NationalGeographicTravellerUKJanuaryFebruary2021

I THE UK’S #1 TRAVEL MAGAZINE

UK EDITION // JAN/FEB 2021 // £4.95 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.CO.UK/TRAVEL

BESTOF
THE
WORLD

THE 35 MOST INCREDIBLE
PL ACES FOR TRAVEL IN 2021
& BEYOND — FROM ARGENTINA
TO SCOTLAND & SOUTH AFRICA

FRANCE +
HAMBURG
Break bread with shepherds PORTUGAL
and hike with huskies in the LOS ANGELES
central Pyrenees

INDONESIA

Set sail for tropical reefs and
meet fearless free-divers on a
voyage around the spice islands

WIN! A FOUR-NIGHT STAY
IN THE LAKE DISTRICT
ALSO: ANTWERP // EDINBURGH // ISLE OF WIGHT // MALTA // MEXICO // YORK





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WORLD

2021

UK

Jan/Feb
2021

Contents

110

68 Best of the World 88 France 110 Portugal Issue 89

As the sun sets on a year like Rural life remains little changed On land and on water, life on the Perito Moreno Glacier,
no other, 2021 brings plenty in the wild Pyrenees, where Algarve’s Vicentine Coast ticks Los Glaciares National
of inspiration for adventure. bears roam and cowbells clunk along at a laid-back pace Park, Argentina
Editors of the 16 global editions IMAGE: Getty
of National Geographic Traveller 100 Indonesia 122 Hamburg
reveal the destinations to watch Jan/Feb 2021 9
for the year ahead, from Scotland Remote atolls, sea nomads and With happening bars and a fierce
to the South Pacific rainbow wildlife await on the indie spirit, the German port city
archipelago’s eastern edge plays as hard as it works

Jan/Feb
2021

Contents

37 55 60

SMART TRAVELLER 34 Inside guide 60 Sleep: Los Angeles

17 Snapshot Explore the old and new sides of York An A-list hotel guide to the City of Angels

The lay of the land in Kyrgyzstan 37 Stay at home TRAVEL GEEKS

18 Big picture An escape to the Isle of Wight 136 Travel Geeks

A show-stealing scene in Peru 39 The word The experts’ travel manual

21 Talk of the town Books to banish the winter blues GET IN TOUCH

Washington news (not just the White House) 41 Competition 144 Subscriptions

22 Step outside Win a four-night stay in the Lake District Make the most of our latest offer

Embrace the great outdoors, Norwegian-style 43 Author series 145 Inbox

25 Open doors Neil Oliver on Denmark Your letters, emails and tweets

The new museums stepping onto the scene 44 Meet the adventurer 146 Your pictures

27 Food We talk to ice diver Kiki Bosch This month’s best travel photos

Get a taste of Burmese cuisine 46 Online DON'T MISS

29 On the trail Weekly highlights from the website 142 Events

Mayan marvels on the Yucatán Peninsula INSIDER Dates for your diary, including the National
Geographic Traveller Food Festival
31 Rooms 48 Weekender: Malta

Antwerp’s most stylish places to stay Hikes and history in the sunny south Med

32 Family 55 Neighbourhood: Edinburgh

How will you travel in 2021? New perspectives on an ancient city

GO ONLINE VISIT NATIONALGEOGR APHIC.CO.UK/ TR AVEL FOR NE W TR AVEL FE ATURE S DAILY

10 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel



Contributors National Geographic Traveller (UK) APL Media

Nora Wallaya Editorial Director: Maria Pieri Editorial Manager:
Editor: Pat Riddell Jo Fletcher-Cross
You don’t need to look hard to uncover the Deputy Editor: Stephanie Cavagnaro Contributing Editor:
indelible signatures of this archipelago’s (maternity leave) Farida Zeynalova
7,000-year human history, whether you’re Acting Deputy Editor: Amelia Duggan Project Editor:
hiking through flower-filled valleys in Gozo, Commissioning Editor: Mattie Lacey-Davidson
gazing over Valletta’s fortified port, or joining Connor McGovern Editorial Admin Assistant:
a candlelit village procession. MALTA P.48 Executive Editor: Glen Mutel Angela Locatelli
Associate Editors: Picture Editor: Olly Puglisi
Adrian Phillips Sarah Barrell, Nicola Trup Production Controllers:
Online Editor: Josephine Price Karl Martins, Joe Mendonca,
I went to the French Pyrenees for a (maternity leave) Drew O’Neill, Lisa Poston,
taste of the pastoral life — walking with Assistant Online Editor: Nora Wallaya Anthony Wright
huskies, lunching with shepherds and Content Editor:
contemplating hidden waterfalls. And I Charlotte Wigram-Evans Head of Commercial Strategy:
found, too, that in this region the past is Project Editor: Zane Henry Chris Debbinney-Wright
ever-present. FRANCE P.88 Head of Sub Editors: Hannah Doherty APL Business Development Team:
Sub Editors: Chris Horton, Ben Murray Adam Fox, Cynthia Lawrence,
Operations Manager: Sinead McManus
Seamus McDermott
Head of Events: Natalie Jackson Chief Executive: Anthony Leyens
Art Director: Becky Redman Managing Director:
Art Editor: Lauren Atkinson-Smith Matthew Jackson
Senior Designers: Lauren Gamp, Sales Director: Alex Vignali
Kelly McKenna Office Manager: Hayley Rabin
Production Manager: Daniel Gregory Head of Finance: Ryan McShaw
Credit Manager: Craig Chappell
Special Projects Consultant: Accounts Manager: Siobhan Grover
Matthew Midworth Accounts Assistant:
Head of Partnerships: William Allen Jana Abraham
Sales & Partnerships Team:
James Bendien, Bob Jalaf,
Kevin Killen, Gabriela Milkova,
Adam Phillips, Mark Salmon
Head of National Geographic
Traveller — The Collection:
Danny Pegg

Sarah Barrell National Geographic Traveller (UK) is published by APL Media Limited,
Unit 310, Highgate Studios, 53-79 Highgate Road, London NW5 1TL
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lockdown and beyond. INDONESIA P.100 National Geographic Traveller (UK) is published by APL Media Ltd under license from National
Geographic Partners, LLC. For more information contact natgeo.com/info. Their entire
Richard James Taylor contents are protected by copyright 2020 and all rights are reserved. Reproduction without
prior permission is forbidden. Every care is taken in compiling the contents of the magazine,
Until Columbus revealed the truth, but the publishers assume no responsibility in the effect arising therefrom. Readers are
Portugal’s dramatic southwest coast marked advised to seek professional advice before acting on any information which is contained in
the edge of the known world. On my own the magazine. Neither APL Media Ltd or National Geographic Traveller magazine accept any
voyage of discovery I found sleepy hilltop liability for views expressed, pictures used or claims made by advertisers.
villages, wild beaches and fishing ports — an
undiscovered Algarve. PORTUGAL P.110 National Geographic Partners International Publishing

David Whitley Chairman: Gary E. Knell Senior Vice President: Yulia P. Boyle
Editorial Director: Susan Goldberg Senior Director: Ariel Deiaco-Lohr
Berlin thrives on being cool, but Hamburg General Manager, NG Media: Senior Manager: Rossana Stella
thrives on being fun. Sometimes that fun David Miller
is playful (hello giant model railway), and Headquarters
sometimes it’s theatrical (and you, musical International Editions
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Deputy Editorial Director:
12 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel Darren Smith
Editorial Specialist: Leigh Mitnick
Translation Manager: Beata Nas

Editors: CHINA Sophie Huang;
CZECHIA Ondrej Formanek; FRANCE
Gabriel Joseph-Dezaize; GERMANY
Werner Siefer; HUNGARY Tamas
Vitray; INDIA Lakshmi Sankaran;
ITALY Marco Cattaneo; SOUTH
KOREA Bo-yeon Lim; LATIN AMERICA
Claudia Muzzi; NETHERLANDS Arno
Kantelberg; POLAND Agnieszka
Franus; ROMANIA Catalin Gruia;
RUSSIA Ivan Vasin; SPAIN Josan Ruiz;
TURKEY Nesibe Bat

Copyright © 2020 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All Rights Reserved. National
Geographic Traveller and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of
National Geographic Society and used under license. Printed in the UK.

