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C I R CA COLLEC TION / SPR ING 2 024
PHOTOG R APHY: A L IS TAIR TAY LO R - YO U N G / LO CAT I O N : TO K YO, JA PA N

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CONTENTS
I S S U E 1 2 2 , M AY 2 0 2 4
66 1 02 124 150
ME X I C O I STRI A EGY P T B I R MI N G H A M
Explore this spirited country’s The festivals and folk Itineraries to discover the The UK’s historic industrial
Caribbean beaches, fiery traditions of Croatia’s country, from the Nile and the powerhouse is flaunting
flavours and ancient history unique Adriatic enclave Red Sea to the Sinai Peninsula its heritage with style
90 1 14 138
V I E TN A M A NTA RC TI C A PH I L A D E LPH I A
Discover the country’s remote This barren land of rock, Food in Pennsylvania’s largest
reaches along the Mekong water and ice is home to a city is as much about coming
River and Con Dao islands surprising amount of wildlife together as it is about flavour
66 ME XICO
IMAGE: GETTY
M AY 2 0 24 7
CONTENTS
Smart traveller
15 | SNAPSHOT Carve out some 31 | STAY AT HOME Meet Robin
time for Malaysian crafts Hood in Sherwood Forest
16 | BIG PICTURE A change of 33 | BOOKS Whizz through the
perspective in Copenhagen pages of these active travel reads
19 | AQUATIC ART Take the plunge 34 | KIT LIST Stay comfortable and
in Miami’s new underwater gallery plugged-in on rail adventures
21 | FOOTLOOSE Walking festivals 37 | COMPETITION Win a
to put a spring in your step three-night trip to North Wales
23 | FOOD The seasonal flavours 39 | NOTES FROM AN AUTHOR
of North Macedonia Johan Nylander on travelling with
25 | WHERE TO STAY Stylish and herders in Mongolia’s grasslands
good-value hotels in Seville 40 | MEET THE TRAILBLAZER
26 | FAMILY Five options for a Diver Justin Schneider on exploring
44
night at the museum underwater archaeological sites
28 | INSIDE GUIDE Lake Como’s 42 | ONLINE Highlights from
charming western shore nationalgeographic.com/travel
25
56 23
IMAGES: AWL IMAGES; STEVENS FRÉMONT; JOSE LAGUNA; GETTY
On the cover Insider Travel talk Get involved

44 | WEEKENDER: LE MANS 160 | ASK THE EXPERTS A solo trip 171 | SUBSCRIPTIONS Make the
& AROUND Come to this French city to Greenland, passport stamps, most of our big spring sale
for its eponymous car race, stay for half-term family holidays and more 174 | EVENTS Our food festival is
canoe trips, wine-tasting and more 162 | THE INFO Celebrate 30 years coming back this summer
50 | EAT: FEZ Food traditions and of the Channel Tunnel 177 | INBOX Let us know what you
culinary innovation come together 163 | HOT TOPIC Is the Foreign think of the magazine and be in
in the medina of this Moroccan city Office travel advice too strict? with the chance of winning a prize
56 | SLEEP: TOKYO Accommodation 164 | THE REPORT All you need 178 | HOW I GOT THE SHOT
Sunrise near Catavinia, in the Japanese capital is all about to know about B Corp, one of the Photographer Kevin Faingnaert
Baja California, Mexico. character, from traditional ryokan fastest-growing certifications for on distilling the beauty of his
Image: AWL Images inns to a cosy literary hotel responsible travel champions hometown in a single image
8 N AT I O N A LG E O G R A P H I C .CO M / T R AV EL
CONTRIBUTORS
Editorial Director: Maria Pieri Digital Marketing Manager:
Editor: Pat Riddell Tilly Tasker
Managing Editor: Amelia Duggan Marketing Manager:
Deputy Editor: Amanda Canning Katelyn Fouladgar
Adrian Phillips Commissioning Editors:
Lorna Parkes, Georgia Stephens
Digital Marketing Assistant:
Mélissa Otshudy
Le Mans is synonymous with fast cars, but it’s Assistant Editors: Sam Kemp, Marketing Intern: Matty Haber
Angela Locatelli Head of Events: Sabera Sattar
a place to slow down in, too, with a charming Senior Editor: Sarah Barrell Events Manager: Angela Calvieri
old town and restaurants. Venture beyond Executive Editor: Glen Mutel Production Manager: Daniel Gregory
Associate Editor: Nicola Trup Production Controllers:
the city limits, and you’ll find master potters, Content Strategist: Berkok Yüksel Christopher Hazeldine,
Deputy Digital Editor: Karlina Valeiko Joe Mendonca
an eccentric brush seller and a great spot for Art Director: Becky Redman
Deputy Art Director: Commercial Director:
climbing trees. L E M A N S & A R O U N D P. 4 4 Matthew Midworth
Lauren Atkinson-Smith
Art Editors: Lauren Gamp, Head of Sales: Phil Castle
Kelly McKenna Head of Campaigns: William Allen
Senior Designer: Dean Reynolds Campaigns Team: Jamie Barnish,
Designers: Rosie Klein, Tully D’Souza Albert Birchwolf, James Bendien,
Junior Designer: Natalie Cornelius Charlie Holder, Bob Jalaf, Kevin
Picture Editor: Ben Rowe Killen, Mark Salmon, Perry
Picture Researcher: Aisha Nazar Sophocleous, Oscar Williams
Branded Content Manager: Head of National Geographic
Flora Neighbour Traveller — The Collection:
Deputy Branded Content Manager: Danny Pegg
Lorna Parkes Megan Hughes
Senior Editor, Branded Content:
Returning to places that I loved in my Sara Crossley
backpacking days has been a recurring Project Editors: Zane Henry,
Emma Monk, Farida Zeynalova
theme lately — and Fez didn’t disappoint. Deputy Project Editor: Chief Executive: Anthony Leyens
Sacha Scoging Managing Director:
Negotiating its GPS-defying backstreets Chief Sub-Editor: Matthew Jackson
to interview female chefs and taste ancient Olivia McLearon Sales Director: Alex Vignali
Senior Sub-Editor: Hannah Doherty Head of Commercial Strategy:
recipes was a real joy. F E Z P. 5 0 Sub-Editors: Rory Goulding, Chris Debbinney-Wright
Chris Horton, Ben Murray, APL Business Development Team:
Victoria Smith Adam Fox, Cynthia Lawrence
Editorial Intern: Stephanie Adams Office Manager: Hayley Rabin
Operations Manager: Finance Director: Ryan McShaw
Seamus McDermott Credit Manager: Craig Chappell
Admin and Operations Assistant: Accounts Manager: Siobhan Grover
Stephany Senanayake Billings Manager: Ramona McShaw
National Geographic Traveller (UK) is published by APL Media Limited,

Jessica Vincent Unit 310, Highgate Studios, 53-79 Highgate Road, London NW5 1TL
nationalgeographic.com/travel
Mexico has fascinated me since I first visited Editorial T: 020 7253 9906. [email protected]
Photography T: 020 7253 9906. [email protected]
Yucatán as a child. The ancient Maya and Aztec Sales/Admin T: 020 7253 9909. [email protected]
cities, Indigenous cultures, fantastic food and Subscriptions T: 01858 438787. [email protected]
landscapes that span Caribbean beaches to National Geographic Traveller (UK) is published by APL Media Ltd under license from
National Geographic Partners, LLC. For more information contact natgeo.com/info.
snow-capped mountains and desert lure me Their entire contents are protected by copyright 2024 and all rights are reserved.
back year on year. M E X I C O P. 6 6 Reproduction without prior permission is forbidden. Every care is taken in compiling
the contents of the magazine, but the publishers assume no responsibility in the effect
arising therefrom. Readers are advised to seek professional advice before acting on
any information which is contained in the magazine. Neither APL Media Ltd or National
Geographic Traveller magazine accept any liability for views expressed, pictures used
or claims made by advertisers.
National Geographic Partners International Publishing
Editor-in-Chief, NG Media: Senior Director: Ariel Deiaco-Lohr

Nathan Lump Senior Manager: Rossana Stella
Daniel Stables General Manager, NG Media:
David Miller Headquarters
Croatia, Yugoslavia, Italy and Austria have all
International Editions 1145 17th St. NW, Washington, DC
claimed ownership of Istria over the past 120 20036-4688, USA
years, but its culture is entirely its own. It was Editorial Director:
Amy Kolczak National Geographic Partners
a pleasure to discover unique strains of folk Editor: returns 27% of its proceeds to the
Leigh Mitnick nonprofit National Geographic
music and learn about Venetian-influenced Society to fund work in the areas of
Istrian languages during my visit. I S T R I A P.1 0 2 Editors: science, exploration, conservation
CHINA Sophie Huang; and education.
GERMANY Werner Siefer;
ITALY Marco Cattaneo; National Geographic Traveller
LATIN AMERICA Alicia Guzman; (UK) is trusted for its independent
NETHERLANDS Robbert Vermue; and impartial advice. Our writers
POLAND Agnieszka Franus; and photographers often receive
SOUTH KOREA Bo-yeon Lim; support from the likes of tourist
SPAIN Josan Ruiz boards, tour operators, hotels and
airlines. However, there is never any
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sponsored or commercial features
Orla Thomas will always be clearly labelled.
Philadelphia flew under my radar until
recently. An oversight, it turns out, as it’s got Copyright © 2024 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All Rights Reserved. National
Geographic Traveller and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of
bags of character. The food scene is second to National Geographic Society and used under license. Printed in the UK.
none, but I also loved the sense of space in the
urban centre, and how each neighbourhood
feels completely distinct. P H I L A D E L P H I A P.1 3 8
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Editor’s letter
DON’T MISS
I S S U E 1 2 2 , M AY 2 0 2 4
Travel Geeks
On 16 May, join our panel of experts
for this live, hour-long event in central
It’s easy to forget how big Mexico is. The 13th-largest country in the world and London, which will provide tips, tricks
11th-most-populated, it offers such a breadth and depth of experiences that a and inspiration to plan the ultimate Greek
fleeting visit to Mexico City and Puerto Vallarta on the west coast — I’m talking island-hopping adventure. ngtr.uk/sunsail
about me here — only served to whet my appetite for more.

In this issue, we pick out a number of the country’s unique, often Indigenous,
experiences, many of them easily accessible from the destinations that travellers
traditionally visit.
The Yucatán Peninsula — home to the ever-popular Maya ruins of Chichén
Itzá and Tulum, as well as spectacular Caribbean beaches — is where you’ll
find the Camino del Mayab, a long-distance hiking and biking trail. This 68-
mile project, designed to preserve local culture and wildlife, reveals a world of
cenotes, abandoned haciendas, tropical jungle and Maya communities.
In Baja California, over on the Pacific coast, we go off-roading on desert tracks
to explore the world’s second-longest peninsula. It’s a place where a sense of
Food Festival
adventure pervades, and where the rain can see sun-baked sierras transform as
Don’t miss your chance to master an array of
mesquite trees burst into leaf and wildflowers bloom pink and yellow. regional specialities, sit down with leading
And there’s so much more to discover: the Indigenous crafts scene of Mexico food writers, taste the world’s wines and
City, the female chefs championing the recipes of Oaxaca, the booming mezcal learn from top chefs and leading culinary
industry in the same southern state and an epic rail journey on the Chepe personalities at this year’s food festival P.1 74
Express, from coast to mountains through the Copper Canyon.
So, if you’ll join me, we have some exploring to do.
S U B S C RI B E TO DAY
Pat Riddell, editor
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G O O N LI N E V I S IT N AT I O N A LG E O G R A P H I C .C OM / T R AV E L FO R N E W TR AV EL FE AT U R E S DA I LY
If you pack one thing this summer,
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Canada starts with WestJet
With direct flights to Canada from London and Edinburgh this summer, some of the world’s most
breathtaking natural wonders are just one flight away.
Fly to Calgary, a vibrant city neighbouring the Canadian Rocky Mountains, where you’ll experience
nature like never before in Banff and Lake Louise—world-famous for a reason.
Whether you crave mouthwatering seafood or an outdoor adventure, fly to Halifax and uncover
the local seaside charm and explore endlessly along pristine coastlines.
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SM ART TR AVELLER
W H AT ’ S N E W • F O O D • W H E R E TO S TAY • FA M I LY • I N S I D E G U I D E • S TAY AT H OM E • B O O K S • K I T L I S T
SNAPSHOT
Lee Chee Cheng, Penang, Malaysia
‘Master Lee’ is one of the few remaining practitioners
of a dying art: Chinese signboard carving. During
a morning walk in George Town, Penang’s capital, I
spotted him giving someone a carving lesson at the
entrance to his workshop. I introduced myself and was
struck by his friendly smile. Over the next few days, I
returned to take photos and discuss the intricacies of
his work. In addition to these engraved, gold-leaf signs,
he carves Chinese deities and ancestral tablets for
temples, earning him the title ‘living legend of Penang’.
F E R N A N D O C O RT É S • P H O T O G R A P H E R
fernandocortesphoto.com
@bigfernowski
M AY 2 0 24 15
S M A RT T R AV E L L E R
BIG PICTURE
Copenhagen, Denmark
I came to Copenhagen as part of Adaptation, a
project documenting how people interact with
their environment. I’d taken the shots I needed,
but I decided to stay on a while in the capital.
One day, I strolled the streets at dawn, when
the city had yet to wake up. I passed by some
townhouses and decided to send up a drone to
capture the view. I couldn’t have imagined what
I’d discover: rows and rows of almost identical
buildings, stretching to the horizon.
O L I V E R JA R RY- L AC O M B E • P H O TO G R A P H E R
ojlphotographies.com
@ojlphotographies
This image received an Honourable Mention

in the 2023 International Photography Awards.
photoawards.com
M AY 2 0 24 17
From top: Lifeguard tower

on Miami’s South Beach; a small-
scale study of Petroc Sestis’
Heart of Okeanos sculpture
IN NUMBERS
The ReefLine
22
The number of car sculptures making up
Leandro Erlich’s Concrete Coral artwork
1 mile
The likely length of the first
phase; the park will stretch
seven miles when complete
2025
The year a competition for artists wishing
MIAMI to contribute to the next phase will open
Aquatic Art 295%

The increase in fish numbers
at MOUA, a similar project in
Australia, after two years
ART, SC I EN C E AN D NAT U RE CO NVERG E I N TH E REEFLI N E,
AN U N D ERWATER SC U LP T U RE PARK AN D S N O RKEL TR AI L
Visitors to Miami will soon be able to take “There’s a pressing need to educate the
the plunge into a new world of art. The first community about our precious marine
phase of The ReefLine, an aquatic sculpture resources and the imperative to preserve
park, is set to open 600ft off the shore of South them,” says Shelby Thomas, of the Ocean
Beach this summer. When complete, the park Rescue Alliance, who will lead The ReefLine’s
will comprise sculptures by internationally team of marine conservationists.
renowned artists positioned along a seven- Representing the first phase of artworks is
mile underwater gallery and snorkel trail. The Leandro Erlich’s Concrete Coral, an underwater
aim is an innovative fusion of art and science incarnation of his Order of Importance
that will both wow its flipper-clad visitors and installation — a traffic jam made out of sand,
act as a rallying cry for marine conservation. displayed on Miami Beach during Art Week
Swimmers will access The ReefLine by in 2019. His new version won’t degrade over
following the snorkel trail, which is linked time but will instead be colonised by coral
IMAGES: GETTY; THE REEFLINE/PETROC SESTI
by pathways built to resemble natural reef. life. Future phases will include work by British
The structures will incorporate eco-friendly artist Petroc Sesti, who has crafted a giant
materials to provide habitat for endangered whale’s heart in CarbonXinc, an experimental
reef organisms, promoting biodiversity and material capable of sequestering significant
bolstering coastal resilience. Developed by quantities of greenhouse gasses. Seeded with
the environmental organisation BlueLab living corals, Heart of Okeanos will become a
Preservation Society in partnership with the pulsating haven of marine lifeforms.
City of Miami Beach, The ReefLine will also While the art will be within easy reach for
be a space for restoration, with scientists from swimmers of most abilities, a VR experience
the University of Miami planting coral species will also be available for visitors staying on
that can withstand heat and disease. shore. thereefline.org S A R A H B A R R E L L
M AY 2 0 24 19
for the long haul
Fly direct from Manchester to
New York, Orlando and Barbados.
Book now at aerlingus.com
The Isle of Wight Walking Festival offers

iconic views such as the Needles
U K WA L K I N G F E S T I VA L S
FOOTLOOSE FUN
The Isle of Wight Walking Festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year — and
a number of similar events are taking place across the UK as the weather warms up
BEST FOR ISLANDS B E S T F O R V I L L AG E S B E S T F O R C OA S T L I N E

Isle of Wight Walking Festival Winchcombe Walking Festival Gower Walking Festival
This festival celebrates its 25th anniversary in Hikers come to the Cotswolds for the wooded The Gower is a finger of land protruding into
2024, with an event in spring and another in escarpments and blustery commons, but it’s the sea west of Swansea, with cliffs rising
autumn. Book onto the spring session to see also beloved for having some of England’s sheer from the swells of the Bristol Channel.
the island’s natural world beginning to stir loveliest towns and villages. Among them is The annual festival’s programme is still
— guided walks take participants in search Winchcombe, an ancient Anglo-Saxon capital being finalised, but Wales’s finest beaches are
of red squirrels, passing through bluebell hosting a walking festival in May. Hikes explore likely to play a starring role: hikers will pass
woods, wading the shallows on a seagrass pubs, parishes and pathways — including a the sandy sweep of Rhossili Beach, the little
harvesting project and exploring the steep, meteorite-themed walk in honour of a celestial coves of Caswell and Pwll Du and, best of all,
sublime scenery of West Wight. 11-19 May object that crash landed in February 2021. the great wandering estuary at Three Cliffs.
isleofwightwalkingfestival.co.uk 17-19 May winchcombewelcomeswalkers.com 7-15 September gowerwalkingfestival.uk
B E S T F O R E A S Y WA L K S B E S T F O R M O U N TA I N S B E S T F O R L I T E R AT U R E
Suffolk Walking Festival Arran Mountain Festival Richmond Walking and Book Festival
If the contours of Wales, the English Lakes or Anyone wishing to dip their toe into Scottish The festival offers a two for one, promising
the Scottish Highlands seem too daunting, mountaineering should head to the Isle of to combine ‘boots and books’, ‘walks and
head to the more kindly gradients of Suffolk for Arran: not only are its hills said to represent words’. This year’s schedule is still to be
this walking festival. Close to 60 guided walks the Highlands in miniature, but it also confirmed, but expect to spend days pacing
IMAGE: LEON BUTLER
explore this famously flat county, ranging hosts the Arran Mountain Festival, with a the uplands of the Yorkshire Dales National
from potters beside the North Sea coast at programme of walks for many abilities. Head up Park, with evenings resting tired feet but
eerie Orford Ness to saunters amid the more Goatfell — the island’s highest point (874m) — or exercising curious minds, listening to authors
idyllic landscapes of Dedham Vale. 11-26 May traverse the A’Chir ridge, with vertical drops read from their work. 20-29 September
suffolkwalkingfestival.co.uk below. 17-20 May arranmountainfestival.co.uk booksandboots.org O L I V E R S M I T H
M AY 2 0 24 21
NEW
ONTHEGORGE .COM
WORLD-CLASS
The
WHITEWATER RAFTING
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B es t of t he World
Learn more at O N T H E G O R G E . C O M
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Open the door to experiences
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Limited dates in Sept & Oct
M U S T-T RY D I S H E S
BUREK
Layers of super-thin pastry are
stretched out and filled with white
cheese, meat or spinach before
being baked. Pick one up wrapped
in grease-soaked paper from a burek
shop and wash it down with a drink
of sour, fermented yoghurt to cut
through the fat.
K A JM AK
This take on clotted cream is made by
slowly heating raw milk and carefully
skimming the top layer of cream.
Enjoy it on some fresh bread or on
top of grilled meat in a kafana — it will
melt away and add extra richness.
TULUMBI
This syrup-drenched, fried dough
has been mastered by a local called
A TA S T E O F Dostana, whose shop is tucked away
North
in the Old Bazaar of Skopje, North
Macedonia’s capital. Just ask for the
‘older lady who makes the tulumbi’;
you’ll be sent in the right direction.
Macedonia Essential ingredient

Brined, salty white
TH E C U LI NARY C U LT U RE O F TH I S BALK AN CO U NTRY
I S S E A SO NAL AN D S TEEPED I N TR AD ITI O N cheese, usually made
from sheep’s or cow’s
milk, is enjoyed at
any time of the day, in
Sitting on the Balkan Peninsula Many food traditions come
of southeast Europe, North from the 70% of the population
breads and pastries
Macedonia is fairly self- who observe the Orthodox or simply on its own
contained and self-sufficient calendar, but the strongest
— meaning it’s steeped in local current that defines how we
Left: A burek pie, best enjoyed with
food traditions. Agriculture eat and feed is the notion of
a sour, fermented yoghurt drink
weaves through society, and hospitality. When calling on
markets heave with independent someone, you’re given slatko
farmers displaying rich cheeses, (fruits preserved in a thick
juicy olives, fresh fruit and veg syrup) to sweeten your S PA S I A
and much more. By the side of visit, and even if you’re D I N KOV S K I
is a cookbook author, chef
the road, men sit on upturned just popping in for a coffee
and the founder of London
beer crates selling plastic bottles of homemade you’ll probably end up staying for dinner.
food shop Mystic Burek.
rakija (grape brandy) or dried herbs from the Eating out is defined by kafanas mysticburek.com
fields surrounding their homes. (local tavernas), of which there are more
Summer in North Macedonia is scorching than 5,000 in a country with a population
hot, while winter is a time of snowfall, and we of only two million. The obsession with
eat with the seasons — salty grilled meats and these all-day, all-welcome establishments is
sweet tomato salads in the warm months and representative of how we like to eat: at a slow
IMAGES: GETTY; VERITY QUIRK
stews to get us through the cold. Then, there pace, enjoying each morsel. We start with a
are almost mystical moments in the culinary shot of something strong, some salad and a
calendar, such as making huge batches of gossip. And each person who joins the table
yufki (egg noodles) at the end of August to throughout the day or night orders something
allow them to dry naturally in the sun. Or new, meaning the plates are always full.
ritual preserving, which sees the whole family Doma, by Spasia Pandora Dinkovski, is
capture the end of the harvest in September. published by DK (£22).
M AY 2 0 24 23
Hotel Amadeus
Inspired by Seville’s rich classical music heritage,
this boutique hotel is housed in a group of lovingly
converted 18th-century mansions in the Barrio
de Santa Cruz — a photogenic warren of cobbled
medieval streets around Seville Cathedral. The
decor pays homage to history with hanging
lanterns and walls adorned with azulejo tiles.
Instruments such as harps and grand pianos also
decorate courtyards and even some guest rooms.
From €204 (£174), B&B. hotelamadeussevilla.com
Triana House
In the traditional riverside barrio of Triana, this
beautiful hotel is set in a late-1700s residence.
Opulent tilework is coupled with latticed screens
evoking the Moorish windows of the Alhambra
fortress in nearby Granada, while private terraces
feel like the alcoves of the Plaza de España, a short
walk away across the Guadalquivir River. From
€179 (£153), B&B. trianahouse.com
Hotel Casa de Colón

W H E R E T O S TAY This hotel combines a homely atmosphere with a
Seville
great location in the Barrio de Santa Cruz, close
to the Real Alcázar palace and the Flamenco
Dance Museum. The rooms in this 19th-century
building have a farmhouse feel, with rustic
wooden furniture, antique dressers and exposed
brick walls. The owners direct guests to the best
TH E AN DALU C IAN C APITAL’ S H OTEL local castizos (tapas bars). From €207 (£177).
SC EN E I S S T YLI S H AN D G O O D VALU E hotelcasadecolon.com DA N I E L S TA B L E S
Nobu Hotel Sevilla

Seville’s aesthetic history has been all about the blending
of cultures, with Islamic and Christian influences sitting
alongside contemporary architecture in the city centre.
Nobu Hotel Sevilla followed in this tradition when it
opened in the Spanish city in April 2023, taking on an
elegant townhouse conversion and consciously blending
Andalucian craftsmanship with contemporary design
and the brand’s signature Japanese minimalism.
The 25 guest rooms are furnished with mid-century
armchairs, mirrors and coffee tables. Sleek grey-marble
bathrooms with freestanding tubs betray the Japanese
influence, while period features from the building’s
ALL RATES QUOTED ARE FOR STANDARD DOUBLES, ROOM ONLY, UNLESS
OTHERWISE STATED. IMAGES: GETTY; MERCER HOTELES; MANUEL NIETO
early-20th-century heyday are retained in parquet

floors and wood-panelled walls. There are unmistakably
Andalucian features, too — particularly the geometric
ceramics and Moorish wall niches in communal areas.
Naturally, the ultra-luxe hotel is also home to a
Nobu restaurant, with the same fusion of Japanese
and Andalucian influences. The signature dish is miso
black cod, which diners can follow with a local dessert
of churros dipped in liquid chocolate. Seville’s ancient
history is represented, too: the restaurant is centred
around a Roman wall, uncovered during the renovation.
From top: A view across
Nobu Sevilla’s location is also a selling point; it’s in
the rooftops of Seville’s
Plaza de San Francisco, close to Seville’s famous cathedral Old Quarter; the ground-
and the bars of the 16th-century garden square, La floor bar at Nobu Hotel;
Alameda. Then there’s the hotel’s rooftop garden; it’s an the penthouse room with
unbeatable place to relax, feet in the pool, glass in hand. private terrace at Hotel
From €285 (£244). sevilla.nobuhotels.com Casa de Colón
M AY 2 0 24 25
The Great Court of the

