INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM 101 A celebration of Melanesian arts and culture in Vanuatu Bush nuts rattle around the ankles of the men from Papua New Guinea’s West New Britain province as they move across the field to the beat of wooden drums. Wide-eyed children sit cross-legged on the grassy slope watching the dancers, dressed in colourfully dyed grass skirts, elaborate feather headdresses and shell necklaces, with the flags of South Pacific nations fluttering in the breeze behind them. Once the performance is over, the Huli wigmen take to the stage, their faces painted bright yellow, with a hornbill beak on their back to symbolise strength and courage and a dangling pigtail belt designed to attract women. It’s an extraordinary privilege to see dances often only performed in remote villages in PNG, West Papua, Vanuatu, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Kanaky/New Caledonia and Torres Strait Islands showcased in the same place in such short succession at Port Vila’s Saralana Park for the 7th Melanesian Arts & Culture Festival. Performers range in age from prepubescent boys to elderly men with wiry grey beards, passing on their longstanding cultural traditions to the next generation. First held in the Solomon Islands in 1998, the event occurs in a different country every four years, with Fiji set to host in 2026. Angela Saurine THE ARTISANS OF KYOTO Kyoto has long been a haven for traditional crafts. And now, a new generation of talented artisans and makers are keeping centuries-old traditions alive by adding their own twists. The Kyoto Artisan Concierge curates visits to studios that celebrate the city’s rich heritage and the oneof-a-kind pieces that are the antithesis of mass-produced wares. Observe artisans of Kyoto like Tsutsumi Asakichi, engaged in the modernisation of the ancient practice of sourcing sap from the urushi tree to lacquer things like surfboards. Or the ceramicists breaking the mould by applying contemporary patterns to ancient pottery techniques. Carla Grossetti PHOTOGRAPHY DAVID KIRKLAND (MELANESIAN ARTS & CULTURE FESTIVAL); TSUTSUMI ASAKICHI (THE ART OF URUSHI IN KYOTO)
BENIN’S VOODOO FESTIVAL Ceremonial drumbeats herald the start of the annual Fête du Vodoun, held on a beach in Ouidah each January. Raffia-mantled zangbeto (Guardians of the Night) float across the sand like levitating haystacks; fetish priests tip their hats and summon the ancestors; tranced dervishes spin, their skin aflame with self-inflicted lashes and damp with maize paste and palm oil. Myths of sorcery and black magic are dispelled here; instead, vodouns celebrate the protective power of gods and ancestral spirits, including those who held fast to their beliefs when they were shipped off as slaves from this shore. “The religion has spread to Brazil, to Haiti, to Cuba through a terrible thing – slavery, which stole children from their home in Africa,” a speaker says. Adds Benin’s Minister for Tourism, Culture and Arts, Jean-Michel Abimbola: “It was with strength we preserved this part of our identity.” Catherine Marshall A new chapter for Cartagena Gain a magical perspective on the colourful coastal Caribbean city of Cartagena in Colombia, where writer Gabriel García Márquez found much inspiration. They say truth is stranger than fiction and it’s said the late Nobel Prize-winning author drew on his out-there experiences of the city to weave ribbons of magic realism into his novel, Love in the Time of Cholera. Journey through the cobbled streets of the Old City during a Colombia Revealed tour with Abercrombie & Kent to discover the romance of the rumsoaked city firsthand. The 14-day tour also ventures to the heart of coffee country and into an underground Salt Cathedral. Carla Grossetti Día de los Muertos in Mexico Mexico’s ‘Day of the Dead’ is typically held on the first two days of November, though the world’s most vibrant celebration of death usually begins on 31 October when the spirits of the departed return at midnight. Celebrations in Oaxaca tend to be more spiritual and authentic, making its cities and towns the best in the country to experience this ancient Aztec ritual, with the action centred in local cemeteries – ask locals where to go. Sarah Reid PHOTOGRAPHY ABERCROMBIE & KENT (CARTAGENA CITY); © PEGGY GUGGENHEIM COLLECTION, VENICE, PHOTO MATTEO DE FINA (PEGGY GUGGENHEIM COLLECTION); PHOTO ARCHIVIO CAMERAPHOTO EPOCHE. SOLOMON R. GUGGENHEIM FOUNDATION, VENICE, GIFT, CASSA DI RISPARMIO DI VENEZIA, 2005
America’s Wild West at Goulding’s in Monument Valley Hollywood’s love affair with Monument Valley began during the Great Depression, when Harry and Mike Goulding gambled their last 60 bucks on a trip to Los Angeles with one goal: bring the movie-making business back home. Armed with an album of photos, it didn’t take long to get the attention of director John Ford. Three days later, Stagecoach began filming at Goulding’s Trading Post – bringing with it some much-needed income for the local Navajos, who were quickly recruited as paid extras. Goulding’s Lodge and Museum remains the gateway to exploring the towering sandstone masterpieces of Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park to this day. Katie Carlin A TREASURE TROVE OF ART IN VENICE Peggy Guggenheim was an American heiress, an enigmatic eccentric and above all, a self-proclaimed ‘art addict’. Her vast art collection, which she began acquiring in the late 1930s, spans the likes of René Magritte, Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró and Marcel Duchamp. Altogether, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection serves as an exquisite catalogue of modern art and holds the works of some of the 20th century’s most creative minds. The collection is fittingly housed in an 18th-century Venetian palace on the Grand Canal, which was also Guggenheim’s home for three decades until her death. Elizabeth Whitehead INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM 103 (PEGGY GUGGENHEIM ON THE STEPS OF THE GRAND CANAL TERRACE, ON THE OCCASION OF THE FIRST SHOW SHE ORGANIZED AT PALAZZO VENIER DEI LEONI, MOSTRA DI SCULTURA CONTEMPORANEA, VENICE, SEPTEMBER 1949; KATIE CARLIN (MONUMENT VALLEY, GOULDING’S LODGE AND MUSEUM)
PHOTOGRAPHY CATHERINE MARSHALL (CAPE COAST CASTLE); © HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY (MAUI); HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY (HTA)/HEATHER GOODMAN (TARO FIELDS, POUNDING POI) TRANSYLVANIAN FOLKLORE Transylvanian castles are infamous by association with Dracula and vampires of folklore. But other than that, they are marvels of Gothic architecture that dot the rolling Transylvanian countryside. The most well-known of these is Bran Castle, an imposing structure crowned with red-tiled turrets perched atop a hill surrounded by thick forests. Its appearance evokes fairy tales of old, bringing mystery, lore and folk legends to life. Elizabeth Whitehead Portals into Ghana’s past A portal framing the Atlantic Ocean distils history’s truth: the Door of No Return, through which some of an estimated 12.5 million Africans were funnelled onto ships bound for the Americas during the 400-year transatlantic slave trade. These doors are a feature of the three UNESCO-recognised castles strung out along Ghana’s coast – Cape Coast Castle, Elmina Castle and Osu Castle (Fort Christiansborg). Guides tell of merchants and traders who lived on the breezy upper floors and of slaves imprisoned in the dungeons below. But their stories are most acutely absorbed as I stand on the threshold, at the Door of No Return. Pirogues dance on the bay and birds flash across the sky; against this incongruent backdrop, I lay my footprints upon those from other centuries. Catherine Marshall
INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM 105 The pinnacle of hilltop monasteries There are hilltop monasteries. And there is Paro Taktsang, or the Tiger’s Nest. A sacred Buddhist site perched precariously on a cliff ledge some 900 metres above the ground (and 3120 metres above sea level) near the city of Paro in Bhutan, the monastery dates from 1692, built around the cave where the great Guru Rinpoche, one of the founding fathers of Buddhism, meditated for three years in the 8th century. It takes the better part of a day to make the steep return trek here on foot, which makes the experience of visiting its serene temples packed with chanting monks feel all the more significant. Sarah Reid HOW TO MĀLAMA MAUI Mālama is a way of life in the Hawaiian Islands and a concept that is taken very seriously. The Hawaiian word for caring and nurturing for everything from the environment to the culture has community and altruism at its heart. And it’s that concept that is driving the #MālamaMaui movement, inviting ohana (family) far and wide to support relief efforts after the devastating loss of life and livelihoods caused by the wildfires that razed the West Maui community of Lahaina. The Aloha Spirit has also been evident from the get-go with everything from donations of food and financial assistance to accommodation aimed at those affected by the tragedy. Carla Grossetti
A trip to Peru combines adventure, wilderness and wildlife with incredible history and culture – everything you could need for a trip of a lifetime. F rom ancient desert art and Incan hilltop cities to lush jungle forests and sky-high lakes, Peru is a country that refuses to be defined. The nation is divided into three principal regions, each more fascinating than the last: coastal desert, highlands and the monumental Amazon rainforest, which occupies two-thirds of the country. With a rich and diverse cultural history dating back 5000 years, as well as dramatic wildlife and landscapes, one visit to Peru simply isn’t enough. CHECK OUT THE CITY OF KINGS Founded by the conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1535, Peru’s capital, Lima, was once the most important city in South America. Known as the City of Kings, Lima’s historic centre is so well preserved that it’s been named a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site. The colonial architecture – including the impressive Plaza de Armas, Lima Metropolitan Cathedral and the catacombs of the Church of San Francisco – is best experienced on foot. Our highlight: Try classic local dishes ceviche and lomo saltado, or sample chifa-style food, which is a fusion of Chinese and traditional Peruvian flavours. ADMIRE THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL CAPITAL A short flight south takes you to Cusco, once the capital of the Incan Empire. Although the conquering Spanish razed many of the Incan buildings, they used the foundations for their Baroque churches and colonial buildings, some of which still stand today. Once you’ve explored the historic centre and surrounding churches, including the stunning 17th-century Cathedral, head to San Pedro Market for a taste of local produce. Our highlight: Visit Cusco’s centre to discover the heart of the Incan empire, or wander the galleries and artisan shops of San Blas. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Spot wildlife in the Amazon rainforest; Explore Arequipa’s historic streets; The capital, Lima, sits at the sea’s edge; Meet colourful characters; Watch locals perform the traditional Marinera dance. In partnership with PromPeru EXPERIENCE P E R U ’ S U N I Q U E CULTURE