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Editor’s Coronavirus
letter
The ongoing pandemic continues
Welcome to our 10th-anniversary issue! to affect travel. Please note,
Somehow, despite all the challenges of recent prices and travel advice are
months, we’ve managed to reach a decade in subject to change. Contact your
circulation — in no small part, down to you. Whether travel provider for the most up-
you’ve been with us since the very beginning or joined us to-date information. For the latest
along the way: thank you. The journey ahead may well news on safe travel and border
continue to be bumpy, but we’re hoping to guide you restrictions, visit fco.gov.uk
through this patch of turbulence.
DON’T MISS
And with that in mind, this issue we reveal our Best of the
World list. We’ve collaborated with the 15 other global Online events
editions of National Geographic Traveller to bring you the
places we think should be on your radar in 2021 and beyond. Why not let the travel come to you? From
Israel to Italy, get a taste of the world in
Each of the 35 destinations has a story to tell for the year one of our virtual events. Turn to p.143 for
ahead. From the exploration of ‘Africa’s last Eden’ in Gabon more details
and the environmental efforts of Denver, Colorado, to the
new England Coast Path, set to be the world’s longest SUBSCRIBE TODAY
seafront walking trail when it launches later this year, the
list is one to celebrate. It profiles conservation successes, Get three issues for just £5!
cultural resilience and tales of communities overcoming natgeotraveller.
daunting obstacles despite the pandemic.
imbmsubscriptions.com/NGT5
Our cover story highlights the extraordinary or call 01293 312166 and quote ‘NGT5’
destinations we can look forward to visiting when the
time comes. So here’s to bright new horizons in 2021.

PAT RIDDELL, EDITOR

@patriddell
@patriddell

AWARD WINNING NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER

Visit USA Media Awards 2020: Best Consumer Travel Magazine Feature • British Travel Awards 2019: Best
Consumer Holiday Magazine • BGTW Awards 2019: Best Travel Writer • BGTW Awards 2019: Best Europe
Travel Feature • BGTW Awards 2019: Best Transport Feature • Travel Media Awards 2019: Young Writer of
the Year • Travel Media Awards 2019: Specialist Travel Writer of the Year • AITO Travel Writer of the Year 2019
• AITO Young Travel Writer of the Year 2019 • French Travel Media Awards 2019: Best Art & Culture Feature •
BGTW Awards 2018: Best Travel Writer • Travel Media Awards 2018: Consumer Writer of the Year • Visit USA
Media Awards 2018: Best Consumer Travel Magazine Feature • BSME Talent Awards 2018: Best Designer •
British Travel Awards 2017: Best Consumer Holiday Magazine • BGTW Awards 2017: Best Travel Writer •
BGTW Awards 2016: Best Travel Writer • British Travel Awards 2015: Best Consumer Holiday Magazine

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14 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel

VISIT
TULSA

WORLD

2021

Clockwise from top: Gathering Place; Art deco
at 320 S. Boston; Downtown Tulsa; John Hope
Franklin Memorial Park; “East Meets West”
statue on Route 66; Philbrook Museum of Art

Tulsa, Oklahoma inspires visitors.

Anchoring Route 66, where East meets West, Tulsa’s slice of the Mother Road is riddled
with stop-worthy sites along this historic highway. Speaking of historic, Tulsa’s art deco
architecture is among the nation’s best, and offers tours to see it all. Don’t miss John
Hope Franklin Memorial Park, the ‘most important monument to visit in the U.S.’,
or the ‘best new attraction in America’ in Tulsa’s Gathering Place. The wide-open
outdoor spaces paired with Tulsa’s approachable size make this city the perfect escape,
when the time is right. Learn more on VisitTulsa.com.

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SMART TRAVELLER

What’s new // Food // On the trail // Rooms // Family // Inside guide // Stay at home // The word

SNAPSHOT

Karimkol, Jalal-Abad,
Kyrgyzstan

In the Jalal-Abad Region of southwestern
Kyrgyzstan, Karimkol works the furrows of
his farm. He’s a master farmer who knows the
land and what he produces like the back of his
hand. At his nursery, he grows apple, apricot,
cherry and plum trees, as well as numerous
other seedlings, before selling them on to
other farmers. It’s no small undertaking, but
when asked why he grows so many different
types of plants, he replied simply, “Because it
brings me joy!” In recent years, Karimkol has
received support from the Aga Khan Foundation
to expand his nursery and help other local
farmers in this remote, mountainous region.
CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER // PHOTOGRAPHER

wilton-photography.com
@wiltonphoto

Jan/Feb 2021 17

SMART TRAVELLER

18 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel

SMART TRAVELLER

BIG PICTURE

Reserva Nacional
de Paracas, Peru

Backed by the Pacific and pummelled by dust
storms, the sandy emptiness of Peru’s Reserva
Nacional de Paracas evokes a strong, ethereal
sense of isolation. It’s home to archaeological
remains of the ancient Paracas culture and,
given the immense dunes and arid landscapes,
it’s almost hard to believe it’s also the only
marine reserve in the country. While on a trip
through Peru, I set off from Lima at dawn and
drove over 130 miles along the Pan-American
Highway towards Nazca. After pulling
over in the reserve, I set up the frame and
waited patiently in the dry desert heat
for the right subject to zoom into shot.
KAROLINA WIERCIGROCH // PHOTOGRAPHER

karolina-wiercigroch.com
@karolina_wiercigroch

Jan/Feb 2021 19

Transport yourself to another world

Hidden away from the crowds, Mt. Akagi is an outdoor lover’s paradise complete with small-town
charm. Activities for any season, including hiking, cycling, e-biking, snowshoeing, and ice fishing,
await just outside Tokyo. From the beautiful views at the 6,000 ft summit to the local cuisine
and cozy ryokan hotels at the mountain’s base, you’re sure to find an unforgettable adventure.

www.akagi-trip.com/en akagi.trip.en akagi_trip_en

SMART TRAVELLER

WA SHINGTON, D.C.

TALK OF THE TOWN

All eyes are on the US capital, but beyond the politics, there’s
a bevy of new openings and anniversaries to celebrate

IMAGES: ALAMY; JENNIFER HUGHES FOR RIGGS WASHINGTON DC Regardless of your political persuasion, GET OUTTA TOWN NEW D.C. DIGS
2021 looks set to be a celebratory year for
the Capital Region, with several major HIT THE TRACKS RIGGS WASHINGTON DC
institutions marking milestone anniversaries. The US’s national railroad
Chief among these is the Smithsonian network, Amtrak, was founded in This hotel set in a former bank is
Institution, the city’s multi-museum Washington, D.C. and marks its from the brand behind the Pulitzer
masterpiece, celebrating its 175th anniversary. half-century this year. Celebrate Amsterdam. Stop by the cocktail bar,
The world’s largest museum, education and with a trip aboard the high-speed where the menu riffs on US history.
research complex comprises a whopping 19 service from the recently restored
museums, nine research facilities and the Washington Union Station From $179 (£135). riggsdc.com
National Zoo. The forefather of this ‘family to Boston. amtrak.com
of museums’, the United States National CITIZENM WASHINGTON DC CAPITOL
Museum, now called the Arts and Industries CRUISE THE CANALS
Building, is gearing up for a new era with It’s 50 years since the Chesapeake A short walk from The Smithsonian,
FUTURES, an exhibit showcasing prototypes, & Ohio Canal was designated a the first foray outside Europe for
robots, speculative fiction and new worlds. National Historic Park. Hike, bike the low-cost lux brand comes with
or boat along the 185-mile route a shiny craft cocktail bar ‘canteen’,
If that’s not enough erudition, the DC PUBLIC from Georgetown in Washington,
LIBRARY celebrates its 125th birthday with D.C. to Cumberland, Maryland to and a library popping with colourful
a roster of events focused around the newly celebrate the preservation of the art. From $92 (£70). citizenm.com
renovated Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial canal network’s natural riches.
Library. Meanwhile, the nation’s first museum nps.gov/choh CAMBRIA HOTEL WASHINGTON,
of modern art, THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION, D.C. CAPITOL RIVERFRONT
home to works by such artists as Matisse, STEP BACK IN TIME
O’Keeffe and Rothko, marks its centenary Learn about nation-shaping Set to open in early 2021, this hotel
with a year of celebrations. Further south, battles in Spotsylvania County, in southwest D.C. will be topped
on the Potomac waterfront, THE KENNEDY Virginia, founded 300 years ago. with a rooftop bar overlooking
CENTER turns 50 this year, commemorating its Nicknamed ‘the Crossroads of the the Capitol. From $199 (£150).
namesake president with free daily concerts Civil War’, it features a 70-mile cambriadccapitolriverfront.com
on Millennium Stage, performances by house route through battlefields that
acts, the National Symphony Orchestra saw more than 100,000 casualties. Jan/Feb 2021 21
and Washington National Opera, and A stop at the 18th-century town
interactive offerings at The Reach, a ‘living of Fredericksburg is a must.
theatre’. capitalregionusa.org si.edu spotsylvania.va.us
dclibrary.org phillipscollection.org
kennedy-center.org SARAH BARRELL

