White sand beaches and crystal blue water. Lots of sunshine, diverse natural life and French cuisine. What more can you ask for? These are just some of the remarkable characteristics New Caledonia boasts. If you are tired of the “good old” holiday destinations you go to every year and yearn for a new experience off the beaten track, then look no further, for this tiny Pacific archipelago has all you might wish for.

New Caledonia is situated in the northeast of Australia, a three-hour flight away from Sydney, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand. It consists of a range of tropical islands, some of which are remote and uninhabited, while others like Grande Terre and the Isle of Pines are ideal tourist destinations for enjoying laid-back island life, doing water sports and relaxing from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Continue reading →

One of the most surreal experiences of my travel life was visiting North Korea just a few weeks ago. I booked through Koryo Tours in Beijing and during our briefing there, my guide was right – you will leave with more questions than answers. My trip to North Korea or Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), as its official name is, was for three days and along with another tourist I visited Pyongyang, Kaesong and the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ which is the border between the two Koreas.)

So here are some of my observations about North Korea:

Continue reading →

Nature certainly has some cool tricks up its sleeve to keep us spellbound and one such amazing act is the Aurora Borealis commonly known as Northern Lights. This dazzling performance of multi-colored streaks and swirls shimmering in the dark sky is bound to make any traveller entranced. The Northern Lights is a natural phenomenon that occurs when solar flares infuse with earth’s atmosphere, the reaction gives us the most surreal experience of witnessing the world’s most dramatic light show. Most of the Aurora Borealis activity can be viewed in countries that fall under the auroral zone, such as Canada, Russia, and Scandinavian countries. However, certain places in the USA also fall under this belt from where you can view this ethereal gleaming sky. Here’s where you need to be if you wish to view the Northern Lights on your USA trip.

Continue reading →

As a world traveler, I have my bucket list of places I would love to visit, adventures I would love experience and other that I just want to enjoy in terms of people or culture.

The list is always growing but the folks at Anthony Nolan have put together an Ultimate Natural World To-Do List of the top adventures around the world. This list of fifteen adventures include mountain climbing in Africa to snorkeling in Fiji, from diving in Devil’s Pool in Zambia to the food fight in La Tomatina in Spain.

Continue reading →

Looking to undertake a caravan holiday? When you are planning a family vacation, a caravan holiday will be the last thing to spring in your mind. However, there are various benefits of considering a caravan holiday. It is an excellent choice irrespective of your personal state, your age and whether you are moving alone or in a group. You may either rent quality caravans from online stores or buy a caravan if you are looking to travel frequently.

Continue reading →

If you feel like you are stuck in a routine lifestyle, then it’s time for a change. You need to go on vacation and put all the things that are causing you stress aside. More importantly, you need to find a location where all worries fade into the wind, and then fill your ears with the sound of laughter in the streets, where the smell of fresh coffee fills your mornings and where you can meet friendly people who will exchange their interesting stories over a pint of beer with you. The place we are talking about is Canberra, Australia’s finest jewel.

Here are some of the reasons why we think you need to experience this must-visit destination.

Continue reading →

Did you know that just in 2016, Dubai saw more than 15 million overnight visitors? Dubai with its incredible history, iconic skylines and record-breaking structures has been enticing visitors for several years now. Ras Al Khaimah, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Sharjah – each of the UAE’s incredible Emirates entices and beckons visitors to come and admire their marvels. In just a few short years, the UAE has achieved an amazing, full-throttle escalation from a nomadic desert to a landmark tourist destination.

Continue reading →

Most travelers visiting Uzbekistan stick to the three big cities of Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara that offer innumerable sights of the splendid mosques, madrasas and minarets. But visiting Khiva is a must for any traveler for its incredible old town.

Known as Ichon Qala (or Old City Fortress), the old town is walkable and can be easily visited in one day. With its incredibly preserved Persian-built fortress walls, Khiva’s name had been synonymous with the caravans of a brutal, systematic slave trade that kept the city profitable during the Silk Road days. The constant threat of marauding raiders of the desert mad this city a destination only for the most determined, ruthless traders. Hundreds of years later, after the rise of fall of many kingdoms, empires, and regimes that remarkably spared this city, it has become the most well-preserved medieval city of the Islamic world.

