrot foam. Alaska has a way of surprising travellers, stripping them of their comfortable expectations, and I make it my policy when I visit the last frontier to come prepared for anything. But this—carrot foam—I am not prepared for. The foam is the first shot fired at the […]

Amanyara

If Trufflepig had a people’s choice award, it’s quite possible Amanyara would win it. After countless requests and rave reviews from our travellers, we simply had to see it for ourselves. In a Caribbean world of wicker, floral patterns and gingerbread trim, Amanyara is as alien as they come. It’s no wonder they picked a […]

Four Seasons Whistler

When it comes to the big mountains, the coveted hotels tend to be slope-side. But in Whistler, being right in the heart of the action may not be your best bet. In fact, Whistler’s best spot to stay is located ‘off-piste’, at the Four Seasons Whistler. Though the Fairmont is right on Blackcomb mountain, and the […]

Parrot Cay

A private island is the ultimate canvas upon which to express oneself, as a visit to Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos Islands will attest. Consider the joy of a new room or a new house. As a designer, you get to start from scratch, create your idealized vision—it’s pure projection. Children, you might […]

Moody Reds

Working for a travel company means you are occasionally in danger of becoming rather blasé about hotels. Sometimes they all seem to blur into each other; one empty mini-bar at the end of a stay looks much like another. However, on a recent trip to California I had the good fortune to stay in a […]

Lobster Migration

“It’s imported.” The phrase has a certain cachet, doesn’t it? Imported caviar from Russia, imported Italian sports cars. Especially in New York City, it seems there’s nothing you can’t have if you’ve got the cash and you know the best source. And boy do we have an addictive source for you. We can’t really justify […]

Life With Drawl

I’m a sucker for an accent—it’s like a lens through which everything is filtered. And on a recent trip to America’s Lowcountry, while literally basking in the expansive local drawl, I fell head over heels for the Inn at Palmetto Bluff. First off, the sheer scale of the property is astounding. A 22,000 acre private […]

Vamos a la Playa

“Vamos a la playa!” is perhaps my favourite phrase in the Spanish language. It is a little like the Brits saying “let’s have a nice cup of tea shall we?”, meaning let’s forget what ails us and focus on something else. In Spain and the Spanish-speaking world of Latin America, this is totally justified—it conjures […]

Unexpected Treasures

If the kids are already bored with their Christmas presents, I know a collector who might be interested. Toys are just one of his obsessions, and like any pig worth his weight in bacon, this collector has much more up his sleeve. To seek is to find, but to stumble upon is pure bliss. On […]

The Wheel Thing

Clothes may make the man. But the car he drives… well, that will tell you all about him. Likewise, the cars of a country can provide entertaining insight into the character of the local culture. So, let’s say you’re planning a trip, you love cars, and you’re looking for a fun way to turbo charge […]

Herding for City Slickers

North of Toronto’s urban sprawl lies a secret universe of undulating hills and dense forest, not to mention the best horseback riding in all of Ontario. Rawhide Adventures operates out of Peace Valley Ranch in the Mulmur Hills, where the cattle are grass finished and the resulting beef is amazing (order a grilling box before the summer is […]