SMART TRAVELLER

FRILUFTSLIV

STEP
OUTSIDE

As winter sets in, the temptation to
stay indoors grows. So, embrace the
outside world like the Norwegians

When Norwegian poet Henrik Ibsen coined the term
‘friluftsliv’ — loosely translatable as ‘outdoor living’ — in
his 1859 epic On the Heights, he presumably didn’t know
just how relevant his concept would be in 2020. But
friluftsliv (pronounced ‘free-loofts-liv’) has turned out
to be something of a pandemic saviour, bringing us the
soul-nourishing, mind-cleansing benefits of nature and
solitude that Ibsen waxed lyrical about over 150 years ago.

The Nordics have always embraced friluftsliv in their
lives and travels and they’re all the better for it. In 2020,
Scandinavia excelled itself in the World Happiness
Report, with five of its cities (Helsinki, Aarhus,
Copenhagen, Bergen, Oslo and Stockholm) found to
be among the 10 happiest. The conclusion? Clean air,
exercise and time spent in nature matter.

Perhaps it’s easy in landscapes of fjords and forests full
of berries and bears. But what about the rest of us? You’ll
be pleased to hear friluftsliv travels well.

As coronavirus has reined in our personal freedom and
scuppered our travel plans, many of us have learned to
see the world through a different lens. The outdoors gives
us breathing space, purpose and perspective. Whether
we’re closely observing the starry night sky, swimming
in water so cold it makes us gasp, going for a lunchtime
run in the park or wild camping with just some sheep for
company, we’re moved and empowered.

It’s not about who can climb the loftiest peak, however;
it’s about familiarising yourself with root and rock,
making the wilderness, however small, your own.

So when your inner sloth tempts you to hide under
your duvet, instead, open the door and step outside.
You’ll feel a million times better for it, Nordic promise.
KERRY WALKER

THREE TO TRY: OUTDOOR ESCAPES

FOR AN OFF-GRID ESCAPE FOR STARRY NIGHT SKIES FOR COASTAL HIKING IMAGE: GETTY
After a Scandi-inspired adventure? Check out For Milky Way magic with a dash of romance, In southwest Ireland, the Dingle Peninsula’s
Wales’s new eco-conscious glamping retreats. head to Glenapp Castle in Galloway Forest 111-mile Dingle Way is up there with the
By the Wye has luxe safari tents high in the Dark Sky Park in Scotland, where a two-night world’s best long-distance hikes. Go solo or
tree canopy, while Welsh Glamping offers stargazing package (from £229 per person per book a seven-night self-guided hike with Macs
camping with views of the Abergwesyn valley. night) includes a private ranger, boozy hot Adventure (from £652, starting April 2021).
bythewye.uk welshglamping.com chocs and night binoculars. glenappcastle.com dingleway.com macsadventure.com

22 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel

TIME FOR A
CHANGE?

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to happen. It’s why we’ve introduced a new liquid formulation with effective
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SMART TRAVELLER

NEW MUSEUMS

OPEN DOORS

These new and upcoming museums are set to feed your
curiosity for the months ahead

VIENNA

The opening of Sigmund Freud’s
private rooms with a photo
exhibition is a new chance to
take a closer look into his life
and work. The psychoanalyst
spent 47 years at Berggasse 19
before fleeing to London ahead
of the Second World War, and
his former home has been the
Sigmund Freud Museum since
1971. The emptiness of the
rooms is part of the point: it’s a
poignant reminder of exile and
freedom. freud-museum.at

Berlin Oslo Perth
Leading the charge in Perth’s emerging
The Humboldt Forum opens on Cutting a modern dash by the cultural district, the Western Australian
17 December — the enormous, water in Bjørvika, MUNCH Museum sees 19th-century heritage
42,000sq metre addition will be home to the largest buildings revamped with cutting-edge
to Museum Island is set to collection of works by Edvard architecture. It’s not just about the looks
stage around 1,000 events Munch. When it opens in — inside are eight new permanent galleries
and exhibitions when the full 2021, the museum will delve exploring the state’s past, present and future.
programme is rolled out. For now, into the Expressionist’s vast museum.wa.gov.au CONNOR MCGOVERN
at least, the museum is opening repertoire, with paintings,
in stages, with an exhibition on drawings and photographs Jan/Feb 2021 25
the history of the German capital from a 45,000-strong collection
among the first to go on show. bequeathed to the city on his
humboldtforum.org death in 1944. munchmuseet.no

IMAGES: DAVID VON BECKER; PETER BENNETTS Nashville London

Opening in early 2021, the While the collection at the
National Museum of African former Geffrye Museum is still as
American Music is said to be the fascinating as ever, it’s undergone
world’s only museum devoted a huge transformation to become
to the musical contributions of the new Museum of the Home.
African Americans. From the It’ll soon boast new galleries,
Great Migration and jazz and extended exhibition spaces and
blues to the present day, it’s set to a reading room when it reopens
be a timely celebration, through in the spring. The pretty Gardens
expertly curated exhibitions, Through Time outdoor space
of how African Americans have and new cafe will make it a plum
shaped the soundtrack of the spot to while away an afternoon.
United States. nmaam.org museumofthehome.org.uk

Gotthard
Panorama
Express.

Making travel into an experience.

switzerlandtravelcentre.com/gotthard-panorama-express

Experience. Travel guide. Information.

The Gotthard Panorama Express takes Specially trained multilingual travel guides The Gotthard Panorama Express operates
travellers from Lucerne by boat to Flüelen from the region look after you during your from Tuesday to Sunday, including public
and onwards by train on the historical Panorama journey. holidays, from 1 May to 24 October 2021.
Gotthard panoramic route to Ticino.