British Museum, London
F A M I LY
SLUMBER PARTIES
Embark on your own family night at the museum with these after-dark experiences
Best for aspiring astronauts breakfast the next morning, guests are privy open to all ages. Stays include a tour of the
S C I E N C E M U S E U M , LO N D O N to an exclusive gallery trail before the museum building and its maze-like backstage areas, set
Designed for seven- to 11-year-olds, this vast opens to the public. britishmuseum.org to a soundtrack of music from days gone by.
museum dedicated to human ingenuity runs Afterwards, you’ll bed down with your sleeping
space-inspired Astronights. The experience Best for budding palaeontologists mat, sleeping bag or blanket, pillow and teddy
includes workshops, science shows and N AT I O N A L M U S E U M C A R D I F F bear in the grand foyer with its chandeliers,
sessions in both the museum’s IMAX cinema As an alternative to the popular Natural gilded surfaces, frescoes, wood panelling and
and its Wonderlab, which has seven zones History Museum experience in London, this lavish paintings. gtg.ch
dedicated to scientific phenomena. If you Welsh venue invites kids aged six to 12 on
upgrade to a VIP ticket, you get an airbed sleepovers centred around its geology and Best for Top Gun fans
instead of a camping mat, plus extra treats at natural history exhibits. It includes a torchlit I N T R E P I D M U S E U M , N E W YO R K C I T Y
breakfast. sciencemuseum.org.uk tour, craft workshops inspired by fossils from Travellers to the Big Apple can sleep over in
the collection and a pre-bedtime movie. VIP this museum on the Hudson, housed inside a
Best for history-lovers ticket-holders also get a visit from ‘Ranger Second World War aircraft carrier. The exhibits
B R I T I S H M U S E U M , LO N D O N Chris’ with one of his reptiles, time with a focus on American military and maritime
Created for eight- to 15-year- olds, the palaeontologist and a peek into the museum’s history, and Operation Slumber gives families
nocturnal adventures at this vast repository store of dinosaur bones. museum.wales with kids aged six to 17 the opportunity to
of artefacts from around the globe have a delve deeper into what it takes to live, eat and
changing historic theme. Workshops, activities Best for drama students sleep aboard an aircraft carrier. The experience
and storytelling help bring the past vividly to G R A N D T H É ÂT R E , G E N E VA includes a torchlight guided tour of the flight
life. Families then bed down in the Egyptian A Swiss institution built in 1879, retaining deck, unlimited simulator rides and a pop-up
and Assyrian galleries, surrounded by kings its original beaux-arts facade, this opera planetarium. intrepidmuseum.org
and gods from the ancient world. After house and ballet venue organises sleepovers R H O N DA C A R R I E R
C U LT U R E N I G H T S F O R O L D E R K I D S
N U I T B L A N C H E , PA R I S L A N G E N AC H T D E R M U S E E N , B E R L I N N OT T E B I A N C A , M A LTA
This year’s ‘white night’ — when the French The ‘Long Night of the Museums’ in Berlin sees See the island capital Valletta transformed
IMAGE: ALAMY
capital is sprinkled with installations, sculptures, cultural venues stay open until 2am. A single with art exhibitions, after-dark theatre and
projections, concerts and trails — will be a ticket gives access to around 75 museums and dance and music performances in its streets
bumper one to honour France’s hosting of the 750 exhibitions, and under-12s go free. 24 August and piazzas. Food stalls cater for late-night
summer Olympics. 1 June parisjetaime.com lange-nacht-der-museen.de munchies. 5 October festivals.mt
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INSIDE GUIDE
L AKE COMO
The western branch of this northern Italian lake is its highlight, home to
romantic villas and revamped waterfront promenades in pretty Como city
W O R D S : A N G E L A L O C AT E L L I . I L L U S T R AT I O N : M A R T I N H A A K E
Lake Como conveys notions of easy elegance and the shore; it serves whitefish from the lake, but the pick is the
Italian art of slow living, and has come to stand for sole meuniere, floured and pan fried to crispy perfection.
something bigger than it is. Officially called Lario, Italy’s Alternatively, taxis wind up the hillside to Il Gatto Nero.
third-biggest lake has been drawing visitors since the It serves specialities from the surrounding region, such as
18th century, when it was a popular stop for European ravioli with ossobuco and saffron, and has become popular
nobles on their grand tours. More recently, it stepped into among visiting celebrities thanks to its view of the lake.
the spotlight as the backdrop for films including Ocean’s harrysbarcernobbio.it ristorantegattonero.it
Twelve and Casino Royale. But the lake’s prestige dates to For a different perspective, take to the water. Ferries
Roman times, when Julius Ceasar drained a swamp at its link Como to the Alto Lago (‘High Lake’), its northernmost
southwestern end, strategically located near Alpine passes, shore. But, if budget allows, the transport mode of choice
and funded the creation of a city known as Novum Comum. are Riva runabouts. High-end hotels offer private rides
It laid the foundation for Como, the main hub to this day on these mahogany speedboats as part of their activity
and the reason why the lake is commonly known as Como. programmes. Otherwise, companies like Como Classic
This spring is the best time to visit the city in over a Boats pick visitors up from almost any hamlet with a dock.
decade, as sections of its waterfront sidewalks, which navigazionelaghi.it comoclassicboats.com
had been cordoned off for expansion since 2008, are Among the most prettiest is Torno, on the western
once again open to walkers. The centre is dominated by shore, with red-tiled roofs and a waterfront bell tower. It’s
the azure dome of the Duomo di Como, one of the last opposite Passalaqua; built in the 18th century for a scion
gothic cathedrals built in the country. Behind it is Teatro of local nobility, this villa was crowned the world’s top
Sociale (1), and to one side is the shopping street of Via hotel by The World’s 50 Best in 2023, a year after opening.
Vittorio Emanuele II. It’s a good place to pick up a souvenir: A glimpse is all you’ll get, as only guests are allowed in, but
mulberry trees were planted on Lake Como’s hills in the as an alternative visit Villa d’Este, the lake’s historic grand
15th century, and boutiques like A Picci sell handkerchiefs dame hotel. Further down the shores, highlights include
and scarves using their silk. cattedraledicomo.it apicci.it Villa Carlotta (2) and neoclassical Villa del Balbianello,
Next to the shop, Via Lambertenghi leads to Via which juts out on a promontory in Ossuccio. passalacqua.it
Alessandro Volta, named after the physicist credited as villadeste.com fondoambiente.it
the inventor of the electric battery. The townhouse where A former fishing community, Ossuccio is also a gateway
he was born in 1745 is marked with a plaque, and around it to Isola Comacina (3) and UNESCO-listed Sacro Monte
are some of the most coveted addresses of the time. This is di Ossuccio, 14 chapels leading to a hillside sanctuary.
not least thanks to their giardini pensili — gardens built on From its waterfront, the view is a snapshot of what makes
the Roman walls that once guarded the city centre. Lake Como so alluring: the unassuming hamlets next to
Equally evocative is Passeggiata Lino Gelpi, between the larger-than-life villas, and the green, wooded hills sloping
lake and shorefront private gardens. The path’s name pays down to the deep-blue water. In the distance, always in
tribute to the 19th-century mayor who reclaimed a strip of view, are the Alps. From the Roman Empire to modern-day
land from villa owners to pave Como’s most scenic public Hollywood, it’s a scene that’s charmed through the ages.
footpaths. It’s a front-row spot from which to watch the sacrimonti.org A N G E L A L O C AT E L L I
lake’s seaplanes land, and it’s especially lovely in spring,
when wisteria blooms along the banks. H OW T O D O I T: Various airlines fly direct to Milan from UK cities
Continue walking along the waterside road for half an including London, Manchester and Edinburgh (from 2h to 2h30m).
hour to Cernobbio, one of the lake’s most popular resorts. From there, it takes around an hour to reach Como by taxi. Doubles
Local Comaschi come to eat at Harry’s Bar, in a piazza by the at Albergo Terminus in Como from €277 (£237). albergoterminus.it
3 I S O L A C OM AC I N A
The lake’s only island is mostly
uninhabited, but its trails lead
past olives, lindens and laurels,
as well as houses for short-
term artists in residence.
Every June, the popular San
Giovanni Festival reenacts a
fire that devastated the island
in the 12th century with a
red-tinted firework display.
isola-comacina.it
2 V I L L A C A R LOT TA
The 20-acre botanical garden
of Villa Carlotta is a much-loved
retreat on the lake. There are
monumental trees, a citrus
tunnel and a path among the
ferns, but it’s most famous for
its azaleas, which bloom into
full cushions of red, white and
pink for a few weeks each May.
villacarlotta.it
1 T E AT RO S O C I A L E
Como’s 19th-century theatre
has always had a special affinity
with the opera. This summer,
it’ll join other venues across the
country in marking 100 years
since the death of Giacomo
Puccini with an open-air
production of Turandot, the
composer’s final masterpiece.
teatrosocialecomo.it
M AY 2 0 24 29
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S TAY AT H O M E
SHERWOOD FOREST
Home to one of England’s most-loved legends, this ancient woodland area is also
a place for nature walks, mountain biking and pints in centuries-old pubs
Why go? Where to eat

A patchwork of woodlands, rolling hills and All Welbeck Estate walks start and end in
storybook villages, Sherwood Forest is far The Courtyard at Welbeck, where the Harley
more than Robin Hood’s legendary hideout. Café serves sandwiches, small plates and
An hour’s drive north of Nottingham, the area is a hearty signature venison cobbler with
primed for outdoor pursuits with walking routes horseradish and parmesan scones. The
criss-crossing forests and farmland. References Hardwick Inn, a half-hour drive west, is a
to Nottinghamshire’s most famous outlaw can charming countryside pub in a restored 16th-
be found throughout the region, but it’s the century building, perfect for a Sunday roast.
storied forest — now designated a 1,000-acre welbeckfarmshop.co.uk hardwickinn.co.uk
national nature reserve — that takes centre
stage in any season. To explore the broader Don’t miss
region, hire a car. On a whistle-stop tour of Nottingham, visit W H E R E TO STAY
Nottingham Castle to explore 1,000 years of Overlooking rolling hills in the
What to do history. Fronted by a Robin Hood statue, it village of Welbeck, Holbeck
Once a royal hunting ground, the gnarly hosts an exhibit about the outlaw’s antics. Farm Barns consists of five
oak forest at Sherwood is one of the finest Afterwards, head to Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem, holiday cottages that belong
surviving ancient oak woodlands in the UK. lauded as England’s oldest surviving inn and to the Welbeck Estate. Two are
Four trails, from under a mile to four miles once a stop for crusader knights. Pub classics dog-friendly and all sleep four
long, wind past the 1,000-year-old Major are served in its dimly lit, medieval-style rooms. to eight people. The pick of the
Oak, which has been cited as Robin Hood’s nottinghamcastle.org.uk greeneking.co.uk bunch is La Roche, which has a
hideout. The 15,000-acre Welbeck Estate, garden hot tub. Guests can also
IMAGES: GETTY; ALEX WILKINSON MEDIA
located within Sherwood Forest and the seat We like pre-order a breakfast hamper
of the Dukes of Portland, is another great Newstead Abbey is a former Augustinian (£30) from the estate’s farm
hiking spot. Or browse the family’s world-class priory-turned-private-residence, a 40-minute shop. From £520 for a three-
art collection at The Portland Collection and drive south of Sherwood Forest and the night break for up to six people
next-door Harley Gallery for award-winning ancestral home of Lord Byron. Inside, the in La Roche. welbeck.co.uk
contemporary art exhibitions. A 15-minute- private apartments of the poet can be visited.
drive south, a vastly different landscape In good weather, meander through some
awaits at Sherwood Pines, where walking, of the estate’s 300 acres, incorporating
running and mountain biking are all on offer. formal gardens, ponds and waterfalls. Above: Major Oak in Sherwood Forest is
visitsherwood.co.uk forestryengland.uk newsteadabbey.org.uk K A R L I N A VA L E I KO linked to local legends of Robin Hood
M AY 2 0 24 31
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BOOKS
Get out there!

E MB R AC E TH E O U TD O O R S WITH TH E S E TITLE S
D E S I G N ED TO I N S PI RE AC TIVE ADVENT U RE S
Stargazing Wild Guide On this Holy Island:

Around the World South West A Modern Pilgrimage
This collection of the The free-spirited guide Across Britain
world’s best stargazing to outdoor adventures, Travel writer Oliver Smith
spots covers 100 now in its second journeys across Britain
destinations across edition, is expanded to reframe the idea of
the world, taking to include Wiltshire, ‘pilgrimage’, from sacred
in dark sky parks, South Gloucestershire travels made during the
observatories and remote and Bristol in its last Ice Age to 21st-century
mountains. Accompanied by jaw-dropping coverage. With 1,000 locations included, missions that end in football stadiums and
astrophotography, the guide is packed with it shows us the best places to paddleboard, festival sites. A celebration of spiritual travel,
practical information and travel tips about swim, canoe, wild camp, hike and bike, and it sees the author explore remote sea caves,
night sky tours, in places often backed by has plenty of artisan food producers listed to sleep inside Neolithic tombs, scale once-holy
showstopping scenery right here on Earth. stock up for picnics and campfire cookouts. mountains and find peace among ancient
Lonely Planet, £19.99 Wild Things Publishing, £18.99 standing stones. Bloomsbury, £20
Wild Service: Why The Great Divide The Hidden

Nature Needs You Adventurer Tim Voors tells Vineyards
A clarion cry for a mass us what it’s like to walk of Paris
reconnection with the the world’s longest single Hit the backstreets of
British countryside, national trail. Stretching Paris to sleuth out hidden
this book explores how 3,100 miles from the wineries and vineyards.
our loss and nature’s Mexican border to the Your guide is long-time
need are intertwined. Canadian border in Glacier Paris resident Geoffrey
Blending science, nature National Park, the USA’s Finch, who has hosted
writing and philosophy from an array of Continental Divide Trail (CDT) comes with viticultural walking tours around the city for
experts, artists and writers, it encourages ‘brutal but beautiful’ terrain. Tim expertly decades. Learn about the rise and fall of Paris
the reader to become a whistleblower against explains the challenges of long-distance and the Île de France, once the world’s largest
environmental destruction and shares hiking, offering practical tips, kit lists, maps wine region and now home to a blossoming
inspiring stories of those defending our and beautiful wilderness photography crop of small producers — if you know where
countryside. Bloomsbury, £20 alongside riveting travelogue. Gestalten, £30 to look. Board and Bench Publishing, £18
WORDS: SARAH BARRELL. IMAGE: GETTY
M AY 2 0 24 33
KIT LIST
TR AIN TR AVEL
Take to the tracks in comfort and style with
these travel essentials for rail adventures
2
1 3
8 5
1 S T U B B L E & C O RO L L 3 J U LY T E C H K I T 5 OUR PURE PLANET 7 LO O P S W I TC H

TO P M I N I B AC K PAC K Tech can be tricky to organise S I G N AT U R E B L U E TO OT H These three-in-one earplugs from
This compact 14-litre backpack when you’re on the move, with HEADPHONES Loop can block out any unwanted
is the perfect travel companion: everything from camera cables to The settings on these wireless, noise. Controlled by a mechanical
soft enough to squish into tight phone chargers cluttering up your noise-cancelling headphones dial, they can switch between
compartments and comfortable bag. Enter this organiser from mean you can choose to block out maximum noise-cancellation
to wear. The bag has a waterproof July, which keeps everything sound, or allow ambient noise to ‘experience’ and ‘engage’
shell for all weathers, internal properly stowed inside a tough, to filter through so you can hear modes, which take the edge off
organisation spaces and a 13-inch translucent polycarbonate shell. station announcements. The background noise to varying
laptop compartment. It’s made of It comes in yellow, blue, black or battery lasts up to 35 hours. Each degrees. They’re available in
recycled, vegan-friendly materials red, and can be personalised for pair is carbon neutral and made white, pink, blue and black, and
and comes in nine colours. £100. an additional charge. £65. with 80% recycled plastic. £144.99. come with a matching case. £55.
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2 T RT L P I L LOW P L U S 4 MO N O S C A R RY- O N P RO 6 A N K E R 7 3 7 P OW E R B A N K 8 ALLBIRDS TREE RUNNERS

For a long journey without a Space can be tight on the tracks, Space beside a plug socket is never Comfort is key on train journeys,
lie-flat bed, this is the next best so pack your belongings into guaranteed, so you often need to and these Allbirds trainers feel
thing to support your head. a suitcase that is compact but rely on a portable battery to power like slippers. They’re available in
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WORDS: GEORGIA STEPHENS
adjustable internal support that do just that. It’s dent-resistant which has a hefty 24,000mAh cell breathable, FSC-certified
can fit all heights, this ergonomic with vegan leather details, and capacity, can deliver up to five full eucalyptus, they feel cool and
pillow looks more like a scarf. It’s features a front compartment to charges to your phone, with two bouncy underfoot. The cushioned
packable, with a water-resistant keep essentials safe. Inside, extras additional ports to charge other midsole is made using responsibly
carry bag; machine washable; and include an anti-microbial laundry devices such as tablets or wireless sourced sugarcane, while the
comes in grey with black or blue bag, two shoe bags and a luggage headphones. A display shows how laces are made from recycled
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C OM P E T I T I O N
WIN
A THREE- NIGHT BRE AK

TO NORTHWE ST WALE S
National Geographic Traveller (UK) has teamed up with Ffestiniog Travel
to offer a heritage rail trip for two around the town of Porthmadog
T H E D E S T I N AT I O N From top: Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon),

Sit back and watch northwest Wales roll by with viewed from Llynnau Mymbyr lake;
the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways, which Porthmadog Harbour; the Mountain Spirit
steam train heading towards Porthmadog
operates various local train services. Chief among
them is the Mountain Spirit steam train, which
links Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog. This
unassuming town is part of the Slate Landscape TO E N T E R
of northwest Wales, a quarrying area that was Answer the following question online
awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status in at natgeotv.com/uk/competitions
2021. Another highlight is the Harbourmaster
train, which passes at the foot of Yr Wyddfa I N W H I C H Y E A R D I D T H E S L AT E
(Mount Snowdon) in Eryri (Snowdonia) National L A N D S C A P E O F N O RT H W E S T
Park as it travels from Porthmadog to Caernarfon. WA L E S AC H I E V E U N E S C O WO R L D
H E R I TAG E S I T E S TAT U S ?
THE PRIZE
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, rail tour Competition closes on 31 May 2024.
specialist Ffestiniog Travel — a sister company The winner must be a UK resident
of Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways — is and aged 18 or over. Full T&Cs at
offering a reader and guest a three-night, natgeotv.com/uk/competitions
mid-week break around Porthmadog. The
winners will enjoy return Gold Class seats on the
Mountain Spirit and Harbourmaster, complete
with afternoon tea and a picnic hamper.
Accommodation is included on a half-board
basis in a twin or double room at four-star
The Royal Sportsman Hotel, in Porthmadog.
Blackout dates apply.
Ffestiniog Travel provides expert advice and
worldwide trips, both escorted and tailor-
IMAGES: ALAMY
made. It’s part of a charitable trust; to date, it’s

donated over £1m to the Ffestiniog & Welsh
Highland Railways, to preserve heritage railways
around the world. ffestiniogtravel.com
M AY 2 0 24 37
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NOTES FROM AN AUTHOR
JOHAN NYL ANDER

Travelling with the herders of Mongolia’s remote
grasslands is a lesson in digital nomadism
It’s been two days since we left the glittering to Kazakhstani pop hits and Mongolian love
skyscrapers and flashy hotels of downtown songs, played at full blast under the full moon.
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital, and began Mongolia is home to one of the world’s
our journey to the northeastern Khentii few remaining truly nomadic cultures.
province — the birthplace of Chinggis (or About a fifth of the population are herders,
Genghis) Khan, the founder of the Mongol and nomadism is intricately woven into the
Empire of the 13th and 14th centuries, the country’s spirit. But modern life is catching up
largest contiguous empire in history. with the people on the steppe at rapid speed.
Driving through the Mongolian steppe, This is in large part what my book is about: an
there are no roads to speak of, only sporadic outsider’s exploration of a society undergoing
tracks carved into the dirt by other vehicles. modernisation while trying to hold fast to its
Out here, it’s just open landscape, horses, deeply rooted traditional values.
cows, yaks and other animals roaming free. Batbayer’s ger has a TV, a satellite dish and
In the distance, nomadic gers (yurts) stand out some digital devices, powered using solar
like white dots in the vast rolling grassland. panels and a diesel generator, clear signs that
The sun is about to set when we reach technological transitions are afoot in the
our destination, the home of a nomadic daily lives of Mongolia’s nomads. The sight
herder family. Standing outside their ger, of herders, on horses or camels, accessing the
the steppe seems to stretch endlessly in all web or trading crypto via their smartphones is
directions, making the world feel bigger but no longer as incongruous as it might sound.
also somehow simpler. It’s only now that I feel Many of the livestock here, especially the
I truly understand what they mean by the more valuable breeds such as horses, camels
‘endless blue sky’, a common epithet for the and cattle, are implanted with microchips that
landlocked Northeast Asian nation. Mongolia can be monitored via satellite-based services.
is the second-least densely populated country Herders are also increasingly using drones.
in the world (after Greenland), with only two Forget about today’s footloose information
people per square kilometre. Given that more workers: these are the real ‘digital nomads’.
than half the population is crammed into the “I would like to use the internet more
capital, the chances of running into another because it’s fun and useful; but the animals
human being out on the steppe are remote. like it here, this is a good place for them,”
My host, Batbayer, has a cheerful face, with Batbayer says when I ask if better internet
deep creases and a leathery tan from long connectivity might influence where to move
hours working outdoors, giving him the look his livestock next. “I would never choose
of a sailor from an Ernest Hemingway novel. Facebook over the wellbeing of the animals.”
He lives with his wife, Enkhmaa, and together The following day, we continue our
they tend livestock across the vast landscape. journey deeper into the steppe and closer to
We had pre-arranged our visit but travellers the birthplace of the great Khan, an almost
in Mongolia can drive up to pretty much any religious place for many locals. Hours spent
ger and feel welcomed to stay. You don’t knock driving over rough terrain is unlikely to appeal
on the door: when approaching a nomadic to those with sensitive bums. But for me,
family, a customary greeting is to utter a Technological transitions getting to know Mongolia by leaving behind
kindly “Hold your dog,” even if you don’t see a modern comforts, to spend time with nomads
dog. Mongolia’s nomads are among the most
are afoot in the daily lives on the vast steppe, or in the depths of the Gobi
hospitable, friendly people I’ve ever met. of Mongolia’s nomads. Desert, is a way to see the world, and oneself,
We feast at the family home on one of the from a very different perspective. Travelling
country’s most distinct and tasty dishes: The sight of herders, on through — and writing about — Mongolia has
khorkhog, or mutton cooked using hot rocks.
horses or camels, accessing been very much an inner journey for this city-
ILLUSTRATION: JACQUI OAKLEY
This comes served with pickled cucumber, a dwelling Asia correspondent.

