Does a tropical holiday sound good about now? This week long itinerary will take you from your arrival at Faleolo Airport, through many of the natural wonders, fabulous scenery, culture and relaxation that Samoa has on offer.
Explore the two main islands of Upolu and Savaii while experiencing the best of the rainforest, waterfalls, beaches and cultural attractions along the way.
Read MoreMy love for Japan is well documented, and I’ve traveled here more than I have any other country. It’s a truly timeless destination where ancient traditions, futuristic technology, and modern culture have all been thrown into the same melting pot.
Japan might seem small on a map, but don’t be fooled – it’s a very large country. And the mainland is absolutely jam packed with cultural icons. So I don’t blame you if you initially find it hard to decide which cities you’ll focus your attention on.
Thankfully though, you don’t need to settle on a single destination when visiting Japan, since their extensive railway network means you can explore the whole archipelago in a way that’s easy, fast, cheap, and comfortable.
There’s genuinely no better way to get around Japan than by rail, and thanks to the JR Pass for foreign visitors, you can do so quite economically. Read on for everything you need to know about the JR Passes and traveling around Japan.
Read MoreWell before Las Vegas became a thing, the small European principality of Monaco was the gambling capital of the world, and the name “Monte Carlo” was synonymous with gambling.
Since opening in 1863, the Monte Carlo Casino has remained one of the the finest European casinos to this day: a gambling icon on a mountain top overlooking Monaco, attracting tourists and gamblers from all over the world.
There’s no doubt that the Monte Carlo is one of the oldest such places in the world, and one of the most beautiful … but are there others that exceed its gleam and history?
There are at least two!
Read MoreIncredibly, there are almost 100 different attractions to take in when visiting Wisconsin Dells. From Waterparks and Go-Karts, to golf courses and relaxing spas, this is now one of the most popular family destinations in the Midwest!
The sky’s the limit when it comes to the activities available in Wisconsin Dells, and there really is something for everyone who makes the trip, whether you’re coming with small kids or adventurous teenagers.
Below, we outline the different categories of things to do in Wisconsin Dells so you can better plan your itinerary.
Read MoreRussia and France are both trending countries this year, but why settle for one when you can easily visit them both?!
Whether you’re interested in the splendid architecture, the intriguing history, or in the delicious food and drinks, there is always something to keep you going in both of the exciting destinations.
So, find a Russia and France trip planner to map out your itinerary, though make sure you carve out some time for the following experiences; iconic cultural pastimes you won’t want to miss!
Read MoreFinding suitable accommodation is a huge part of travel, and choosing a hotel can be one of the more time consuming parts of our planning. And sometimes we don’t get it right.
But have you ever considered staying in a casino hotel?
Casino hotels have started popping up all over the world, though it’s quite easy to argue that Atlantic City has some of the best. With luxury rooms, cheap rates, and some of the tightest security, booking a luxury hotel attached to a casino is pretty sure bet!
Set on New Jersey’s Atlantic coast, AC is famous for its spectacular beaches, iconic boardwalk and many stunning casinos. As such, these Atlantic City best casino hotels have well and truly become a trend!
Read MoreWhen you think of Romania, you probably think of ancient castles harbouring fanged fiends who will charm you off your feet if they get half the chance.
Or perhaps, if you are of a certain generation, you will picture the iconic football side of the early 1990s decked out in yellow, led by the brilliant Gheorghe Hagi.
A charismatic country in the Balkans, bursting with jaw-dropping castles and rugged stone churches from the Middle Ages, Romania has some of the most intriguing travel experiences of any European country; a spectacular mix of the spiritual and historical, with beautiful scenery.
If you’re planning a trip and wondering which sites you should prioritize while in the country, make sure the following three make it onto your itinerary.
Read MoreWhen it comes to choosing a destination in Thailand, you can’t really beat Koh Samui. One of the world’s most beautiful islands, this small gem is jam packed with glorious beaches, lush tropical rainforests, spectacular Buddhist temples, and mummified monks.