 Spectacular tour route through  Information about the most important For booking and inspiration, see:
different loop tunnels route highlights  switzerlandtravelcentre.com/gotthard-

 Photography coach with windows  Interesting facts about the region panorama-express
that can be opened  Tips for great accommodation or  or Instagram

 Travel the line from Lugano to Arth- suitable onward travel @gotthardpanoramaexpress
Goldau in 3 hours, with onward
connections to the Mount Rigi railways

SMART TRAVELLER

A TA STE OF AMY &
EMILY CHUNG are
MYANMAR supperclub hosts and
cookbook authors.
London-based sisters Amy and rangoonsisters.
Emily Chung share their highlights
of Burmese cuisine com

IMAGES: MARTIN POOLE Like its landscape and climate, the food A typical Burmese spread at home involves Amy & Emily’s
of Burma [also known as Myanmar] is lots of small dishes for sharing. Among them three favourite
hugely varied. With more than 100 different are slow-cooked meat, seafood and vegetable Burmese dishes
ethnic groups, there’s a wealth of regional curries (hin), subtly spiced but deep in flavour
specialities often based on what’s grown and and seasoned oil. There are also fresh, zingy MOHINGA
seasonal in the area. This is perhaps best salads (a thoke), which can be sour, salty, The national dish of Burma, this is a
reflected in noodles, which are sometimes bitter, sweet and spicy. Vegetable and lentil fragrant lemongrass and fish soup with
served in soup, sometimes dry, sometimes side dishes, garnishes and condiments make rice vermicelli, egg, lime and crunchy
with sauce. You could probably write a each mouthful a flavour bomb, and there’s chickpea crackers. It’s eaten all over
compendium entirely based on noodle dishes usually a plate of raw or blanched vegetables the country, from street corners to
if you toured the country. with a dip. Rice is eaten at every meal, fine-dining establishments. There are
of course. also regional variations, using different
The areas away from the coast tend to types of fish and garnishes.
utilise more meat and poultry, whereas those For the most part, savoury dishes are
that can access the Irrawaddy River are followed by fresh, seasonal fruits. In the UK, AME HNAT
blessed with freshwater fish and shellfish. The alphonso is seen as the best variety of mango, Like other Burmese curries, this beef
coastline is extensive and produces incredible but we’d argue those in Burma can beat it, version starts off by gently slow
seafood. A unifying factor throughout the specifically sein ta lone (which translates to cooking onions in plenty of oil with
regions, though, is dried shrimp — ngapi ‘the one diamond’). garlic and ginger to create a rich,
(fermented and salted fish or shrimp paste) is flavoursome base. The curry is cooked
to us one of the defining smells of Burma. An edited extract from The Rangoon Sisters until the beef is tender, producing the
Cookbook, published by Ebury Press (RRP: £20). most delicious, melt-in-the-mouth dish,
which tastes even better the next day.

GIN THOKE
Burmese salads have so much to offer
in terms of flavour and texture. This
one combines the fresh, sharp taste of
pickled ginger with cabbage, garlic oil,
lime and crispy fried beans, which are
simply mixed together. It’s the perfect
balance of sour, salty and crunchy that’s
synonymous with Burmese cuisine.

MUST-TRY INGREDIENT

Lahpet: this fermented
or pickled tea is a
unique ingredient
with a distinct umami
flavour; it also offers an
added hit of caffeine.
The leaves are widely
used in Burmese
cooking, but are best
enjoyed with crunchy
beans and nuts in
lahpet thoke (tea leaf
salad), to end a meal.

Jan/Feb 2021 27

MIND THE NEIGHBOURS
THEY POO ON THE LAWN

Honestly, you can’t go anywhere on Maria Island discovertasmania.com.au
without being surrounded by them. Wombats.
Pademelons. Wallabies. It’s ridiculous. They’re everywhere.
Suppose that’s what happens when you turn an entire
island into a wildlife sanctuary. You can hear them too,
rustling about, singing to each other, munching away next
to you, while you’re just trying to take in the old historic
convict buildings and the windswept landscapes.

It’s very distracting.

Darlington
Maria Island National Park

SMART TRAVELLER

ON THE TRAIL

YUCATÁN

A drive through the 6
heartland of Mexico’s
Mayan culture reveals
natural wonders both
above and below ground
Words: Tamsin Wressell

1 LAGUNA ROSADA 1

Start on the north coast, a little 5
over an hour’s drive from Mérida,
at this shocking-pink natural
lagoon. The cause of the salt
lake’s bright colour is a type
of algae that creates a rosy tint
— both to the water and those
who eat it, namely the large,
resident flock of wild flamingos
here. Don’t forget your camera; as
well as the lake itself, the banks
are scattered with spectacular
archaeological ruins.

2 EL CASTILLO 4
2
Stop off at a vendor in the city 3
of Mérida for eggs and deep-
fried tostadas before driving
on to the ruins of El Castillo,
in the centre of the Chichén
Itzá archaeological site. A
Mesoamerican step-pyramid,
rising to a height of almost 80 ,
it’s the best-known structure
at the site. Time your visit to
coincide with the equinox,
when shadows cast down the
pyramid’s sides form a golden
serpent sliding down the steps.

ILLUSTRATION: MARTIN HAAKE 3 BALANKANCHÉ CAVES 4 YOKDZONOT CENOTE 5 RESERVA ECOLÓGICA 6 SCORPION REEF

Four miles away, the Make your way to the Yokdzonot EL CORCHITO Head out on a boat to Scorpion
Balankanché Caves are o en Cenote, a subterranean pocket of Reef — a cluster of coral islands
referred to as the gateway to the water framed by hanging vines. Continue back up to the coast in the Gulf of Mexico. The reef,
Mayan underworld, the meeting The peninsula is pocked with to this wetland nature reserve, which is a designated marine
grounds between humans and cenotes (cavernous underground which is home to incredible park, is a great diving spot
the divine. The network of caves reservoirs) and this freshwater natural features such as pools, — various species of coral have
was once used as a sanctuary sinkhole is in an ecological park cenotes and mangrove swamps, grown here over thousands
to praise Chaas, the Mayan god run by 18 local Mayan women. plus wildlife including coatis, of years to create one vast,
of rain. Hidden within a lush There’s a small fee to enter the turtles and crocodiles. The extensive reef. There are cabins
jungle, the subterranean system park (£6) but once you’re in, you Mayans believed the waters here to sleep in on Isla Perez, the
is a dramatic sight to behold, can take a dip and bask in the had healing properties and there largest of the islands, with a
with enormous stalagmites and leafy beauty of the Maya jungle. are three cenotes you can swim handful of operators offering
stalactites meeting in the cave’s Fuel up a er a swim at the small in, with a shallower one (Cenote multi-day tours out to explore
main chamber. on-site restaurant. Helechos) that’s ideal for families the area. wanderlum.com
with young children.

Jan/Feb 2021 29



SMART TRAVELLER

IMAGES: ROBERT RIEGER; JOEY VAN DONGEN. WHERE TO STAY CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Room
ALL RATES QUOTED ARE B&B, UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED at August hotel; the bar at Hotel
ANTWERP Riga; a bedroom at Franq

Belgium’s capital of cool has a number of 2 FRANQ
suitably stylish pads to choose from Another of Antwerp’s modern grande dames,
this glam redevelopment of an old bank,
1 AUGUST a Relais & Chateaux property, combines
If you’ve always associated Antwerp with diamonds, then neoclassical swagger with neat, minimalist
now’s the time to catch up. Instead of coming for the rooms — all greige walls, wheaten rugs and
rocks, most visitors these days are here for the fashion, the exposed floorboards. The Michelin-starred
design and the hipster lifestyle spilling around every block. restaurant amps up the flamboyance, too.
Nowhere do these converge better than in August, which From €129 (£115). hotelfranq.com
opened in summer 2019 (though, sadly, not in August). A
stunning, slick conversion of a grand old military hospital 3 HOTEL RIGA
and convent by Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen, this Bang in the city centre, this used to be
is a masterclass in creating a modern grande dame. Just 44 a luggage shop, and its retro entrance
rooms are spread over five buildings, updating monastic proclaiming its wares still feels very un-
simplicity (clotted cream-hued drapes and throws, woven hotel-like. Inside, though, is a laid-back
wooden chairs) for the 21st century (slick black light bar and upstairs are sleek retro rooms,
fixtures and slim marble tabletops). some nautical-looking with porthole-style
windows, others with high, cross-beamed
Beyond the bedrooms, the Bamford toiletries in the ceilings. From €169 (£150). hotelriga.be
bathrooms also make an appearance in the spa, where
the sauna and steam room lead onto the natural-looking 4 U EAT & SLEEP
outdoor swimming pond, bordered by reeds. Beyond At least, that’s what Belgian media
it are the grounds, where chairs fan out around the personality Hans Otten wants ‘u’ to do. His
greenery — the symmetrical planting is a sight to behold. 2017 project with wife, pilot and frequent
Overhead loom the glass-walled apartment blocks of traveller Colette, unites a restaurant with
the leafy, modern Green Quarter, to which this Belgian rooms on Antwerp’s marina. Rooms start at
bolthole is the latest addition. ‘cosy’ and go up to ‘charming’ and ‘luxury’,
but even the smaller ones are super-chic.
The icing on the cake? The restaurant in the old chapel, The retro restaurant is especially glamorous.
run by Nick Bril, whose neighbouring joint, The Jane, From €135 (£121). u-eatsleep.be JULIA BUCKLEY
has two Michelin stars. It’s fish-heavy, with dishes such
as charred mackerel with cockles, goat yoghurt and Jan/Feb 2021 31
kumquat; and pollock with spicy sambal and tom kha
kai. A sense of place meets a cosmopolitan city break.
From €152 (£138). august-antwerp.com