The best way to visit Khiva, located in western Uzbekistan, is to fly in to Urgench airport where Uzbekistan airlines flies daily, non-stop, between Urgench and Tashkent taking an hour and forty minutes.

Urgench is the capital of the Khorazem region and has always been regarded as a missable stopover city; a short distance from Khiva, one of the three great epicenters of the Silk Road (Samarkand and Bukhara among the other two). A taxi drive of about 30 minutes from Urgench airport brings you to this city, just across the border from Turkmenistan.

Continue reading →

If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair; if it’s Riyadh you’re headed to, however, you’d better arm yourself with a reliable guide and a city map because the ride is bound to send your mind giddy, your heart racing, and your adrenaline pumping. Situated in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula, Riyadh is home to over six million people who cherish a strong connection with their roots, culture, and heritage. The crown jewel of Saudi Arabia and one of the historically most important cities in the area, Riyadh has been recording a steady growth in popularity among tourists in the past decade, so if you’re set on visiting the Arabian capital, you’d better do it before long. Ready to start packing? Here, help yourself to this list of best places to eat, shop, and stay and savor the Arabian gem to the fullest.

Continue reading →

Effective today, passengers arriving to any U.S. airports on direct flights from eight Middle Eastern nations are required to place most electronic devices, including laptops, tablets and cameras, in checked baggage under stepped-up security measures, and not allowed in cabin bags. Smartphones can be carried in the plane’s cabin, but nothing larger.

The measures took effect Tuesday morning and cover about 50 incoming flights a day from the eight countries — Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The measure does not cover flights leaving the U.S.

Continue reading →

It was the beginning of December and I was excited to backpack through Central America, starting from Panama City and making my way up to Belize. Visiting some of the best sights of Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala and ending in the Caribbean nation of Belize, while skipping El Salvador and Honduras in the middle.

With cheap flights in the region, and wanting to spend more time in Costa Rica, I decided to fly from Panama City to San Jose on Copa Air costing just $49 one way! I was to arrive at San Jose airport (SJO) at 5:00pm, and wanted to go directly to Quepos on the Pacific coast, about 160km or 3 hours away by car.

Continue reading →

Along with the Iguazu Falls at the border of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay; and Angel Falls in Venezuela, the Victoria Falls on the Zambezi river at the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia are ranked as some of the most spectacular falls in the world. Most travelers visiting the falls stick to the Zambian side, considering the political turmoil in Zimbabwe, but the best views of the falls are from the other side of the border in Zimbabwe.

So should you go to Zambia or Zimbabwe? Or both?

Airlines from South Africa and Zambia, along with other neighboring countries like Botswana, Namibia or even Kenya have regular flights to Victoria Falls Airport in Zimbabwe and and Livingstone Airport in Zambia. Since it was December, which is the dry season for the region, the water pressure at the falls was not huge, which meant a lot of dry spots around the falls.

Continue reading →

Many flights arrive at Lima airport (LIM) at night and the airport is located in one of the not-so-safe area of the city, called Callao. Taxis are abundant outside the airport but don’t go with anyone asking for a taxi. Check in with the information center and they will assign an “official” taxi to you which is reliable and safe. Taxis usually cost anything between PEN 70 (approx $22) to PEN 90 (approx $27) to Miraflores area.

Now, a new bus service is set to change this. Starting March 26, 2017, Airport Express Lima will run luxury, air-conditioned buses 24 hours a day, every 30 minutes from the airport to Miraflores area and back.

Continue reading →

[First rays of sun falling on the statues at Abu Simbel, during the Sun Festival]

The Sun Festival occurs at two distinct dates, on 22 October and 22 February. These dates are believed to signify the birthday of the Ramses II and the day he ascended to the throne. On each of these two days, when the sun enters the temple at dawn, the rays illuminate the statues at the back wall only, except for Ptah, the god of the underworld.

Although the dates have moved ahead by a day each, because of the astronomical errors from ancient times, it is quite a feast for your eyes to see the natural light falling on the statues at the back of the temple. But getting inside the temple at the right time is almost impossible!

Continue reading to find out why→