MARVEL AT FLOATING ISLANDS Straddling the borders of Bolivia and Peru, Lake Titicaca is not only one of the highest lakes in South America at 3810 metres, but it’s also the highest navigable lake in the world. Considered the birthplace of the Incas, the area is home to native communities on small islands like Taquile and Amantani. Here, the unique Uros people construct their boats, homes and even floating islands out of totora reed. The Uros people consider themselves to be the oldest people on Earth, with the families on these islands preserving ancient traditions such as weaving, fishing and hunting wild birds. Our highlight: Consider a homestay with the Uros to get an insight into local culture. KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR SOARING CONDORS Further south is the historic town of Arequipa, surrounded by three volcanoes and constructed from white volcanic stone. Famous for its Baroque architecture and Santa Catalina Monastery, the town is also the jumping off point for the incredible Colca Valley; with a depth of over 4000 metres, it’s twice as deep as the Grand Canyon. This pristine ecosystem supports llamas, guanacos, alpacas and pumas, and the Andean Condor reigns high above. Our highlight: Visit the Cruz del Condor lookout and try your luck at spotting one of the famous birds in flight. GET INTO NATURE IN THE AMAZON Although the Amazon rainforest spans nine countries, Peru is home to the second largest portion after Brazil. It’s easily accessible from Loreto province, with the region’s capital city, Iquitos, only a short flight from Lima. Explore rainforest trails on foot, hop on a cruise (look out for pink dolphins) or visit a local village. This area alone is home to over 64 Indigenous tribes, and visiting a local Boras, Kukamas or Yaguas community allows a peek into these ancient cultures. Our highlight: Traverse the canopy walkway in Iquitos, 35 metres above the rainforest floor, to observe the Amazon up close. EXPLORE THE LOST CITY OF THE INCAS Built by the Incas in the mid-1400s, the mountain-top city of Machu Picchu is incredibly well preserved and has been named one of the ‘New 7 Wonders of the World’. Accessed from the town of Aguas Calientes or a multi-day guided hike, this citadel appears from the mist to reveal a settlement expertly constructed using dry stone walls without any mortar. Explore Intihuatana (which was possibly used as a sundial), Sacred Plaza and Temple of the Sun before trekking up nearby Huayna Picchu to see Machu Picchu from above. Our highlight: Challenge yourself to walk the Inca Trail and be rewarded with once-in-a-lifetime vistas. SEE THE LAST INCA REFUGE While Machu Picchu attracts the crowds, the Incan archaeological site at Choquequirao, just a few hours away, is equally well preserved, much less crowded and around three times larger (although about 75 per cent remains buried). Founded in 1536, the site is best explored with a guide and can only be accessed by a hike that takes four to five days. But for all the challenges of getting there, the views of this stunning Incan refuge make it worthwhile. Perfectly crafted terraces and remains of houses and temples all break through layers of cloud high up in the Andes. Our highlight: Don’t miss the Captain Rumi and San Cristóbal lookouts at nearby Apurímac Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world. CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Awe-inspiring Machu Picchu; Meet the unique Uros people on Lake Titicaca; Enter the wilds of the Amazon rainforest; Hike to the lesser-known but dramatic ancient site of Choquequirao. To plan your Peruvian adventure and discover the nation’s WORDS wonders for yourself, visit peru.travel LUCY E COUSINS PHOTOGRAPHY LORENA SAMPONI (AREQUIPA); ALEX AZABACHE (PORTRAIT); PERSNICKETY PRINTS (CUSCO);WILLAN JUSTEN DE VASCONCELLOS (LIMA, MACHU PICCHU); ALEX BRYCE/PROMPERU (WOMAN ON LAKE); DAVID GEERE (AMAZON); JUAN VALLEJO (CHOQUEQUIRAO)
D e s i g n & A r c h i t e c t u r a l Wonders Photography bookings through designhotels.com (Hotel Terrestre and Hotel Escondido)
INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM 109 I t ripples through my body somewhere beyond my line of vision, the sound of the wave that booms like a thunderclap. The surfers who have flocked here since the 1970s called it the Mexican pipeline, this swell that rises and falls with the insistence of a heartbeat on this golden stretch of Mexico’s Oaxacan coast. Last night, I had marvelled at it on our balcony during one of those Fanta-orange sunsets that are synonymous with Puerto Escondido. But now, I am standing inside the 10-metre-tall observatory at Casa Wabi. It leans on a 60-degree angle in the direction of the Pacific, like a temple half-buried in sand. The acoustics are near-perfect: artists have been known to play their guitars here. I sit on the wooden bench and look up. Through the aperture, a piece of the sky floats – a flawless, bleached-blue oval. Over the edge of the wall, the Sierra Madre del Sur mountain range hovers ghost-like on the horizon, four kilometres above sea level. Here, the collision of mountain and sky and ocean exude an elemental power. My senses are stretched. I’m awake to the primal energy of the landscape in a way I’ve never been before. To get to Casa Wabi, the art centre founded in 2014 by the acclaimed Mexican artist Bosco Sodi and built by the Pritzkerwinning Japanese architect Tadao Ando, you drive 40 minutes from the cheery Puerto Escondido surf town of La Punta to Punta Pajaros. This piece of the Oaxacan wilderness is fast becoming a growing centre for high design and regenerative developments by Nature and culture find synthesis at Casa Wabi, an art centre on the Oaxaca Coast, writes Neha Kale. Postcard from Casa Wabi stars of the architecture world. There is Hotel Escondido, a series of bungalows, which couples adobe-style interiors with a beachfront infinity pool by Mexico City’s Federico Rivera Rio. And Casa Tiny, a minimalist, concrete dwelling inspired by Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. Along a winding road, we pass agave fields. There are signs for cocos frios (fresh coconuts). Our driver takes a wrong turn and reverses down a one-way road until we see it, rising out of the jungle. The lines of a staircase. A rectangular archway. A palapa, a traditional thatched roof made from dried palm leaves. A series of geometric columns and planes, made from silken concrete, so cool you want to press your face to it. This place washes over you slowly. At Casa Wabi, named for the Japanese philosophy of beauty in Clockwise from top left: Casa Wabi is dotted with abstract sculptures; See the sky anew from its observatory; Explore site-specific exhibitions at the art centre; Check into a stylish beach-chic bungalow at Hotel Escondido. Opposite: Impeccably designed Hotel Terrestre. >>
110 INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM imperfection, I walk through the austere corridors newly alive, not just to the sound of the waves, but the passage of shadows. The strange intensity of the afternoon light. “I have the best job in the world,” laughs our guide, a fast-talking artist. He works with the Fundación Casa Wabi, which oversees an international residency program where the likes of Swiss sculptor and painter Ugo Rondinone, Argentinian artist Dolores Furtado and French sculptor Daniel Buren are invited to collaborate with the local Oaxacan community. Here, John Giorno has hosted his famous Dial-A-Poem project, and Mexican artists Claudia Fernandez and Benjamin Torres have worked with Chatino schoolchildren to make drawings of native plants and rescue their local dialect. I stop at an outdoor terrace to admire tiles arranged in an elegant circle – an intervention by São Paulo’s Héctor Zamora. Outside there’s Sodi’s Los Atlantis, a piece of land art made with 1600 bricks using ancestral burning methods. A monumental structure looms against the mountains like a remnant of an ancient civilisation, a chimney tower – home to a kiln – by the renowned Mexican architect Alberto Kalach. Time feels different in Punta Pajaros. My internet is slow. We stop for lunch at La Palapa, a thatched restaurant surrounded by foliage, where you can drink mezcalitas made from maracuya, a passionfruit that thrives in Oaxaca, and eat pulpo a la parrilla – tacos piled with octopus and garnished with edible flowers – off earthenware. On the same site, there are 11 villas drawing on regenerative principles. Wraparound decks made from local wood face the sea. Butterflies and birds have returned to the area. They are surrounded by native vegetation, more than 100,000 plants reintroduced by Kalach and his team. Nearby Hotel Terrestre is a brutalist structure that channels the patterns of ancient Maya temples and is powered entirely by solar energy. In place of windows, slotted wooden doors, plunge pools and terraces exposed to the elements. Back at Casa Wabi, I walk through the gardens, the sun hot against my neck. The cacti stand tall, strange shapes against the sky’s canvas. I nearly miss a sculpture by the Pakistani-American sculptor Huma Bhabha, art blending into nature, architecture a portal to a deeper relationship with the natural world. Clockwise from top: Hotel Terrestre is run on solar power; Bosco Sodi’s installations at Casa Wabi; Which also oversees an international artist residency program; Sculpture, art and architecture intersect at Casa Wabi; The brutalist lines of Hotel Terrestre; Casa da Volta is where modernity meets tradition. Photography gerardo landa (concrete wall); bookings through Designhotels.com (Hotel Terrestre)
INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM 111 A Traveller’s Checklist GETTING THERE Puerto Escondido is around 90 minutes from Mexico City by air with flights operating several times a day. Hire a driver to travel between La Punta and Punta Pajaros. Tours of Casa Wabi must be booked in advance online. casawabi.org STAYING THERE Casa da Volta, a set of domeroofed dwellings by Mexican architect Ambrosi Etchegaray, blends vernacular materials with modernist principles. Hotel Terrestre and Hotel Escondido, members of Design Hotels, tune into the environment with architectural clout. casa-volta.com; designhotels.com EATING THERE Book Kakurega Omakase, a 12-seat omakase restaurant helmed by Keisuke Harada. Here, the dishes – such as tostadas de camarón (shrimp) – meld Oaxacan produce with time-honed Japanese techniques. @kakurega_omakase on Instagram. PLAYING THERE For a nightcap, swing by Cobarde, a sand-floored mezcaleria that sources unusual small-batch mezcals from around the country. @cobardebar on Instagram. INDIA’S ARCHITECTURAL LOVE LETTER The Taj Mahal presents as poetry in the form of architecture. And there is perhaps no grander gesture of love than this man-made marvel, built from acres of pearlescent marble as a tomb to honour the love the 17th-century Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan had for his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal. India’s most identifiable monument, which features a mosque, guesthouse, gateway, gardens, courtyard and cloisters, has been drawing hopeless romantics to its picturesque location on the banks of the Yamuna River in Agra for centuries. It’s the absolute embodiment of an era. Carla Grossetti
ARCHITECTURAL INSPIRATION IN ETHIOPIA Ethiopia has some of the world’s most notable examples of early design and architecture set among soul-stirring landscapes. The 11 monolithic rock-hewn churches at Lalibela, for instance, date back to the 13th century, commissioned by King Gebre Meskel Lalibela to recreate the city of Jerusalem within his own kingdom. And in the highlands of the Simien Mountains, you’ll find the UNESCO Heritage-listed castles of Gondar, known as the ‘Camelot of Africa’. You can witness these enthralling sites on an Abercrombie & Kent tour, either by following an existing itinerary or jigsawing together a bespoke adventure. Carla Grossetti Spain’s Moorish masterpiece A masterpiece of medieval Islamic architecture, the Alhambra looms over Granada, astounding anyone who wanders into its realm. Constructed in the 13th century, this sprawling hilltop fortress complex incorporates Nasridera royal palaces and the Generalife summer palace. Designed with mosaics, carved stucco, geometric patterns, vegetal motifs, Arabic calligraphy and muqarnas (decorative vaulting), the Alhambra reflects the tradition of Moorish architecture developed over previous centuries, while also displaying elements of Spanish Renaissance architecture. The Alhambra is the only preserved palatine city of the Islamic period and became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984. Emily Murphy 112 INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM
Isfahan’s glittering mosque Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque’s delicately tiled dome mushrooms above the flat-roofed buildings barricading Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan, Iran. Step inside this 17th-century masterpiece and float in a bowl of blue: lapis and sea-green tiles veined with gold arabesques and Quranic inscriptions. When the sun pours in through a lofty window and strikes the aquamarine floor, it will feel like a benediction. Catherine Marshall MUSEUMS OF THE ARABIAN PENINSULA First, in 2008, came the gleaming white cubist confection better known as the I. M. Pei-designed Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), the building that put Qatar’s capital on the architectural map. Then, in 2019, a spectacular assemblage of giant discs reminiscent of a desert-rose crystal marked the new and vastly improved National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) – and solidified Doha’s standing as a serious player in the design world. Reopened in 2022, MIA’s refreshed exhibits are now as impressive as its exterior. Across the Gulf, the Jean Nouvel-designed Louvre Abu Dhabi, inaugurated in 2017, is a modern masterpiece that puts a new spin on ancient Islamic architecture. Sarah Reid Clockwise from TOP Left: National Museum of Qatar; Louvre Abu Dhabi; Museum of Islamic Art in Doha.