variety of berries, and curdled milk — besides the web or trading crypto
more plates of meat, all from the family’s own Johan Nylander is an Asia Times correspondent. His
livestock. A bowl of vodka is passed around to via their smartphones is no latest book, The Wolf Economy Awakens: Mongolia’s
share and constantly topped up. At midnight
longer as incongruous as it Fight for Democracy, and a Green and Digital Future,
— to my great surprise — our hosts fire up a is published by Hong Kong University Press, £20.
karaoke machine and we are soon all dancing might sound johannylander.asia
M AY 2 0 24 39
MEET THE ADVENTURER
Justin Schneider
TH E A MERI C AN TOMB D IVER WA S A MO N G TH E FI R S T TO SWIM B EN E ATH
A PYR A MI D I N RE MOTE S U DAN , WH ERE TH E WATER G LIT TERED WITH G O LD
ease of movement. If we find something significant, we

pack it in with clay or mud and seal it in a protective case.
For preservation, we keep these artefacts underwater until
they can be collected by a conservationist. In the case of
the pyramid in Nuri, any artefacts belong to the Sudanese
people, and we hope they will go to the museums in the
capital, Khartoum.
For a lot of people, underwater archaeology will

seem terrifying. What’s the draw? It can be scary and
uncomfortable. Often you have no way of knowing the
depth, temperature, visibility and structural stability
of the site in advance. It’s dark and really disorienting,
but if you can push the fear aside, you get to experience
something no one else has. The first time we went into King
Nastasen’s tomb, we had crystal clear visibility — there
was gold everywhere, and so much of it had degraded in
the water that the whole place was glistening. Finding the
sarcophagus in the third chamber was mind-blowing. We
didn’t even have to dig; it was right there. The last person to
see it was alive in 300 BCE, and then there’s me. It’s crazy.
Where would you recommend for those wanting to

experience underwater archaeological sites? Playa del
Carmen in Mexico has a bit of everything. You can dive
the cenotes [subterranean lakes] and experience Mayan
You’re one of just 16 people in the world to have dived history, as they were used for sacrificial offerings, and
beneath a pyramid. What led you there? Good luck, really. explore wrecks or head out on reef dives. Also worth
In 2018, American archaeologist Pearce Paul Creasman considering is the Submerged Archaeological Park of
came into my dive shop in Phoenix, Arizona, with this Baia, Italy. You really feel like you’re in ancient Italy, with
crazy idea of excavating a flooded tomb beneath a pyramid mosaics and pillars and statues all around. Alternatively,
in Nuri, a really remote part of Sudan. I’d already dived a the Second World War wrecks in the Middle East are epic.
lot of unusual places, so he asked me to start making a plan There’s Jordan’s Underwater Military Museum, where
— thinking about everything from airflow to lighting and they’ve sunk helicopters, tanks — a whole host of military
mapping — to help the team of underwater archaeologists vehicles to explore. It’s not ancient, but it’s fascinating.
that he had in mind to complete the project. A year later, he
called me, explaining that they may have underestimated What qualifications do divers need to visit such sites?
the challenge slightly, and he asked me to come along. As a minimum, I’d say the PADI Advanced Open Water
“Can you be in Africa in a week?” he asked, and I was there. qualification, which allows you to dive almost anything
within a recreational limit — up to 100ft deep. The PADI
What’s the significance of the site? It’s the resting place of website has a list of dive shops at most destinations, as well
King Nastasen, who ruled the Kingdom of Kush from 335 to as information on dive sites and depths.
around 315-310 BCE. The Kushites held sway over some 750
miles of territory in the Nile Valley, but there’s still a lot we Where’s next on your list? The Dead Sea Diving Society,
don’t know about the area during that period. Our project, an off-shoot of the Pyramid Dive Club that I belong to, is
which is still ongoing, is critical to understanding the looking at an archaeological site in the Dead Sea. It’d be the
ancient kingdom, its environment and its people. first time one has been excavated there and, like Sudan, the
IMAGE: PYRAMID DIVE CLUB
lake poses its own challenges. The high salt concentration

How does underwater excavation work? We bring in affects buoyancy and makes diving tough, so logistically,
buckets and scoop up the contents of the chambers in it’s a nightmare — but we don’t want things to be easy. READ THE FULL
mapped sections, then have additional divers stationed I N T E RV I E W: M E G A N H U G H E S
I N T E RV I E W
O N L I N E AT
at intervals to send the buckets back above ground. We
N AT I O N A L
typically do two hour-long dives, six days a week, using Justin Schneider runs Salt & Sea Scuba in Phoenix, Arizona. GEOGR APHIC .
surface-supplied air through tubes rather than tanks for saltandseascuba.com C OM / T R AV E L
W H AT ’ S O N L I N E
HOW TO PL AN A FA MILY
C IT Y BRE AK TO BE RLIN
With attractions designed for teens, tweens and toddlers, as well as adult spaces that welcome
kids, the German capital is a fantastic destination for families. Words: Christie Dietz
It’s not hard to see how welcoming Berlin is to What to do with toddlers What to do with tweens and teenagers
families. There are kid-orientated cafes and A popular neighbourhood with families, The Deutsches Technikmuseum will absorb
imaginatively themed playgrounds. Parks Prenzlauer Berg has playgrounds, parks and transport and technology fans for hours,
and woodlands provide plentiful picnicking pretty streets with shops selling kids’ clothes with highlights including a hall of vintage
opportunities and, in hot weather, lakes offer and toys, as well as family-friendly cafes. For locomotives and a simulator that lets future
sunbathing or ankle-deep splashing about. the musically inclined, the Frank Gehry- sea captains steer their ship into port. For
And beer gardens are a failsafe option for designed concert hall at the Barenboim-Said those ready to learn about the darkest chapter
simple snacks. Academy hosts morning concerts for babies of German history, the Topography of Terror
Getting around is easy, too. The city’s under 12 months and afternoon concerts for museum is located on the site of the former
neighbourhoods are walkable, and its public one- to five-year-olds. Meanwhile, central SS and Gestapo headquarters. Checkpoint
transport network efficient and cheap. Its Tiergarten is a wonderful spot for walking, Charlie is a few minutes’ walk away and the
wide, flat streets, bike lanes and family- picnicking or kicking a ball in the grass; Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
friendly cycle hire make two wheels a great wander through the woods, spotting cultural can be reached in around 20 minutes on foot.
way to explore while taking in the city’s sights and memorials. Of the park’s six To experience a little of Berlin’s alternative
impressive sights — all of which make Berlin a playgrounds, the one close to Thomas-Dehler- side, Bearpit Karaoke is held on Sundays at
memorable family destination. Strasse is best equipped for toddlers. Mauerpark. R E A D M O R E O N L I N E
TOP
STORIE S
Here’s what you’ve
been enjoying on the
website this month A I R T R AV E L FOOD A DV E N T U R E
Weighing air passengers Istanbul’s best restaurants Where to bike-camp in the US
All you need to know about To taste the best of Turkey’s Load camping gear onto two
Finnair’s new practice — and why culinary capital, it pays to step wheels and set off on one of these
it’s raised a few eyebrows outside the historic centre five trails around the country
THE S EC RET HI STORY OF
B E YO N D T H E
T R AV EL S EC T I O N
S IC ILIAN C ANNOLI
DAT I N G B AC K TO T H E M I D D L E AG E S , T H E I TA L I A N I S L A N D ’ S S I G N AT U R E
S W EE T S H AV E S U R P R I S I N G LY B AW DY O R I G I N S . WO R D S: J O D I E B O N D
Sicily’s emblematic dessert has captured for special occasions and religious festivals
palates worldwide, and there’s also a — a tradition that dates to Ancient Greece,
fascinating story behind its shape. It’s thought when the consumption of suggestive foods
cannoli have been around since the Middle was associated with celebrating fertility and
Ages, with some accounts suggesting they were fostering a connection with the divine.
first made while Sicily was under Arab rule. Over the centuries, the nuns secretly passed
One legend has it they were invented in the their baking techniques down the generations.
ninth century by a harem. The women would Since the 14th century, they started producing
prepare sweet treats to pass the time during sweet treats in their dolceria (‘sweet shop’) to
| A N I M A L S |
the groom’s absence, and they’re said to be sold to Palermo’s aristocracy. In the late
have crafted cannoli — phallic in shape — to 1980s, only two dolcerias were still actively Here’s how whales can sing
honour their emir’s virility. baking in the city and, after the last nuns left underwater without drowning
Following the island’s conversion in 2014, the tradition was at risk of being lost. Scientists have long wondered
to Catholicism in the 11th century, the Maria Oliveri, an expert in cultural heritage how baleen whales can sing while
production of cannoli became synonymous studies, took it upon herself to preserve the holding their breath underwater.
with monasteries and convents. Their recipe tradition of monastic baking. New insights into their anatomy
was preserved by nuns who’d prepare them READ MORE ONLINE have now solved the mystery.
natgeo.com/animals
| E N V I R O N M E N T |
The plastic pollution crisis
It’s become one of the world’s most
pressing environmental issues.
IMAGES: ALAMY; JODIE BOND; KARIM ILIYA; SAKA MUSEUM; GETTY;
HOBBITON MOVIE SET; THE NEW YORK TIMES; SERAF RESTAURANT
Much of the planet is swimming in

discarded plastic, which is harming
animal and possibly human health.
Can this crisis ever be solved?
natgeo.com/science
| H I S T O R Y |
Why daylight saving time exists
— and why it’s so controversial
The idea behind the clock shift,
often called daylight saving time,
is to maximise sunlight in the
Northern Hemisphere. But people
VI S IT N ATG E O.C OM / TR AV E L FO R N E W TR AVEL FE AT U RE S DAILY have long argued over its benefits.
natgeo.com/history
S E A RC H F O R
N ATG E OT R AV E LU K
FAC E B O O K
I N S TAG R A M
X (T WITTER)
C U LT U R E TR ADITIONS H I S TO RY
Film-inspired travels Bali’s day of silence Los Angeles’ movie theatres
The perks — and pitfalls — of letting A new museum explores Nyepi, These historic cinemas offer an
TV and movies inspire your trips, a when work, travel and the use of intimate glimpse into a city famous
trend known as set-jetting electric lights are banned for its film-making
M AY 2 0 24 43
WEEKENDER
LE MANS
& AROUND
Le Mans may be best known for its 24-hour car race but the French city offers
more than high-speed thrills. Explore its old town then venture into the Loire
Valley for canoe trips and chateaux stays. Words: Adrian Phillips
To most people, ‘Le Mans’ means racing cars. alleys, some of the world’s best-preserved
For over a century, this medieval city in the Roman walls and a blockbuster of a cathedral
Loire region of northwest France has hosted with beautiful stained glass. There are both
the annual 24 Hours of Le Mans, an iconic intimate restaurants and busy al fresco bars
rally around the Circuit de la Sarthe that’s by the river where you can take a bench seat
as much a test of stamina as speed. You’ll and soak up the atmosphere. And Le Mans
find plenty of nods here to this rich motoring is a springboard to much more besides, from
history, from postcards of classic Aston the pottery centre of Malicorne and the rustic
Martins to a dedicated museum that displays charm of the Mancelles Alpes area to the royal
numerous race cars. city of Loches. And all this can be reached
But you don’t need to be a petrolhead to fall flight-free, with the train journey from St
in love with Le Mans; it’s a place with the most Pancras International taking just four-and-a-
evocative of ancient centres, featuring cobbled half hours.
TO P F I V E
Characterful
places to stay
L A M A I S O N D U G A S S E AU
A blue-grey stone chateau
with green shutters in the
Mancelles Alpes, this place
was built as a family home in
1939 and now offers six guest
rooms with exposed beams
and wooden floors. The
breakfast features freshly
baked scones, local honey
and home-churned butter.
lamaisondugasseau.com
D O M A I N E D E L’ E PAU
With grass rolling over their
roofs, the six eco-lodges
here look like Hobbit homes
buried in the landscape.
The interiors are unfussy
and modern, with terraces
perfect for an evening
tipple. Kitchenettes
mean you can self-cater
but the complex also
has a bar and restaurant.
domainedelepau.com
MONTMIRAIL CASTLE
Parts of this castle, standing
proud between Le Mans
and Chartres, date back
to the 12th century. Its
guest rooms brim with a
An alley in Le Mans, parts of sense of history, and each
which date to the 11th century is individually decorated
Left: Le Grand-Pressigny Prehistory with heritage features such
Museum, near the city of Loches as four-poster beds and
elegant wood panelling.
chateaudemontmirail.com
DAY O N E RIVER TR AIL S & OLD TOWN STROLL S

AV E N T U R E N AU T I Q U E
Set on the banks of the River
Sarthe in Roëzé-sur-Sarthe,
Morning Afternoon Evening Aventure Nautique has 10
Le Mans can wait — start your day On the way back to Le Mans, stop Arrange an evening tour of Le Mans bell tents that allow full but
with a 20-mile drive south west to at Roëzé-sur Sarthe to enjoy a old town with tour guide Nathalie comfortable immersion in
Malicorne-sur-Sarthe. The pretty riverboat ride. Nautical Adventure Jupin ([email protected]). nature. Hire one of the site’s
town, with its 12th-century church rents out watercraft including You’ll stop at the town hall that paddleboards or electric
and watermills, has been a heartland electric boats, so spend an hour was once the palace of Matilda, boats for a river adventure
then kick back with a mojito
of French earthenware since the 18th looking for kingfishers on this granddaughter of William the
at the characterful bar set in
century. Set in a former ceramics peaceful stretch of water. After Conqueror, who gave birth here to
a shack. aventurenautique.fr
factory, the Malicorne Museum of that, crank up the pace at the Motor the future King Henry II of England,
IMAGES: STEVENS FRÉMONT; LE MANS/PASCAL BELTRAMI
Earthenware and Ceramics lets you Museum of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. and at the Cathedral of Saint Julian M A I S O N C O U RT I N
try your hand at pottery-making It showcases 140 racing cars and of Le Mans, home to a 12th-century In La Chartre-sur-le-Loire,
and browse displays of earthenware, reveals the history of the epic race stained-glass window. Equally Maison Courtin is owned and
from tobacco jars to white Malicorne with fascinating archive footage. engaging are the town’s smaller run by Grégoire Courtin, who
ducks with yellow feet. Down the Its Heroes’ Alley tells the tales of details, such as the stone obelisks rents out a couple of guest
road, Boutique Métiers d’Art sells individuals who have made special on street corners that once rooms furnished in 19th-
the work of local artisans, including contributions over the years, protected buildings from carriage century style. He’s also the
proprietor of the adjacent
potters and jewellers. Have lunch focusing not only on the drivers but wheels and the fourth-century
brush shop and homeware
at quirky Salon Arthé (7 Place de la also the engineers who play such a arch that leads to a section of
museum and will gladly
République), run by painter Katrin key role in getting the cars across Roman wall. Wrap up the day with
give you a tour of his hoard
Ehlers, with its dining room-cum- the finish line in the endurance race. a meal of veal steak and heritage of curiosities, ranging from
studio full of easels and canvases. You can take a tour of the circuit, vegetables at the intimate, wood- model Aston Martins to 18th-
musee-faience.fr malicorne.com too. aventurenautique.fr beamed Bistrot des Gourmets century medical instruments.
4a-de-malicorne.fr lemans-musee24h.com 6 Rue Barbier. 20 Rue Nationale
M AY 2 0 24 45
WEEKENDER
Below from left: Rillettes, a

DAY T WO CANOPY CLIMB S & ABBE Y VISITS
classic dish from the region;
local produce at La Maison
du Gasseau
Morning Afternoon Evening
Drive 40 minutes north to the Heading back to Le Mans, make a Dinner is in Le Mans at Brasserie
Mancelles Alpes, a region of stop 10 minutes from the centre at Madeleine (7 Place des Jacobins),
wooded hills, jagged cliffs and the L’Épau Abbey. This Cistercian a family-run restaurant in a square
charming villages that follows the complex was founded in 1229 by overlooking the cathedral. it serves
valley of the River Sarthe. You can the English queen Berengaria of a good selection of seafood dishes
take to the river once more, this Navarre, widow of Richard the — lobster, oysters, mussels and
time in a canoe or kayak rented Lionheart, who’d been killed in more — and a fabulously creamy
TO P T H R E E from Préférence Plein-Air, just battle 30 years earlier. A skeleton rillette on thick pieces of toast.
Regional produce outside the Camping du Sans Souci discovered in the abbey church in Then it’s time for La Nuit des
site in the village of Fresnay-sur- the 1960s is thought to be hers and Chimères, a free light show. At
Sarthe. Alternatively, don a safety has since been reunited with her sundown every day in summer,
harness and try a spot of tree tombstone here. You get a real feel more than 20 of the city’s buildings,
climbing in the commune of St for monastic life as you explore, walls and trees are illuminated with
Léonard-des-Bois. Parc Aventures calling in at the dormitory, where colourful images, from fairytale
du Gasseau has constructed the monks slept on mats on the characters and historical symbols
a series of rope walkways, floor; the scriptorium, where they to portraits of locals who’ve
tunnels and swings among the copied manuscripts; and made a special contribution to
oak trees in the grounds of its the church, where they prayed life here. The tourist office has
restaurant, La Maison du Gasseau. eight times a day. Afterwards, a map with a walking route that
Afterwards, enjoy a lunch made take a walk through the Arch of takes in the illuminations. Round
from organic, local produce on Nature, a two-square-mile reserve off the evening with a drink at
the atmospheric terrace of the that abuts the abbey grounds and Guingette des Tanneries (Square
RILLETTES chateau. preferencepleinair.com includes a nature trail featuring des Tanneries, Quai Louis Blanc),
A pâté of shredded parc-aventures-du-gasseau.com artworks inspired by local wildlife. a relaxed riverside restaurant.
pork cooked in fat that’s lamaisondugasseau.com epau.sarthe.fr arche-nature.fr nuitdeschimeres.fr
typically smothered on
toast, rillettes originated
in nearby Touraine but
became associated with Le
Mans when a local started
selling it to passengers
passing through on the
train. There are several
annual celebrations of the
speciality, including the
annual Spring of Rillettes
festival held in Sarthe.
CHENIN BLANC
One of the Loire’s wine-
producing areas in the south
of Sarthe, Jasnieres is well
worth a look. Its Chenin
Blanc wines date to the
Middle Ages when they
were made by Cistercian
monks. They range from
dry to fiercely sweet. Try
them at the Domaine des
Gauletteries winery in
Ruillé-sur-Loir.
SABLÉ BISCUITS
The classic Sablé biscuit, a
crimp-edged shortbread, is
thought to have originated
during the 17th century in
Sablé-sur-Sarthe. Named
after the French word for
IMAGES: GETTY; JULIETTE DENIS
‘sandy’, there are both

sweet (orange, lemon,
almond) and savoury
(green pepper, parmesan)
versions. Take a tour of the
Biscuiterie La Sablésienne
biscuit factory, in operation
since 1962. sablesienne.com
M AY 2 0 24 47
WEEKENDER
Road runner
Le Mans gave
rise to one of the
world’s first cars.
It was here in 1873
that inventor
Amédée Bollée
built L’Obéissante,
a steam-powered
vehicle with a
heady 25mph top
speed. It took him
18 hours to make
the maiden, 140-
mile drive from Le
Mans to Paris.
Left: A canoe trip along

a quiet stretch of the Indre
River near Loches
G O FU RTH E R LOCHES
Located in the Indre-et-Loire department, 90 minutes’ drive south east of Le Mans, the pretty
medieval city of Loches is well worth an excursion for castle visits, canoe trips and cycling tours
Château de Loches and Cultu’raids Concept Green Route HOW TO DO IT

the Donjon The city sits on the Indre River, an A 35-minute drive south west Take the Eurostar from St
The royal city of Loches is idyllic tributary of the Loire. You of Loches is the village of Abilly, Pancras International to
dominated by its elevated can gain a deeper appreciation of it where you can rent bikes and Lille-Europe, from where
medieval royal quarter, surrounded by renting a canoe from Cultu’raids e-bikes at Les Vélos de Paulette there are direct connections
by a fortified wall and featuring Concept, which has a base near the (8 Avenue des Termelles) and join to Le Mans, or to Paris Gare
Charles VII’s royal residence, centre. From here, you can explore a the Green Route, a relaxing cycle du Nord before taking the
famously visited by Joan of Arc quiet stretch of the water, allowing path through woodland and fields Métro to Paris Montparnasse
in 1429. Most impressive of all is you to feel a world away from of sunflowers. After five miles, a for trains to Le Mans. Several
the Donjon, an 11th-century castle civilisation. The river is narrow and road takes you uphill through the car rental companies have
tower containing dungeons etched shallow, winding through a tunnel village of Le Grand-Pressigny to a offices at Le Mans station,
with the graffiti of unfortunate of overhanging trees. One option is 12th-century chateau — guarded by including Avis. Alternatively,
former captives. The castle has a to paddle five miles to the watermill a large model of a woolly mammoth take your own car by ferry or
varied royal history that includes at St Jean, perhaps escorted by — that now houses a museum of via the Channel Tunnel; it’s a
occupation by the one-time king grey wagtails, flashing yellow prehistory. Returning to Loches, if four-hour drive from Calais.
of England, Richard the Lionheart, as they flit from stone to stone you wish to stay overnight, check eurostar.com avis.co.uk
IMAGE: DAVID DARRAULT
in the 12th century. Visitors are on the river bed. If you’re lucky, in to the Hôtel de la Cité Royale, eurotunnel.com
issued with interactive tablets you might catch a glimpse of red housed in the 19th-century Palais
that bring the past to life by deer through the branches on the of Justice. Its terrace has views MORE INFO
showing how each of the rooms banks. You can also rent standup over the city’s castle and church. lemans-tourisme.com
would have looked in its prime. paddleboards from the company. prehistoiregrandpressigny.fr sarthetourism.com
citeroyaleloches.fr culturaidsconcept.eu hotel-citeroyale.com loches-valdeloire.com
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E AT
FEZ
The history of this imperial city is intertwined with many of Morocco’s
greatest food traditions — a tour of its vast medieval medina can lead to
centuries-old recipes, but also local wines and experimental kitchens
WO R D S : LO R N A PA R K E S
“You need to be in a relaxed mood to make in the world looks little different to how it was
couscous,” says chef Nezha Bouayadi, hair a millennium ago. Along thousands of tiny
neatly tucked into her black hijab. Arabic medieval alleyways, whose mud-packed walls
R&B music echoes around the walled patio of are propped up by wooden beams, artisans
The Ruined Garden, a restaurant in Fez that hammer, polish and paint in cubbyhole shops.
champions local Fassi food culture. Like many Founded by Moulay Idriss — a descendant of
businesses in the city’s eighth-century medina, the prophet Muhammad — Fez is considered
this leafy patio restaurant is hard to find, but Morocco’s spiritual and cultural heartland.
the successful are rewarded with dishes that Unlike in Marrakech, where many souks now
rarely make it onto menus — and the chance to cater to travellers, Fassis still come out in force
see couscous made from scratch every Friday. to do their shopping here on Saturdays.
Nezha massages grains of semolina through “Everything you see is local, seasonal and
a fine wooden sieve. Then, alternating between brought to the market this morning,” says
fingertips and palms, she instinctively adds Loubna El Bouchikhi the next day, on a tour
splashes of water and flour, rolling the grains of Fez’s kissaria — covered markets where
around a rough basket until she’s got that we’re buying ingredients for her cooking class.
couscous texture. Some 20 minutes later, it’s Negotiating laden donkeys and hand-pulled
ready to be steamed and plated with saffron- carts, we pass tables of coriander and parsley
flecked roast pumpkin and courgette, then before turning into another section where a sea
scattered with sticky caramelised raisins and of olives glistens under naked bulbs. In keeping
IMAGES: GETTY; JAVIER PEÑAS; LORNA PARKES
marinated chickpeas. The couscous is as light as with tradition, everything in the market is halal, Clockwise from top
air, absorbing all the rich sweet-savoury juices. and different alleys are dedicated to specific left: The honeycomb
Nezha learnt to roll couscous when she was foods — like ancient supermarket aisles. rooftops of Fez medina
16, in preparation for getting married. While We arrive at Fez Cooking School later in the with the Kairaouine
mosque minaret;
the dish remains a Friday lunch staple — part of day, as muezzins are announcing the adhan
Moroccan tagines in a
weekly holy day rituals — few Fez households (call to prayer) from a mountainside bristling
souk; thin warka bread
still make it at home this way; most opt to buy with minarets and Imperial tombs. The school is
with pomegranates
bags in shops and markets. set on the rooftop of an 18th-century merchant’s at Nur; chef Nezha
While times change, tradition is not taken house-turned-hotel called Palais Amani, built Bouayadi rolls
lightly in Fez’s medina. On first appearances, by a family who grew wealthy trading goods couscous at The Ruined
life in what’s the largest car-free urban area such as wool, and leather from Fez’s tanneries. Garden restaurant
M AY 2 0 24 51
E AT
Chef Houssam preparing to

A TA S T E O F
cook at Fez Cooking School
Right: Squid ceviche at Nur Fez
NUR
The food at this fusion medina
restaurant is as cutting-edge as its
off-the-wall monochrome decor.
The menu by Spanish-Moroccan
chef Najat Kaanache offers an
eclectic mix of dishes, from calamari
with lemongrass broth to duck with
artichoke, truffle and Moroccan
spices. Tasting menus from US$80
(£63) per person, excluding wine.
nurfez.com
A B D U L L A H ’ S T E A S TA L L
Affable Abdullah Touati has run
a tea counter in Fez medina since
1969, just off the metal-workers’
Place Seffarine. He uses a blend of
“Fez is like a melting pot,” says Loubna, That impression of an artist at work follows herbs — peppermint, spearmint,
as we stand charring aubergines on an open through onto the plate, in all nine beautiful sage, marjoram, absinthe and
flame to make zaalouk — a dip similar to baba courses, beginning with tiny seaweed lemon verbena — grown behind
ganoush that she says was brought to Morocco tacos of white fish and wakame. Najat’s his house on the edge of the city.
by Sephardic Jews. Considered holy by Arabs, take on zaalouk follows, with homemade It’s served to locals and travellers
Fez was the first Moroccan city to establish Worcestershire sauce and deliciously crisp at low plastic stools piled with
a mellah — Jewish quarter — in the 15th tentacles of fried octopus, with a finale of cushions. 10 MAD (80p) a glass.
century, in response to southern Spain’s Jewish Moroccan halba cake made with fenugreek.
expulsion. This ancient mixing of cultures is at Najat is a remarkable woman. Raised in a FONDOUK BA ZA AR
least partly responsible for Fez’s reputation as simple house near San Sebastian, northern Paper lanterns lead up to inviting
the birthplace of many of Morocco’s signature Spain, she went to university in London, roof terraces at this contemporary
dishes — pastillas and tagines among them. and worked with chef Ferran Adrià at El Moroccan cafe-restaurant above
“When the Sephardic Jewish people came Bulli, where she met Anthony Bourdain, the ancient medina thoroughfare
to Morocco, they brought a lot of cooking who put her on CNN. She’s also filmed a food of Talaa Kebira. Popular with
techniques,” explains Loubna. Among them documentary for National Geographic with young Fassis, the menu runs
were the processing of olives and pickling of Gordon Ramsay in the Taza mountains north from dishes such as shakshuka to
vegetables, along with the recipes for pastillas of Fez, where her family are from. Returning tagliatelle with feta and olives.
— pies stuffed with cinnamon and meats to her roots, she opened her first Moroccan The orange-blossom and cinnamon
such as pigeon, dusted with icing sugar. “That restaurant, Nur, in 2017. Two years later the lassi tastes like Morocco in a glass.
combination of sweet and savoury is 100% Fez establishment had earned a spot on the 175 MAD (£14) for three courses.
IMAGES: PALAIS AMANI HOTEL; JAVIER PEÑAS
Sephardic origin,” she says. World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. facebook.com/fondoukbazaarfes