SMART TRAVELLER

FA M ILY

HOW TO TRAVEL IN 2021

What sort of journeys will your family be setting off on next year?
We look at the latest trends, from virtual tours to private cruises

Virtual escapes Wild & remote Sail away

During the UK’s first lockdown, Original Pitchup.com confirmed a 337% increase year- Escape the crowds in your very own
Travel partnered with Oppidan Education on-year for 2021 camping bookings. Plan your narrowboat for around £760 a week for up
to create online modules based on 10 of its trip in advance and go off-grid in the likes to four people, or from around £540 for a
destinations, including Rome, Botswana and of Shropshire’s Wrekin Forest for a back- three- to four-night break, including tuition,
Japan. The interactive workshops help to feed to-nature experience and woodland walks. with Drifters Waterway Holidays, which has
children’s curiosity until they can visit in real Alternatively, pitch up in the grounds of boats for hire from 45 locations across Britain.
life and are perfect for families not quite ready Somerset’s EarthSpirit Centre, on the edge of Rent a boat in Oxford and cruise west to the
to hop on a plane. Google’s Arts and Culture Compton Dundon, for a tranquil rural retreat. market town of Lechlade. The four-night
platform also offers a range of experiences, For family-friendly excursions, mystical break offers plenty of chances to moor up and
including building your own space station. Glastonbury and the Wookey Hole caves are explore; don’t miss Kelmscott Manor, once
originaltravel.co.uk artsandculture.google.com a 20-minute drive away. pitchup.com the retreat of William Morris. drifters.co.uk

Take to the road Stay in your bubble Take it easy IMAGE: GETTY

Hitting the road in your own caravan or Cottages, barns, villas… self-catering trips Immerse yourself in your surroundings and
motorhome might be an option — and you’ll with the family (or support bubble) are likely support local communities with Intrepid
have plenty of company, too, as last summer, to continue as a trend for 2021. Mulberry Travel’s new range of closer-to-home retreats.
many campsites were reported by the Caravan Cottages’ new Sidown Barn in Hampshire Best suited to families with older kids and
and Motorhome Club to have sold out. New is a pet-friendly property that sleeps up to teenagers, the trips are designed to help
openings from its Experience Freedom brand four, with a fresh design and views across the places striving to recover from the effects of
mean it’s not just caravans that are up for Downs. A week in February or March starts the pandemic. Intrepid Retreats’ offerings
grabs, but also airstream caravans, yurts and at £890. Further afield, Oliver’s Travels’ villas include a four-day Cornwall experience from
camping and glamping pods at a range of in mainland Spain and the Canary Islands £505 per person and a five-day break in Syros,
sites, including in the Cotswolds, the Lake will no doubt return as firm favourites. Greece from £780 per person (excluding
District and Kent. experiencefreedom.co.uk mulberrycottages.com oliverstravels.com flights). intrepidtravel.com MARIA PIERI

32 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel



SMART TRAVELLER

INSIDE GUIDE

YORK

Known for its medieval streets and iconic Minster, the ancient city
blends its historical highlights with a thriving modern food scene

While York has ushered in smart new bars, global cuisine William the Conqueror, it offers panoramic views of the
and boutique hotels over the past decade, it’s hard to deny city. yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk english-heritage.org.uk
the city’s appeal still lies in the allure of its past. From
its time as the Roman city of Eboracum to the Viking Multicoloured bunting crisscrosses nearby FOSSGATE,
settlement of Jorvik, more than 2,000 years of stories a sloping street with a mix of independent bars, cafes and
linger within York’s medieval streets. shops. A highlight is THE FOSSGATE SOCIAL — a modern,
laid-back affair with a low-lit, exposed brick interior.
YORK MINSTER is the ideal starting point: completed in Hang out on the cosy sofas upstairs and order one of the
1472, the gothic icon is the largest medieval cathedral in cocktails; there’s regular live music, too. If beer’s more
Northern Europe. Don’t miss the 600-year-old Great East your thing, a range of local cra and cask ales are on
Window — it’s the largest expanse of medieval stained sale at THE HOP, set in a former market hall, while BREW
glass in the country and dazzles with its rich colours YORK serves up everything from American pale ales to
and graceful curves. Fuel up at nearby BREW & BROWNIE gooseberry sours, and has an inviting riverside garden.
for coffee and treats made with local Yorkshire produce. thefossgatesocial.com hopyork.co.uk brewyork.co.uk
yorkminster.org brewandbrownie.uk
A short saunter across town is LOS MOROS, a North
Take in views of the River Ouse before enjoying the African restaurant that started life in 2015 as a stall in the
calm of the YORKSHIRE MUSEUM GARDENS, a rolling Shambles Market. These days, at its home on Grape Lane,
Victorian meadow dotted with oak trees and Roman and the menu features immaculate Moroccan-influenced
Norman ruins. It’s a short stroll from the elevated CITY dishes that won’t stretch your wallet. losmorosyork.co.uk
WALLS, which make an excellent spot for a walk. Largely
dating back to the 13th century, the walls encircle the The luxurious embrace of GRAYS COURT HOTEL makes
historic centre — be sure to amble along their northern it one of the finest stays in town. The oldest inhabited
section, and look out across gardens and Georgian house in York, it’s been receiving guests since 1091,
houses, with the Minster looming in the distance. including the likes of James I and William Wilberforce.
yorkwalls.org.uk yorkshiremuseum.org.uk It’s full of Jacobean interiors, while The Bow Room
showcases understated fine dining with superb views
Another historic highlight is the SHAMBLES — a from its Georgian dining room. grayscourtyork.com
winding cobbled street of leaning timber buildings that
look poised to collapse at any moment. The boutique The boutique HOTEL INDIGO plays on the theme of
stores here draw plenty of tourists, so make a turn into York’s rich confectionery history (the proud home of the
the SHAMBLES MARKET for a bite and a breather. Open Kit Kat) with rooms featuring chocolate-bar panelling
every day, the street food options on offer range from and Smarties cushions. hotelindigoyork.co.uk
gourmet hotdogs to Turkish wraps. shamblesyork.com
A short stroll across the River Foss lies SPARK:YORK,
YORK CASTLE MUSEUM showcases the city’s Victorian which hints at the city’s foodie future. Constructed
history with its Kirkgate exhibit. Led by enthusiastic from 23 shipping containers, it’s home to a host of
guides in period dress, the recreated street features independent street food vendors. Choose from the likes
shops and businesses with authentic signage from the of hearty ramen at SHORI, Colombian arepas at TRICOLOR
19th century. A quick hop across the museum’s courtyard and vegan tacos from DOG’S NOSE TAQUERIA, York’s first
is CLIFFORD’S TOWER, the keep of YORK CASTLE. Built by independent taco joint. sparkyork.org tricoloryork.co.uk
dogsnosetacos.square.site visityork.org JAMES MARCH