FROM TOP: The estate of the noble Chavchavadze family produces traditional wine in Georgia; The picturesque Kakheti region grows around three-quarters of the country’s grapes.
INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM 115 As long as the singer’s voice floats up from the hole, the new vintage is underway and on track, like thousands before it. If the singing unexpectedly stops, however, the rescue mission kicks in and the process must begin again. The hole in question is the opening of the qvevri, an egg-shaped earthenware vessel buried into the earth, used to ferment, store and age the ‘natural’ or ‘unfiltered’ wines of Georgia. Natural because this Caucasus country doesn’t remove grape skins, pips and stalks during fermentation, or add unnatural preservatives, yeast or extra sugar during wine production (sometimes sulphides are added at bottling). Cleaning the qvevri is crucial. The larger ones are metres deep, holding thousands of litres, so winemakers climb down inside to scrub them with brushes made from the naturally antiseptic roots of St John’s wort and pressed cherry tree bark. Georgian wine is unpasteurised, so the cleaning process is a balancing act. Rogue noxious bacteria can spell curtains for a vintage, but because qvevris are re-used, the wine also benefits from ‘good’ bacteria and moulds trapped in the porous clay, which act like a natural yeast. Why the singing? It tells those above ground that the winemaker hasn’t passed out from the overpowering alcohol fumes from past vintages. Conversely, if they are bad singers, the lid is slammed shut anyway – so goes the local joke. This robust backstory is arguably wine’s origin story. Around 6000 BC, Georgians are said to have been the first to realise that if you bury grape juice over winter, it will transform into an intoxicating nectar (neighbours Armenia and others may disagree). While the precise place of vinous conception in the ‘cradle of wine’ is unknown, the eastern region of Kakheti is widely considered Georgia’s viticultural nexus. Its vineyard-dense Alazani Valley produces around three-quarters of the country’s grapes. Steve Madgwick heads to Georgia’s Kakheti region, said to be the birthplace of wine, to sample the fruits of its age-old traditions. Viticultural learnings CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Georgian wines are thought to be the world’s oldest; Nekresi Monastery in Kakheti has an ancient wine cellar; Qvevri are earthenware vessels used in traditional Georgian winemaking; Pheasant’s Tears winery continues an 8000-year-old tradition. >>
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Th e Caucasus loom in the backdrop of Sighnaghi; Th e historic wine cellar at Nekresi Monastery; Harvest time is a popular period to visit Kakheti. While some big producers have been shifting focus to highdemand European varietals, the bulk of Kakheti’s small wineries and omnipresent family concerns are committed to the traditions of making natural wines. Hand-bottling of the sweet, semi-sweet and dry wines is commonplace. Local grape varieties – such as rkatsiteli (white) and saperavi (red) – are used religiously and celebrated thusly. Kakheti’s largest city, Telavi, is horizoned by the snowcapped Caucasus Mountains and a logical base for explorations. But hilltop Sighnaghi is the poster child, trickling a rarifi ed almost Tuscan ambience that naturally graces wine labels. Sighnaghi’s atmospheric town centre, busy with daytrippers from capital city Tbilisi on the weekends, is a strolling nirvana. Its 18thcentury defensive walls – dotted with tower gates named after tiny villages – off er soul-quenching vistas over the wine-scape below. Family street stalls sell ridiculously good value cleanskin wines and other Georgian goodies such as churchkhela – strings of walnut halves dipped in grape juice thickened with fl our, then sun-dried, with the texture and taste of an under-sugared jelly baby. And grappa-like chacha, whose ‘kick’ ranges from 50 to 85 per cent alcohol. Inevitably, you’ll be off ered this clear, made-from-winepulp brandy when entering homes or just to celebrate life. Sighnaghi’s cobbled streets are ripe with wonderful eateries, too. Th e pick of the bunch is Pheasant’s Tears; home to the best qvevri wine I tasted and wholesome organic fare served in a cosy courtyard frequented by pattable pooches. Kakheti’s countryside is intoxicating. An undulating, deep-green, wild-fl owered landscape speckled with bygone churches, castles, mansions and monasteries. On single-street hamlets that retain residual Sovietness, stern-faced but friendly locals run a roadside economy stocked with produce from their gardens, fi elds and orchards. Accommodation providers often off er personal car tours, preferable to group tours because they cover the ‘obvious’ sights and drop into friends’ vineyards, too. Even Kakheti’s most pious-looking tourist sites have a wine angle. Fans of early Georgian architecture should check out the 8thcentury wine press and used-qvevri-strewn lawn of Cyprus-groveshaded Ikalto Monastery. Forest-ensconced Nekresi Monastery features a tiny 4th-century church and bishop’s palace with antique qvevris built into the wine cellar’s terracotta fl oor. Th e Kvareli Wine Cave is a subterranean adult jamboree, with some 26,000 bottles stashed in 7.7 kilometres of its human-made caverns. Nineteenth-century Chavchavadze Estate is worth a couple of hours for its palatial buildings, sprawling English-style gardens and museum. Kakheti is not the place to book into a chain hotel because Caucasus wine culture should be experienced at its roots. Check into a homestay for the chance to be treated to a supra, a feast where you’ll sip family wine from a clay bowl, listening to typically dramatic toasts. Some say the best time to visit Kakheti is during harvest time, but actually, each season here has its charm. Ensure you give yourself enough time to drink in the culture and get used to natural wine, which is often ‘fresher’ with less body than those you may be used to. In Georgia, a good drop is not necessarily judged by its lari (dollar) value but by its ability to bring people together, a song that has been sung loudly and proudly for eight millennia, give or take. PHOTOGRAPHY MONTE-CARLO SOCIÉTÉ DES BAINS (LE LOUIS XV PLATE, INTERIOR); KEN MOTOHASI (MIL CENTRO DISH); DANIEL SILVA (PIA & VIRGILIO PORTRAIT); GUSTAVO VIVANCO (MIL CENTRO EXTERIOR)
INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM 117 Destination dining in the Peruvian Andes Central restaurant in Peru was voted World’s Best Restaurant in 2023, which makes getting a reservation there extremely tricky. Its founder, Virgilio Martinez, however, has a destination dining experience high in the Andes that is slightly easier to book, if not get to. Located next to the mysterious Incan site of Moray near Machu Picchu, Mil Centro is part restaurant, part community farming project and part research lab that’s worthy of a pilgrimage for gourmands. Book the full-day Mil Immersion, which includes meeting with Indigenous farmers and artisans followed by a sumptuous discovery of Andean cuisine. Kee Foong THE THEATRE OF LE LOUIS XV AT HÔTEL DE PARIS The chef is an artiste, the maître d’ an entertainer, the dining room a gilded theatre. Diners are expected to dress for the performance at Alain Ducasse’s three-starred Michelin restaurant in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Here, every set piece is a masterstroke: tissue-thin bread embossed with zucchini leaves and filaments of radish; fish cubes steaming on a bed of pebbles beneath a glass cloche; Champagne to match the brass tableware and buttery interior. This is an extravaganza to be digested long after you’ve delivered your standing ovation. Catherine Marshall
PHOTOGRAPHY MASATOMO MORIYAMA (KANDA SAN INTERIOR); GOZEN KOSHIDA (KANDA SAN DISH); ZUPHACHAI LAOKUNRAK (KITI PANIT) Ancient monastic traditions of Europe An island solely inhabited by Cistercian monks is not somewhere you’d expect to be surrounded by bikini-clad glitterati blaring techno on their yachts. Yet, Île Saint-Honorat is an anomalous pocket of asceticism that sits in stark contrast to the revelry of the French Riviera. However, the monastery precedes partygoers by about 16 centuries, as does its ancient winemaking traditions that continue into the present day. I sample syrah in the monastery’s sun-drenched vineyard. It’s peppery and intense, with notes of cherries, blackberries and cinnamon – a little drop of heaven. Elizabeth Whitehead VIENNESE COFFEEHOUSE CULTURE The Austrian capital is justifiably famous for its coffeehouses, known as much for their VIPs as their coffee and cake. From Café Central, where both Freud and Trotsky frequented in the early 1900s, to Café Hawelka, where patrons have included Andy Warhol and Peter Ustinov, to the elegant Café Sacher, home to the original Sacher-Torte cake, there’s a lot to love about Vienna’s centuries-old coffeehouses. Café Frauenhuber is Vienna’s oldest coffeehouse and is known for having Mozart and Beethoven play piano there in the late 1700s. Waltz through the doors at this timeworn institution to get a glimpse into Viennese society and the great minds that have helped shape the ‘City of Ideas’. Carla Grossetti
INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM 119 The word delicious is written as ‘beautiful flavour’ in Japanese. It’s at the heart of what inspires chef Hiroyuki Kanda-san, whose eponymously named restaurant Kanda has been awarded three Michelin stars since Michelin began ranking restaurants in Tokyo in 2007. Epicureans will find it worth their while to seek out the intimate eight-seat eatery in the Moto-Azabu area of Tokyo, where everything from the kaiseki cuisine to the ceramics reflects Kanda’s meticulous attention to detail. The acclaimed chef has also been the recipient of the Michelin Mentor Award for his continued dedication to the hospitality industry in Japan. Carla Grossetti The simple perfection of a pisco sour Have you even been to Chile if you haven’t sipped a pisco sour? Chile and Peru both claim pisco as their national tipple, but Chileans reportedly produce and drink more of the distilled grape spirit. While Peru may be the birthplace of its signature cocktail, Chile’s pisco sour recipe wins for its lip-smacking simplicity; its mix of pisco, lime, sugar and ice producing a frothy top layer without the need for egg whites commonly added in Peru. Salud! Sarah Reid THE ULTIMATE COCONUT CURRY Many cultures lay claim to the world’s best coconut curry, but there’s something special about khao soi. Typically made with chicken, the signature dish of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand is decadently rich and creamy, with the combination of soft and crunchy noodles creating the perfect texture. Anthony Bourdain put rough-andready Khao Soi Lung Prakit Kad Kom’s eye-wateringly spicy version on the map, but we think the more refined version at historic general store-turned-restaurant Kiti Panit (pictured) is well worth sampling. Sarah Reid Penang’s world-famous street food Penang’s rich multicultural history is what landed its capital George Town on the UNESCO World Heritage list. But it’s also what shaped the state’s famous street food scene. Penang’s thriving outdoor hawker centres have an abundance of stalls, each unique to its neighbour, using age-old family recipes to serve up affordable, flavourful dishes. You won’t receive a perfectly presented plate, but when the quality, flavour and price are that good, who’s complaining? Must-try dishes include nasi kandar, char koay teow and asam laksa, an all-time favourite. The famed eatery Air Itam Asam Laksa does it best, serving the addictive sweetsour broth with rice noodles, bunga kantan (ginger torch), red chillies and fresh mint. Emily Murphy