Yes – mummified monks! Well, there’s one.
Whether you’ve only got 48 hours, or ready to spend a full week, Koh Samui is always a good idea when you’re visiting Thailand.
If you’re not already convinced, by the end of this article you will be!
Read MoreThe United Kingdom is nothing short of beautiful; a destination with ancient landscapes that transports you into a real life fairytale, complete with castles, gardens, kings, and princesses.
A land that overflows with natural attractions, many adventurous travelers opt for road tripping around the cluster of countries that are England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales.
But the even more adventurous choose to go one step further (literally).
The UK has an amazing selection of long walks; the options are abundant and the places are nothing short of mesmerizing. So, if you’re keen on immersing yourself fully in Britain’s most spectacular landscapes, why not consider walking!
Read MoreWhile we don’t have a choice over the country we’re born in, these days we often do have control over whether or not we choose to stay.
And one of the most popular countries for expats these days is Spain!
Moving abroad is one of the biggest life choices you can make, so you do need to make sure you’re prepared. From where you’re moving, to making sure you have a work visa, there are plenty of things to consider in the preparation stage.
The following are the most important things to consider once you’ve decided you’re moving to Spain.
Read MoreA well known cultural neighborhood in Seoul, South Korea, Insadong has become quite a popular tourist attraction for culture vultures, foodies, and art connoisseurs.
With an extensive range of shops and restaurants, traditional teahouses, markets, fine art museums, and mouth watering street food, if you plan on visiting Asia, Insadong should be a priority.
Seoul is a city known for its sleek skyscrapers and futuristic cityscape, though Insadong is one of the rare strongholds for traditional Korean culture. It’s here where you’ll find wooden tea houses, calligraphy materials, traditional clothing and paper, and antiques that dates back thousands of years.
As one of the most culturally rich neighborhoods in the country, the following are four things you should know before visiting.
Read MoreHong Kong is known by many as the Asian New York, and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. This incredibly stimulating city boasts a stunning skyline, mouth-watering morsels and some of the best and most diverse shopping in the world.
However, with so much to offer, it is difficult to know where to start and what to prioritize spending your money on.
You probably want variety, right? To sit atop the famous Hong Kong hills sipping a delicious beverage whilst taking in the breath-taking landscape?
Or would you rather dance the night away with the stars at one of the city’s exclusive clubs?
Being a transient, international city with a great history, your options aren’t at all limited. So let’s just start with where you can stay.
Read MoreWith a long list of outdoor activities like trekking, mountain climbing, bungee jumping, paragliding, and rafting, Nepal is among the best destinations in the world for adventure tourism.
From tracking tigers on a jungle safari, to climbing the world’s highest peak, this small Himalayan nation boasts one heck of an outdoor playground, with activities spread across a highly varied landscape.
Whether you’re aiming to raft down the raging waters of the Himalayas, or head south to the lush jungles of Terai, here are 8 adventurous things to keep in mind!
Read MoreBudapest is THE place to travel at the moment.
I’ll be scrolling through instagram and every. single. person. seems to be enjoying the sights of Hungary’s capital city…and I don’t blame them; it is a beautiful spot.
I went to Budapest for a short city break a couple of summers ago and loved every inch of it – the place is just so grand and feels like you’re stepping straight in to a fairy tale.
So, let me show you exactly why this incredible city is getting so much exposure at the moment.
Read MoreTucked halfway between the energetic Gold Coast, and the zen town of Byron Bay you’ll find a hidden paradise; a collection of small beachside towns that offer respite from the usual hordes of tourists.
Three of my favourite sleepy beach towns along the Queensland-NSW border are conveniently lined up just south of Tweed Heads. Kingscliff starts off the trio, and a bit further south you’ll encounter Casuarina and Cabarita Beach.
Setting yourself up in this part of northern NSW allows you to enjoy three delightful beach towns for the price of one, though only one of these towns is home to a lavish Balinese-style retreat (hint: it’s Casuarina).
