Beautiful pictures as thousands of Thai monks put on incredible visual display for sacred full moon festival
These beautiful images show thousands of Thai Buddhist monks gathering to carry lanterns and venerate a statue of Buddha to mark one of the holiest days of the religious calender.…
Athens holidays
If the thought of exploring Greece’s ancient world makes your skin tingle with anticipation, you’ll struggle to contain your excitement on a holiday to Athens. The historical capital of Europe,…
Insider secrets of Rome
Heaping plates of light-as-air pasta. Art by Michelangelo, Raphael, and Bernini. Some of the most entertaining people-watching on the planet. Rome is a city like no other. But as welcoming…
Autumn in Venice
Although there are days when tourists outnumber locals by two to one, Venice never loses its capacity to enchant. Summer brings some of the most daunting crowds, but there’s a…
Walking in Moscow’s winter wonderland
The best way to discover Moscow is on foot. It may seem unrelentingly urban, dominated by cars and towering skyscrapers, but to find the flowering courtyards, icon-filled churches and house-museums,…
Singapore finds its cultural feet with culinary renaissance
It is often derided as a cultural desert, but a younger generation of Singapore’s residents and expats is determined to bring an edgier side to the city. They are leading…
London travel tips
The English writer Samuel Johnson famously said, “You find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he…
Romantic Paris: fashion and lights
The City of Light draws millions of visitors every year with its unforgettable ambiance. Of course, the divine cuisine and vast art collections deserve some of the credit as well.…
Discover Rio’s arty side
It’s a balmy Saturday morning in Rio de Janeiro and, unlike everyone else in town, I’m heading away from the beach. Ipanema, Copacabana and Leblon may be among the city’s…
Abu Dhabi – Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Constructed between 1996 and 2007 at the request of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder and first president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is…
Valencia and beyond
Eating out The most exciting new restaurant in Valencia is the Arrop Ricard Camarena, set in the spectacularHotel Palacio Marqués de Caro. The owners, Santiago Máñez and Luis Bellvís (the…
The best of Thailand
Every tourist board loves a major motion picture. Think Braveheart, think Scotland. Think Jean de Florette, think Provence. Similarly, if you go and see The Beach, you will be treated…
The Maldives baring your sole
They’ve stolen my shoes. After 13 hours on a plane, a smiling man has placed them firmly into a bag labelled “No News, No Shoes” and pulled the drawstring tight.…
Santorini, iconic of Greek islands
Your first order of business in Santorini is to hit the colorful beaches — the black and red sands make for a memorable visit. Next up, indulge in the archaeological…
It’s like stepping into a Bounty ad
The Seychellois love to make jibes at Mauritius. Their main competitor for beach-based tourism in the Indian Ocean is ribbed mercilessly, often with faint praise. ‘Mauritius has wonderful beaches, great…
Explore Croatia, enjoy Istria
We just had to pull over. On an overcast, sultry day the sun had yet to make an appearance, and the landscape around us, although verdant, felt a little dull.…
Bora Bora a paradise in the Pacific
Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale – a tale of a fateful trip, that started from this tropic port, aboard this tiny ship. If ever you’re looking…
What’s new in Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca
If you’re in Menorca this weekend, head to Mahón to watch the inauguralMenorca Maxi (until 25 May), a superyacht regatta featuring top sailors including America’s Cup winners, round-the-world veterans and…
Three cheers for Skiathos, the Greek island idyll that remains unchanged by time
The Greek island of Skiathos is a special sort of place. My childhood holidays there were filled with walks along parched tracks, views of the Aegean, figs bursting with sweetness…
Ten best diving adventures
Pulau Weh, Indonesia by Charlotte Boan Our small wooden vessel rocked gently on the water, revealing little of the wild currents sweeping over the coral reefs below. On the signal…
Fantasy island! Head to Zante for beautiful beaches and delicious food
It’s also an island of two names: Zante is its Italian moniker, given to it by the Venetians who occupied it in the 15th Century for more than 300 years.…
The rise of Montenegro: Chic resorts and fine scenery in Europe’s new holiday haven
Kotor Bay, which is on the Unesco World Heritage list, is a dramatically beautiful inlet where fishing settlements such as Prcanj cling to steep escarpments, the red roofs of squat…
How to experience NYC in 24 hours
So, you’re stuck with a long layover in New York City? Before you start making big plans to spend the next 24 hours in the terminal trying to beat your…
Touring London landmarks
My first memory of London was my grandmother singing me the nursery rhyme, “London Bridge is Falling Down.” I had no idea what it meant or where it was, but…
What to discover in Berlin
Berlin, in Germany, was one of the best travel destination surprises I’ve had in a really long time. I fell so in love with the city during a recent visit…
Top tips for a Rio de Janeiro trip
On Corcovado Mountain, the statue of Christ the Redeemer overlooks Rio de Janeiro, “the Marvelous City.” Choro beats pulsate along the coastline, as volleyballs fly over beach nets and the…
Romantic Barcelona
How do you say, “Barcelona?” If you say it in the romance language known as Catalan, it’s actually pronounced “Barthelona.” Barcelona is the capital of the Spanish region of Catalonia,…
The best shows in Las Vegas
Las Vegas is a great place to catch a show. Why? In addition to a fantastic range of entertainment offerings, most of thehotels’ venues are small and audience-friendly. With well-designed,…
Best ways to spend 24 hours in Miami
For some, a long layover in Miami, Florida, could mean sitting in the terminal counting down the minutes until their next flight, but for others, it’s just enough time to…
Top hotels in Cancun
White sand beaches and crystal blue waters await sun lovers in Cancun and nearby Playa Mujeres, Mexico. These top five Cancun area hotels rank among the best in Expedia’s2013 Insiders’…