LIKE A LOCAL THE BAR CONVENT TREASURER’S HOUSE GATEHOUSE IMAGES: ALAMY; GETTY
The oldest running An overlooked stately COFFEE
Mad Alice’s favourite convent in the country, home tucked right A great pitstop
historic escapes it contains the ornate behind York Minster, it if you’re walking
Hidden Chapel. houses the furnished the two-mile City
Alicia Stabler Decorated in gold and collection of noted Walls. Inside, the
— best known by her white, it’s home to the Victorian industrialist gatehouse transports
alter-ego ‘Mad Alice’ hand of martyred St Frank Green. What’s customers back to
— is a local tour guide Margaret Clitherow and more, it’s said to be the 17th century with
who leads the several escape routes in one of the city’s most wooden benches
award-winning case of invasion. haunted properties. and oak beams.
Bloody Tour of York. bar-convent.org.uk nationaltrust.org.uk gatehousecoffee.com
thebloodytourofyork.co.uk

34 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel

SMART TRAVELLER

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:

Full English breakfast at Brew
& Brownie; The Fossgate Social
coffeeshop and bar; York
Minster overlooking the city;
the Shambles at twilight

Jan/Feb 2021 35

Monastery and Beehive Huts on UNESCO World Heritage Site Skellig Michael with Little Skellig in the background.
© Failte Ireland

Ireland’s Iconic
Heritage Sites

Discover the remains of prehistoric tombs. Imagine the thrill of defending
a castle. Listen for echoes of ancient prayer among the ruins of sacred sites.
Soak up the serenity of historic gardens and the splendour of great estates.

heritageireland.ie

@heritageireland

SMART TRAVELLER

STAY AT HOME

ISLE OF WIGHT

With vintage theme parks, beaches galore and
idyllic countryside, there’s no better place to
head to for a classic English break

IMAGES: AWL IMAGES; ENGLISH HERITAGE TRUST Why go Where to eat DON’T MISS
England’s largest island has been a ‘staycation’ The Llama Tree is a cafe that serves
destination since the 1800s, with Queen excellent Peruvian coffee, as well as pizzas, Head to Osborne
Victoria herself owning a holiday home here, sandwiches, local cheese and snacks. There’s House, grand holiday
in the shape of palatial Osborne House. She the added attraction of its setting, at the home of Victoria and
was on to something: just a 45-minute ferry 23-acre farm West Wight Alpacas and Albert. Don’t miss
journey across the Solent from the Hampshire Llamas. There’s even the chance to take one Swiss Cottage, built
coast, the island is an ideal place to spend of the curious camelids for a walk. by Prince Albert for
a long weekend, with fossil hunting and westwightalpacas.co.uk/cafe-bistro his nine children, with
woodland walks, beaches, gentle countryside its miniature kitchen
and vintage theme parks. There’s also plenty We like and dairy, and Queen
for thrill-seekers, with hiking trails, including Goodleaf Tree Climbing offers tree-climbing Victoria’s beachside
a 68-mile coastal path, and a host of spots for courses based around a 70ft oak tree at bathing machine.
surfing, paddleboarding and windsurfing. Appley Park, near Ryde. After getting to grips english-heritage.org.uk
visitisleofwight.co.uk with the equipment, you’ll be shimmying up
to the top of the tree to enjoy the view. Take ABOVE FROM LEFT: Clifftop view of
What to do in the views from a canopy hammock before Freshwater Bay; Osborne House
Families will love the UK’s oldest theme park, you head back down. goodleaf.co.uk
Blackgang Chine, near Ventnor. Opened in Jan/Feb 2021 37
the 1840s, it’s moved on a bit since its first Where to stay
attraction, a fin whale skeleton (still on Set in a meadow near Newport, Tiny Homes
display); it now includes rides, animatronic Holidays’ four luxurious hideaways are solar-
dinosaurs, fairytale lands and a Wild West powered, with composting toilets, wood-
town. For a gentler day out, take a 10-mile burning stoves and water recycling. There’s
roundtrip on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway even an on-site studio offering arts and crafts
from Wootton or Havenstreet stations. At workshops. The Lakes Rookley, meanwhile,
the latter, visit Train Story, a museum where is a stylish base just outside Godshill. Family
you can board old carriages, dress up as activities and watersports can be booked on
a driver and learn about railway history. site. tinyhomesholidays.com ariaresorts.co.uk
blackgangchine.com iwsteamrailway.co.uk
JO FLETCHER-CROSS

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breath-taking polar landscapes — you’ll be doing your part to help protect it.

W W W.T R AV E LW I T H N ATG E O.C O.U K

EXPEDITIONS

© 2020 National Geographic Partners, LLC. National Geographic EXPEDITIONS and the Yellow Border Design are trademarks of
the National Geographic Society, used under license. Photo Credit: © Studio PONANT – Margot Sib

SMART TRAVELLER

THE WORD

WINTER WARMERS

These bright new books offer some itinerant inspiration
for those dark winter nights. Words: Sarah Barrell

IMAGE: GETTY Fifty Words The Ordnance The Stubborn While the Earth Best American Spirited:
for Snow, by Survey Great Light of Things, Sleeps We Travel, Travel Writing Cocktails from
Nancy Campbell British Treasure by Melissa by Ahmed M. Badr 2020 around the world
Award-winning Hunt Harrison In 2018, Iraqi- As chosen by series ’Tis the season to be
author Nancy Can you solve more If you haven’t heard American poet and editor Jason Wilson jolly, but if you need
Campbell takes 50 than 350 clues on Harrison’s soul- former refugee Badr and guest editor a little help, try this
words for snow from a puzzle adventure soothing podcast travelled to Greece, Robert Macfarlane: glossy compendium
around the globe and from your own sofa? then this eponymous Trinidad & Tobago, the best travel of exotic libations
uses them to reveal Test your mettle nature diary, and New York, writing essays from around the
what snow means to against the Ordnance following her move holding storytelling published within globe. Cocktail
different cultures. Survey, the world’s from south London workshops with the last year. Taking doyenne Adrienne
Snow isn’t silent leading producer to the Suffolk displaced youth in an existential Stillman spotlights
and isn’t always of maps since its countryside, should living in and reckoning at an hundreds of cocktail
white, she observes establishment be a joyful reason to outside of camps. avalanche school, an recipes from the
— and this is just in 1791. The do so. It’s the perfect Combining Badr’s act of kindness at the past 500 years,
a starting point for cartographic hunt companion piece to poetry with the Mexican American ranging from classics
her exploration of focuses on 40 new this chronicle of her personal narratives border, and a moral to lesser-known
the language that British maps, taking journey to uncover and artistic offerings dilemma at a Kenyan regional favourites.
describes myriad in the likes of Loch the nature on our of young refugees, orphanage, these are Try the Jägerita,
snowscapes, from Ness and the cloisters doorsteps wherever this collection tales that inspire. a Jägermeister
mountain peaks and of Cambridge, to we live, and celebrate offers unheard Or, in Macfarlane’s margarita created
glaciers to boreal crack codes and its way of signalling perspectives of those words, ‘transport in London but
cities and Baltic anagrams on the trail the seasons. (Faber travelling in search readers to other popularised in
landscapes. (Elliott of mythical treasure. & Faber, £14.99) of home. (Andrews worlds’. (Mariner Portland, Oregon.
& Thomson, £12.99) (Trapeze, £14.99) melissaharrison.co.uk McMeel, £14.99) Books, £12.99) (Phaidon, £35)

Jan/Feb 2021 39





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COMPETITION

WIN

A FOUR-NIGHT STAY
IN THE LAKE DISTRICT

National Geographic Traveller (UK) has teamed up
with Graythwaite Holiday Cottages to offer a stay
in a country cottage in scenic Cumbria