Smack bang in the middle of these three often overlooked beachside getaways, Casuarina is quite the hidden secret … and we got the distinct impression that locals prefer it stays that way!
This is where Gold Coast locals come to escape the tourism that floods into their city; and as soon as you step through the colossal automatic bamboo doors at Oaks Santai Resort Casuarina, you’re instantly transported to Bali.
Read MoreChris Hemsworth. Matt Damon. Natalie Imbruglia. Pat Rafter.
The golden beaches, turquoise waters, and zen mentality are just some of the reasons celebrities from all around the world are drawn to the Australian town of Byron Bay.
Byron Bay overflows with both energy and beauty, while at the same somehow offering a place where a chilled out vibe takes centre stage. Though there are two very distinct and opposite experiences here: one backpacker, one luxury.
After the latter?
Situated far away from the backpacker chaos, yet just a 10-minute drive from the colorful boutique shop windows and trendy cafes, Byron Bay’s award-winning beachfront resort Elements of Byron provides the type of experience that draws the world’s biggest celebrities.
Read MoreIf you were to brainstorm Spanish cities to include on your next holiday, you would probably come up with Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville. If I asked you to dig a little deeper, you might land on Granada and Valencia as well.
While these are undoubtedly excellent destinations, they can often leave the more adventurous traveler a little bit dissatisfied; unfortunately they’re just so overcrowded with tourism.
Travel is supposed to be about experiencing something new, and immersing yourself in history and culture. But this is hard to do when you’re trying to appreciate Gaudí with selfie sticks blocking your view.
If you’re hoping to experience a more authentic side of Spain, away from the crowds, look no further than Extremadura. How this autonomous community has managed to stay under the radar is a wonder in itself, especially when you consider it boasts half a dozen locations that are recognized by UNESCO.
While Extremadura has something to offer every type of traveler (an amazing combination of food, festivals, history, and nature), my favorite thing about this region is its off-the-beaten-path World Heritage Sites.
Read MoreThese days, couples looking to celebrate their marriage in an alternative way often choose symbolic rituals like the handfasting ceremony.
This ancient Celtic ritual adds depth to the wedding proceedings, and involves the couple’s hands being bound by a cord, ribbon, or even a scarf. It is a beautiful representation of a couple’s sealed union.
For couples interested in having their destination wedding in Europe, we have put together a list of destinations that will be perfect for your wedding and handfasting ceremony. Some of these venues even assist in organising the ceremony, as they are well versed in this unique and alternate wedding style.
So, to have your European wedding in a grand fashion, consider some of these locations.
Read MoreA safari trip in Africa is by far, one of the most exciting getaways you could ever experience. The vast continent is world famous for its wildlife safaris, incredible landscapes, and options for adventure, from classic jeep safaris, to visiting local tribes.
However, trying to decide on the best destination in Africa can be tricky. Each country that makes up the unique and culture-rich continent provides its own unique experience, though it’s important to decide on a destination that suits your individual requirements.
Both Kenya and Tanzania are the classic options for an African Safari; they both offer breathtaking scenery, amazing wildlife, and a long list of exciting activities from walking safaris to hot air balloon rides.
But, with both destinations sharing a border, they’re both incredibly similar. So, the inevitable question is how do you decide?
Read MoreIceland is one of the Earth’s hottest countries – literally. Brimming with volcanic activity, the country is blessed with a huge range of hot springs and geothermal spas, and a hot soak under the Northern Lights has become central to Iceland’s cultural identity.
Iceland is famous for it’s hot tub culture, and swimming pools have always been a hub of social activity, even in winter on a dark, frosty night. But with a huge range of swimming pools, hot springs, and spas, where do you even start?
While the country has an incredible range of natural hot springs, today we’re going to focus on Iceland’s thermal spas. The difference? Thermal spas are a cross between a man-made pool and a natural spring.
While natural springs are usually in rural locations, where the journey there is an adventure in itself, thermal spas offer the same natural water, but you’re surrounded by man made facilities.