URBAN WONDERS
INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM 121 What did you obsess over during lockdown? Was it making bread complete with a bubbling, belligerent sourdough starter? Did you maintain your equilibrium by religiously doing the daily Wordle puzzle? Or perhaps you created your own home gym and spent the endless days, weeks and months feeling the burn. My obsession was a little larger in scale. It was actually the culture of an entire country: Korea (officially the Republic of Korea, South Korea to some, The Land of the Morning Calm to others). It wasn’t a random choice; my last international trip before the global shutdown was to Seoul, a city in a country that had long been at the top of my ‘must-get-there’ list. The behemoth capital of South Korea has a population of some 26 million – the same as the whole of Australia – which accounts for roughly 50 per cent of the country’s inhabitants. So, Korea was fresh in my mind’s eye and ripe for recollection, but my fascination went beyond mere instant recall. Memories are made of this We are often predisposed to liking a destination when we travel, having done the research and expended valuable time, effort and money to get there. Then we return home and move on to planning for the next one. But sometimes a destination makes you pause, capturing your imagination in a way that transcends the lingering glow of having been somewhere new. Some destinations are PHOTOGRAPHY transformational; Korea was that place for me. LEIGH-ANN POW (GWANGJANG MARKET) Being transformed by a destination doesn’t stop when you leave it, as Leigh-Ann Pow discovered during lockdown thanks to memories, music and a Netflix subscription. Seoul searching CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The revitalised Cheonggyecheon Stream runs through the heart of Seoul; Bukchon, a traditional hanok (Korean house) village; Waiting for mandu (dumplings) at Gwangjang Market; Bukhansan National Park, west of Seoul. >>
I loved it while I was on the ground. The constant colour, noise and movement of Seoul’s tightly packed dongs (neighbourhoods). The intricately beautiful royal palaces and historic ancestral shrines sitting in contrast to the glass and steel skyscrapers that are visual markers of Korea’s rapid economic and social transformation. The adherence to ancient ways of interacting and approaching each other that make little concession to the modern social cues observed internationally. The intricacies of a collective personality that gives rise to the exuberance of K-pop while at the same time having a word – han – that describes an internalised feeling of melancholy that many Koreans experience. I intended to go back, and then suddenly couldn’t. I found solace where I could and transformation almost by accident. I watched my first K-drama, then another. As my Netflix feed filled with exclusively Korean content I started to recognise words and phrases and gained insights into the multi-layered customs and social practices at the heart of Korean society. And to stay happy in a time rife with sadness and anxiety, I filled my Spotify with can’t-help-but-dance-to-it music by the likes of BTS. The Second Act Korea was one of the first places I returned to when international travel became an option again (which coincided with Qantas launching direct flights from Sydney to Seoul). But having experienced the destination vicariously, through the twisted plotlines of K-dramas and exhilaration of K-pop, would my memories live up to the hype in my head, or did deprivation of travel result in a romanticising of remembrance? Taking a seat on my first night at a bustling barbecue restaurant, a quintessential Korean dining experience, the busy chatter of the staff and patrons fills my ears and I feel a pleasing familiarity, in both my recollections and the knowledge gained – on language, food, customs – in the years since my first visit. As the meat sizzles on the grill, tiny glasses of potent soju are emptied in one go and kimchi fried rice and banchan (side dishes of pickles and kimchi) are delivered to the table, I feel content. It is the same at the imposing Gyeongbokgung Palace the next day. Under an impossibly blue sky, the vibrantly painted structure, one of the five palace complexes in the historic downtown districts of Seoul, is as visually compelling as I remember. But I have garnered a better understanding of its history during my time away and how it would have been used that, rather than diminishing the experience, allows me to look at it through a new lens of understanding. In the innercity village of Bukchon, I am happy to rediscover the cobblestoned 122 INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: The view to Namsan Tower; Traditional hanboks for hire; Gyeongbokgung Palace, the oldest and largest of Seoul’s Five Grand Palaces; Walking alongside Cheonggyecheon Stream, an oasis in the city; Bowls of Korean classic kimchi at Gwangjang Market. I love the constant colour, noise and movement of Seoul’s tightly packed neighbourhoods; the intricately beautiful royal palaces and historic ancestral shrines sitting in contrast to the glass and steel skyscrapers. PHOTOGRAPHY LEIGH-ANN POW (NAMSAN TOWER, HANBOKS, CHEONGGYECHEON STREAM)
streets lined with traditional hanok houses and recognise some buildings as the backdrop for a favourite K-drama. Attending a tea ceremony at Rakkojae Culture Lounge, a restored hanok complex that interestingly also boasts its own craft gin, is an exquisitely considered ritual of measuring and mixing and pouring. It also allows me the privilege of time within one of these lovely structures as I sip persimmon tea and nibble on traditional rice cakes. The convergence of history and hospitality is a recurring theme throughout Seoul, where neighbourhoods such as Insadong, Ikseondong and Anguk boast a roster of cool, impossibly Instagrammable eateries and restaurants retrofitted into hanoks. Better days Seoul is the kind of international city where you can do as much or as little as you please and still feel you have encountered something singular. One where the beauty in the quiet and muted is as distracting as that of the bright and obvious. Walking the 10.9-kilometre Cheonggyecheon Stream, a former open stream running through the heart of Seoul that has been revitalised into a lush, landscaped oasis of greenery, fish, birdlife and art, is a simple pleasure that allows access to mustsee locations at a meandering pace. Places such as Dongdaemun, which is dominated by the hulking silver Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), conjured by the imagination of the late architect Zaha Hadid. Or the heaving, aromatic Gwangjang Market, where locals and tourists sit shoulder-to-shoulder at benches and communal tables to eat bindae-tteok (crisp, golden mung bean pancakes), mandu (bulbous, juicy dumplings) and cigarlike gimbap. These little seaweed rolls filled with rice, pickles and wilted greens, sprinkled with sesame seeds and served with a tangy, mustardy dipping sauce are the ultimate Korean snack (nicknamed mayak gimbap or ‘addictive gimbap’). It also rewards you for regularly leaving its well-trodden, tree-lined paths by offering up undiscovered pockets of the city, where the streets are laced with electricity wires and locals stand chatting outside corner shops. Or depositing you at the door of any number of chic, in-the-know cafes where Seoul’s vibrant youth sip meticulously brewed coffee and snack on crispy, flaky baked goods (Seoul’s cafe culture is off-the-charts good, with everything from old shoe factories to hanoks kitted out with coffee machines and super-sleek design). On my last day, I visit the lovely Jingwansa Temple in the west of Seoul. The Buddhist temple complex is set against a mountainous backdrop, close to Bukhansan National Park, which provides a setting that is as picturesque as it is peaceful. Having been greeted by a smiling nun in minimalist grey robes under a ceiling festooned with colourful lanterns, I am introduced to the gentle rituals of Korean Buddhism through a session of meditation. As I lay on the smooth wooden floor engulfed in silence, save for an occasional chime ringing, my internal contemplation becomes an affirmation: of the accuracy of my memories; of the validity of my fascination; of the joy in once again being transformed by a destination. >>