IMAGES: GETTY; IAN MACDONALD THE DESTINATION THE PRIZE TO ENTER
Nowhere epitomises England’s green Courtesy of Graythwaite Holiday
and pleasant land like the Lake Cottages, the winner and up to Answer the following question
District. A vast swathe of picture- nine guests (dependent on local online at nationalgeographic.co.uk/
perfect scenery, it’s a perennial regulations) will enjoy a four-night, competitions:
favourite for a staycation — and mid-week stay at Holmewell House IN WHICH COUNTY IS THE
with good reason. This is a natural on the Graythwaite Estate, near LAKE DISTRICT?
playground for all kinds of adventure, Windermere. Bathed in natural light,
from water sports on Windermere the property was fully restored in Competition closes on 31 January 2021.
to the challenging climbs of the September 2019 and offers a classically The winner must be a resident of the UK
region’s famous fells. For more gentle stylish stay in one of the country’s & Ireland aged 18 and over. Full T&Cs at
pursuits, there are historic houses, most beautiful corners of countryside. nationalgeographic.co.uk/competitions.
stone circles, or the area’s industrial The five-bedroom cottage, with
heritage to explore, while at night, the its own private jetty, is perfectly Jan/Feb 2021 41
quality of the dark skies are some of positioned for a rural escape, with
the UK’s best for stargazing. Given the the Lake District’s many attractions
Lake District’s literary heritage, there and hiking trails in easy reach. After a
are plenty of cultural activities, too, romp in the fells, return to luxurious
including the Beatrix Potter Gallery homely touches, including underfloor
at Hawkshead, and the pretty village heating, a Sonos sound system,
of Grasmere, with its connections to welcome hamper and even an electric
William Wordsworth. Aga range cooker. graythwaite.com

FROM THE END
OF THE EARTH
SINCE 1870

BLUNDSTONE.CO.UK

SMART TRAVELLER

NOTES FROM AN AUTHOR // NEIL OLIVER

DENMARK

An encounter with an ancient burial site outside Copenhagen
reveals something fundamental about the human spirit

ILLUSTRATION: JACQUI OAKLEY D uring my student days, more than They lived in a world placed by someone who couldn’t bear the
three decades ago, I learned about a unrecognisable to us thought of his baby lying on cold clay.
woman and infant buried together — a world of ever-present
at a place called Vedbaek, a suburb of danger... And yet in spite of Here in the 21st-century West, most hold
Copenhagen. In the years since, I’ve thought all they had to contend with death at a distance. Once there was faith to
about them often. Their grave was one of 17 during lives made short by reassure folk of something after death. For
excavated by archaeologists in the mid-1970s. hardship, still they were in the last two centuries and more, that hope
Most contained a single individual, but there awe of death, and so properly has been on the wane. Since here and now is
were two ‘doubles’ — containing a woman all there is, most endeavour only to stretch
and an infant — and one ‘triple’ with two in awe of life their earthly span to the limit while hiding
adults and a one-year-old laid between them. from the thought, far less the sight, of death.
One grave was empty. The cemetery had been At Vedbaek during the Mesolithic period,
made during the Mesolithic — the Middle people thought differently. Evidently, they
Stone Age — between 6,000-7,000 years ago. imagined the hunt would go on in a world to
come and that their departed would need the
The people lived by hunting, drawn to a tools of the trade, badges of status.
ribbon of territory between land and sea.
They were in the habit of laying down their I’m haunted by the burial site at Vedbaek
dead with hunting trophies — animal teeth, because of what else, it seems to me,
antlers, bones, tools, things that mattered. lay buried with them down through the
millennia, and that was unearthed along
The double grave that haunts me is with bones and stones. I’m moved beyond
regarded as the richest of all. The woman was adequate words by the realisation that love
aged around 20 when she died. The infant and grief were preserved too, ready to envelop
was a newborn and it’s thought the pair died us after all the years. Only love and grief make
together in childbirth. The position of the people surrender precious things to the dead,
woman’s head suggested it had rested upon have them seek to lay a newborn on a swan’s
a pillow, perhaps a folded piece of clothing wing. They lived in a world unrecognisable
long since gone. Perforated shells and animal to us — a world of ever-present danger and
teeth near her feet suggested she’d been clad death. Every moment was a challenge; every
in a garment trimmed with trinkets. By her morsel consumed hunted or sought-out;
head were 200 red deer teeth — each from every warming fire conjured from sticks by
a different animal — that had likely formed clever hands. And yet in spite of all they had
a necklace made by a hunter and laid down to contend with during lives made short by
with her as a keepsake. Across the baby’s hips circumstances and hardship, still they were
was a little blade of blue flint, perhaps a mark in awe of death, and so properly in awe of life.
of status. He or she — the bones were too
slight for there to be any way of judging sex We’ve come a long way since the time of
— had been placed upon the wing of a swan. the hunters and yet our brains, three pounds
of pale, pink meat beneath thin caps of bone,
Those are the facts; anything more can are still running hunter software. We’re
only be supposition. It’s easiest to think of still looking for the things we need. For all
them as mother and child. Maybe she was a that we’ve learned with our science and
hunter — who can say one way or the other? It technology, too many of us are rattling with
seems more likely she was a hunter’s wife, or anti-depressants. I doubt we’re as happy as
a hunter’s daughter, and that the necklace of the hunters. In the grave of the mother and
teeth was his gift. Most affecting of all is the baby of Vedbaek, along with love and grief, I
presence of the swan’s wing. Perhaps those find that which is so invaluable for all human
grieving hoped the infant’s soul would be beings crouched upon this small blue thing
carried aloft, towards a heaven. Better yet, the of a planet — I find hope.
hope may have been inspired by the ways of
migratory birds that leave and then return. Wisdom of the Ancients: Life lesson from our
Did those left behind hope the departed souls distant past, by Neil Oliver, is published by
would come back to them in time? At the very Bantam Press, RRP: £20.
least, the wing may have been a comforter,
neiloliver.com

Jan/Feb 2021 43

SMART TRAVELLER

MEET THE ADVENTURER

KIKI BOSCH

Without a wetsuit or any apparatus, Kiki Bosch free-dives in the world’s
coldest waters — a healing therapy she turned to after a sexual assault

we were losing light, fast. But we got a call from a touring
company that had come across a pod of killer whales, so
we jumped straight in the water to observe them. Soon,
tourist boats started to arrive and the pod swam deeper
and deeper. Just as I was swimming away, I saw a massive
humpback whale about to breach — it was just an arm’s
length away. I was able to look into its eyes so closely. I
had a spiritual moment that day. I felt so grateful these
creatures had allowed us to be in their environment for
that time.

You practise and teach the Wim Hof Method of
cold water immersion. What’s at its core?
There’s a community of people getting together for
weekly dips — and it’s taking place all over the world.
People are bonding with the forces of nature, such as the
cold. To me, it’s the pinnacle of mindfulness. You have
to get out of your mind and be fully present within your
body and within your breath. That’s the beauty of this
work — it’s uniting people and helping them to stand
together to face their personal challenges. I love to teach
the way in which you can shift and change both your
nervous system and your perception of life through cold
water immersion.

How do you plan an adventure? Have you ever had any scary moments? READ THE FULL IMAGE: DESCENT (2020)
I find myself drawn to places that have a raw beauty, When we were shooting a short film in Norway, I INTERVIEW
where you can be immersed in the pure force of nature passed out while diving. When I emerged, I couldn’t ONLINE AT
— like Iceland. You can experience all the seasons in warm up; I felt like my heart just couldn’t take it N AT I O N A L
one day; it’s beautiful to observe. Silfra, in Thingvellir anymore. Eventually, returning to the water, I had to GEOGRAPHIC.
National Park, was the first place I ever dived in cold allow that bond of trust with the ocean to come back to C O . U K / T R AV E L
water. Here, you’re literally swimming between two me. That near-death experience was a life-changing
of Earth’s tectonic plates. On one side, you can touch moment for me.
America, and then the other side, you’re touching a plate
of Europe. It brings everything — especially the human What do you think is the best piece of advice
body — into perspective. you’ve ever received?
It’s esoteric, but relevant: get back to yourself and back to
How has adventure helped you to tackle your breathing. And always be grateful.
personal trauma?
Adventure was a major factor in helping me to deal with Do you have any advice for someone wanting to
my healing. Just by going on an adventure — no matter get into ice water free-diving?
what it is — you’re challenging yourself. By challenging Challenge yourself one step at a time. Have a cold shower
yourself, you’re connecting to something bigger than for five seconds, then make it 10 seconds and gradually
yourself, and it’s possible to reframe your own trauma. build up to a minute. By challenging yourself that little
The main reason I do what I do is because the cold bit every day and stepping out of your comfort zone,
has been a healing journey. It helped me get through you’re able to regulate yourself in extreme environments.
the lowest points in my life. It has shown me how to
overcome trauma, depression and self-doubt, and come INTERVIEW: NORA WALLAYA
out the other end as a better person.
Kiki Bosch is the subject of the documentary Descent, directed by
Any notable close encounters with wildlife? Nays Baghai, which won the 2020 Documentary Australia Foundation
There was one experience in Tromsø [northern Norway] Award for Best Australian Documentary at the Sydney Film Festival.
while on expedition. We were about to turn around, as
kikibosch.com descentproject.com
@_kiki.bosch_