At thermal spas you’ll have access to showers, restaurants, toilets, and storage to keep your things dry; much more than your typical hole in the ground filled with water!
Read MoreThere are many reasons to visit Boston; locals call it the ‘Hub of the Universe’, and with a rich cultural scene that includes the Boston Symphony, sporting landmarks like Fenway Park, and institutions like Harvard University, it’s a hard claim to refute.
But for the many reasons to visit Boston, two of the city’s biggest draws are it’s access to history, and nature. Boston is one of the oldest, if not the oldest city in America, and the city is so steeped in history that you don’t have to walk far to discover something historic.
And then there’s nature; despite being a buzzing, bustling metropolis, nature spills into the city, and Boston is perhaps one of the most progressive cities for access to nature in the United States.
So, the following is an overview of our favorite things about Boston; a way to combine history and nature into your itinerary, with these fantastic things to do.
Read MoreUrban life in Russia is a far cry from the adventure that lies further out, and it’s only here, among the icy Siberian tundra; among communities who have never seen a foreign tourist; among Nomadic desert tribes on the Mongolian border, that you’ll find the true soul of Mother Russia.
And it’s this soul that is so perfectly captured in Fabio Bertino and Roberta Melchiorre’s new book “Destination Russia. A ship and a cat in the tundra and other extra-ordinary encounters”.
Having recently been released in English after immense success in Italian, the book is a captivating collection of stories that takes you on a journey with Fabio and Roberta as they travel to the farthest corners of the country, discovering the treasures (and adventure) that lie beyond Russia’s increasingly westernized veneer.
Read MoreOne thing I love about Tasmanian beaches is that you can often have one all to yourself. Unlike the crowds that pack Bondi, or the long line of skyscrapers that cast afternoon shadows across the Gold Coast, Tasmania’s beaches feel more natural, and you can easily walk for miles without seeing another soul.
Tasmania has many iconic beaches; Bay of Fires, Wineglass Bay, and Hazards Beach. But equally as stunning are its lesser known stretches of sand that seem to pop up out of nowhere in the many small towns that dot the coastline.
One such gem is Spring Beach.
Conveniently tucked away just over an hour’s drive from Hobart, and only 15 minutes from the ferry that connects the wildlife rich Maria Island, Spring Beach is one of Tasmania’s biggest hidden gems.
Accommodation on Maria Island itself is rustic. You can book a bunk-bed in an 1800’s convict penitentiary, or opt for primitive camping. We were as such quite thrilled to find a much more comfortable alternative.
When there’s a 3 bedroom, beachside Picturesque Cottage Rental just around the corner from the ferry terminal, who needs camping when there’s an option for luxury glamping!
Read MoreFew figures from history are as celebrated as Leonardo da Vinci, and with this year marking the 500th anniversary of his death, the world has been looking back at some of his greatest-ever achievements.
It’s hard to think of an individual who has had such a huge impact and influence on the world in so many ways. Hundreds of years on, he continues to be a reference point in popular culture, known for work such as the famous Mona Lisa, and drawings of early examples of flying machines, cars and artillery.
But, while he remains a key historical figure, where are the best places to visit in order to discover more about the man? Here we offer up a few suggestions for you to consider if you want to sample some da Vinci-themed tourism.
Read MoreCome 2020, travelling to Japan will suddenly become a lot easier for those who require a tourist visa.
Unless you’re a citizen of one of the 68 visa-exempt countries, you’ll need a visa to travel to Japan. Until now this has meant applying at a Japanese embassy or consulate. However the government has decided to introduce a new Japan e-visa to simplify the process.
Available to the general public from next year, a tourist visa for Japan will grant you access to the hidden treasures of an intriguing destination; this is a country where traditional culture blends seamlessly alongside and modern dynamic cities; a bucketlist destination it would be a shame to miss.
In the lead up to its much anticipated launch, read on for more information about Japan’s new travel e-visa application process.
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I am Megan Jerrard, professional travel blogger/journalist with a focus on adventure, discovery, immersion and inspiring you to explore!