124 INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM Fine dining in Bangkok A crop of talented young Thai chefs is setting Bangkok’s fine dining scene on fire. Take Thitid ‘Ton’ Tassanakajohn, whose restaurants, Le Du (pictured above) and Nusara (below), nabbed the first and third spots on the influential Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023 list. What’s more, Nusara is located opposite Wat Pho with knockout views of the iconic temple. Not to be outdone is Potong by rising star Pichaya ‘Pam’ Soontornyanakij (top), who mines her Thai–Chinese heritage to delectable effect in a gorgeous century-old shophouse. Or Sorn, by Supaksorn ‘Ice’ Jongsiri, whose modern southern Thai creations are a spice-laden feast for the palate and eyes. Kee Foong A Traveller’s Checklist GETTING THERE Qantas flies direct from Sydney to Korea’s Incheon International Airport four times a week from November to April, and three times a week from May to October. qantas.com STAYING THERE Four Seasons Hotel Seoul is in the Gwanghwamun area, where the city’s rich history and modern sensibilities coexist. The sophisticated property has views out to jutting skyscrapers, storied royal palaces and verdant mountain ranges from its elegant guest rooms. It boasts several signature eateries (breakfast is served in a subterranean space with a glass floor in parts that provide glimpses of the foundations of historic buildings from the Joseon period), marble-swathed wellness and fitness facilities, a seasonal rooftop terrace and a schmoozy hidden bar, Charles H. ARRIVING THERE To celebrate Visit Korea Year 2023–2024, Australian passport holders no longer require a visa or visa waiver to enter the country. Once on the ground, getting from Incheon International Airport to Seoul takes between 45 and 60 minutes; the journey can be undertaken by Express Airport Bus, with several drop-off points in the city, or via the Airport Railroad Express Train (AREX) which travels direct from Terminal 1 to Seoul Station. If you want to take a taxi, head to the signposted international taxi stand where the drivers speak English (among other languages) and the fare is fixed depending on the drop-off location. SPENDING THERE To get an exchange rate just a smidge lower than the cash rate, take Australian dollars with you and change them at one of the cash-only exchange desks in the arrivals hall at Incheon. Not all ATMs in Korea accept international bank cards, so if you need to get money out, look for clearly marked ‘Global ATMs’. Apple Pay launched in South Korea in March 2023, but Google Pay is not yet available. NAVIGATING THERE Naver Map and KakaoMap are the preferred apps for locals, with Naver offering more English text and real-time updates on traffic conditions, business hours and the like. PHOTOGRAPHY GASTROFILM (CHEF PICHAYA ‘PAM’ SOONTORNYANAKIJ); EDMAN CHOY, COURTESY OF HERZOG & DE MEURON (M+ GALLERY HORIZON TERRACE); ARTWORKS INSTALLATION VIEW OF MADAME SONG: PIONEERING ART AND FASHION IN CHINA, 2023, GARMENTS: PIERRE CARDIN ARCHIVES, PHOTO: DAN LEUNG, COURTESY OF M+, HONG KONG; INSTALLATION VIEW OF THINGS, SPACES, INTERACTIONS IN EAST GALLERIES, PHOTO: KEVIN MAK, COURTESY OF HERZOG & DE MEURON PHOTO: KEVIN MAK © KEVIN MAK COURTESY OF HERZOG & DE MEURON GARMENTS: PIERRE CARDIN ARCHIVES PHOTO: DAN LEUNG COURTESY OF M+, HONG KONG Above: The Zaha Hadid-designed Dongdaemun Design Plaza.
RUIN BARS OF BUDAPEST You’ll fi nd a plaque on the outside wall of Szimpla Kert that reads: “People used to live here.” It is a solemn nod to the Jewish people who once called Budapest’s Old Jewish Quarter home. Th e district remained in disrepair until the turn of the century when a dilapidated former factory was transformed into the fi rst of several ruin bars. Drinks and music fl ow freely at Szimpla Kert of an evening, but come Sunday, the eclectic bar morphs into a weekly farmers’ market. On the other end of the spectrum is Mazel Tov; join the queue – it’s worth it. Katie Carlin HONG KONG’S BEACON FOR VISUAL CULTURE For years, Hong Kong’s status as a global art capital was held back by the lack of a truly world-class museum. Th at changed with the opening of M+ in 2021 in the city’s West Kowloon Cultural District. Designed by star architecture fi rm Herzog & de Meuron, which also did the Tate Modern in London, the slab-like M+ is a waterfront beacon for visual culture. In addition to blockbuster exhibitions by the likes of Yayoi Kusama, it holds an unrivalled collection of Chinese contemporary art and a fascinating curation of Asian design, which runs from rice cookers and neon signs to a meticulously preserved sushi restaurant. Kee Foong
PHOTOGRAPHY SARAH REID (FLOWER-COVERED BUILDING IN BEIRUT); CATHERINE MARSHALL (JAMESTOWN) Gaudí’s Barcelona Architect Antoni Gaudí used the Catalan capital of Barcelona as a canvas for his unbound creativity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Blending elements of Gothic and Moorish architecture and drawing inspiration from nature, Gaudí was at the forefront of the Modernisme movement with a style unique in the world. His legacy lives on across Barcelona’s marvellous monuments, from the whimsical Casa Batlló, inspired by the sea, and the colourful playground of Park Güell to the unfinished masterpiece, Sagrada Família. All of which create a fantastical backdrop to a dynamic modern city that remains one of Europe’s most compelling. Imogen Eveson RIO DE JANEIRO’S COOLEST FAVELA Brazilian favelas have earned a blanket reputation for being unsafe, but not all of them are so. In fact, warm, welcoming and up-and-coming Vidigal is the best place you’ll go in Rio de Janeiro. Whiz through narrow, winding streets on the back of a motorbike. Hike Trilha Morro Dois Irmãos for the best views of the city. Samba the night away and bond with friendly locals, caipiroska in hand, at Bar 180° Alto. Visitors to Vidigal can also enjoy a night overlooking Ipanema Beach from Mirante do Arvrão hotel (pictured above) and indulge in tasty street food. Kassia Byrnes
INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM 127 A WONDER OF HUMAN SPIRIT Decimated by the 2020 Port of Beirut explosion, Beirut is a city with many scars. Yet, like Lebanon’s 15-year civil war before it, the tragedy has become part of the Mediterranean city’s story – a long, tumultuous tale that unravels slowly as you wander its streets, where Roman ruins nestle between mosques and churches, shelled mansions now house museums and new buildings rising up from the blast zone stand testament to the resilience of its residents. Sarah Reid The life force of Jamestown Ghana’s soul has been salvaged from the remnants of colonialism at this historic port in the country’s capital, Accra. At sunset, bodies tire but spirits radiate. Boys somersault along the wharf; women stir pots of fufu; fishermen moor their pirogues in the powder-blue bay; rubber-limbed youths dance the Azonto. Ghosts haunt the alleyways, too: European merchants and slave traders who arrived in the 15th century, generations of West Africans who dwelt here. Today, fishing is Jamestown’s mainstay, but such is its energy. “Everyone comes to live here,” says guide Nii Tackie (Nice One) Tagoe. “We have musicians, footballers, boxers, dancers, teachers.” Houses spill onto the beach beside James Fort, a UNESCO property of Outstanding Universal Value. Its bulwarks hold back the tide still, 350 years after its construction, but the cries of slaves and other convicts have long fallen silent. Outstanding universal value resides not within the citadel, it seems, but in the life force recasting history beyond its dark shadow. Catherine Marshall
PHOTOGRAPHY BARRETT & MACKAY PHOTO (GROS MORNE MOUNTAIN, WESTERN BROOK POND ON THIS PAGE); DRU KENNEDY (TABLELANDS) Natural Wonders
INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM 129 This is my favourite view in the park because you can see two planets at once,” Brad Young announces as we stride forth under a clear blue sky. “You’ve got Earth to your right,” he explains, gesturing towards a granite dome poking out above thickly wooded slopes. “And then there’s Mars on the left.” Instead of looking up to the heavens, I’m gazing in wonder at the most distinctive part of Newfoundland’s World Heritage-listed Gros Morne National Park. The Tablelands is a barren plateau that formed when two continents collided and forced Earth’s mantle up to the surface. One of only a few places in the world where you can observe this phenomenon, it played a crucial role in confirming the theory of plate tectonics but is far from fertile ground for the local fauna. The rocks of the Tablelands are so rich in heavy metals that “it’s basically a polluted junkyard for most plants”. Nearly 500 million years after that initial continental clash, the slopes are still almost entirely devoid of flora, save a few maroon pitcher plants that get their nutrients by capturing unwitting insects. Instead, the iron-rich rocks have rusted to a dark orange that creates a distinctly Martian landscape. And it’s not just film crews that think so – NASA scientists have visited several times to test their Mars Exploration Rovers. The absence of any vegetation above ankle height means it’s almost impossible to get a sense of scale as we slowly climb upwards, so I don’t realise how far we’ve ascended until I turn around. And when I do, the otherworldly appearance of the Tablelands is amplified by the contrast between the bare orange rock and the rest of the park. Below me, the cobalt-blue waters of Bonne Bay fjord split into two arms that stretch out towards jagged mountain peaks, broad grassy meadows and dense forests of spruce, larch, balsam and fir. I’m visiting as part of World Expeditions’ Gros Morne Adventure, a week-long walking trip that takes me to the heart of this remote and staggeringly beautiful park perched high up on the north-western tip of Newfoundland. Adrift in the wild Atlantic Ocean, this remote island didn’t join Canada until 1949 and the locals still have a fiercely independent streak and take evident pride in the beauty of their surroundings. Extending far out beyond Canada’s lonely east coast, Newfoundland’s Gros Morne National Park protects a rugged landscape unlike anywhere else on Earth. Alexis Buxton-Collins explores. Call of the wild CLOCKWISE FROM TOP left: Light touches the granite dome of Gros Morne Mountain; Western Brook Pond is a spectacular glacier-cut freshwater fjord; The Tablelands is a barren plateau formed by two colliding continents. Opposite: Hike to the top of Western Brook Pond for dramatic views. >>