44 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel

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WHAT’S ONLINE

GET A TASTE FOR NATURE ON
A FUNGI FORAGING COURSE

Learn to tell your russulas from your boletes as you get to grips with fungal families
on a one-day mushroom foraging course. Words: Chris Horton

Having torn off a tiny piece of the purple abundant back-up when the top-tier options means we’ll swerve a few nasty ones, including
cap, Marlow Renton places it in his mouth are in short supply. If there’s no strong taste the ominous-sounding satan’s bolete.
and rolls it around with the tip of his tongue — hot, foetid, spicy — then you’re good to go.
before spitting it out. “Right,” he says, holding Needless to say, what’s left of this one won’t be Minutes later, we come across a cluster of
out the specimen to the group. “Who wants to part of our meal at the end of the day. chanterelles, another unseasonable gourmet
nibble a poisonous mushroom?” discovery. Glowing like buttercups against the
Heading into the forest, it’s not long before mossy path, they smell like apricots and have
It’s not a rhetorical question. Moments an excited commotion beneath an oak tree has wrinkly gills. Its drabber sister, the winter
later, we’ve all done the same. “Did you all get Marlow running over to confirm we’re in the chanterelle, was the one Marlow had primed
the burn?” he enquires. For my first taste of a presence of fungal royalty. With its cartoonish us to meet. In a larch copse, we fan out like
wild mushroom on this fungi foraging course bulbous stem, this baby porcini is instantly a disorganised forensic team to scour the
in the New Forest, toxic chilli comes as a recognisable as the cover star of cookery forest floor for the brown caps and distinctive
surprise, to say the least. Marlow, co-founder books the world over. It’s one of the boletes, yellow, twisted stems. At first, there’s nothing,
of Wild Food UK, had, after all, promised to a relatively safe family for novice foragers then we see one, then two — suddenly they’re
lead us “from gourmet mushroom to gourmet that contains an abundance of prime edibles. everywhere, forcing Marlow to run around
mushroom”. But the family this mushroom The rule here is “no red [sponge pores under scrutinising each new find. “You’d pay a
belongs to is, he assures us, one we should get the cap], no blue [oxidisation on cutting the fortune for these in Borough Market,” he grins.
to know. The russulas — easily identified by flesh]”. Although this means discarding a few
their flaky gills and crumbly stems — are an tasty mushrooms, like the lurid bolete, it also READ THE FULL ARTICLE ONLINE NOW AT

NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.CO.UK/TRAVEL

TOP
STORIES

Here’s what you’ve NOTES FROM AN AUTHOR MEET THE MAKER OPINION
been enjoying on the
website this month Jini Reddy on the Pyrenees Natural wine revival Why I can’t wait to travel in
Can slowing down and listening In central Portugal, these Lebanon again
to the natural world allow us to vineyard owners are bringing Sam McManus of YellowWood
really hear it? back ancient traditions
Adventures on a country he loves

46 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel

ONLINE

FROM MY CITY TO YOURS: INSIDE BEYOND THE
NEW YORK’S LGBTQ+ SCENE TR AVEL SECTION

Discover a different side of the Big Apple with tour guide Michael Ventriello, | ENVIRONMENT |
who offers insights into the city’s fun-loving, inclusive LGBTQ+ community. Greta Thunberg reflects on
Interview: Charlotte Wigram-Evans living through multiple crises in
a ‘post-truth society’
WHAT DOES NEW YORK CITY MEAN TO YOU? IN NORMAL TIMES, WHERE WOULD YOU In an exclusive interview with
It really is an incredible city and I feel very National Geographic, the climate
fortunate to be living here every day, even in USUALLY GO FOR A GREAT NIGHT OUT? activist considers the successes of
the midst of a pandemic. Moving to New York In Greenwich Village, standing at the Gay the youth climate movement and
as a queer man, I found a new lease of life. I Liberation Monument in Christopher Park, the challenges it faces
was already out when I arrived, but I was able you can do a 360-degree spin and see so many
to find out what that truly meant for me when great gay bars. There’s Stonewall Inn, which | HISTORY |
I moved to this city. in 1969, when there were riots across the city, Across Latin America, the Day
was the only place that welcomed gay people, of the Dead was eerily silent
WHAT LGBTQ+ LANDMARKS SHOULD WE VISIT? people of colour, gender-nonconforming Millions of mourners adapted as
There are a couple of underrated sites I’d folks, trans folks, drag queens, drag kings time-honoured traditions were
really recommend. One is the New York Aids — everyone. Then you’ve got Duplex, as well cancelled due to fears of sparking
Memorial — a reminder of a dark time in as Marie’s Crisis and Monster, and a block a virus outbreak
history, but a really, really important one. The away there’s Julius’, which is my favourite.
memorial is beautiful, and it’s set in a peaceful It’s this little queer piano bar, and they have | SPACE |
and serene little green space, which is quite a pianist every night performing everything Asteroid Bennu contains
rare in the city. The other is the LGBTQ Center from Broadway to Disney. Only about 20 ingredients for life
on West 13th Street. It’s three stories tall and people can fit in there at a time, it’s that tiny, Revelations from NASA’s
takes up half a block — it’s massive. There’s a and by the end of the night everyone’s belting OSIRIS-REx probe are
cool cafe inside, too. out Broadway tunes and hugging each other. building excitement for its
sampling expedition
READ THE FULL STORY ONLINE NOW

IMAGES: GETTY; ALAMY

FOOD UK MEET THE ADVENTURER SEARCH FOR
NATGEOTR AVELUK
Five ways to cook with Explore the country’s Rebecca Stevens MBE on
pumpkin most-haunted destinations breaking records FAC E B O O K
From turmeric curry to an We reveal eight unusual, macabre The British mountaineer looks INSTAGR A M
TWITTER
unlikely ice cream dish attractions and how to visit them back on her career PINTEREST

Jan/Feb 2021 47

WEEKENDER

MALTA

Beyond its ancient history and melting-pot cuisine,
Malta’s islands offer striking, sun-blessed coastlines

for outdoor adventures. Words: Nora Wallaya

M alta is often described as a bouillabaisse is served ahead of fig- and date-
microcosm of the Mediterranean, stuffed Arabic pastries.
and the reputation is well-
deserved: the islands of Malta, Gozo Some seven thousand years of history are
and Comino have no shortage of sunny writ large across these islands: whether it’s
beaches, honey-bricked villages and rugged Valletta’s Grand Harbour, battleground of the
countryside. But this claim is perhaps 1565 Great Siege of Malta; or Gozo’s Cittadella,
most notable in regards to its culture. The whose ramparts have seen centuries of
archipelago’s location, right in the middle of tragedies and jubilations. And that’s before
the Med, between Sicily and North Africa, you even begin to explore its storied natural
means its language, food, architecture and landmarks, like the mysterious caves
traditions have been shaped by myriad steeped in legend and ancient temples said
occupations throughout the centuries. to have been erected by giants.

This is a place where British-era Using Valletta, the capital, as a base,
postboxes are dwarfed by Italianate baroque much of the archipelago can be explored at a
townhouses, and where a reimagined French relaxed pace; an ideal opportunity to absorb
the islands’ fascinating past and present.

48 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel