I’m not an avid biker. Nor do I have any sort of bike tech knowledge. I’ve been procrastinating giving my own bike a spring tune-up for about 6 years (and I’ve only owned the bike for 5 years). Although I don’t even own a helmet (much to the distress of my family and friends) or […]
On my recent holiday to Cape Town, all I wanted was more time. After two weeks I had climbed mountains, swam with sharks, cycled cities, and ate my weight in food, but that was only the tip of the iceberg. In a city that has so much to offer, you’ll find it’s hard to sit […]
A great trip is the sum of its parts. But picking the best parts and then figuring out how to piece them together, well, that can be a challenge. Perhaps more than anywhere I can think of, planning a silky smooth trip to Indochina usually boils down to a mathematical equation (not to be confused with a […]
Bangkok has long been known for great hotels. We love them. Mandarin Oriental, The Peninsula, to name but two. From big to small, there is always a good choice for any traveller. In some moments of backpacking weakness (years ago mind you), we even sampled the questionable accommodations along Khao San Rd. Those are memories we […]
Every time our Africa trip planner, Dan Achber, returns from a research trip (which he did just a few days ago) I hound him for photos from his journey. Dan has a knack for taking the kind of in-your-face wildlife photos that remind me it’s not merely what you see when you’re on safari, but […]
There’s an actual place in Uganda that’s actually called the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Hard to believe, but it’s true. I know, because one of our fearless Africa trip planners (Greg Sacks) has just spent a week there, trekking to see gorillas and chimps in the wild and wooly woods. It’ll be a another couple of weeks […]
New Zealand is hardly a country of beaten paths. Nevertheless, foreign visitors tend to flock to certain towns and regions, whilst other areas remain untouched or visited primarily by vacationing Kiwis (as in the people of New Zealand, not the national bird of New Zealand). The Coromandel Peninsula is a prime example of a classic […]
I don’t usually like to pick favourites. Usually. Today, however, I’m going to side-step diplomacy and cut right to the quick. My all-time favourite place to have lunch in NYC is Cafe Gitane on Mott Street in Nolita. Boom, there it is. The cold, hard, delicious truth. Perhaps some explanation is in order. Cafe Gitane […]
One of the things I love about Paris is that it simultaneously manages to be both conspicuous and coy. In a sense, it’s the world’s most obvious place—glaringly gorgeous and positively popping out of its Haussmannian dress. And yet, it’s a city that keeps plenty secret, holding you slightly at bay which, of course, keeps […]
Indochina is a gastronome’s delight. From lovingly prepared pho (the cure for all ills, in my opinion) in Vietnam to creamy amok fish curry and stir fried morning glory flowers (a personal favourite) in Cambodia, you’re bound to have many delicious dishes calling you back for more. There is, however, a flip side to this culinary coin—a number of […]
Hitting the open road in New Zealand is one of our favourite things to do. When on said road, one of the most noticeable things you see is the large variety of campers, or caravans to use the vehicular vernacular. Every time I see one, it brings me back to a point in my childhood, reminiscent of […]
While tacos might be my true love, donuts might just be my first love. As a kid, it was a weekly Sunday ritual to head to the local donut shop and choose half a dozen cream-filled and chocolate-glazed treats to bring home and share with the rest of the family. As my taste buds have […]
In Spain a number of really excellent hotel chains that have figured out how to combine consistent quality, with character, style and vernacular, making the search for a great city hotel a whole lot easier. In most of the major cities and towns of Spain, you’ll find an AC Hotel, a Hospes hotel, or an NH Hotel. Totally different […]
This is not a post for complaining about spelling (although I wouldn’t be opposed to writing one of those). This is the ultimate South American showdown: Argentina vs. Brazil, who will win it all? It’s a tough match, of course. How can you choose a winner in a battle of Buenos Aires vs. Rio de […]
Practically everywhere you look in Brazil you will find a fabulous stretch of beach. They’re not exactly in short supply. It isn’t every day, however, that you’ll find desert dunes and freshwater lagoons in the same place. Lencois Maranhenses National Park is a landscape so crazy that naturally the way to arrive there is a […]
Never judge a property by its website alone—if you don’t learn this lesson early on it will be taught to you the hard way. Or the blissful way, as was the case with Huvafen Fushi. Huvafen’s marketing materials put forth an image of South Beach hedonism meets Dubai bling, which fooled me into expecting a […]