“How can you tell the Newfoundlanders in heaven?” Brad asks at one point, before hitting us with the punchline: “They’re the ones who want to go home.” A long-time local who lives in a cabin in the woods and refers to nearby Corner Brook (pop. 20,000) as a big city, he’s equipped with an endless supply of one-liners delivered in the broad maritime accent of a Bostonian who’s just had a shot of Novocaine to the gums. One of the features of the local dialect is that any body of water between two metres and 20 kilometres across is a pond (pronounced “pahnd”), and by far the most beautiful is Western Brook Pond. In any other place this would be the headline act, a stunningly beautiful freshwater fjord gouged from towering cliffs of weathered granite and gneiss that disappear into the clouds. Even in late June, patches of white dot the upper reaches and the snowmelt feeds roaring waterfalls that rush down the cliff faces in billowing clouds. And, like the Tablelands, this is a peculiarly harsh environment; the small drainage basin and non-reactive granite keep the water so pure that it won’t conduct electricity and it lacks the nutrients to support much marine life. Fortunately, not all our surroundings are so unforgiving. For 500 years Newfoundland was the base for fishers plying the Grand Banks, one of the richest fishing grounds in the world, and each night after our walk we have a chance to sample the sea’s bounty. We feast on sweet, pickled herring and plump steamed mussels in the idyllic fishing community of Trout River, tuck into pan-fried cod in a former fishing loft and taste the most famous local catch prepared in every way imaginable. There are lobster dumplings, lobster bisque, whole lobsters and even the scallop and shrimp risotto is garnished with lobster caviar. I’m sure that eventually I’d tire of such a diet, but that would take far longer than a single week. And while a daily dose of lobster sounds like gold-plated opulence, the real luxury of this trip lies in its intimate scale. Walking groups are limited to six people, which means we can fit around a table at even the cosiest local restaurants. And that size makes it easy to take in the natural beauty undisturbed on our daily walks that range from eight to 16 kilometres, each taking us into an entirely new environment. Coastal trails pass forests of wind-blasted “tuckamore” trees that grow almost sideways to form impenetrable tangles of branches. And a bank of fossil-rich shale stands vertically above a rocky beach at Green Point. “Every layer is like a page in a story,” our guide tells us, “and one millimetre represents 100 years of sedimentation. That means each step you take along the beach is like travelling 60,000 years through time.” At 700 metres above sea level, the aptly named Big Lookout gazes out from a flower-filled alpine bog over brooding mountain ranges, windswept volcanic beaches and glacier-carved fjords. Across the bay lies a tall granite dome erupting from a sea of trees. This is the mountain that gives the park its name, and on sunny days Brad says the quartzite that covers the upper sections turns it into “a sheet of glass in the middle of the forest”. And yet none of these can compete with my favourite view of the park. That would be from Gros Morne Inn, the former hunting CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: This national park in north-west Newfoundland is UNESCO-listed; Gros Morne Inn from above; A cosy suite at the Inn. OPPOSITE (from top left): Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse; A trail through the Tablelands; The red landscape is made up of the Earth’s exposed mantle; The Big Lookout. PHOTOGRAPHY BARRETT & MACKAY PHOTO (ROAD IN TABLELANDS); DRU KENNEDY (WALKING TRAIL IN TABLELANDS)
INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM 131 lodge perched above the charming town of Woody Point that serves as our home for the week. I head to one of the cedar hot tubs looking out over Bonne Bay each night after dinner, determined to stay up and see what I am certain will be epic night skies. But the rich lobster dinners and days that seem to stretch out indefinitely so close to the summer solstice mean that I’m always asleep long before the stars come out. Under my goose-down doona, I dream of being a child in Adelaide and trying to dig a hole all the way to China, a notion that seems even more fanciful now than it did then. In truth, I’d have to dig deeper than anyone ever has just to reach the Earth’s mantle, and if I kept going I’d eventually pop out somewhere off the coast of Newfoundland. The island’s largest settlement, St Johns, lies 18,320 kilometres away from my hometown. But even that doesn’t fully capture just how remote it is. Gros Morne doesn’t just feel like another planet; it contains multiple worlds, each of them somehow more beautiful than the last. A Traveller’s Checklist The seven-day Gros Morne Adventure runs between June and September and includes airport transfers, guides, accommodation and all meals. worldexpeditions.com GETTING THERE Guests are picked up from Deer Lake Regional Airport, which has multiple daily connections to Toronto, Montreal and Halifax. STAYING THERE The base package includes accommodation at Bonne Bay Inn, with an option to upgrade to Gros Morne Inn. grosmorneinn.com Conscious Traveller Gros Morne Inn co-owner Rebecca Brushett is a marine biologist and founder of AHOI (Atlantic Healthy Oceans Initiative), a nonprofit that conducts marine life surveys, clears marine debris and upcycles it into building materials. All the seafood on the Inn’s seasonal menu is Ocean Wise-certified and the kitchen uses locally sourced produce wherever possible (including jam made by the local mayor). Newfoundland’s remoteness makes waste management an important issue, so locally made soap, shampoo and conditioner all come in bar form to eliminate packaging, and the Inn is on the path to becoming an entirely wastefree business. For now, all recycling categories are weighed and measured and thin plastic that can’t be recycled is turned into eco-bricks for future construction projects.
Glacier Bay National Park’s fragile grandeur I am camped on the bow of Holland America Line’s Koningsdam, anticipating the thunderous crack of a tidewater glacier as we cut a path through the icy-cold waters of Glacier Bay National Park. “The brilliant blue of the ice will shine bright in this fog,” reassures the park ranger over the speaker as we journey closer to Margerie Glacier. Alaska is warming twice as fast as the rest of the Earth and 95 per cent of its 100,000 glaciers are thinning, stagnating or retreating at an alarming rate. Jagged chunks of ice float past, a sea otter appears briefly and tufts of fog hover as we take the last bend. Margerie doesn’t disappoint. Her face towers 60 metres above sea level and stretches around 1.4 kilometres wide – but for how long? Even something this grand could disappear if we can’t correct our course in time. Katie Carlin SWITZERLAND’S MOST DREAMLIKE LANDSCAPE Dreamlike landscapes are the norm when traversing Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland region but even still, Aareschlucht (Aare Gorge) is a phenomenal outlier. Formed by glaciation over thousands of years, the limestone gorge and icy-blue glacial water of the Aare River are mystical and oddly enticing. But that 200-metre drop-off is somewhat of a disincentive. The hike through the gorge winds its way through 1.4 kilometres of footbridges and tunnels. Start in the east entrance and finish with a crescendo of waterfalls and rapids at the narrowest parts of the gorge. Emily Murphy
INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM 133 The frozen continent Standing alone on the deck of an expedition ship admiring the reflection of jagged icebergs and snow-capped mountains cutting into a soft pastel sky in the silky water below, tears begin to stream down my face. After days exploring the Antarctic Peninsula, with the roaring sound of glaciers calving, whales swimming beneath our Zodiac and penguins nibbling at our camera straps, the magnificence of the frozen continent has moved me like nowhere else on Earth. Angela Saurine THE GREAT BLUE HOLE It’s a thrillingly eerie feeling descending into the cobalt abyss of the Great Blue Hole, a giant marine sinkhole near the centre of Lighthouse Reef some 70 kilometres off mainland Belize. Recreational dives descend to 40 metres, meaning most divers will experience the discombobulating effects of nitrogen narcosis as you make your way down, along and back up a section of the limestone sinkhole wall adorned with stalactites. If you’re lucky, you might spot some sharks patrolling the depths. Sarah Reid Midnight sun and aurora borealis It’s 1am when I pull on my hiking boots. Abisko National Park in the heart of Swedish Lapland is only a two-kilometre walk from my accommodation and I’m taking advantage of summer’s midnight sun to hike part of its well-known but rarely trodden Kungsleden trail. The rushing of Abiskojåkka’s ice-laden water is the only sound I hear as I gaze up at Abisko Sky Station in the distance. It’s in this moment that I bookmark the spot in my mind; vowing to return for aurora borealis in winter. Taylah Darnell
Hidden glories of Guyana It’s any wonder how one of the most biodiverse corners of the planet remained off our radars for so long. But now this English-speaking South American nation is becoming a go-to destination for wilderness adventure. From hiking for days (or braving a small plane ride) to marvel at the thundering glory of Kaieteur Falls to spotting giant anteaters by horseback, Guyana’s dense tropical rainforests and sweeping savannahs, largely untouched by logging and mining, are ripe for exploration. Sarah Reid TOWERING TREES OF NEW ZEALAND Admire the bark of the kauri trees twisting and curling on trunks that soar out of reach while walking among the giants of the Waipoua Forest. The mighty Tāne Mahuta (Lord of the Forest) stands an impressive 51 metres tall, presiding over a grove of kauri trees that is said to be among the oldest and largest in the world. The towering trees are intertwined with the lives of Māori in Aotearoa/New Zealand and part of the largest remaining tract of native forest in Northland. Carla Grossetti
INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM 135 PHOTOGRAPHY MILES HOLDEN (TĀNE MAHUTA) Folklore of the Scottish Highlands Th e Scottish Highlands have inspired countless folklore tales and poems. Th e landscape is as harsh and dramatic as it is beautiful, captivating humans throughout history with its green glens, glittering lochs and toothed mountains. Th roughout the seasons, the landscape shifts. Come summer, fl owering heather colours the hillsides with a dreamy purple hue. In winter, the stark mountains are frosted with porcelain-white snow. In all iterations, the Scottish Highlands enthral visitors with magic, magnifi cence and mysticism. Elizabeth Whitehead MIRACLES IN THE ATACAMA DESERT Miracles are visited upon this brittle wasteland stretched between the Andean Plateau and the pampas of northern Chile. Lakes blush with fl amingos’ refl ections; mesquite trees appear like sudden cloudbursts on the plains; quinces and pomegranates grow fat on snowmelt drifting down from the Andes. Occasionally, wildfl owers paint the desert in primary colours. Th ere’s beauty, too, in the monochrome renditions of the world’s driest place (besides the polar regions): salt-crusted pans glittering in the sunlight, chalky wastes rippling towards a line of volcanoes, skies so unsullied the world’s leading astronomers use the desert as their terrestrial base for heavenly studies. Catherine Marshall
W i l d l i f e Wonders
INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM 137 The hunt is over. We have found the big tusker after a days-long search. He sways ankle-deep in love grass, his jowls heavy with ivory. I snare him in my sights, aim the barrel lens, press the shutter. Th en I lay my camera aside and lose myself in the majesty of the moment. Before me stands one of Tsavo Conservation Area’s eight remaining big tuskers – bull elephants whose tusks weigh in excess of 50 kilograms each and are so immense they often drag along the ground. Brought to the brink of extinction by trophy hunters and ivory poachers, their genes have been identifi ed in 27 younger members of the area’s 14,000-strong elephant population. Against such odds, the existence of these so-called “emerging tuskers” is miraculous. “Th ese genes are being preserved and maintained,” says Nganba Malingi, a guide at Satao Camp in Tsavo East National Park, Kenya. “Patrols are done by air, by road, by foot, monitoring them, collaring them, GPS. And it has been working. Tsavo is a hotbed, an epicentre of the big tuskers, especially Satao Camp.” Th is region is indeed a stronghold for tuskers of all stripes: one third of Kenya’s elephants live between the contiguous Tsavo East and Tsavo West national parks (which form part of the Tsavo Conservation Area). Th e earth reverberates with their footfall; herds appear to move as one, gliding across the horizon like paper cut-outs joined trunk-to-tail. Th eir hides refl ect the colours of this painted landscape: black for the cotton soil, grey for the ashen loam, red for the laterite sod streaking the plains. Th is camoufl age reveals itself close up at dawn as a herd fi les towards the waterhole at Satao Camp. My tent fl aps are open and I can see the elephants from my bed through the tightly zipped mosquito screen. Th ere’s no sign of the lion that woke me in the early hours as he passed PHOTOGRAPHY WILLIAM BURRARD-LUCAS (ELEPHANTS IN TSAVO EAST NATIONAL PARK, SATAO CAMP, BIG TUSKER) Brought to the brink of extinction, Tsavo East National Park’s fabled big tuskers are making a comeback, writes Catherine Marshall. The big tuskers of Tsavo CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Lions are often sighted at Satao Camp; One of the big tuskers of Tsavo East National Park, Kenya; Spot elephants from the tented safari camp; Have your binoculars at the ready on Th e Big Tusker Safari with Bench Africa; Th e magnifi cent mammals are known to hang out around Satao Camp; Impalas watch on as you enjoy lunch under tamarind trees. >>
138 INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM by; his mane-haloed face had entered my dreams and lulled me back to sleep. My askari (guard) has placed refreshments on the deck and I sip coffee in the company of elephants taking their own morning drink. Though no big tuskers are among them, their gravitas is undisputed; their faces are stained brick-red, their feet shod in patent black cotton soil boots. In the rainy season, up to 1000 elephants will gather here each day, big tuskers among them. But the rains haven’t broken yet; though I could spend all day watching the passing traffic from the camp’s open-air dining room or watchtower, Nganba tempts me away on a treasure hunt. “It’s a fresh beginning,” he says. The rising sun snags on the thorn trees and sets the savannah alight. Oryx emerge from a cloud of dust, their horns crisscrossing like wayward exclamation marks. Masai giraffe – the tallest of the species – crane their necks towards an aircraft gliding overhead. It’s a Kenyan Wildlife Service aerial patrol, part of that collective effort by conservation organisations to revive big tuskers and protect their kin. As Nganba points out, their work is reaping dividends: poaching has dropped by about 90 per cent; projects initiated by Tsavo Trust, an elephant conservation NGO, have improved economic opportunities for local communities and reduced human-wildlife conflict; and a rescue-and-rehabilitation program run by Sheldrick Wildlife Trust – one of Africa’s oldest conservation organisations – has saved scores of elephants impacted by drought, conflict and poaching. “Tsavo has a future,” Nganba says. He’s idling through riparian habitat, the Taita Hills rising blue beyond the thicket. This is leopard territory, but there’s another loiterer about: an emerging tusker, one of the elite up-and-comers in whom resides the hope of so many. The elephant turns towards us, his tusks mighty cutlasses carving the air. “See how they curve inwards?” Nganba says. “Up, down, this way, that way. They are like fingerprints.” From nowhere, a flock of openbill storks floods the sky. They are a portent, it seems, winged sages foretelling a miraculous rebirth. CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Satao Camp sundowners; Look out over the waterhole from the outdoor dining area at Satao Camp; The best time to spot animals around Satao Camp is on a game drive at dawn or dusk; Tsavo’s red laterite soil lends its elephants their distinctive hue.
Rwanda’s gorilla naming ceremony Even the most compelling Sir David Attenborough documentary cannot compare to the thrill of encountering mountain gorillas in the wild. The eco-diverse nation of Rwanda is home to about 1000 mountain gorillas and the great news is that number is slowly increasing. Celebrate the success of conservation efforts by attending a naming ceremony for baby gorillas with Intrepid Travel on a Rwanda Gorilla Naming Ceremony & Uganda tour. In addition to sighting the magnificent creatures in Rwanda, the nineday adventure includes a game drive in Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park and cruise around Lake Kivu, one of the African Great Lakes. By taking a tour with Intrepid, you are directly supporting Gorilla Doctors, an organisation dedicated to caring for sick and injured mountain and eastern lowland gorillas in the wild. Carla Grossetti A Traveller’s Checklist GETTING THERE Emirates flies direct from Sydney and Melbourne to Dubai, with regular connections to Nairobi. emirates.com STAYING THERE Bench Africa’s eight-day Big Tusker Safari costs from $5015 and includes rail transfers from Nairobi, accommodation, meals and safari activities. benchafrica.com EATING THERE Ask Satao Camp to arrange a picnic beside the Galata River or a lantern-lit bush dinner (extra costs apply). sataocamp.com ARMCHAIR TRAVEL Pour a sundowner, pull up a chair and enjoy the elephant action on Satao’s waterhole webcam. live.sataocamp.com CONSCIOUS TRAVELLER The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s orphan elephant adoption program enables supporters around the world to contribute to the preservation of the species. Visitors can meet some of the orphans at the trust’s Nairobi Elephant Orphanage and at the Voi Reintegration Unit (included in Bench Africa’s itinerary). sheldrickwildlifetrust.org CHECK OFF THE BIG FIVE IN TANZANIA Like a giant fish bowl of wildlife, the jewel of northern Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area is known for being populated with all the members of the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo), a pool full of hippo and even the odd cheetah. Hear the cackle of hyenas as your safari vehicle climbs down into the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera in the dawn mist, and ready your camera for non-stop action as you roll around this legendary ecosystem. Sarah Reid PHOTOGRAPHY WILLIAM BURRARD-LUCAS (ELEPHANT, SATAO CAMP OUTDOOR DINING AREA)
A once-in-a-lifetime experience in Etosha Ask any Africa safari specialist to name their favourite game parks and chances are Etosha will be high on their list. This seemingly harsh saltencrusted desert landscape in northern Namibia teems with wildlife, popularly viewed at waterholes (some located conveniently close to campgrounds) that attract the park’s large elephant herds, black and critically endangered white rhinos, giraffes, zebras and various antelope species. Some 700 lions also roam this landscape, while elusive leopards slink through the darkness. Sarah Reid BOTSWANA’S MAKGADIKGADI PANS The desolate, barren Makgadikgadi salt pans in Botswana’s Kalahari Desert seem an unlikely magnet for wildlife. But a twist of nature makes it home to one of the largest migrations of zebra and wildebeest on the planet. To witness it, book into the luxe Jack’s Camp, with its ravishing Bedouin-style tents amid an oasis of palm trees, or its lowerkey sibling San Camp, which rises like a shimmering mirage on the edge of the blinding white pans. The reserve is also home to desert-adapted lions and elephants, rare brown hyenas, aardvarks and adorable meerkats. Kee Foong
INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM 141 SNOW LEOPARDS OF THE HIMALAYAS Trek through the folds of the Ulley Valley in Ladakh on a Snow Leopard Tracking Tour with Crooked Compass, which offers the chance to see the ‘ghosts of the mountain’ in their natural environment. Expert trackers and guides will be on hand to point out the elusive animal and discuss conservation efforts dedicated to saving the species, known to roam in the high-altitude environment of northern India. The snow leopard is listed as a vulnerable species and a tour with Crooked Compass helps to safeguard their future. Carla Grossetti The colourful chameleons of Madagascar Between their ability to colour-morph and their long sticky tongue that can accelerate to 100 kilometres per hour in one hundredth of a second, the humble chameleon is one captivating creature. Home to about half of the world’s 150 chameleon species, Madagascar is the place to marvel at these incredible reptiles, which move a lot slower than their blisteringly fast tongue. With a new species discovered here in 2021, who knows how many more undiscovered specimens lurk in its tropical jungles. Sarah Reid PHOTOGRAPHY DAVID CROOKES (SAN CAMP)
Komodo dragons of Indonesia You’ll be given many warnings about Komodo dragons in Indonesia: don’t get too close, don’t stand in their line of sight, don’t have your period, don’t wander off alone. It’s enough to make you jittery that your guide is armed only with a forked wooden stick – until you spot one and their mighty size and almost mythical reputation leaves you in awe. Despite about 3156 dragons living in Komodo National Park, seeing one isn’t guaranteed. Go on a guided tour to increase your chances of spotting one of the most incredible animals roaming the planet today. Kassia Byrnes LIONS OF KENYA’S MASAI MARA The alpha male strikes the first chord. His roar electrifies the bedrock, vibrates through the LandCruiser’s tyres, enters my body and almost shatters my bones. A second male joins in; the females soon add their baritones to the unearthly chorus. A sweet refrain arises from the cubs: they mewl at the unseen enemy, thinking they’re already grown. These kings of the jungle were once hunted by Masai boys as an initiation into manhood; today they are the Masai Mara National Reserve’s most cherished possessions. Catherine Marshall
INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM 143 PHOTOGRAPHY JERRY AURUM (KOMODO); CATHERINE MARSHALL (BATS, KASANAK NATIONAL PARK); FRÉDÉRIQUE LEGRAND (FAKARAVA’S CORAL ATOLL); ALEXANDRE VOYER (BOAT IN FAKARAVA) POLAR BEARS AND BELUGA WHALES IN CHURCHILL I am on a blue mat attached to a Zodiac floating in the middle of Hudson Bay with my head plunged under the icy-cold water when I come face-to-face with a smiling beluga whale. I yank my head out of the water on reflex. It’s a moment I’ve retold hundreds of times since and it never gets old. It can only be topped by Churchill’s other main attraction: polar bears. We spot one camouflaged in the tundra from the water, her nose pointed to the sky, sniffing. Her cub comes up beside her. The boat sways gently and we watch as she curls herself up to nurse. As a travel writer I am often asked the trip I’ve loved most – and this one tops my list. Katie Carlin Dive with sharks in Fakarava Take out your colour wheel and give it a spin to better calculate the hues, tints, tones and shades on show in the Lagoon of Fakarava. Fakarava means ‘beautiful’ in Tahitian, and the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is the exact kind of tranquil beauty that the Islands of Tahiti are known for. Dive at the Fakarava Atoll in the late afternoon when the sun highlights its brilliant colours. The second largest in the Tuamotu Islands, the lagoon is a draw for divers who want to brave the ‘shark wall’, an annual phenomenon that sees hundreds of sharks converge at its southern edges to feed on an abundance of fish. It’s a spectacle like no other. Carla Grossetti A MIGHTY BAT MIGRATION IN ZAMBIA At daybreak, the sky above the swamp forest in Kasanka National Park, western Zambia, blackens with bats returning from a night’s foraging. The air throbs with their clamour; trees sag beneath the weight of their bodies. Come sunset, they will fly off again. This is the world’s largest mammal migration, a spectacle that sees 10 million fruit bats from southern, western and equatorial Africa converge between October and December each year. Summoned by instinct (and wild fruit), the bats play an important conservation role: they help regenerate deforested tracts by dispersing seeds along their journey. Catherine Marshall
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England’s crowning coastal path Lace up your boots. The King Charles III England Coast Path will be the longest managed coastal path in the world when each section of the 4345-kilometre trail is completed by the end of 2024. Formerly known as The England Coastal Path, the new national trail named in the monarch’s honour will encircle the entire English seaboard, looping in the magical shape-shifting seas and landscapes of the Dorset coastline and beyond. Enjoy a tramper tour along the trail, set to unlock some of the most dramatic landscapes in the country. Carla Grossetti WALKING THE CAMINO People have travelled internationally for centuries. Before the advent of planes, ships and cars – they simply walked. The Camino de Santiago, a religious pilgrimage that started in the Middle Ages, is an enduring example of this. More than a millennium later, the tradition is stronger than ever, with nearly half a million pilgrims hitting the trail in 2022. Their reasons for doing so may be as diverse as the Spanish landscapes they traverse, but nonetheless, the Camino de Santiago continues to serve as a bridge that connects us to our wandering, wayfaring past. Elizabeth Whitehead Trek to Everest Base Camp A hike that’s just as much about the journey, this epic 12-day trek to the base of the world’s tallest peak immerses hikers not only in one of the world’s most dramatic alpine landscapes, but also in the rich culture of its Sherpa villages, the storied history of the hiking route and the reality of the climate crisis. In fact, Nepal is currently mulling lowering the base camp due to the rapidly thinning Khumbu Glacier it sits on. Hike in winter for crisp bluebird days and a refreshing lack of crowds. Sarah Reid
THE TIMELESS TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY This is a journey of superlatives. It takes seven days straight to traverse the world’s longest railway, which stretches for 9288 kilometres between Moscow and Vladivostok. A third of the globe’s breadth unspools beneath me; I cross 16 major rivers, pass through 87 towns and cities and emerge the other side an utterly transformed person. Catherine Marshall Switzerland by train The Swiss get a lot of things right. But when it comes to public transportation, the landlocked country is in a league of its own. Punctual, panoramic and plush, the Swiss Travel System launches you into the heart of Switzerland’s most unique landscapes while allowing you to relax and take in the scenic surrounds. And the best part? All modes of transport are perfectly in sync, so when you hop off the train, your connecting boat, bus or mountain train will be there waiting for you to board. Emily Murphy
INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM 147 A biplane ride over New York State The wildest rollercoaster in the world can’t compare to the thrill of dipping and diving in wingovers and pulling humpty-bump manoeuvres over the mighty Hudson River in an authentic replica of a 1929 New Standard biplane at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in New York State. Watch the quaint small towns below disappear to tiny specks as the wind rushes over your flying cap and goggles, the pilot grinning from his cockpit behind you as you laugh, scream and beg for more. Kassia Byrnes THE ULTIMATE WORLD CRUISE Take a sabbatical and venture to all four corners of the Earth in one hit. The roundthe-world cruise is an increasingly popular choice for travellers who have long-service leave up their sleeve, have hung up their working boots or are simply taking the bull by the horns. Royal Caribbean’s whopping 274-day itinerary covers 60-plus countries and 11 World Wonders, sailing from Antarctica to the Caribbean, from Egypt to Norway and (almost) everywhere in between. Silversea’s 2024 Far East-West World Cruise ventures to all reaches of the planet over 132 days including Alaska, Samoa and Korea. Alternatively, Viking’s 180-day World Voyage I takes in 37 countries and includes a staggering 83 tours that will enrich travellers, from the remarkable culture and beauty of the Mekong Delta to the Eternal City of Rome and Scotland’s enigmatic Loch Ness. PHOTOGRAPHY Megan Arkinstall SWITZERLAND TOURISM/CHRISTOF SONDEREGGER (GLACIER EXPRESS); SWITZERLAND TOURISM/JAN GEERK (BERNINA EXPRESS); DUTCHESS TOURISM (BIPLANE AERIAL); GRANT TAYLOR PHOTOGRAPHY (BIPLANE)
AWE-INSPIRING ICELAND There’s nothing like taking a road trip around Iceland to feel immersed in its diverse landscape. There are the snowfields that stretch forever, like pieces of crumpled white paper. The thermal pools that have been holepunched through the drifts and snow crystals that dance on the black sands of Diamond Beach. The Ring Road that bracelets Iceland is just 1332 kilometres long, which means you can squeeze in a lot of iconic sights along the way. The ultimate road trip would factor in seeing a cascade of colour from the Northern Lights. But adventurous travellers can also get their Game of Thrones on at dramatic fjords, national parks and glacier lagoons that nibble away at Iceland’s edges. Carla Grossetti Cruise the Danube Europe’s second-longest river begins to flow deep within Germany’s Black Forest, winding its way for a staggering 2850 kilometres before eventually spilling out into the Black Sea. This arterial waterway cuts through 10 countries, and a cruise along it is a metamorphosis of landscapes and kaleidoscope of cultural experiences. Hop onboard for the Danube Dreams itinerary with Avalon Waterways, taking in beautiful cities like Vienna and Budapest while moseying through landscapes like Austria’s Wachau Valley en route. Sip Bavarian beer in a historic Benedictine abbey and wander through cobbled medieval streets in Bratislava on a Tauck Danube river cruise. Uniworld’s Authentic Danube is another option: an eight-day itinerary that takes in the Bavarian Forest and culminates in the German city of Nuremberg, its turbulent past etched in history. Megan Arkinstall
INTERNATIONALTRAVELLER.COM 149 FALL IN LOVE WITH NEW ZEALAND’S SOUTH ISLAND The landscapes of New Zealand’s South Island are as diverse as they are striking, which is why a road trip is an unparalleled way to explore its vastness and beauty. Face your fears in Queenstown through one of the many adventure experiences on offer. Discover the renowned Central Otago and Marlborough wine regions. Hike Fox and Franz Josef glaciers. Goggle at the magnetic Hokitika Gorge. And cruise around the mesmerising Milford Sound to appreciate the fiordland’s grand landscapes and wildlife up close. It’s no wonder that road tripping the South Island has my heart. Emily Murphy Get your kicks on Route 66 Writer John Steinbeck referred to it as ‘the mother road’. Beat poet Jack Kerouac wrote about the romance of Route 66 in On the Road. And Woody Guthrie sang about the celebrated highway in This Land is Your Land. The 3862-kilometre ribbon of highway that connects Chicago to Los Angeles is one that is full of promises. It’s also an icon in popular culture with films such as Easy Rider, Thelma & Louise, Little Miss Sunshine and National Lampoon’s Vacation continuing to inspire fantasies about hitting the open road. Free your mind of the humdrum of the everyday and go take that trip. Carla Grossetti
T he Wild Atlantic Way unfurls along a staggeringly beautiful 2500-kilometre stretch of Ireland’s west coast, while Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coastal Route tempts you north for an at-times mythical, always-magical journey between Belfast and Derry-Londonderry. Explore the jaw-dropping wonder of these driving adventures. Discover your roots in Dublin Fresh off an easy one-stop flight from Australia, Dublin presents a fantastic opportunity to ground yourself in the Emerald Isle’s history and culture before hitting the road. Whether or not you’re one of the nearly 2.5 million Australians with Irish ancestry, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum is a modern triumph of historical storytelling. Pre-book a consultation with a genealogist to trace your family’s local connections, or explore the award-winning museum, which brings the Irish diaspora to life. Bedding down? Try Brooks Hotel, known for its hospitality and Irish book of the month club (there’s a whiskey of the month, too). CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Driving the Wild Atlantic Way; Historic Ballynahinch Castle; Stroll by the wild ocean’s edge; Enjoy traditional Irish music; Test your nerve at Carrick-a-Rede; Chat with locals over a pint. Ireland ’s most exhilarating road trips Ireland beckons. It calls you to lose yourself in the beauty of its lyrical landscapes, in the music running through its veins and the everyday poetry of the people you’ll meet along two of its most majestic road journeys.