Tagines and pastillas are ubiquitous on Inspired by Nur’s exclusively Moroccan
Moroccan tourist menus, but this evening wine list, I head to the rooftop bar at hotel B I S S A R A S O U P S TA N D S
they’re refreshingly absent at Nur fine-dining Riad Fes, one of the medina’s highest In the Al Aachabin food section of
restaurant. “We have no pork, no bread, no vantage points. Up here, across a patchwork Fez el Bali medina, split-pea soup is
couscous and no tagine!” says chef-owner of flat-roofed dwellings, I can single out two made the traditional way, the peas
Najat Kaanache, ushering me into the kitchen. of Morocco’s holiest sites: the pea-green slow-cooked and smashed with a
Najat tells me she’s been doing a photo shoot pyramid roof of Moulay Idriss’s mausoleum, long wooden pole akin to a baseball
for her next cookbook, so she’s dressed not in and the tall minaret tower of Kairaouine bat. Popular at breakfast, it’s served
chef’s whites but a richly coloured kaftan that mosque and university, established in 859 with olive oil and ground cumin.
gives her the air of a Moroccan Frida Kahlo. and considered the world’s oldest university. 15 MAD (£1.15) per bowl.
M AY 2 0 24 53
E AT
Right: The roof terrace at Palais Amani

riad hotel, with views of the Fez medina
Below: Deep-fried sfenj — Moroccan
doughnuts — are sold on the streets
FIVE FOOD FINDS
SFENJ
Morocco’s take on a
doughnut — drizzled in honey or
stuffed with meat — is deep-fried
on street corners in medinas
across the country. While alcohol is forbidden in Islam, I nab the last seat as a group of musicians in
Morocco’s winemaking heartland has white djellabas (robes) warm up instruments
nevertheless thrived around the country’s for an aissawa performance showcasing a
KHLII most sacred city, originating in vineyards celebratory form of call and response music
Sun-dried preserved meat steeped established during the French protectorate era from the nearby Middle Atlas mountains.
in beef or lamb fat. Traditionally (1912-1956). Restaurants and hotels like Riad People are drinking tea and milkshakes amid
eaten at breakfast, it’s sometimes Fes are champions of local wineries such as chatter in Darija, Morocco’s Arabic dialect,
stuffed into a flaky Moroccan Chateau Roslane, whose complex signature and I order Cafe Clock’s signature dish: the
bread called msemen. Cabernet Merlot is the standout of the five I camel burger.
try, including a Sauvignon Blanc-Chardonnay Lean, nutritious and with its origins steeped
blend grown close to the UNESCO-listed in traditions of nomadic Arabic desert culture,
SMEN Roman ruins of Volubilis nearby, a ‘gris’ dry camel meat is still sold along Talaa Kebira today
This fermented butter, so rosé blush from Meknes and a peppery Syrah — but it’s typically only eaten by Moroccans
pungent it can taste like made near Casablanca. at celebrations. As I wait for food, the cafe
parmesan, punches up flavours in Ready for dinner, I head back to the medina feels like it’s gearing up for a fittingly raucous
everything from tagines to eggs. where queues are starting to form at snack shindig. The burger arrives, patties piled high
vendors along the ancient main street of Talaa with gherkins and homemade tomato and
Kebira. The throaty call of a drum guides me to cinnamon ketchup, just as the drumming picks
M A A KO U DA an alleyway so dark I’m half convinced I’m lost. up pace. It’s an unusual taste: gamey, but light.
Dumpling, beignet, fritter… But this is the entrance to Cafe Clock. When Around me, hands start to twirl, heads bob,
call it what you will, this deep-fried Brit Mike Richardson opened this cultural hub people clear their throats to sing. And so, the
mashed-potato snack is a popular in 2007, after a London career in hospitality beat goes on, as it has in Fez for a millennium
IMAGES: GETTY; PALAIS AMANI HOTEL
street food in the medina. that included time at The Wolseley, he wanted — just with a few new rhythms.
to create a bridge between travellers and the
local community. Today, 40% of the cafe’s HOW TO DO IT: Ryanair is the only airline that
TRID footfall is Moroccan — which is no mean feat flies direct to Fez from the UK, with twice-weekly
This fine pastry, stretched onto for a foreign-owned business in Fez. Mike departures from Stansted. Stays at the 21-room
heated metal globes in Fez medina, has since opened Clocks in Marrakech and Palais Amani riad hotel, home to Fez Cooking School,
is torn up and dipped in jam and Chefchaouen, but the original — which plays start from €196 (£167) per night, B&B; market tours
butter as a snack, or steamed as host to a cinema, art exhibitions and regular with cooking classes cost €165 (£141) per person.
part of the dish chicken rfissa. music performances — is still an institution. ryanair.com palaisamani.com
S LE E P
TOKYO
UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED. IMAGES: AWL IMAGES; HOSHINO RESORTS
With its glinting skyscrapers, narrow alleyways, lantern-festooned temples

ALL RATES QUOTED ARE FOR STANDARD DOUBLES, ROOM-ONLY,
and neon-clad arcades, Tokyo is one of the most diverse and thrilling cities
on Earth — but its sheer size can make choosing a hotel daunting. Over the
past decade, accommodation options have broadened to include trendy
ryokans (traditional inns) and indie hotels. Because there’s no single city
‘centre’ in the Japanese capital, you’ll almost certainly have to do some
travelling — likely on the efficient metro system — to see its highlights,
so don’t get overly hung up on location. Instead, think about what’s more
important after a day’s sightseeing: an al fresco pool or a cool in-house bar.
WORDS: ALICIA MILLER
Best for cultural
immersion
£ £ £ H O S H I N OYA TO K YO
Leave the city, and your shoes, behind as you
step onto the tatami floors of this skyscraper
ryokan. It’s a low-lit retreat of shoji screen
doors and incense-scented air, with a second-
floor lobby that includes a little salon for tea
ceremonies. The 84 rooms are spread across the
next 14 floors, with each level centred around a
traditional ochanoma lounge serving teas, sake
and house-made snacks. The rooms themselves
are plush, with raised-platform futon beds,
deep-soak tubs and jersey kimono-style
pyjamas. An immense 17th-floor onsen-spa
has hot spring waters pumped in from 5,000ft
below the city streets, with a vaulted roof that
leaves it part-open to the elements. The 10-table
basement restaurant serves exquisite French-
Japanese tasting menus and the in-room bento
box breakfasts are highly recommended.
R O O M S : From ¥112,000 (£589), two-night
minimum stay. hoshinoya.com
M AY 2 0 24 57
SLEEP
Best on a budget Best for loft-style cool Best for royal luxury
£ OMO 5 TO K YO OT S U K A £ £ T RU N K (H OT E L) £ £ £ PA L AC E H OT E L TO K YO
In a skyscraper-cluttered metropolis, a hotel C AT S T R E E T This elegant hotel in Otemachi has long been a
with an intimate, neighbourhood vibe can be This felt like an entirely new concept in Tokyo favourite with well-heeled Tokyoites who come
a rare thing. Yet this branch of cool, affordable when it first opened in 2017: a design-forward for the dining options and spa. It helps that it’s
chain Omo, by Hoshino Resorts, has just that, boutique hotel with universally appealing mere steps away from the Imperial Palace, the
packaged up in a modern building in the NYC-style coolness. Seven years on, the city’s most exclusive address, and close to the
northern district of Otsuka. Cleverly designed concept has now been copied many times in swish shops of the upmarket Ginza district.
rooms make the most of every square inch, the city, but it’s still hard to top the original Good-sized rooms — some of them featuring
with loft-style beds suspended above tatami in the shopping area of Shibuya, just off balconies — overlook an expanse of moat-
mat seating areas and storage space integrated Cat Street. Its lounge, restaurants and shop carved gardens. An extensive breakfast buffet
into walls and stairs. There’s also a laundry attract fashionable Tokyoites as much as hotel has princely appeal thanks to elegant platings
room on the fifth floor, where guests can wash guests, and its bedrooms come with a breezy, of grilled fish, pickled plums, rice and miso
and dry clothes for just a few quid, and an all- minimalist aesthetic. Some have balconies soup; if that’s not to your taste, there’s eggs
day cafe that transitions from breakfast space with hammocks while larger options, like benedict and croissants, too. The in-house
to coffeeshop to bar as the day progresses. the Dining Suite, include spaces such as a restaurants also have the wow factor, with two
Sign up for a local tour with one of the kitchen area or terrace. Don’t be surprised to Michelin-starred options: French-inspired
dedicated ‘Omo Rangers’, who will take you see dapper couples heading for the rooftop; Esterre, in partnership with Ducasse Paris,
around the excellent local tempura and ramen it’s a popular venue for city weddings. and Chinese-focused Amber Palace.
shops — or even on an Otsuka bar crawl. R O O M S : From ¥51,774 (£273). R O O M S : From ¥91,800 (£483).
R O O M S : From ¥16,000 (£84). omo-hotels.com catstreet.trunk-hotel.com palacehoteltokyo.com
A balcony junior room at

Trunk (Hotel) Cat Street
Clockwise from top right:
Rooms at Palace Hotel
Tokyo overlook the Gardens
of the Imperial Palace;
a DJ night at Omo5 Tokyo
Otsuka; bathroom at
Palace Hotel Tokyo
IMAGES: COURTESY OF TRUNK; HOSHINO RESORTS
M AY 2 0 24 59
SLEEP
Best for solo travellers

£ O N E @TO K YO
In the east of the city, a 10-minute walk from the
Tokyo Skytree observatory tower, One@Tokyo has a high-
profile pedigree for a budget hotel, having been designed
by Japanese starchitect Kengo Kuma. Functional yet not
austere, its communal spaces — from the open lobby to the
greenery-dotted rooftop — fuse industrial metallics with
warm woods and a palette of unfussy greys. With their
friendly price point and compact footprint, the lead-in
standard semi-double rooms are perfect for solo travellers
who want a step up in comfort and privacy from one of the
city’s legendary capsule hotels. Long-stay discounts apply
when booking for five nights, making it a perfect base if
you’re planning day trips out of the city, too.
R O O M S : From ¥15,000 (£79). onetokyo.com
Best for amenities Best for bookworms Best for families

£ £ H OT E L N E W OTA N I TO K YO £ £ S H I B A PA R K H OT E L £ £ K E I O P L A Z A H OT E L TO K YO
More urban resort than hotel, this vast property The printed page takes centre stage from the With reasonable prices, a prime location near
— once a filming location for the James Bond film moment you walk in to this hotel, which houses Shinjuku station and views out to Mount Fuji on a
You Only Live Twice — occupies a verdant location a collection of around 1,500 books. As well as a clear day, this option ticks a lot of boxes. Rooms are
between multiple parks in the central Chiyoda ward. double-height atrium lined with wooden shelves of a bit bland (unless you plump for a suite with tatami
IMAGE: AGORA HOSPITALITIES
The hotel is fringed by 10 acres of 400-year-old books, there’s also a fireside library lounge and book mats and shoji screen doors), but for families, the
Japanese gardens and, unusually for Tokyo, also has an corners on every floor, each themed around different spacious four-bed options more than make up for the
al fresco swimming pool. The 1,474 rooms are spread aspects of Japanese culture. The rooms are comfy, uninspiring decor. On-site experiences such as tea
across three wings, and there are more than three- contemporary retreats in which to curl up in with a ceremonies make getting a culture fix easy if you’re
dozen dining options, plus a lounge with free nibbles good read — and the views of Tokyo Tower, lit up like wrangling kids. The seventh-floor outdoor pool,
and drinks for Executive House Zen guests. a beacon at night, aren’t half bad either. 11 restaurants and laundromat also help.
R O O M S : From ¥36,000 (£189). newotani.co.jp R O O M S : From ¥21,870 (£115). shibaparkhotel.com R O O M S : From ¥35,200 (£185). keioplaza.com
M AY 2 0 24 61
SLEEP
From top: Tokyo Station Hotel;

sharing dishes at the food hall in
Tokyu Kabukicho Tower, which
also houses Hotel Groove Shinjuku,
A Parkroyal Hotel
Best for nightlife-lovers

£ £ H OT E L G RO OV E S H I NJ U K U,
A PA R K ROYA L H OT E L
For years, Shinjuku’s red-light district
Kabukicho was rather sordid, the kind of
place you’d head to for late-night karaoke and
beers but not for a respectable hotel. All that’s
changed with this recent opening, which
reflects the fun of the city’s party heart but
also has style and class. Set across floors 18
to 38 in the new Tokyu Kabukicho Tower, the
rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows looking
out over the neon bustle below, as well as
electric-hued carpets and the occasional pop
art wall mural. On the building’s lower floors,
a retro-styled arcade, cinema, live music
space and food hall with regional dishes keep
the entertainment flowing around the clock.
R O O M S : From ¥31,000 (£163). hotelgroove.jp
Best for European-style

elegance
£ £ £ TO K YO S TAT I O N H OT E L
Opened in 1915, and set within the original
20th-century Tokyo Station, this grand
hotel could have been lifted from London
or Paris. Red bricks and soaring domes
characterise the exterior; chandeliers, marble
and button-back headboards are part of the
old-world European opulence inside. Take tea
in the high-ceilinged lobby lounge, ringing
with live piano music and the clink of fine
silverware, and end the day at the venerable
Bar Oak, which serves up an array of Japanese
whiskies in moody, wood-lined environs.
If you’re planning to adventure beyond the
IMAGE: TOKYO STATION HOTEL
capital, the location is unbeatable. Tokyo

Station is the main Shinkansen (bullet train)
terminal, serving popular destinations such
as Kyoto and Osaka, and you can go from bed
to boarding in mere minutes.
R O O M S : From ¥135,332 (£711).
thetokyostationhotel.jp
Feel the forge's flan1es.
Meet authentic Japan.
Imbued in every katana sword is the spirit of the master
Book exclusive masterclasses led by experienced artisans
DEEPER
www.deeperjapan.com
JAPAN
Iconic Japanese grandeur and a heritage stretching back to 1915, seamlessly blending
historic charm with modern comfort in the heart of Tokyo.
For travellers seeking a harmonious fusion of history, luxury, and convenience,
The Tokyo Station Hotel is an unparalleled choice, providing an enchanting Tokyo experience.
An I m p o r t a n t C u l t u r a l P r o p e r t y o f Ja p a n
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TH E MO ST-V I S ITE D C O U NTRY I N L ATI N A ME RI C A , TH I S S PI RITE D N ATI O N
C A P TI VATE S TR AV E LLE R S W ITH IT S C A RI B B E A N B E AC H E S A N D D I STI N C TI V E
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TH E N O RTH E RN D E S E RT S O F BA JA C A LI FO RN I A TO TH E MU R A L- FI LLE D
IMAGES: ANDREW REINER; AWL IMAGES
STRE E T S O F ME X I C O C IT Y A N D TH E STE A MY S O U TH E RN J U N G LE S O F TH E
Y U C ATÁ N , A N D IT S I N D I G E N O U S C U LT U RE A N D RE MN A NT S O F M AYA N A N D
A Z TEC C I V I LI SATI O N S A RE MO RE E A S I LY AC C E S S I B LE TH A N E V E R
WO RD S : J E S S I C A V I N C E NT
M AY 2 0 24 67
MEXICO
HIKING
Inland from Yucatán’s white beaches, the long-distance Camino del

Mayab hiking trail is set to revive ailing Maya communities with jungle
treks weaving past overgrown haciendas and secret cenotes
It’s an indescribable feeling, plunging into years to make ropes, baskets and fishing lines.
cool, clear water after walking for hours But in the mid-19th century, the Spanish began
through the Yucatán jungle. I’m surrounded exporting Yucatán’s ‘green gold’ to the US and
by the tall overhanging cliff walls of a cenote Europe. Forcing the Indigenous population to
— a type of freshwater sinkhole believed work the fields for little or no pay, European
by the ancient Maya to be portals to the plantation owners grew extremely wealthy,
underworld, and often used as sacrificial building railroads, factories and more than
sites. The water is a mix of emerald green and 300 haciendas across Yucatán.
turquoise, with large lily pads floating on the Three years in the making, the Camino
surface and thick alamo tree roots plunging to del Mayab is a 68-mile trail created to help
its depths from the cliffs like giant eels. reverse centuries of colonial exploitation
It’s day one of my five-day hike along in Yucatán — ‘Mayab’ is what the ancient
Mexico’s Camino del Mayab — a long-distance Maya called Yucatán before the Spanish
hiking and biking trail opened in late 2020 changed its name in the 16th century. After
— and the 32C heat and 80% humidity is the Mexican Revolution of the 1910s and the
getting to me. But with 11 miles to walk before Great Depression of the 1930s, Yucatán’s
sunset, there’s only so much time for pool dips. henequen industry began to decline, with most
Following a dirt path flanked by thick jungle, haciendas closing by the 1950s. Inequality
we reach San Antonio Tzacalá, a small Maya and prejudice towards the Maya, however,
village built around the crumbling red walls continued. Today, higher education, jobs and
of a 19th-century hacienda. Abandoned in the access to medical care are limited outside
mid-1900s, the Spanish estate has been lost to of Mérida and Cancún, forcing many Maya
nature: entire alamo trees rise from the roof like people to abandon their villages and way of life.
squatting giants, while creeping vines pierce “The Maya village is under threat,” says our
through thick cement as if it were honeycomb. guide Uri Huesca, as we make our way out of
“Yucatán is the land of cenotes and the crumbling hacienda. Uri is the co-founder
haciendas,” says Cristian Sulub, a fresh-faced of EcoGuerreros Yucatán, the environmental
22-year-old wearing rimless, rectangular organisation that founded and now manages
glasses and a straw hat. Cristian, who is of Maya the Camino del Mayab. “We want to empower
descent, is San Antonio Tzacalá’s youngest-ever Maya communities to make a living without
mayor and a keen historian. When he heard leaving their homelands, while also sharing
we were walking through his town, he came to their history and culture with the world.”
greet us. “Cenotes represent our ancient past; The Camino del Mayab follows old Right: Ik-Kil cenote near
Chichén Itzá on the
haciendas our colonial history.” henequen transportation routes through
Yucatán Peninsula
The hacienda in San Antonio Tzacalá is 14 Maya communities, from the former
Previous pages from
one of hundreds in Yucatán, built during the plantation village of Dzoyaxché to the ancient
left: Tlacolula market
19th century when the henequen trade took Maya city of Mayapan. The trail was developed
IMAGE: GETTY
in the town of Tlacolula

off. Henequen, also known as sisal, is a type of in partnership with Maya communities, and de Matamoros, Oaxaca;
fibrous agave native to the Yucatán Peninsula, 80% of its profits remain in Maya villages the sun rising across the
used by the ancient Maya for thousands of through the hiring of local guides, camping on desert in Baja California
M AY 2 0 24 69
MEXICO
F I V E O F TH E B E ST
M AYA RU I N S
CHICHÉN ITZÁ
Named one of the new Seven
Wonders of the World in
2007, Chichén Itzá in Yucatán
is Mexico’s most famous ruin.
Despite the crowds, few are
disappointed with El Castillo
— a 78ft pyramid — or the
city’s tlachtli, the largest Maya
ball court in the Americas.
chichenitza.com
TULUM
Occupied until the 16th century,
Tulum was one of the last cities
inhabited by the Maya and the
only one built by the coast. The
community-owned lands and eating home- by meliponas, stingless bees whose honey has pyramids here aren’t as large
cooked meals prepared by village cooks. been cultivated by the Maya for 3,000 years. as at other Maya ruins, but the
Continuing to Pebá, a two-hour walk from Among the vegetation are a few surviving setting, on 40ft cliffs above the
San Antonio Tzacalá, we spot a flash of electric henequen from an abandoned plantation Caribbean Sea south of Cancun,
blue and pale orange among a sea of endless Don Octavio used to work on. Unlike most makes up for it. tulumruins.net
green. It’s a Yucatán jay, a bird endemic to plantations in Yucatán, which closed in the
the peninsula. Further on, perching on the 1950s, this one continued to operate for a PA L E N Q U E
branches of an 80-year-old ceiba tree, is a few decades longer. Don Octavio says the Deep in the jungles of
turquoise-browed motmot, a cenote-dwelling plantation owners treated him well, and the northeastern Chiapas state, this
bird the ancient Maya used to find fresh water. work allowed him to stay in his village. “Now late classic Maya city is known
“Yucatán is one of Mexico’s most biodiverse look at it,” he says, pointing to a pile of rubble for its detailed hieroglyphic
states,” says Uri, as we pass a Middle American that would have once housed a Maya family. inscriptions and sculpted
indigo snake coiled under a bush of purple pea “Everyone’s leaving to work in Mérida. Soon, reliefs. inah.gob.mx
flowers. “But it’s at risk of being destroyed.” there will be no one left.”
There are almost 400 bird species in Over the next few days, as we walk 40 miles CAL AK MUL
Yucatán and over 100 mammals, many from Yaxcopoil towards Mayapan, I watch pink In the Calakmul Biosphere
of which are endangered. Jaguars, tapirs fog lift from the jungle canopy at sunrise, eat Reserve near the border with
and ocelots, Uri explains, would have once pulled pork slow-cooked underground and fire- Guatemala, Calakmul is one of
been abundant here, but due to habitat toasted tortillas in the homes of Maya families, Mexico’s wildest Maya ruins.
loss — some 50,000 acres of jungle are lost and camp beneath a sky full of stars. But The site is particularly beautiful
annually in Yucatán to farmland and illegal swimming in the region’s cavernous cenotes is at sunrise, when the jungle
logging — they’ve become increasingly rare. what I look forward to most. comes alive with the sounds of
Environmental activists have also blamed the I imagined the end of my journey on the birds and howler monkeys.
new Tren Maya — a controversial 966-mile Camino del Mayab stood atop Mayapan’s
train line launched in December 2023 that Temple of Kukulcan, seeing the trail I’d just UXM AL
crosses the Yucatán jungle — for endangering walked sprawled across the jungle beneath me. A one-hour drive from Mérida
the peninsula’s biodiversity. But protests over entrance fees have closed the is this seventh-century Maya
“The Camino del Mayab isn’t just about trail’s finishing point. Instead, I’m on the shores city, which was once home to as
saving Maya culture, it’s about protecting of a cenote near X-Kanchakán, where a white- many as 25,000 inhabitants. The
nature, too,” says Uri. EcoGuerreros has helped robed shaman is summoning the Maya gods ruins are part of the Puuc Route,
to establish hundreds of acres of ecological under the thundering rain. His chanting a 25-mile road network that
reserves in Yucatán through a network of — spoken in Yucatec Maya — reverberates connects Uxmal with several
protected ejidos, communal land managed by across the water with a deafening clap of other archaeological sites.
Indigenous communities. thunder. When he finishes, the rain clears and yucatan.travel
The next day, a Pebá local known as Don the sky lights up in a strange silver-purple hue.
Octavio — a slight, elderly man with deep “A good omen,” says the shaman in Spanish.
IMAGES: ALAMY; ANDREW REINER
lines across his forehead and dirt beneath “You’re welcome here, traveller.”
Clockwise from top left: The Temple of
his nails — guides us through the jungle to
Kukulcan, also known as El Castillo, at
the Maya village of Yaxcopoil, home to one of Camino del Mayab’s five-day guided hiking trip
Chichén Itzá on the Yucatán Peninsula;
Yucatán’s best-preserved haciendas. Wearing starts at 12,900 MXN (£605) per person, which
brightly coloured arches line the
smart suit trousers and leather sandals, includes trail accommodation, meals, camping courtyard at Hacienda Yaxcopoil;
Don Octavio hacks a path through the thick gear, transfers and entrance fees to cenotes and hiking the Camino del Mayab trail;
overgrowth with his machete, pointing out haciendas. Cycling tours are also available. a Maya priest gives a traditional
medicinal herbs and wildflowers pollinated caminodelmayab.com yucatán.travel blessing to hikers on the trail
M AY 2 0 24 71
MEXICO
FO O D & D RI N K
In the villages of the Oaxaca Valley, pre-Hispanic cooking is

having a renaissance — spearheaded by female chefs who are
helping to keep Mexico’s ancestral recipes alive
The town’s central market is in full swing When we meet Catalina, she’s wearing a
when we reach Tlacolula de Matamoros, red huipil (woven tunic) and a silver spoon
around 18 miles east of Oaxaca City. Through necklace. She ushers me inside her restaurant,
a fog of sun-lit smoke, I see women — their where Oaxaca’s seven famous moles — thick,
black, plaited hair threaded with green and stew-like sauces made with dried chillies,
gold ribbon to their waist — throwing slabs of spices and nuts — are simmering in clay pots
meat onto fire-licked griddles. Tripe, tongue over red-hot embers. Each one, she explains,
and strings of chorizo hang beneath white plays an important role in major life events: the
strip lights, while families dip pan de yema — a rich, chocolatey mole negro for baptisms and
Oaxacan sweet bread similar to brioche — into weddings, the bitter mole chichilo for funerals.
bowls of frothy hot chocolate. I try every mole, and the highlight is Lukas’
Since the time of the ancient Zapotecs in mole coloradito: it’s sweet and fragrant with a
500 BCE, my guide Maria Itaka explains, subtle hint of spice. Coloradito is traditionally
millions of Oaxacans have made the weekly prepared for the parents of a woman who’s
journey to Tlacolula to buy and sell their had relations with a man before marriage, its
goods, facilitating more than 2,000 years delicious sweetness capable of soothing even
of Indigenous trade. “The Spanish created the most delicate of family feuds. Catalina’s
Oaxaca City because they couldn’t conquer version is based on her mother’s recipe, but
Tlacolula,” says Maria, a Oaxacan food with the rare chilhuacle rojo, a chilli native
journalist and trip designer for Culinary to Oaxaca that’s in danger of disappearing.
Backstreets. “There was too much resistance “That’s exactly why I use it,” says Catalina,
from the Indigenous people here. Food was The next day, I travel 35 miles east of Oaxaca
— and still is — a big part of that resistance.” to the small town of San Antonio Cuajimoloyas
The southern state of Oaxaca — a land to have lunch at Doña Angelica’s, a one-table
of white sand beaches, forested mountains restaurant overlooking the pine-covered
and fertile valleys — has one of Mexico’s mountains of Oaxaca’s Sierra Norte. Like
highest Indigenous populations, with over Catalina, Doña Angelica started cooking
50% belonging to one of the state’s 16 official for funerals and festivals from a young age.
Indigenous groups. Despite centuries of Today, her restaurant serves ingredients
colonisation, Oaxacan food — a cuisine rooted from her milpa — an ancient Mesoamerican
in native Mexican ingredients like corn and farming system. I try a taco de cabeza — slow-
chilli, and the custom of cooking over fire and cooked beef-head stuffed into a tortilla. It’s
smoke — has maintained a strong Indigenous deliciously tender and very rich. I ask Angelica
identity. Recipes go back generations — a feat what it means to be recognised as a cocinera
that, for many in Oaxaca, symbolises a triumph tradicional by her community. “I’m just a
over colonialism. cocinera,” she says, shrugging. “I cook what I
A short taxi ride north of central Tlacolula, grow, and I grow what I know. That’s all.”
Maria takes me for lunch at Mo-Kalli — a
small, exposed-brick restaurant run by Journey Latin America’s 13-day Discover
Catalina Lukas, one of Oaxaca’s most Mexico: Oaxaca’s Culture and Coastline tour
celebrated cocineras tradicionales (traditional starts from £3,840 per person, excluding
female cooks). Mexico’s community female flights. Culinary Backstreets offers market
cooks are considered the torchbearers of the visits in Oaxaca from £91 per person and
country’s ancestral UNESCO-listed cuisine multi-day food tours from £2,188 per person,
— and those hailing from Oaxaca and excluding flights. journeylatinamerica.com
Michoacán are particularly famous. culinarybackstreets.com
A woman making tejate, a traditional cacao
and corn drink, at the market in Tlacolula
Left from top: La Cocina de Humo is a restaurant
in Oaxaca City serving refined versions of village
recipes; corn is a native Mexican ingredient and one
of the cornerstones of traditional cuisine in Oaxaca
IMAGES: ANDREW REINER
M AY 2 0 24 73
A cargo truck in Oaxaca transporting agave hearts
Clockwise from left: Bottles of mezcal at the artisanal Real
Minero distillery in Santa Catarina Minas; agave is cut
and shaved down to prepare for cooking and distillation;
caring for agave plants at Real Minero distillery
MEXICO
MEET THE M AKER
FO O D & D RI N K
Graciela Ángeles
Carreño
A fourth-generation
producer of artisanal
Tequila’s cousin has been made in Mexico for centuries — and, in mezcal brand Real Minero
its Oaxacan heartland, you can see it made the traditional way
W H AT D O E S M E ZC A L
M E A N TO YO U ?
Mezcal isn’t just a trend or
Agave, or maguey in the ancient Nahuatl a slice of orange and sal de gusano, a mix of salt, something to be sold — it’s
language of the Aztecs, has been part of chilli and toasted and ground agave worms. part of who we are. The
Mesoamerican culture for thousands of years. Mezcal can only be made from agave plants agave plant has been part
This rosette plant with spiny, blue-green native to Mexico. Nine states can legally of my family history since
leaves can grow up to 10 feet high and is one produce the spirit, but the largest producer in the 18th century. We make
of Mexico’s most revered plants. Throughout the country is Oaxaca. This southern Mexican mezcal in clay pots and bury
the country’s history, it’s been used as a source state is home to hundreds of family-owned, it underground, not because
of food, clothing, medicine and, since the artisanal distilleries and considered the it makes us more money (it
Spanish conquest in the early 16th century, to heartland of mezcal. Here, mezcal-making doesn’t) or because it’s easy
make spirits like tequila and mezcal. traditions are deeply entwined with the lives (it’s not), but because it’s how
The ancestor of tequila, mezcal — derived of rural Oaxaqueños, and fiercely protected. our fathers and grandfathers
from the word mexicali, meaning ‘cooked You can try the drink in almost every bar in made it, and how we want
agave’ in Nahuatl — was born after the Oaxaca City, the state capital, but the best way our children to make it.
Spanish introduced distillation to Mexico. to understand this storied tipple is by visiting
Today, most producers continue making one of its palenques: rustic distilleries among W H AT C H A L L E N G E S
mezcal using 16th-century methods: the heart fields of corn and neatly planted rows of agave. A R E YO U FAC I N G ?
of the plant is smoked underground for several In this part of rural Oaxaca, where smoke rises Mezcal became famous
days before being crushed by a millstone constantly from bubbling clay and copper almost overnight, so
known as a tahona, usually drawn by horses distillation pots, fourth- and fifth-generation producers didn’t have time
or oxen. The pulp is then added to wooden mezcaleros and mezcaleras still produce the to prepare for the growing
vats for fermentation, followed by at least two spirit as their ancestors did 500 years ago. demand. Now, without
distillations. The result is a smooth, smoky proper regulation, the land
and seriously punchy spirit, with an ABV of Most palenque visits require an organised tour is being overexploited and
38% to 55%, depending on the brand. or private guide. Oaxaking, Tlayudona and some agave varieties are in
Increasingly popular in bars from New York Culinary Backstreets can all arrange trips from danger of becoming extinct.
to London, mezcal is traditionally drunk neat Oaxaca City. oaxacking.com tlayudona.com.mx We founded an agave seed
from copitas (small cups), and often served with culinarybackstreets.com bank and nursery to collect,
document and propagate as
many disappearing species
THREE OA X AC A DI STILLERIE S TO VI SIT as we can.
Mezcal FaneKantsini La Candelaria Gracias a Dios W H AT M A K E S G O O D

FaneKantsini is part of a mezcal Located in Santa Catarina Minas, Santiago Matatlán, dubbed M E ZC A L A N D H OW
cooperative called Tres Colibri, this is where Eduardo ‘Lalo’ the world capital of mezcal, SHOULD WE DRINK IT?
IMAGES: ANDREW REINER; ALAMY
which is headed by master Angeles produces his Mezcal is where you’ll find Gracias Good mezcal, just like any
mezcalera Sosima Olivera Lalocura, which is distilled a Dios, a sustainability- good cheese or wine, should
Aguilar — part of a growing exclusively in clay pots. Espadin, focused palenque that uses taste of where it comes from.
community of female mezcal tepeztate and pechuga, the recycled bottles and corks, Always drink it neat, and
producers fighting for gender latter a mezcal that’s distilled irrigates 60% of its fields in good company.
equality in Oaxaca’s male- with a raw chicken breast inside using rainwater, and plants realminero.com.mx
dominated mezcal industry. it, are usually available for around 5,000 trees per year.
fanekantsini.com tastings. mezcallalocura.com thankgad.com
M AY 2 0 24 75
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MEXICO
C IT Y LI F E
Amid art deco architecture and

Frida Kahlo art, find remnants of
pre-Hispanic traditions and an
Indigenous crafts scene in Mexico City
Kayak the ancient canals of Xochimilco

Before the Spanish conquest in 1521, Mexico City,
then called Tenochtitlán, was built on two small
islands inside Lake Texcoco. Surrounded by
water, the Aztecs built canals and floating farms
called chinampas to feed and house its growing
population. Today, all that remains of these
ancient waterways are in Tláhuac and Xochimilco,
a neighbourhood 15 miles south of Mexico City’s
Centro Historico. Flat-bottomed party boats
called trajineras cruise Xochimilco’s canals daily,
but a guided kayaking trip offers a more tranquil
— and environmentally friendly — visit. Tours
offer the chance to spot Xochimilco’s wildlife,
including the critically endangered axolotl
salamander and more than 200 bird species, while
learning about the history and science behind
chinampas, which still provide food for Mexico
City residents today. abnb.me/tD5Q0J9WmHb
Sip on pulque, the drink of the Aztec gods

At least 2,000 years old, pulque — a drink made
from the fermented sap of agave, the same
plant that’s used to make tequila and mezcal
— is Mexico’s oldest alcoholic beverage. During
the Aztec empire, pulque was considered a
sacred drink, reserved for gods, emperors and
IMAGES: AWL IMAGES; MERCADO DE ARTESANÍAS LA CIUDADELA
ceremonial events. The introduction of beer and

distilled spirits by the Spanish in the 16th century
marked the beginning of the end for pulque,
with many of Mexico City’s pulquerias — taverns
specialising in the drink — eventually closing
between the early 20th and 21st centuries. But
a recent resurgence has seen several reopen
across the city, making it one of the best places in
Mexico to try the tipple. La Canica — a pulqueria
in the Tabacalera neighbourhood, run by a
family that has been in the pulque business for
five generations — takes a modern approach to
An artisan working the ancient drink, infusing freshly made pulque
at Mercado de with dozens of seasonal flavours, from guava
Artesanías La Ciudadela and mandarin to marzipan and toasted oats.
Above: Mexico City at dusk instagram.com/pulquerialacanica
M AY 2 0 24 77
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MEXICO
Museo de Arte Popular

houses a large collection of
handicrafts in Mexico City
Try Mexico City’s ancient caviar giant alebrijes — mythical creatures made Experience Mexican folk dance at
Ahuautle — which loosely translates to ‘seeds from wood or papier-mâché. High-quality El Ballet Folklórico de México
of joy’ in the Aztec language of Nahuatl and crafts from almost every Mexican state are Founded in 1952 by choreographer and
are also known as water fly eggs — were displayed thematically over several floors, dancer Amalia Hernández, Ballet Folklórico
sacred to the ancient Aztecs. During the rainy including ceramics from Jalisco, piñatas from celebrates Mexico’s diverse folkloric traditions
season, a type of water fly called Axayácatl Puebla and ceremonial masks from Chiapas. through dance, music and traditional dress.
would lay its eggs in Lake Texcoco, which Particularly striking are the Arbol de la Vida The performance takes the audience from
were harvested for Aztec emperors and used (Tree of Life) pieces — colourful, intricate clay Mexico’s ancient past up to the Mexican
as offerings to the gods. Montezuma, one of sculptures depicting the creation of life — and Revolution in 1910, travelling through the
the last emperors of the Aztec empire, is said the small but impressive Day of the Dead craft states of Oaxaca, Jalisco, Sonora, Zacatecas,
to have eaten them every morning to improve collection. map.cdmx.gob.mx Guerrero and more. Many of the dances take
his strength. Hard to get hold of and up to four inspiration from Mexico’s Indigenous cultures,
times more expensive per kilo than beef, the Support indigenous crafts at Mercado such as the Deer Dance — a contemporary
eggs have been dubbed ahuautle, the ‘caviar’ de Artesanías La Ciudadela piece that depicts a pre-hunting ritual
of Mexico, by the capital’s chefs. Ayluardo’s, Just a few minutes’ walk from Museo de Arte practised by the Indigenous people of Sonora
in the Iztapalapa neighbourhood, in the Popular is this hub for artisans, Mexico City’s and Sinaloa — and the Guelaguetza, a folkloric
east of Mexico City, is one of only a handful largest and best arts and crafts market. It’s ballet inspired by the ceremonial dances of
of restaurants in the capital that still has home to 350 stands selling a huge variety of the Mixtec and Zapotec people of Oaxaca.
ahuautle on the menu. It serves the water fly crafts, or artesanias in Spanish, from all over Performances are held at the Palacio de
eggs — the taste is intensely fishy, similar to Mexico, including handblown glass from Bellas Artes — a white-marbled, art nouveau
dried shrimp — in pancakes with tomatillo (a Jalisco, silver jewellery from Guerrero and palace commissioned by president Porfirio
bright green, acidic fruit native to Mexico) and patterned chaquira beadwork from Jalisco, Díaz in 1905 — on Wednesdays at 8.30pm
serrano chilli sauce. facebook.com/ayluardos crafted by the indigenous Huichol people. and Sundays at 9.30am and 8.30pm.
For beautiful ceremonial Mayan masks balletfolkloricodemexico-com-mx
Browse the Museo de Arte Popular made of wood and obsidian, head to stand
In the historic centre of Mexico City is the 104, where you’ll often see the craftsman Journey Latin America offers flexible,
Museo de Arte Popular, a beautifully designed at work. Also seek out the artisans selling tailor-made holidays to Mexico City and
handicraft museum housed inside a 1920s amate paper art — colourful works painted other destinations across Mexico. Its
art deco building. The museum, which once onto paper made from the pulp of fig and 12-day Highlights of Mexico City and the
served as Mexico City’s fire department mulberry trees; the same type of paper was Yucatán trip starts from £2,230 per person,
IMAGE: ALAMY
headquarters, celebrates traditional Mexican once used by the ancient Aztecs and Mayas based on two people sharing and excluding
craftsmanship in all its forms, from textiles to produce manuscripts. facebook.com/ flights. journeylatinamerica.com
and pottery to children’s toys, furniture and mercadodeartesaniaslaciudadela mexicocity.cdmx.gob.mx
M AY 2 0 24 79
MEXICO
W I LD LI F E
In the highland forests of Michoacán, millions of monarch

butterflies arrive without fail every winter — and nature tours
are helping local communities safeguard their future
‘I gazed in amazement at the sight’ reads a At El Rosario, we mount horses to help

photocopy of a 1976 National Geographic article us reach the monarch colony. When the
on my lap. The words are bouncing on the page steep, muddy trail opens into a clearing, we
as the truck flies over steep mountain roads, dismount and continue on foot. Raindrops
but I can’t stop reading. ‘Butterflies — millions hang from pine needles like icicles and I see
upon millions of monarch butterflies!’ a flash of green and red as a white-eared
The monarch’s wintering home — a mystery hummingbird sips on nectar.
to scientists until the 1970s — was confirmed With every step, the number of dead or
when Canadian zoologist Fred Urquhart and drowsy butterflies resting on the forest floor
American entomologist Lincoln Brower were multiplies. Their wings, thin as parchment
called to the northern Michoácan mountains in paper, are a deep orange with black veins and
early 1976. Urquhart had spent 30 years studying white spots along the edges. “We’re getting
their winter migration and the discovery made close,” whispers one of our guides, Eric Ramirez.
the cover of National Geographic a few months Up ahead, I spot enormous native oyamel
later, with a feature written by him. fir trees covered in a strange textured shadow
Almost 50 years on, I’m making the same that runs along the trees’ midriffs, like an
journey to Mexico’s Central Highlands, hoping embroidered dress woven in grey and pale
to see the world’s greatest insect migration for orange threads; their branches droop and sway
myself. These days it’s possible to take a tour. with great effort in the wind. “We’re here,” says
I’ve joined a five-day trip to El Rosario and Sierra Eric, excitement ringing in his voice.
Chincua, two UNESCO-protected sanctuaries in It takes me a moment to realise but, just as
the Highlands. Between November and March, Urquhart had described, thousands of monarchs
IMAGES: FERNANDO ROMO; COURT WHELAN
they become the wintering grounds for millions are clinging to the trees in thick clumps with
of monarch butterflies seeking refuge from the wings closed tight, like a beehive protecting its
freezing temperatures in North America. queen. While a single monarch weighs less than
Our open-air truck rattles on a cobbled road a gram, their combined weight is heavy enough
as we climb to 9,850 feet above sea level. Now to warp the branches of an ancient oyamel
and again I get a glimpse of the mighty Sierra tree. Despite never visiting this forest before
Madre: a chain of densely forested mountains — it takes at least four or five generations of
From left: A guide in the Monarch
cloaked in wisps of pearl-coloured fog, or monarchs to complete the round-trip from North Butterfly Biosphere Reserve;
perhaps smoke from a village cooking fire. America to central Mexico — the butterflies monarch butterflies huddle
Cowboys ride the cobbled streets on horseback, return to the same group of fir trees every year, around a tree in a ‘roost’ to protect
trailed by dogs that look like polar bears. huddling in ‘roosts’, to minimise predation. themselves from predators
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MEXICO
A single monarch “It’s a mystery how they know where to go,”

Eric tells me as we take a closer look through a
are at their lowest-ever numbers. According
to WWF, their population has declined by
weighs less than telescope. “Brower had a theory that they use
magnetite crystals in the earth to navigate, but
90% in the last two decades due to illegal
logging in Mexico, the use of herbicides in
a gram, but their we don’t know for certain.” the US and Canada, and extreme weather
The next morning, 11 miles north in the conditions caused by global warming.
combined weight butterfly sanctuary of Sierra Chincua, the Conservation organisations such as WWF
is heavy enough to
sun pierces through the clouds, warming the and the Michoacán Reforestation Fund are
monarchs’ wings and sending them fluttering working with land owners and governments to
warp the branches into the air. Their deep orange sets the blue sky
ablaze, as if someone has lit a million pieces of
reduce deforestation and protect the monarchs’
wintering grounds. Sustainable wildlife
of an ancient tree paper on fire and dropped them from a plane.

Surrounded, I’m sure I can hear their wings
tourism — the most obvious alternative to
logging — could be part of the solution.
beating through the air, like a whisper in my ear. “We know monarch populations can bounce
“If you’re quiet enough, you can hear them back quickly given the chance,” says Fernando
talking,” says a man next to me. He’s a mezcal Romo, who’s been guiding monarch tours
producer from the nearby city of Zitacuaro, like this one for Natural Habitat Adventures,
visiting with his family. I ask who he means by WWF’s official tourism partner, in Michoacán,
‘them’. “Our ancestors,” he responds. for over 20 years. “I’ve noticed big changes in
Monarchs often arrive in Mexico around Dia the town of Angangueo — more children are
de los Muertos (Day of the Dead; 1 -2 November), going to school, houses are in better condition,
a time when Mexicans believe the departed can and there’s very little illegal logging within the
rejoin their families for feasting and celebration. sanctuaries now. That’s all down to tourism.”
The timing led the Purépecha — an Indigenous Whether the only known butterfly
group that settled in Michoacán around the 11th migration on Earth will still exist in another
century — to believe monarchs were the souls 50 years is uncertain. But, for now, Mexico’s
of their ancestors returning to Earth. conservation efforts and the commitment of
“You think this is beautiful,” says Diego local communities gives me some hope for the
Gonzalez, our guide in Sierra Chincua, as monarchs’ survival.
IMAGE: COURT WHELAN
the butterflies flutter back to their branches.

“I remember when we had 400 trees full of Natural Habitat Adventures’ six-day Kingdom
Above: Travellers visit Cosmovitral Botanical monarchs — you couldn’t see the sky there of the Monarchs tour runs from November
Garden in the Indigenous settlement of Toluca were so many.” to early March. Prices start from US$4,995
as part of the Natural Habitat Adventures’ It’s difficult to believe while I’m surrounded (£3,920) per person, excluding international
Kingdom of the Monarchs tour by thousands of them, but monarch butterflies flights. nathab.com
M AY 2 0 24 83
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MEXICO
S LOW TR AV E L
TH R E E R A R Á MU R I
E X PE R I E N C E S
H U E TO S AC H I C O O K I N G
& W E AV I N G C L A S S
Seek out the local women
offering traditional cooking
and weaving classes in their
homes in the small Rarámuri
Take an epic rail adventure into the Copper Canyon for river kayaking, village of Huetosachi, located
zip-lining and opportunities to learn from Indigenous communities 59 miles north of Divisadero
station (the penultimate stop
on the Chepe Express). You
might also learn how to make
pinole — an ancient drink made
with ground corn that Rarámuri
runners use to fuel their
ultra-marathons — as well as
tortillas made with nutritional
blue corn. Then comes the art
of basket-weaving using the
leaves from local yucca and
sotol plants.
experienciasraramuri.com/
huetosachi-experience
THE GIANTS TR AIL

Copper Canyon’s rocky cliffs
and deep ravines mean that
many parts of it can only be
accessed on foot. Generations
of Rarámuri runners have
carved hundreds of trails into
the canyon, many of which
carry their own legends.
Take a guided hike of the
three-hour Giants Trail, led by
runners from the Bacajipare
community, to learn about
Los Ganocos — mischievous
The Chepe Express travels through giants that are said to roam the
ravines and alongside rivers canyon near the Urique River.
experienciasraramuri.com
M U S E O TA R A H U M A R A D E
Travelling 220 miles through northwestern world’s second-longest zip-line at Copper A RT E P O P U L A R
Mexico from the coastal city of Los Mochis Canyon Adventure Park; and kayaking along Located in Creel’s old train
in Sinaloa to the mountain town of Creel the forest-flanked El Fuerte river. station, this museum traces
in Chihuahua, the Chepe Express is one of But perhaps the most unique experience the history of the Rarámuri
Mexico’s few long-distance passenger trains in Copper Canyon is spending time with the people, from life in Chihuahua
— and an epic one at that. It runs through Rarámuri, an Indigenous group who have lived 2,000 years ago to the present
ravines, deserts, gorges and rivers, via 37 bridges in the state of Chihuahua for nearly 2,000 day. The collection includes
and 86 tunnels, to reach Copper Canyon, a years. The arrival of the Spanish in the 16th displays of art, textiles and
chain of six UNESCO-protected rocky canyons. century pushed them into the most remote other cultural artefacts,
Combined, they form a gorge that’s four times parts of Copper Canyon. Today, the Rarámuri, as well as photographs by
larger than the Grand Canyon in the US. which loosely translates to ‘runners on foot’ French photographer Gerard
The journey, which takes nine hours to in the Rarámuri language, are best known Tournebize, who lived with
complete, can be done in a day. However, a for their long-distance running abilities, local and documented the lives of
hop-on, hop-off ticket allows passengers to recipes and basket-weaving skills. Rarámuri people in Copper
explore Copper Canyon’s towns and sights Canyon from 1989 to 1991.
at a slower pace, staying in hotels or Airbnbs A one-way trip from Los Mochis to Creel starts instagram.com/museo.
IMAGE: GETTY
along the route. Highlights include visiting from 2,887 MXN (£134), or 4,301 MXN (£200) tarahumara
vineyards and waterfalls around the 17th- for a round-trip. Tickets can be booked via the
century Jesuit town of Cerocahui; riding the Chepe Express website. chepe.mx
M AY 2 0 24 85
MEXICO
OV E RL A N D I N G
Unfurling for more than 750 miles down a stick-thin peninsula, Baja California has long been known
for water adventures — but new off-roading tours help travellers see it from a different perspective
Gripping the roof handle and staring silently watching in Guerrero Negro and swimming trip. The company has specialised in whale-
over the dashboard, I avert my gaze from the with sea lions on Espiritu Santo Island. watching, kayaking and wild camping in the
160ft drop to my left. There’s just six inches During those long drives, I’d stare out at state since the 1970s, but has recently branched
of dirt road standing between us and the cliff the stark desert landscape for hours: salt- out with off-roading tours to encourage visitors
edge: one wrong move from our driver, and the encrusted greasewood shrubs and giant to explore the peninsula’s less-visited interior.
pickup truck we’re in is going straight into the cardón cacti sprouted from swathes of sand “People think Baja is just beaches and
Sea of Cortez. and clay-red mountains, which often turned whales,” says our driver Mike Thorneycroft,
The first time I visited Mexico’s Baja candyfloss pink at sunset. But what caught my a Canadian who moved to Baja California in
California, the world’s second-longest eye were the narrow dirt tracks, hundreds of 2020. “But it’s more than that. These trips are
peninsula, it was on a backpacking trip through them crisscrossing the desert like a map drawn about getting people out of the resorts and into
Central America. I hitchhiked and bussed over in the sand, veering off the highway towards Baja’s least-visited communities, and learning
650 miles from Tijuana, on the border with the sun-baked sierras and hidden turquoise coves. some of their history and culture.”
US, to Todos Santos, just short of Baja’s most One day, I thought to myself, I’d return to Baja Mike gets us past the cliff edge safely,
southerly point, Cabo San Lucas. Travelling California to see where those roads led. manoeuvring around asteroid-sized potholes
along the Carretera Transpeninsular, I Five years on, I’ve come to La Paz, in the and boulders with ease as we climb up and
stopped at every major town along Baja’s main south of the Baja California peninsula, to over Sierra de la Laguna, part of a mountain
highway, wine-tasting in Ensenada, whale- join Baja Expeditions’ first-ever overlanding range that connects Baja California Sur,
Clockwise from left:
Cacti punctuate
the desert outside
La Ventana in Baja
California Sur; chocolate
clams are native to the
region of Baja California;
Chileno Bay Beach and
rock formations near
Cabos San Lucas; a
mobula ray, also called
manta cubana, flying
over the Sea of Cortez
the southern state of Baja California, with changing quickly in the rainy season. But cactus as if they were whiskers. He’s been
southern California in the US. On slightly that’s what makes it exciting.” caring for the plants here for more than 30
wider roads, I start to relax and take in the Near the former silver-mining town of years and offers guided tours of the garden for
views: unlike the parched desert I’d seen from El Triunfo, we stop at the Santuario de los a small donation. “But this knowledge comes
IMAGES: AWL IMAGES; LA PAZ TOURISM TRUST; GETTY
the highway years ago, these mountains are Cactus, a community-run garden with some from the Indians. There are none left here
lush from recent hurricane rains, flourishing of the oldest and rarest cacti on earth, now, but we know how to survive in the desert
with lime-green mesquite trees and pink and including the cardón, the world’s largest because of them.”
yellow wildflowers. We cross arroyos — dry cactus. The garden’s grey-moustached Before the Spanish arrived, Baja California
riverbeds that fill up after heavy rainfall — volunteer caretaker, Guadalupe ‘Lupe’ was inhabited by three major Indigenous
flowing with crystalline water, where orange Gonzalez, shows us around, pointing out groups: the Cochimí, the Guaycura and the
butterflies and free-roaming piglets from a which cacti fruits are edible and how to Pericú. Ancient rock paintings in Sierra de
nearby ranch are taking a drink. A vulture and extract water from their flesh. He also shows San Francisco, around 465 miles north of
a flaming red cardinal bird join soon after. us cacti species used to treat kidney stones, where I am and described by UNESCO as
“Baja California is perfect for off-roading,” stomach aches and open wounds. some of the most impressive collections of
says Mike, who organises and competes in “I learnt about the medicinal properties rock paintings in the world, suggest that
long-distance off-road rallies across the state. of cacti from the rancheros (ranchers),” says these tribes had lived on the peninsula for at
“The roads are rocky, wild and unpredictable, Lupe, caressing the spines of a 400-year-old least 10,000 years.
M AY 2 0 24 87
MEXICO
GETTING THERE & AROUND

There are direct flights from the UK
to both Cancun and Mexico City.
TUI flies to Cancun from Gatwick,
Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol,
Newcastle, Doncaster Sheffield,
Edinburgh and Glasgow, while British
Airways and AeroMexico fly to Mexico
City from Heathrow. tui.co.uk ba.com
aeromexico.com
Average flight time: 10-12h.
Mexico is a huge country and there’s
Sunset in Cabo San Lucas no national rail network, so getting

on the southern tip of the between states requires either
Baja California peninsula long-distance bus journeys or flying.
Private bus companies such as ADO
and ETN offer comfortable overland
transport to many states across
Although the Spanish colonised Baja with a warm glow. A family of pelicans Mexico, including Oaxaca, Yucatán,
California much later than Mexico’s mainland, — each one resembling a light aircraft — skim Mexico City and Michoacán. Mexico
around the late 17th century, the culture across the water with mouths agape, hoping City Airport is the country’s main
and history of these local Indigenous groups to catch one of the flying fish backflipping air transport hub, with multiple
was erased more quickly than in the rest of through the air. Eager to join the action, daily national flights to most states
Mexico. Some experts believe this is because I roll out of the tent and into the sea, plunging operated by AeroMexico, Viva
the region’s Indigenous groups were nomadic head first into the crystal-clear water with Aerobus and Volaris. ado.com.mx
hunter-gatherers, who lacked the big cities my mask and snorkel. Below the surface etn.com.mx aeromexico.com
and societal structures that helped preserve is an underwater city made of coral and vivaaerobus.com volaris.com
the legacies of the Mayans and Aztecs in other volcanic rock, and colourful fish: I see a long,
Mexican states. Today, very few Indigenous translucent cornetfish; a tiny cortez rainbow WHEN TO GO
groups remain, with most living in the north wrasse; and an enormous shoal of California Mexico’s weather can vary depending
of Baja California. yellowtail, the soft morning light bouncing on the region, but generally the dry
After a few hours of driving along the off their tinfoil-like skin. season runs from December to April,
spectacular Barriles Santa Teresa coastal It’s tempting to stay longer on this wild, with the coolest months between
road, we make the steep descent to Palo empty beach, lounging on the rocks and December and February. In Mexico’s
Blanquito beach, where we’ll be spending floating in the warm turquoise waters as the southern states, such as Yucatán, the
the night. It’s a wild strip of sand, where resident pelicans do. But Mike has packed climate is humid, whereas the far north
milky-red cliffs crumble into a dazzling up camp and started the engine — it’s time can be much drier. On the Caribbean
turquoise sea studded with volcanic rock. to continue our journey through the desert coast, temperatures will rarely drop
Come sunset, it’s just our truck on the beach roads of Baja California. “That’s the thing below 28C in the winter, but in places
and a flock of pelicans floating on the with overlanding,” says Mike, opening the with higher elevation, such as Mexico
dead-still water, like rubber ducks in a passenger door for me to get in. “There’s City and Michoacán, temperatures can
jade-coloured bath. We eat refried beans and always one more road to explore.” drop to as low as 5C during the night.
chicken burritos under the stars, watching a
brilliant-white crescent moon rise over the Cazenove + Loyd runs tailor-made, luxury MORE INFO
water. That night, I sleep to the sound of the holidays across Mexico and Baja California, visitmexico.com
waves lapping gently at the shoreline. which can combine multi-day overlanding trips mexicocity.cdmx.gob.mx
The next morning, I watch the beach come with whale-watching tours, kayaking, scuba yucatan.travel
IMAGE: GETTY
to life from my tent. As the sun rises above diving and more. A 10-day example itinerary oaxaca.travel
the horizon, the sea turns from liquid silver to to Mexico starts from £5,200 per person, bajacalifornia.travel
light pink, illuminating the inside of the tent excluding flights. cazloyd.com golapaz.com michoacan.travel
In the southern reaches of Vietnam, life has revolved around the water
for hundreds of years. Here, in the Mekong Delta and on the Con Dao
islands of the South China Sea, communities continue to embrace old
ways while looking to the future in this rapidly developing pocket of Asia
W O R D S : L O R N A PA R K E S . P H O T O G R A P H Y: U L F S VA N E
M AY 2 0 24 91
THE RIVER HAS EYES.
Flashes of blood red and pearly white peer through There are over 220,000 acres of plantations in Ben Tre,
curtains of coconut palms along the riverbank. Others push producing 600 million coconuts a year. They’re exported
through the flotsam and jetsam of the Mekong, breaking as far afield as Japan and South Korea for their water, milk,
up congregations of swollen-stalked water hyacinths and flesh and fibres, but the riverbanks still resemble a hive of
coconut husks borne along by the torpid current. Legend cottage industries.
has it that this mighty waterway is ruled by river monsters, “Mekong river culture has existed in Vietnam for
but these fiery eyes are painted onto boats — big ones laid hundreds of years,” says Jerry. He tells me that although he
low with mountains of coconuts, little ones ferrying fishing was raised in Ho Chi Minh City, he grew up visiting family
traps and fruit farmers cradling jackfruits and durians. in the Mekong, learning to swim in these tributaries using
“It’s a tradition of the area to decorate boats like this,” coconut husks as buoyancy aids, and feasting on coconut
says my guide Jerry Le, baseball cap in hand, his American- flesh as well as spiders, snails and turtles. “The Mekong
inflected drawl lifted onto the breeze that follows in the was a very poor region in the past and people didn’t have
wake of a large cargo ship passing our open-sided sampan many choices on what they ate,” he explains. In recent
boat. “We believe the eyes are a window to the soul, so by years, Vietnam’s government has instigated a programme
painting the eyes on, they’re giving the boats a soul. Then to attract international investors to the Mekong, improving
the boats help protect their owners — especially at night.” public infrastructure and living conditions, but Jerry says
Known locally as the Nine Dragon River, the Mekong many things remain largely the same. “People do still eat
has so many limbs that it’s easy to get lost in its anatomy. turtle,” he says with a shrug.
It writhes for 2,700 miles from China through Myanmar, Turtle certainly isn’t on the menu for travellers, but
Laos, Thailand and Cambodia until eventually erupting in it isn’t long before I get to try the province’s ubiquitous
Vietnam at its widest point, where I’m sailing its delta for coconuts. On the Co Chien River islet of Ho, I find Tan Kiet
three days. From Ho Chi Minh City, we’d driven two hours Nguyen halfway up a palm tree, his toes curled around the
south west to a tiny jungle dock at Mo Cay near the point trunk as he reaches to twist off the fruit he’ll use to make
where the river drains into the South China Sea. The plan is welcome drinks. He and his wife, Thi Hang Huynh, are one
to head deeper west into its tributaries to reach the Mekong of eight households on the tiny off-grid island that have
city of Can Tho. banded together to diversify their fruit-growing incomes
Boat tours are part of the river’s modern currency and by offering garden tours and meals for visitors. “All the
hotels have taken root on its islands, but at heart the island kids learn to climb coconut palms when they’re
Mekong remains an agricultural region. Responsible for around 12,” Thi Hang says, laughing, as I watch Tan Kiet Clockwise from
a third of Vietnam’s total agrarian output, the delta is shimmy back down the tree. top left: Preparing
the country’s biggest producer of rice, fruit and seafood. As the government pushes for development in the coconut fibres at a
Life and water intertwine. Family tombs punctuate the Mekong region, Ho is an example of life pushing against riverside factory in
rice paddies that unfold from riverbanks into farms that the tide — life is lived off-grid and there are no cars or Ben Tre province;
locals use shallow
have been passed down through generations. Fishing motorbikes, just earthen paths winding through orchards
boats to get around
communities subsist in pontoon shacks in its tributaries. of ballooning jackfruit and pomelos. Settled a century ago
the Mekong Delta;
In Ben Tre province, where my boat has launched, by a couple of farming families, the community has grown
coconuts are
coconuts are at the heart of life for entire communities. to 24 households. My tour of the island’s village weaves brought to market
We motor past women hunched in their riverside front between family plots to hammock-strung homes where Previous pages:
yards, husking their harvests with machetes. Open-sided I sip tea the colour of sapphires, made from butterfly pea The fishing harbour
barns are piled high with coconuts ready for processing. flowers; cook crispy ban xeo pancakes stuffed with garden at Con Son island
VIETNA M
M AY 2 0 24 93
VIETNA M
herbs and river prawns; and try fiery bitter-melon rice wine do with migration prompted by the civil war that tore apart
that’s been brewed in a homemade earthenware pot still. Vietnam’s neighbour from the late 1960s.
Ho’s community has grown but the land it lives off “They came here to build a community in 1653,” he says.
has shrunk because of landslides — one reason why the “The temple complex was originally built to house the
residents are looking for extra income from travellers. community and protect them from tigers, crocodiles and
The islet isn’t alone in this battle. Land in the Mekong is scorpions.” Only scorpions remain in the Mekong Delta
routinely being eroded. Research from the Mekong River today, but on arrival at the complex, its high walls still give
Commission, an intergovernmental body established in the impression of a fortress. Just behind the blood-red
1995 to monitor the region, shows climate change is making gates is a 20ft-tall golden seated Buddha floating on a lotus,
the delta increasingly fragile. Around 30% of this 15,560sq- behind which is a series of temple halls, cremation rooms
mile region is below sea level and the forecast rise in global and quarters that sleep up to 200 monks at a time.
sea levels is expected to increase both the salinity and the Vietnamese religious life is complex, often incorporating
risk of flooding in Vietnam’s food bowl. elements of Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Cao Daoism
and, in some areas, Catholicism — the latter largely due
Rural ways to French colonialism. But here at Phu Ly 1, I also spy the
I get to see how closely delta life is intertwined with the eagle goddess Garuda from Hinduism carved into temple
water on a bike tour the next day, after a night on an island walls and stone plinths bearing the three-sided heads
near the town of My Tho. Miles of durian farms, irrigated made famous by Cambodia’s Angkor Wat. A monk in a
by the Mekong, line country roads. Residents fish from turmeric-coloured robe is setting up plastic chairs and 6ft-
porches, French doors flung open to catch the river breeze. tall speakers are crackling to life. “Community festival,”
Some abandoned brick houses crumble into the flaking explains our host monk with a smile.
banks, wide cracks pulling them apart at the seams. We’re soon back on the river, and my final stop that night
Not all Mekong communities live so close to the water’s is the region’s capital, Can Tho — the fifth-largest city in
edge. Jerry wants to show me the region’s Khmer villages, Vietnam, with a population of around 1.3 million. It hasn’t
Clockwise from top deep in the Mekong’s Vinh Long province, two-and-a-half always been so urban. “Ten years ago, Can Tho was just a
left: Tan Kiet Nguyen hours west of Ben Tre. Home to a large Khmer community rural district, but now we have hotels and nightlife,” says
scaling a coconut — an ethnic group primarily based in Cambodia — the Jerry, as our boat enters a water crossroads framed by
palm on Ho island area contains one of Vietnam’s most spectacular Khmer high-rise hotels. The night-market stalls that line riverside
in the Mekong; a
Buddhist complexes, the Phu Ly 1 temple. It’s a 20-minute promenades are lighting up like fireflies as dusk descends.
homemade feast
walk from the nearest river dock, and the stroll takes The city’s Cai Rang district is famed for its floating
cooked by villagers
us through a village where groups of men lounge in market — a feature of Mekong life for hundreds of years.
on Ho; the entrance
to Phu Ly 1 Khmer front yards after work, cradling Saigon beer bottles “Before the road network, everything was done by boat,”
Buddhist temple; and microphones, waiting for cues from tinny karaoke says Jerry. Approaching the market from the river the next
farmers now act as machines. We’re less than two hours from the Cambodian morning, I notice washing lines hanging outside many of
tour guides on Ho border, but Jerry says the Khmer presence here has little to the boats’ small cabins and decks slung with hammocks.
M AY 2 0 24 95
“Mobile housing,” says Jerry, nodding to the makeshift
living compartments — many of the people working here
live permanently aboard their boats.
Long bamboo poles hang from the boats, displaying
what’s for sale that day: onion, garlic and pumpkins, along
with huge quantities of watermelons roped together. But the
collection of sampans here are not exactly the vast floating
village I’d read about before my visit. Development means
this aspect of Can Tho life is slowly dying out, with more
people shopping off the back of motorbikes than boats.
“People want to move forward,” says Jerry emphatically,
clearly choosing his words carefully. “But we feel really sad
that this market probably won’t be here for our kids.”
Welcome to hell
My next stop is the Con Dao archipelago at the very
southeastern edge of Vietnam’s borders. Like the Mekong,
it’s a region on the brink of change.
As my plane comes in to land on the main inhabited island
of Con Son, I’m greeted by the sight of a small flotilla of
rainbow-coloured trawlers and squid boats, bobbing offshore
like a thousand tiny satellite islands. High mountains
covered in longan and bang nut trees line one side of the road
from the airport while the other overlooks miles of empty
beaches. Few tourists make it as far as these islands, but
developers are starting to wake up to their potential. Close
to the ferry terminal, builders are clearing seafront palms to
sink concrete foundations for new resorts.
Even 30 years ago, it would have been unthinkable
to have hotels on the island. “Con Dao used to be
called ‘hell on Earth’,” says my young guide Thi Nhuan
‘Pumpkin’ Nguyen later that day. Wearing white trainers
and a traditional conical hat, she leads me down quiet
backstreets in Con Son town, where grand villas recall its
French 19th-century colonists. Our destination is a notorious
prison nicknamed the Tiger Cages — one of several built
to house dissidents between 1887 and 1954, when Vietnam
was part of French Indochina. In the 1950s, the prisons were
inherited by the Americans during the Vietnam War. Now
they’re protected as a national monument.
We enter Phu Tuong prison to find the air inside still
and stale, the walls slick with mildew. Pumpkin’s father,
born in 1959, might have ended up here if things had
been different. “When he was young he was called to
fight in Con Dao with the resistance, but he was an only
son and my grandmother didn’t want him to go,” she
explains as we ascend a flight of stairs to a platform above
a row of open-roofed concrete pens. Info boards describe
VIETNA M
Cycling through
a backstreet in
Vinh Long province
M AY 2 0 24 97
VIETNA M
how prison guards used the vantage point to throw a A brighter future
concoction of limestone and water into cells, gluing Today, about a fifth of the island’s inhabitants are still
prisoners so they couldn’t move. military, but Con Dao sees its future in nature tourism.
Many Vietnamese were less fortunate than Pumpkin’s Dirt tracks used only by hikers and the occasional
dad. Fighters from all over the country went missing motorbike taxi take me across the spine of the island to
behind Con Dao’s palm-flanked shores when the town was deserted pebble coves inhabited by shy black squirrels.
used as a base for interrogation, imprisonment and One morning, I go clam collecting with a metal pail and
execution by the French and then Americans. At Hang an island guide, watching crabs skate across the sands
Duong cemetery, I find 2,000 tombs — half of them as we trawl the beach with a bamboo rake. On a pontoon
unnamed, simply embossed with the five-pointed yellow restaurant reached by boat, I eat Con Dao squid and crab
star of the national flag. The mood among the crowd of fished out of open sea nets.
Vietnamese visitors, however, is surprisingly festive. For They may be eaten elsewhere but here turtles are the
this is the resting place of Vo Thi Sau, a national hero who’s focus of conservation efforts. Little was known about
become synonymous with the islands. their movements around the islands until 2017, when
Aged 14, Vo Thi Sau joined the growing guerrilla staff from the Six Senses eco-lodge on Con Son island’s
movement against French occupation. It was the 1940s east coast discovered a female green turtle had come
and Vietnam was part of French Indochina. Eventually ashore to lay a clutch of eggs. The lodge immediately
captured and convicted, at the age of 19 she became the applied for a licence to run a turtle conservation
first woman to be executed on Con Dao — three years before programme and in 2018 became the only private-
the start of the Vietnam War that ravaged the country until sector hotel in Vietnam authorised to help protect this
1975. This grim fate has led Con Dao to become a pilgrimage 200-million-year-old species.
site for thousands of Vietnamese each year. As luck would have it, I’ve arrived on Con Dao just as the
Despite the cemetery’s size, Vo Thi Sau’s grave is easy final eggs of the season are hatching. “Normally, places
to find, surrounded by a throng of people. Decorated like where turtles lay their eggs have to be pristine. A mother
a shrine with her sepia portrait at the centre, it’s lit by turtle came to this beach six times this year, which is
incense, festooned with chrysanthemums and piled with very good,” explains Jun Nishimura, Six Senses’ assistant
paper offerings in the form of mock handbags, combs and sustainability manager. He leads me down wooden
Above from left: Raking
for clams on the beach jewellery sets — all the accoutrements of young womanhood boardwalks beneath a dense jungle canopy to the lodge’s
at Six Senses Con Dao; she might have enjoyed had her life taken a different course. mile-long swathe of sand. The hotel monitors the nesting
a clutch of baby green “We admire her courage,” says one young woman mourner with 24-hour beach cameras and the aid of local fishermen.
turtles awaiting release when I ask why she’s come. “She’s the spirit of the island.” To improve the turtles’ chance of survival, they relocate
M AY 2 0 24 99
VIETNA M
C A M B O D I A Ho Chi Minh City
Phu PHU LY 1
Ben Tre
Quoc HO ISLAND
Can Tho
CHINA
HANOI
HANG DUONG CEMETERY
V
LA
TIGER’S CAGE
IE
O
Con Son
TN
Con Dao
Islands
AM
CAMBODIA
Ho Chi Minh City South China Sea
50 miles

Vietnam Airlines flies direct to Ho Chi
Minh City from Heathrow, and offers
multiple daily departures to the Con
Dao islands from Ho Chi Minh City
and Can Tho in the Mekong. Carriers
including Singapore Airlines and
Thai Airways also fly to Ho Chi Minh
City with a stop. vietnamairlines.com
singaporeair.com thaiairways.com
Average flight time: 14h.
To explore the Mekong Delta, you’ll
need to use boats, taxis and hotel
shuttles. Con Dao has taxis and
motorbikes to hire.
WHEN TO GO
November to February is the best
time to visit southern Vietnam, with
comfortable humidity and fewer
downpours. In the Con Dao islands,
turtle-hatching season is from August
to November. Temperatures don’t vary
significantly in southern Vietnam, with
daytime highs in the mid- to late-20Cs.
The southern monsoon season runs
egg clutches to a sheltered incubation zone that mimics May to October.
their natural nest conditions. When I visit, I find a swarm
of palm-sized baby turtles. “It’s a one in 1,000 chance of WHERE TO STAY
survival if left to nature,” Jun explains. While island tides, The Island Lodge, Mekong Delta.
storm patterns, predators and fluctuating temperatures From VND5.8 million (£185), B&B.
can interfere with nesting grounds, ocean plastics and theislandlodge.com.vn
fishing nets also await the hatchlings that make it to the Azerai Can Tho, Mekong Delta.
sea. Although the islands are a national park, the protected From £185, B&B. azerai.com
zone doesn’t extend to the marine environment where the Six Senses Con Dao. From £915 a night,
local communities fish. B&B. sixsensescondao.com
The turtles’ first steps will biologically imprint them
with this beach’s location, drawing the females back when MORE INFO
it comes to laying their own eggs. “So far this year, we’ve vietnam.travel
had an 89% success rate with hatchlings, but it’s difficult to Lonely Planet Vietnam. £15.99
know what the survival rate is because they’re so small we
can’t tag them,” explains Jun. “We will only know in 25 to HOW TO DO IT
30 years’ time, if we see a mother return to this beach.” Brits can travel in Vietnam for up to 45
Once the hatchlings are transferred to the beach by days visa-free under the country’s new
trained handlers, we wait. “They’re programmed to go to visa waiver system. InsideAsia has an
the ocean,” says Jun, his bare feet in the surf, a nervous 11-night southern Vietnam itinerary
ILLUSTRATION: JOHN PLUMER
grin on his face. The baby turtle nearest my feet pauses, from £3,300 per person. It includes
flippers wiggling as if testing the breeze. Nature works four nights in Ho Chi Minh City, three
its magic and it’s off. “Good luck buddy!” calls Jun, as we nights in the Mekong Delta and four at
watch the tiny creature propel itself in an ungainly manner Above: A devotee pays Six Senses on Con Dao, some meals, all
across the sand. If it’s anywhere near as resilient as the their respects to the transport, some private guiding and
other locals around these southern waters, I’ve no doubt gods at the hilltop Van activities, but excludes international
it’ll be back. Son Pagoda in Con Dao flights. insideasiatours.com
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KEEPING TIME
AG E- O LD TR AD ITI O N S RU N D EEP O N TH E I S TRIAN COA S T I N C ROATIA , WITH
U N I Q U E MU S I C , L AN G UAG E AN D DAN C E S TI LL I N E VI D EN C E TO DAY AN D IT S
PEO PLE PRO U D LY WO RKI N G TO EN S U RE TH EI R S U RVIVAL FAR I NTO TH E FU T U RE
W O R D S : D A N I E L S TA B L E S . P H O T O G R A P H S : M AT E J A V R C K O V I C
IMAGE: GETTY
M AY 2 0 24 103
ISTRIA
TH E ROA R O F TH E C ROW D EC H O E S AGA I N ST

TH E 2 ,0 0 0 -Y E A R- O LD A RC H E S O F PU L A’ S
ROM A N A MPH ITH E ATRE , C UT TH RO U G H BY
TH E ME TA LLI C SC RE EC H O F SWO RD O N S H I E LD.
Two gladiators circle one another in the The Istrian peninsula is the largest in the
arena, kicking up dust with sandalled feet, Adriatic Sea, spanning Croatian, Italian
sweat dripping onto the dry earth. They each and Slovenian territory, with a Croatian
take a few tentative swipes before one fighter county, also called Istria, making up 90% of
connects with the crucial blow; his adversary its landmass. It came under control of the
staggers, clutching his side, then crumples in a Austrian Empire in the 19th century, and Italy
heap of leather and steel on the floor. between 1918 and 1947. It was then part of
For a split second the audience hesitates, Yugoslavia before becoming absorbed into the
unsure of what they’ve just seen. Then, newly minted country of Croatia in 1991.
the fallen warrior stands up, wipes fake “I have a friend whose grandfather was
blood from his brow with a grin and bows born in Austria, his father in Italy, himself in
enthusiastically. “And now, we will enjoy a Yugoslavia, and his son in Croatia — all without
procession of the best haircuts in Ancient leaving Pula,” says Vesna. “Governments
Rome!” the announcer proclaims over a come and go, but Istria just carries on being
crackling loudspeaker. itself. Technically most Istrians are ethnically
Proudly yet lightly — that’s how the Croatian Croats, but other Croatians say we’re Italian.
city of Pula wears its heritage. “Back in the Both wrong — we’re Istrian!”
first century, Pula was known as Pietas Julia,” Pula is Istria’s largest city, and its naturally
explains Vesna Jovicic, a local guide with protected harbour has long made it attractive
long gunmetal hair and thick-rimmed purple to invading forces, from the Romans and
sunglasses, when I meet her after the gladiator Franks to Napoleon and the Austro-Hungarian
show at the arena. “Emperor Vespasian had a Empire. Its streets are a picture book, telling
lover from Pula, called Antonia — a freed slave the story of its varied history. Vesna points
who became his companion after the death of up a sloping street which leads south of the
his wife. He built the amphitheatre for her.” amphitheatre, where medieval houses covered
Much has changed in the intervening in fading frescoes sit among Yugoslavia-era
centuries. The amphitheatre now hosts the tower blocks and modern apartment buildings.
annual Pula Film Festival, while British band “This street has a rock music cafe, a church, a
Florence and The Machine had graced its stage sex shop and an amphitheatre,” she says with
a few weeks before my arrival. In 2013, the a smile. “What more could you need?” Most of
arena even hosted the beatification of a saint, the buildings are hewn from gleaming white
priest Miroslav Bulešić, who was murdered for Istrian stone, an impermeable limestone
his beliefs in the 1940s. Still, its ancient stones which has been prized by successive invaders
have stood firm while the political sands have from the Goths to the Venetians. Around 90%
shifted time and again around Pula and the of the buildings in modern Venice are made
wider region of Istria in which it sits. Despite, from it — a physical manifestation of what is,
Left: Women wearing traditional
or perhaps because of, the mercurial political as I’m about to discover, a closely entwined
costume in Vodnjan, with pleated
skirts, puffed sleeves and aprons climate, Istria has developed vivid, proudly cultural relationship.
Previous pages: An aerial view of protected cultural traditions all of its own, in As we walk through the old town, Vesna
the city of Pula, showing the well- music, dance and languages. It’s these that reminisces about the celebrities she’d seen in
preserved Roman amphitheatre I’ve come to explore. Pula in her youth: Elizabeth Taylor walking
M AY 2 0 24 105
ISTRIA
arm-in-arm with President Tito of Yugoslavia, tones and semitones evenly spaced within
her husband Richard Burton (who was playing a scale, Istrian folk makes extensive use of
Tito in the 1973 movie The Battle of Sutjeska) improvisation and microtones — the notes
trailing behind. Tito loved Istria, spending that would fall in between the keys of a
four months of the year in villas on the piano. “This music is very free — it’s difficult
Brijuni Islands, around five miles from Pula. to understand for formal musicians,” says
Today, the islands are a national park, where Dario. Classical composers have attempted to
peacocks wander wild and the rocky coastline codify Istrian music into formal scales but the
is imprinted with the 130-million-year-old inexact spacing of the notes means they defy
footprints of their ancestors, the dinosaurs. easy categorisation.
Vesna takes me for lunch at the Amifteatar When Dario was asked to formally describe
Restaurant — she wants me to try Istrian olive Istrian folk music for its inclusion on
oil. “Pliny the Elder said it was the second-best UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list
in the Roman Empire,” she says, with a hint of in 2009, he settled on ‘two-part polyphony in
pride. It’s aromatic and grassy, and, like all the narrow intervals’. “It’s a mouthful, but it needs
finest olive oil, leaves a warming sensation in to be to describe it!” he says with a chuckle.
the throat. We enjoy it with bread and pršut, “The polyphony refers to the two singing
the jewel of Istrian cuisine: a cured ham dried voices, characteristic of our music.”
by the bora, a northerly wind which buffets the I had listened to some Istrian folk music
Adriatic Coast in the winter months and lends on YouTube before my trip. Woodwind
the meat a soft saltiness. instruments wrapped around dual voices,
Emanating from the restaurant speakers improvising in the microtonal way Dario had
is a soundtrack of bagpipes, recorders and described. To ears like mine, used to a rigid
voices, intertwining along unusual-sounding system of tones and semitones, the constant
scales: Istria’s unmistakable brand of folk use of microtones can sound dissonant or
music. Keen to learn more, I arrange to meet harsh. That much was evident from the
Dario Marušić after lunch, a musician who’s video’s comment section, where one rather
been at the forefront of the Istrian folk music ungenerous observer had suggested the music
revival for decades. He’s a tall man, with sounded like “someone stepping on a cat”.
white, spiky hair, his silver earring the only Istrian folk music is mainly found these
clue to a rock ‘n’ roll-tinged past. “When I was days in its natural habitat, in the villages
15, a friend lent me records by two English of the countryside. There are associations
bands, Pentangle and Steeleye Span,” he says. working to bring it to a wider audience, such
“I was enchanted so I went to England to find as KUD Uljanik. I walk with Dario to Pula’s
out more. I was amazed that there were young Forum Square, where the group is staging
people who looked like me, with long hair, a performance. The artists — numbering
rock musicians playing traditional folk tunes. around 20 — are dressed in traditional
Clockwise from top left: The harbour
I thought, why shouldn’t I do the same thing rural garb: the men in white shirts, leather
at Rovinj, which dates back to the sixth
in Istria?” waistcoats and knee-high boots, the women
century; former fisherman Edi Poropat
Istrian folk music presents special in flowing headscarves, white blouses and in his traditional ‘batana’ boat; a street
challenges when it comes to fusion with red pleated skirts. Musicians play bagpipes scene in Rovinj’s walled old town; the
Western styles, however. Unlike traditional made from sheep stomachs and huge recorders Croatian coast is home to many olive
Western music, which is based on the use of called roženice, while occasionally breaking groves, including this one near Pula
M AY 2 0 24 107
ISTRIA
Pula's Roman amphitheatre once

hosted gladiatorial battles and is
now mainly used as a concert venue
into microtonal polyphonic singing. As the

music unfolds, it begins to make more sense
to my untrained ears. “This is just music with
a different ABC, a different grammar,” says
Dario. “But anyone can learn to understand it.”
While the musicians play, the other performers
dance, circling one another with arms linked,
reminiscent of British country dancing.
After the performance, I get talking to one
of the dancers, Vanja Fornazar, a woman
of around 30. I ask her why she does it. “‘It
started out as something fun — I just liked
dancing,” she says. “But then it started to feel
like something important, to preserve this
traditional part of our culture.”
VA LO R I S I N G T H E PA S T
The next morning, I hire a car and drive 20
minutes north through forested countryside
to Vodnjan, a pretty town of imposingly
tall Venetian, gothic and baroque houses.
I visit one, Istrian de Dignan Ecomuseum,
a preserved 200-year-old home, whose
rooms bear the relics of both settlement and
migration. Gnarly looking agricultural scythes
and pitchforks are arrayed on a back wall; in
a corner sits a collection of 1950s suitcases,
placed there as if in anticipation of the need
for a quick getaway.
“A symbol of the people who went away
when the countries changed,” says Rosanna
Biasiol-Babić, the museum’s manager.
“Émigrés to Italy, most of them.” Between
the end of the Second World War and 1960, as
many as 350,000 Italian speakers fled the new
Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia in fear
of ethnic persecution by the government, an
event known as the Istrian-Dalmatian Exodus.
A silver statue of a Venetian gondola gleams
on a cabinet. “Venice was always a dream for
working people in Istria. They’d save up to go
there on their honeymoon.”
We sit at a heavy wooden dining table and
sip vin de rosa, a sweet, pink wine made with
dried grapes. On the table next to us is a copy
of Vodnjan Tales, a new series of graphic novels
bringing the region’s rich folklore to life,
featuring stories of inter-village rivalries and
fearsome devils. Rosanna tells me the museum
was set up in 2014. “To valorise the past,”
she says proudly. I sense a touch of defiance
infusing the nostalgia. This seems to be a
widespread impulse among Istrians: a desire
to preserve those cultural traditions which
transcend lines on maps. A result, perhaps, of
disillusionment with the region’s constantly
shifting national identity.
M AY 2 0 24 109
SHRINE OF
FÁTIMA
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The devotion to Mary at Fátima is deeply ingrained in the hearts of pilgrims,
drawing countless souls seeking solace, guidance, and miracles.
www.cityrama.pt
ISTRIA
I step outside into Vodnjan’s main doesn’t know their past, they can’t look into
plaza, the People’s Square, where another their future,” he says, nodding sagely, before
traditional music and dance performance breaking into a wide grin. “Also, it’s fun!”
is taking place, courtesy of the folklore
group of the Italian Community of Vodnjan- SA I N T S & S E A D O G S
Dignano. During the period of Venetian The last stop on my cultural tour is Rovinj, a
presence in Istria between the 12th and 18th half-an-hour drive north. It’s an impossibly
centuries, Vodnjan became a more significant pretty city of red-roofed Renaissance
settlement than Pula, which was ravaged buildings, squeezed tightly onto a bulbous
by a series of invasions and epidemics; as a headland like the seeds inside a pomegranate.
result, there’s still a greater proportion of As luck would have it, my visit to Rovinj
people of Venetian descent in Vodnjan today. coincides with the annual town festival
The costumes are influenced by Venetian — the feast day of St Euphemia — when
dress from the 18th century; the men in black traditional Istrian culture is at its most alive.
suits and red waistcoats, and the women in Euphemia was a martyr from Asia Minor who
brocaded tunics, their hair carefully styled was killed for her Christian faith in 303 CE.
into waves. Her statue, including the breaking wheel on
The songs, meanwhile, are sung in which she was tortured before being thrown
Istroveneto, a dialect of Venetian which many to the lions, graces the top of Rovinj’s baroque
of the performers speak at home. It’s one church. It sits on a rotating platform, doubling
of two Istrian languages influenced by the as a weathervane as it turns in the wind. Even
Venetian dialect; the other is Istriot, thought here, in the realm of saintly meteorological
to be spoken today by only around 1,000 reports, Istria’s Italianate cultural
people, spread across six villages. predilections are revealed. “When she faces
I get talking to one of the performers, a east, it means wind and rain,” says my guide
man of late middle age with a magnificent Mihaela Medić with a grimace as she shows me
white walrus moustache, named Livio Belci around the church. “But when she faces Italy,
— the erstwhile president of the folklore the weather is perfect.”
group. I express admiration for his costume. There’s a religious zeal in the air today.
From left: The city walls surrounding
the town of Rovinj were built in the “It takes us two hours to get ready,” he says. Euphemia’s coffin, said to have washed up
seventh century; a Vodnjan local in What’s the motivation to maintain these miraculously on Rovinj’s shores in 800 CE, is
traditional dress selling Istrian kroštule, centuries-old traditions, I ask. He twists his housed in the church, and this is the one day
sweet, deep-fried dough whiskers and closes his eyes. “If a person of the year when the public can view it. My
M AY 2 0 24 111
ISTRIA
Left: The pretty Lim Channel, which

runs for seven miles along a valley
inland from the coast north of Rovinj
10 miles SLOV E NI A
Adriatic
I s t r i a
Sea
Rovinj
HUNGARY Vodnjan
SLOVENIA ZAGREB
C R O AT I A
BOSNIA & Pula
HERZEGOVINIA
A
d
ri
ic
a
t
ITALY
Se
a

EasyJet flies direct from Gatwick to Pula
Airport between June and September.
Ryanair flies direct from Stansted
to Pula Airport between June and
September. easyjet.com ryanair.com
Average flight time: 2h10m.
Pula, Vodnjan and Rovinj are all easy to
traverse on foot, although their narrow
streets are not always easily accessible
for people in wheelchairs or with limited
mobility. Distances are short in Istria
and renting a car is the easiest way to
curiosity gets the better of me and I join the stubble, who agrees to take me on a sunset trip get around, though there is a good
queue of devotees. I get to the front and peer around the harbour. I climb into his wooden bus network between many towns and
into a stone sarcophagus, shrouded with red boat and sit on a central plank as we head out villages thanks to the Arriva network.
velvet; in the middle, lined with rows of flowers, on the water. arriva.com.hr
lies Euphemia, her skeleton now covered with “Hand-in-hand with the batana goes the
a wax effigy and dressed in robes of scarlet and bitinada, a special way of singing for us WHEN TO GO
gold. I then do as I have seen the faithful do fishermen, which made the time go quicker Istria has a temperate climate, with
before me: cross myself, drop a votive offering when we were working,” says Edi, standing warm summers and mild winters.
of a few euros into Euphemia’s collection box up to man the oars. “Our hands were busy, Daytime temperatures in August hit an
and raise my phone camera in salutation. so some of us imitated instruments with our average high of 27C, while the coldest
It’s late afternoon when I leave the church mouths, then one of us would sing songs about month, January, sees average highs of
and the sun has warmed Rovinj’s white Istrian the sea over the top.” He’s too shy to give me 7C. Spring is a lovely time to visit, with
stone to a flaxen gold. I walk downhill along a demonstration, but no matter — this being highs of around 21C in May.
cobbled streets to the harbour, where another festival time, there are groups of bitinada
special festival event is taking place: a regatta singers giving live performances in Rovinj’s WHERE TO STAY
of batanas, the traditional wooden boats bars tonight. I start to hear the music as we Grand Hotel Brioni, Pula. From £200,
which Rovinj’s fishermen used for centuries to turn back towards the harbour; it sounds like B&B. grandhotelbrioni.com
haul in the crabs, cod and sardines for which a barbershop quartet, with the deeper voices, Hotel Villa Valdibora, Rovinj. From
this stretch of the Adriatic Coast is famous. imitating basslines and drums, bouncing on €200 (£174), B&B. valdibora.com
The boats are flat-bottomed — a necessity due the still evening air.
to Istria’s hazardously rocky coastline — and The sun sinks over the church as we row MORE INFO
their name comes from the Italian battere (‘to back into the harbour, with St Euphemia’s Istria Tourism. istra.hr
beat’), a reference to the characteristic slap statue, gazing west towards Venice, a voided Rough Guide to Croatia. £16.99
they make on the surface of the water. silhouette against the pink and gold sky. It’s the
The regatta is a light-hearted affair, with last night of the festival, and there’s a carnival HOW TO DO IT
no competitive spirit on show from the atmosphere in the air. It’s a scene as timeless Completely Croatia offers a 14-night
participating fishermen beyond a jovial play as the ancient stones of Pula’s amphitheatre: tour of Istria and the nearby region of
fight between the two frontrunners, who cross children playing in the squares; cats stealing Kvarner, including stays in both Pula
the finish line neck and neck. Many of the away from restaurant tables with scraps of and Rovinj, from £2,649 per person.
batana owners are former fishermen who offer fish. All the while the plaintive melodies and Price includes flights from London,
tourist cruises to cover the cost of maintaining rhythmic bom-bom-bom of bitinada emanate transfers and car hire, as well as B&B
their boats. One of them is Edi Poropat, a from the harbourside bars, the batanas bobbing accommodation at a selection of luxury
grizzled sea dog with a chin dusted with salty in time on the Adriatic Sea. hotels. completelycroatia.co.uk
11 2 N AT I O N A LG E O G R A P H I C .CO M / T R AV EL
DISCOVER
HIDDEN GEM
IN ISTRIA
The breathtaking Baracija estate in Istria is on a hilltop
amidst vineyards and olive groves and offers a magical
retreat steeped in history. The estate was originally built
in the 19th century and boasts organic vineyards, utter
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www.baracija.hr
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A N I N C RE A S I N G LY FR AG I LE PL AC E O F BA RRE N S H O RE S L A PPE D BY
B O N E - C H I LLI N G WATE R S , A NTA RC TI C A I S H OME TO E V E RY FO R M O F I C E
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W O R D S & P H O T O G R A P H S : M AT T D U T I L E
M AY 2 0 24 115
The frozen continent, once only the domain of valorous explorers like Ernest Shackleton and Roald Amundsen, has
seen a rise in visitors over the past decade thanks to a spate of new expedition vessels. Travellers come to explore both
the fragility and endurance of life in this inhospitable region at the southern end of the world. It’s possible to lose hours
on deck, watching the passing of giant icebergs or glancing down to find a view of penguin prints on the sea ice. There’s
a chance to get closer, too — to kayak amid chunks of ice in places like Neko Harbour or to take an inflatable Zodiac
boat to shore, watching as Adélie penguins waddle between the water and their rookeries.
A N TA RC T I C A
M AY 2 0 24 117
A N TA RC T I C A
Birds have perhaps adapted to and persevered in Antarctica better than any other animal: breeding, nesting and rearing their
young on pockets of barren rock. Some, like the blue-eyed shag, never migrate and can dive to extreme depths in search of food.
There are skua, gulls, albatross, petrels and more here, but no bird is more famous than the penguin. Short hikes over expansive
ice fields allow visitors to admire their rookeries, such as those in Neko Harbour, built out of rocks by hundreds of gentoo penguins.
While one penguin guards the nest, the others head out to sea to fish, pausing on bits of ice to rest or to escape predators.
M AY 2 0 24 119
A N TA RC T I C A
Brown Bluff, at the very tip of the Tabarin Peninsula, is where most travellers take their first steps
on the Antarctic continent. Around 20,000 breeding pairs of Adélie penguins make their nests
on the rocky scree under the imposing tuff cliffs, along with several hundred gentoo. Individual
penguins will often hop to the top of larger rocks to survey the colony, and trumpet out calls soon
picked up in a waving chorus by their peers. They make incredible leaps from the rocks back into
the colony, before waddling off to their nearby mates.
M AY 2 0 24 121
A N TA RC T I C A
Deep in the continent, at the height of the Antarctic midsummer between December and February, the sun never sets. It will crest
below the horizon for a few hours as the day ends, casting golden and pink light across expanses of ice, illuminating them in warm
colours. The outline of other visitors to the region might appear between distant icebergs, from cruise ships carrying up to 550 people,
expedition vessels of between 150 to 200 and masted sailing boats of a few dozen. Through the porthole of ships like the Seabourn
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The Big Trip
Egypt
FELU CC A S D RI F TI N G D OWN TH E RIVER N I LE, AN C I ENT
WO N D ER S FO U N D I N D U S T Y TE MPLE S , WAR M WATER S FI LLED
WITH TRO PI C AL FI S H: EGYP T RE M AI N S O N E O F TH E WO RLD ’ S
MO S T ATMO S PH ERI C D E S TI NATI O N S . WO RD S: L AU REN KEITH
With millennia-old pyramids, hallowed armies and merchants, on a scenic multi-day

temples and intricately painted tombs worthy cruise along the Nile, making the temples and
of an art gallery, Egypt has a mindboggling tombs between riverside Luxor and Aswan
amount of history on show. Some of the first easily accessible.
threads of human civilisation started here over Egypt’s extensive pharaonic history takes
5,000 years ago, and Egyptians still call their centre stage for most travellers, but even more
country umm al dunya — mother of the world. adventure awaits on a different waterfront,
Egypt offers the opportunity to time- to the east along the Red Sea in the Sinai
travel like few other places. The past seems Peninsula. The three Abrahamic faiths
to keep careful watch over the present. The — Christianity, Islam and Judaism — put great
Pyramids of Giza — the last survivor of the credence in stories said to have unfolded in
original seven wonders of the ancient world the mountains of the Sinai. Most famously,
— overlook cacophonous Cairo, the third- Moses is supposed to have received the Ten
largest metropolis in Africa and the biggest Commandments on Mount Sinai, and listened
in the Middle East. South along the River to God at the burning bush, where he was
Nile, a temple built more than 3,400 years instructed to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
ago stands in the centre of the modern city of These high peaks make a stunning backdrop
Luxor, which was once ancient Thebes. for surfacing snorkellers and for scuba divers
The Nile flows through the hearts of most returning from explorations of the Red Sea.
of Egypt’s major cities. This blue-green ribbon Beneath the water’s surface, a bountiful
keeps the ever-encroaching biscuit-coloured aquarium of sea turtles, sharks and neon-
desert at bay, coaxing lush plant life amid the bright fish dart around flourishing coral reefs
Saharan sands. Fly in a hot-air balloon over that sprout along the sea floor and scale the
IMAGE: AWL IMAGES
the west bank of Luxor to see just how abruptly vertical walls. Witnessing the wildlife of the
the desert reasserts its dominance over Red Sea is one of the world’s great underwater
riverbanks lined with date palms and green experiences, and pairing it with a Nile cruise
grasses. Or travel like royalty, following in allows travellers to experience the broad range
the footsteps of legendary pharaohs and their of Egyptian adventures.
M AY 2 0 24 12 5
I T I N E R A RY O N E
1. Cairo
2. Luxor
3. Edfu
4. Kom Ombo
5. Aswan
6. Abu Simbel
ITI N E R A RY O N E
THE NILE VALLE Y
Start point: Cairo • End point: Abu Simbel
Distance travelled: 725 miles • Average length: 10 days
Herodotus, the 5th-century BCE Greek historian, famously

called Egypt the ‘gift of the Nile’, but perhaps that
description doesn’t go far enough. Egypt would be almost
nothing without it. The river, the longest in the world, isn’t
simply a watery artery stretching nearly 1,000 miles across
the length of the country — it’s a genuine lifeline, and one
of the world’s earliest civilisations wouldn’t have started
here without its life-giving properties.
Ancient Egypt’s major temples and cities were located
along the Nile’s fertile banks, called Kemet (‘the black
land’) by its inhabitants. The fact that the river flows from
south to north was key to the Egyptians’ worldview, with its
focus on the daily journey of the sun between the horizons.
The desert fringes on the Nile’s west bank — symbolically
associated with the land of the dead — are where you’ll find
most of the country’s tombs and pyramids. The ancient
Egyptian idea of paradise, the ‘Field of Reeds’, was but a
heavenly version of the real-life abundance of greenery
along the Nile. Today, some 95% of Egyptians still live
within a few miles of the water.
This itinerary, following the Nile’s course upriver on
a boat cruise, has been travelled since the days of the
pharaohs, and it remains the most popular way to explore
Egypt, hitting all of the country’s major historic sites. To
escape the crowds, slow down — linger longer in Luxor, dig
deeper in Cairo and relax in Aswan. Egypt hides many more
treasures beyond the Pyramids of Giza and the Valley of the
Kings for travellers who take the time to seek them out.
E GY P T
Statues and pillars inside the Luxor

Temple, built around 3,400 years ago
Left: Felucca sailing boats on the Nile Q&A
Previous pages: A camel train at the Gihan Zakaria,
Pyramids of Giza near Cairo co-founder of Dar Jan
Farm & Art Space
W H Y D I D YO U C H O O S E TO
S E T U P YO U R FA R M A N D A RT
S PAC E I N S I N A I ?
My partner and I toured Egypt on
a road trip, visiting potential spots
for our new home. We wanted a
quiet spot to live in harmony with
nature. What made us choose the
town of Nuweiba, in the eastern
Sinai Peninsula, was its location
between mountains and sea.
Remote areas like Sinai often
lack access to urban amenities, but
Dar Jan serves as a hub, providing
residents and visitors with a chance
to engage in art and culture.
HIGHLIGHTS KOM OM B O
The Nile crocodile takes centre stage at Kom H OW D O E S DA R JA N F I T I N TO
C A I RO Ombo, another 40 miles or around five hours’ E GY P T ’ S W I D E R A RT I S T I C
Dive into Egypt’s chaotic capital. The Pyramids sailing from Edfu. Half of the unique ‘double’ A N D C U LT U R A L S C E N E ?
of Giza are the stars of the show, and the nearby temple is dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile- The art scene in Egypt flourishes
Grand Egyptian Museum will be a blockbuster headed god of pharaonic power and fertility, predominantly in major cities like
when it finally opens. For now, marvel at the and an intriguing museum of mummified Cairo and Alexandria. However,
20 royal mummies at the National Museum crocodiles awaits at the end of your visit. unlike most art spaces in Egypt
of Egyptian Civilization and find the gold confined by urban structures,
death mask of Tutankhamun, housed in the A S WA N Dar Jan’s nine-acre farm provides a
Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square until the All cruises dock at Aswan, after two nights on setting where visitors can immerse
GEM is ready. visit-gem.com nmec.gov.eg board en route from Luxor. The Nile is at its themselves in nature — merging
egyptianmuseumcairo.eg most fascinating here. Take a felucca (small art, culture and wellness.
sailboat) to Gharb Soheil, a brightly painted We also founded Tarfa Leathers,
L U XO R village home to a few thousand Nubians, an an initiative that teaches Bedouin
Take the train (around 10 hours, daytime Indigenous group that has lived in the region women leather crafting. Producing
or sleeper) to Luxor, built atop the ancient since pharaonic times. For sunset, have a drink high-quality leather products
capital of Thebes. Big-hitters at this UNESCO on the terrace of the Old Cataract Hotel, made and selling them in local and
site include the Luxor Temple and religious famous by Agatha Christie, who wrote part of international markets can secure
complex of Karnak, and the tombs of pharaohs Death on the Nile here. sofitel.accor.com a stable, fairly paid revenue stream.
IMAGES: GETTY; DAR JAN. ILLUSTRATION: TANYA COOPER
in the Valley of the Kings outside town.

Other nearby sites include the Ramesseum, ABU SIMBEL W H AT OT H E R A LT E R N AT I V E
whose giant statues inspired the poem Abu Simbel sits on the shore of Lake Nasser, A RT A N D C U LT U R E S PAC E S
‘Ozymandias’, and the temple of the female created by the construction of the Aswan High I N E GY P T WO U L D YO U
pharaoh Hatshepsut. egymonuments.gov.eg Dam in 1970. The temples were rescued from RECOMMEND PEOPLE VISIT?
thebanmappingproject.com rising waters by moving them stone by stone Place des Arts in Cairo and Nūn Art
to higher ground. Twice a year, the sun still and Life in Luxor, which are both
EDFU illuminates the figure of Ramses II and two of galleries and art spaces. We also
Board a cruise boat in Luxor and spend the best the three gods in the temple’s inner sanctum. hope to replicate the experience of
part of the day sailing the Nile, with scenes of Dar Jan in other remote regions in
desert dunes and a shoreline punctuated with H OW TO D O I T: For a Nile cruise, try an operator the country, such as the Siwa Oasis
date palms unspooling outside your cabin. such as Viking or board a smaller dahabiya, a two- in western Egypt.
The standard first stop 70 miles upriver is masted sailboat; Nour El Nil has beautifully built
Edfu, a tiny town with a well-preserved temple. options. vikingrivercruises.com nourelnil.com @darkan_nuweibaa
M AY 2 0 24 127
E GY P T
HIGH RES
TO COME
ITI N E R A RY T WO THE RED SE A & SINAI

Start point: Sharm el-Sheikh • End point: Nuweiba • Distance travelled: 250 miles • Average length: 7 days
Egypt’s best-known body of water is a river, but HIGHLIGHTS DA H A B

the Red Sea that stretches along the country’s A chilled hangout spot for a curious mix of
eastern coast guarantees some thrilling S H A R M E L- S H E I K H nomadic types — of both the digital and
aquatic adventures of its own. Suitable for When you need a break from sun, sand and Bedouin varieties — Dahab is Egypt’s most
all levels of underwater explorers, from snorkelling, Sharm has a couple of worthy laid-back destination. Whitewashed cafes
snorkellers to advanced scuba divers, the Red distractions. The Sharm el-Sheikh Museum draped with colourful Bedouin-style rugs line
Sea is a technicolour dream world beneath its — the only such collection on the peninsula the crescent-shaped bays, where flippered
surface. There are a huge number of endemic — has a digestible assortment of artefacts that snorkellers waddle past remote workers
fish — including species of elegant highlighter- span Egypt’s history from the pharaohs to the clacking away on laptops. North of town,
yellow butterflyfish, neon parrotfish and shy Bedouin. At the heart of the Old Market, which, the Blue Hole is infamous for its underwater
clownfish lingering in finger-like anemones despite its name, is quite new, the Sahaba tunnel, the Arch, which has seen a number of
— and thriving coral reefs. Mosque looks like it could have come from fatalities over the years; it is a safe and popular
Sprawling resorts have taken up much Red the drawing board of Gaudí, with spiralling spot for responsible snorkelling and diving
Sea real estate around Sharm el-Sheikh, but brick columns and honeycombed minarets. outside of that.
the development and crowds thin out as you egymonuments.gov.eg
travel north. Just a few miles inland from the S T C AT H E R I N E
coast, Sinai’s interior reaches for the sky, a R A S M O H A M E D N AT I O N A L PA R K Sacred to Christians, Jews and Muslims, the
sacred land of pilgrimage and revelations still At the southernmost tip of Sinai, Egypt’s first UNESCO-listed area around St Catherine’s
lived in by long-established Bedouin tribes. national park is blessed with incredible dive contains the world’s oldest continuously
Hiking trails climb to mountain summits and sites. Vertical reef walls have names that lived-in Christian monastery, watched over
wind through valleys carved with centuries of hint at the types of species scuba divers and by majestic mountains that are some of the
graffiti left by visitors from the Nabataeans (of snorkellers can see: Jackfish Alley, Eel Garden, tallest in the country. No matter your religious
Petra fame) to the Crusaders, leading to secret Shark Observatory and Anemone City. Divers beliefs, join a night-time pilgrimage, arriving
wild swimming pools and small waterfalls. with advanced certifications can check the to witness sunrise from the summit of Mt Sinai,
This itinerary hits Egypt’s superlative highs shockingly large concentration of shipwrecks or Jebel Musa (Mt Moses) in Arabic. Add on
and lows — from the country’s loftiest peaks to and the contents that have spilled out on the a day or more to walk with the local Jebeliya
its deepest dive sites — as it traces the eastern sea floor. Sleep in a canvas tent on the beach Bedouin through the neighbouring valleys
edge of Sinai and traverses the peninsula’s within the park boundaries at Bedouin-owned that few outside visitors make time to see.
biblically connected mountains. Bedawi Eco Camping. bedawi.com sinaimonastery.com
I T I N E R A RY T WO
1. Sharm el-Sheikh
2. Ras Mohamed National Park
3. Dahab
4. St Catherine
5. Nuweiba
NUWEIBA
A small town with a laidback vibe and quiet
golden beaches, one of Nuweiba’s main
attractions is Dar Jan. A passion project by
a couple who left the big smoke of Cairo, the
nine-acre organic farm north of town is unlike
elsewhere on the peninsula. Travellers can
join creative workshops, including organic
agriculture and outdoor survival skills, and
spend artsy afternoons of pottery, meditation
and mosaic-making. You can stay overnight,
too. instagram.com/darjan_nuweibaa
H OW T O D O I T: Sharm el-Sheikh is home to Sinai’s

main international airport, which has flights with
British Airways from Gatwick, and other UK airports
on a variety of airlines. Sun-and-sand package tours
IMAGES: GETTY. ILLUSTRATION: TANYA COOPER
will get you to a Red Sea resort, but you’ll need to

arrange your own tours and travel beyond that.
Almost all hotels have on-site dive centres and hire
out snorkelling equipment. Bedouin guides are
required to hike in Sinai’s interior. Contact Wilderness
Ventures Egypt for desert excursions around Mt Sinai
and St Catherine. wilderness-ventures-egypt.com
From left: A typical beachside cafe on the Red Sea

coast, at Ras Umm El Sid in Sharm el-Sheikh; a diver at
Dahab Canyon, a classic cave-diving site
M AY 2 0 24 129
Travellers on the Sinai Trail hike through a rocky
valley in the Sinai Peninsula in eastern Egypt
E GY P T
EYEWITNESS
IN THE FOOTSTEP S OF THE BEDOUIN
The Sinai Trail winds for 340 miles over mountains and through valleys but it’s possible to get
a taste of it on an overnight hike, experiencing life as the local Bedouin have for centuries
Not long after leaving the town of Nuweiba, in Egypt’s Sinai sticks he’s picked up off the ground. In a world of eight
Peninsula, the old-school white Datsun truck parts ways billion people, it’s a surreal luxury to be where no one else
with the pavement, an abrupt final farewell to civilisation. is. This landscape feels so rugged and raw, as if I’m the
My Bedouin driver barrels into the wadi, a dry valley with first person to set foot on it. But many have passed before
sheer, dark walls of towering granite mountains formed by me. Even Moses allegedly spent more time here than I
long-extinct volcanoes that press ever closer the deeper we will, called to the mountains over 3,000 years ago. I don’t
go. When we come to a halt, the cloud of dust that had been consider myself a religious person, but there’s certainly
trailing the truck follows Newton’s first law of motion and something magic in the mountains of Sinai.
carries on obliviously without us. Back en route, my mind wanders, but never too
The place where we stop seems monumental, but no far. Hiking forces me to focus on the physical and the
signs mark the start of the Sinai Trail we’re about to immediate — the strong Sinai sun on my back, the whisper
embark on. I stumble out of the truck, and Musallem Abu of the wind urging me onwards, the swirls of stones on
Faraj, my guide, hands me a plastic-wrapped red-and-white the ground put in place by water’s now-invisible hand
chequered keffiyeh. I drape it over my hair, and Musallem — leaving little space for anything else in my brain: ‘trail
gingerly takes the folded edges of the square cloth and therapy’ perhaps. Walking is one of the first gravity-
folds it in proper Bedouin style behind my head, nodding defying movements we master as babies, and especially out
with fatherly approval at his work. Now that this essential here in Sinai’s raw, elemental hinterlands, it still feels like
ritual is taken care of, our journey can begin. the most foundational of actions.
The Sinai Trail, Egypt’s first long-distance hike at The sun has shifted to the other side of the sky by the
340 miles, cuts in from the Red Sea to the peninsula’s time we reach Coloured Canyon. The concave rock walls
lofty mountains, including the country’s highest peak of of this narrow ravine swirl with a rainbow of hues — reds,
Mt Catherine at 2,629m. Launched as a community tourism yellows and even purples, which I’ve never encountered
project in 2015 by three local Bedouin tribes, the Sinai elsewhere in the natural world — as if an artist playfully
Trail has more than doubled from its initial 135 miles, and swiped her paintbrush across a palette. The route twists and
now eight tribes in the region lead hikers through their turns, and some parts of the slot canyon are so narrow that
territories. In Egypt, where much of the tourist experience my hiking boot doesn’t fall fully to the floor, necessitating
comes tightly pre-packaged, a locally run initiative such as some scrambling and squeezing, transforming the canyon
this is a brilliant exercise — literally — in slow, immersive walls into nature’s climbing frame.
travel that preserves and places great importance on After about nine miles of hiking, we stop to make camp
Bedouin heritage and knowledge. for the night, eating a surprisingly hearty dinner — given
Musallem, one of the trail’s founding fathers, is part of our limited supplies — and swapping tales around the
the Tarabin tribe and has been guiding hikers in Sinai for fire. As the dancing flames diminish into glowing embers,
nearly as long as the 35 years I’ve been alive. His expertise I decide it’s time for me to call it a night too. I curl up under
is unparalleled and widely known in the community. For heavy blankets, gazing at a starry sky so clear that it feels
several hours, we walk through wide, camel-coloured like a hallucination. With the lights extinguished, night
wadis, that spread through the mountains like lines on descends like a curtain, and Sinai’s silence is so deafening
the palm of my hand, following a track invisible to my that it takes me longer than usual to fall asleep. We’re
eyes but deeply engrained in Musallem’s mind. His light certainly a far cry from the car horns of Cairo.
blue jellabiya is rolled up slightly and tucked into the The following morning, Musallem and I pack up and
straps of his Osprey rucksack, showing the bottoms of his move onward, one foot in front of the other, as all the
immaculately white and seemingly dust-free trousers. generations before us have done and will continue to do
Musallem reads the landscape as if it were his favourite after we’ve gone.
book, eagerly pointing out the geology of the mountains
IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK
and the names of medicinal plants with an infectious, H OW T O D O I T: The entire Sinai Trail takes 54 days to complete,
child-like enthuasiasm. He hands me a tiny leaf of super- but it’s possible to experience just part of it on a day hike if that’s
sticky samwa, which has a strong scent like a cross between all you have time for. Bedouin guides are required for all sections of
lilac and marijuana and is used by the Bedouin to treat bee the trail. Check the website to get in contact with the organisation
stings and clean infections. regarding guide availability and route recommendations based on
We pause for tea under a lone spiny acacia tree, and your specific interests. The trail technically begins near the town of
Musallem sings merrily while coaxing a small fire from Nuweiba, but it’s possible to start and end elsewhere. sinaitrail.net
M AY 2 0 24 131
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E GY P T
A N C I EN T EGY P T
In numbers
33
Number of pharaonic dynasties
in ancient Egypt, from Narmer
around 3150 BCE to Cleopatra’s
son Caesarion in 30 BCE. Egypt was
then gobbled up by the Roman
Empire. The concept of dynasties
is a modern scholarly construct,
and the ancient Egyptians did not
group their pharaohs in this way.
1, 50 0
Number of named gods in ancient
Egypt (some say up to 2,000).
These range from major deities
Koshary is a popular street food such as the sun god Ra and falcon-
with rice, macaroni, spaghetti and headed Horus to obscure ones
lentils topped with a tomato sauce, such as the cartoon-like Medjed.
fried onions and chickpeas
3
Seasons recognised by the ancient
FIV E EGYPTIAN DISHES TO TRY Egyptians (for flood, planting and
harvest) each lasting four months.
The year had 365 days and each
KO S H A RY ta’ameya, is made with it instead of chickpeas. month had three 10-day weeks,
At first glance, koshary is an odd assortment This distinction makes Egyptian falafel a bright with five days added at the end of
that shouldn’t go well together: a heaped bowl guacamole green on the inside and adds a bit the year for religious celebrations.
of pasta, lentils, rice and chickpeas topped with more crunch to the bite. In 46 BCE, Julius Caesar had the
fried onions and spiced tomato sauce. But all innovation of adding a leap-year
it takes is one taste to get hooked on Egypt’s M O LO K H I A day every four years. Look for the
national dish. This carb-loaded vegetarian meal The beloved dish of molokhia is a thick, hieroglyphic calendar carved into
is often sold from street stalls. gelatinous, forest-green soup made from the temple wall at Kom Ombo.
chopped jute mallow leaves, garlic and
F U U L M E DA M E S coriander. For visitors to the country, it can be
Another filling street snack, this thick stew an acquired taste — the slimy texture is similar 64
of mashed fava beans seasoned with cumin, to okra. Molokhia is often paired with rice and Number of known tombs in the
garlic, olive oil and lemon juice is often served rabbit dishes. Valley of the Kings, which was the
from large copper pots. As street food, fuul necropolis of the then-capital
medames is usually ladled into pitta bread and HAMAM MAHSHI Thebes (modern Luxor). From
eaten as a sandwich on the go, but it’s also a Pigeon is the main ingredient of a special dish around 1500 to 1077 BCE, it was the
common guest at the breakfast table, served in that has been eaten for centuries in Egypt, burial location of some of Egypt’s
a small bowl. and dovecotes are still dotted around the most famous pharaohs, including
IMAGES: GETTY
countryside. Small squabs are stuffed with rice, Tutankhamun and Ramses II.
TA’A M E YA onion and chopped giblets spiced with cumin, KV17, the tomb of Seti I, is the
Egyptians love their fava beans, so much so cinnamon and nuts. The birds are roasted and deepest, largest, most decorated
that the country’s version of falafel, called served, usually two to a plate. and most expensive to visit.
M AY 2 0 24 13 3
E GY P T
Felucca boats sailing

on the River Nile, at Aswan
A practical guide to travel in Egypt GETTING THERE & AROUND

Egypt’s main airport is Cairo
International, with British Airways
Do I need a visa? Can I pay by card in Egypt? and Egyptair offering direct flights
Almost all travellers, including visitors from Cash reigns supreme but you can use a card from Heathrow, and Egyptair from
the UK and the EU, need a visa to travel to at some higher-end hotels and restaurants. Manchester. From Luton, EasyJet and
Egypt. While it’s possible to get a visa on Take some Egyptian pounds out of a cash Wizz Air fly to Sphinx International
arrival, it saves time at the airport if you apply machine when you arrive, but be mindful of Airport in the greater Cairo area. The
online in advance. A single-entry tourist visa the fluctuating exchange rate and don’t take Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh
costs US$25 (£20). If you plan to stay in the more out than you need. For bigger expenses, is well served from the UK, including
resort towns in Sinai for fewer than 15 days, consider bringing US dollars, the most — and flights with charter airlines. ba.com
you do not need a visa. Instead, you receive a sometimes only — accepted foreign currency. egyptair.com easyjet.com wizzair.com
‘permission stamp’ in your passport when you Tipping, called baksheesh, infiltrates almost Average flight time: 5h30m.
land at Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport. every interaction you’ll have. It’s customary
While this option is a money saver, the list of to tip nearly everyone you come in contact WHEN TO GO
places you’re permitted to visit is quite limited with, even for services you don’t want or The best time for key Nile sites is
— even Ras Mohamed National Park at the require. Keep small change on hand for toilet between November and March, when
southern tip of Sinai is off limits without the attendants, porters, mosque caretakers and daytime highs average 24C in Aswan.
full visa. visa2egypt.gov.eg guards at temples and tombs. For the Red Sea, late spring and early
autumn are ideal (32C). In winter, the
What should I pack? Should I join a tour or travel independently? sea can get chilly. Summer is a scorcher,
Egypt is a majority Muslim country, so it’s Egypt has been a package-tour destination with some areas reaching 45C or more.
respectful for travellers to dress modestly. For since the days of Thomas Cook, who first led a
all genders, this means covering everything group to Egypt in 1869. The country is well set MORE INFO
between your shoulders and knees. You will up for tour groups, and many first-time visitors experienceegypt.eg
likely be asked to cover up more if you visit a find this option easiest, with guides and
mosque or church. transport logistics arranged for you. Egypt’s HOW TO DO IT
The tap water is not safe to drink here so historic sites have little signage, making a tour Responsible Travel’s 12-day Nile & Red
bring a water bottle with a filter, such as those guide a necessity for deeper understanding. Sea tours take in historic sites on a river
from Lifestraw. lifestraw.com Nile cruises generally run between Luxor cruise as well as the Giza Pyramids and
IMAGE: AWL IMAGES
Wi-fi ranges from infuriatingly slow to and Aswan in both directions, but a few make time on the Red Sea. Prices start at
nonexistent across the country, even at five- the long journey from Cairo. Trains, planes £2,249 per person, including guides,
star hotels. Get mobile data through your and buses connect cities along the Nile, and domestic travel, accommodation and
service provider at home or buy an Egyptian buses or internal flights can take you to the most meals, but excluding international
SIM card when you land at the airport. Red Sea coast. flights. responsibletravel.com
“The Wakatobi experience continues to impress.
The quality of service, the beautiful dining
experiences and diving and snorkelling some
of the healthiest reef systems in the world,
is truly second to none.”
~ Simon Bowen
An experience without equal...

www.wakatobi.com
CITY LIFE
PHIL ADELPHIA
With a growing reputation for its diverse food scene,
this US city offers nourishment for both body and soul
in its patchwork of muralled neighbourhoods
W O R D S : O R L A T H O M A S . P H O T O G R A P H S : M AT T D U T I L E
M AY 2 0 24 139
PHIL ADELPHIA
Philadelphia is used to sharing the limelight. neighbourhood businesses — like Di Bruno Love letters
The birthplace of American independence, Bros deli — are owned by third- or fourth-
it was the United States’ first capital until generation Italians. Sitting alongside are Jewish
The founder of
Washington, DC claimed the honour in 1800. shops and Asian supermarkets, the legacy of the Province of
Then there’s the Big Apple, a hundred miles up subsequent waves of immigration. “This area
the northeast coast, which has been stealing draws many different peoples and cultures
Pennsylvania,
its thunder since, well, forever. But Philly is together as one,” says Peter. “We’re a family.” William Penn, named
now taking centre stage. In the 2023 James Stepping outside, I’m struck by the contrast
Philadelphia using
Beard Foundation Awards — America’s ‘food between this neighbourhood and the gridded
Oscars’ — the city scooped more accolades streets of downtown I’d visited earlier, with the Ancient Greek
than any other in the country. their soaring glass tower blocks, stately civic words for ‘love’
Along Philadelphia’s grand, gallery-lined buildings and wide, uncrowded pavements.
Benjamin Franklin Parkway boulevard, Here, contrails of sweet-smelling smoke from (‘phílos’) and brother
countless flags celebrate the many international a kettle corn (sweetened popcorn) vendor drift (adelphós) — hence
communities represented within the city’s over the busy market. Passing stalls piled with
neighbourhoods — these days, many of these rosy apples and gleaming aubergines, I watch its nickname ‘the City
residents are New Yorkers, who are moving here nonnas select the best for their baskets. As I of Brotherly Love’
in their droves. “In New York, a lot of people head south, shopfronts change, handwritten
are trying to be something they’re not,” says signs switching from Italian into Spanish.
local chef Peter McAndrews, emerging from his Instead of olive oil and balsamic vinegar,
kitchen to shake my hand. “In Philly, you can be windows display frilly dresses for communion
comfortable — it’s the place to find out who you and quinceañera — the Latin American party
really are.” traditionally held when a girl turns 15.
My own quest for self-knowledge begins
with lunch at his sandwich shop, Paesano’s, T H E P OW E R O F F O O D
in South Philadelphia. It has a timeless Every shared meal is a kind of celebration,
look, with black-and-white photos on the says Cristina Martinez, owner of South 9th
walls and a chalkboard menu. As it testifies, Street restaurant Casa Mexico, pulling up a
this city really loves a sandwich. Its best- chair. “When we gather to eat, our energies are
known iteration is the Philadelphia cheese united,” she says, beaming. “Family inspires
steak — a hoagie roll (sub) filled with sliced all my cooking.” Spread before us on one of
beefsteak and melted cheese — but you won’t the brightly coloured tables are some of her
find one on the menu here. People from this favourites — homemade tortilla chips and
neighbourhood tend to prefer the ‘arista’: guacamole, chicken served in a peanut mole
stuffed with roast suckling pig, broccoli rabe, sauce. Ceramic dishes like the ones she’s used
‘long hot’ peppers and provolone cheese. in their preparation are heaped on the floor in
“I enrich the sauce with anchovies, like an informal display, while strings of Mexican Clockwise from top: Inside the
the Romans used to,” says Peter. His menu is flag bunting hang from the ceiling. Jinxed antique furniture store on
Fishtown’s Frankford Ave; a roast
packed with Italian flavours, reflecting the Food can also be political, as Cristina’s
pork sandwich with long hot peppers
heritage of the community it serves, while story shows. After arriving in the US
at Paesano’s; posing for a portrait
the restaurant’s name is a nod to the close- undocumented, she sold tacos from a pushcart
along the rainbow walkways of
knit vibe of the area (‘paesano’ means ‘fellow — a business that evolved into her first Philadelphia’s Gayborhood
countryman’). Immigrants from Abruzzo and restaurant: South Philly Barbacoa. Its success Previous pages: The Philadelphia
Sicily established the outdoor Italian Market — it featured on the Netflix series Chef’s Table skyline, with the Delaware River
here on South 9th Street in the 1880s, and many — earned Cristina a platform to speak out inthe background
M AY 2 0 24 141
Omar Tate and Cybille St Aude-Tate,
owners of Honeysuckle Provisions
Clockwise from right: The entrance
to Elfreth’s Alley and its classic home
fronts; the Emily Room at the Guild
House Hotel; the deli counter at Di
Bruno Bros in the Italian Market
PHIL ADELPHIA
Q&A with Hanna

Williams, co-owner
and front-of-house
at restaurant Friday
Saturday Sunday
W H I C H I S YO U R
FAVO U R I T E
NEIGHBOURHOOD?
on immigration issues. She went on to help cream. Philadelphia has long been known for It has to be Rittenhouse.
set up The People’s Kitchen, which provides high-quality dairy — it’s why Kraft stamped the Rittenhouse Square Park
free, nutritious meals to Philadelphians city’s name on their cream cheese. draws a very eclectic crowd.
experiencing food poverty. I walk west, and the skyscraper skyline of On Saturdays, the local
Nowhere is Philadelphia’s cultural melting Center City gives way to the squat brownstones farmers’ market surrounds
pot more apparent than at Reading Terminal of Rittenhouse Square. Named after the pretty the park, and on Sunday
Market. At the heart of the Center City District, park at its heart, this is one of Philadelphia’s mornings in the summer,
it’s a United Nations of food; 75 stalls laid out, most upmarket areas. It comes alive in spring, swing dancers gather, often
like the city itself, on a grid. Wandering the when people gather for picnics or at outdoor with a live band. Everyone
aisles the next morning in search of breakfast, tables spilling onto the sidewalks. I happily and anyone find their place
I find my attention snagged by a cacophony bypass them, because I’ve landed a reservation there, it’s really quite special.
of neon signs — everything from Cantonese at Her Place Supper Club.
cuisine to Filipino fusion food, Georgian It’s a restaurant with a tiny space and a big P H I L LY I S FA M E D F O R
breads to Indian curries. The busiest counter reputation. “It’s a living room aesthetic,” says ITS CHEESESTEAK BUT
of all belongs to a diner tucked away at the chef-owner Amanda Shulman as she finesses D O LO C A L S AC T UA L LY
back of the hall: Dutch Eating Place. Staff a dish in the open kitchen. “I want guests to E AT I T ?
here are dressed in the traditional clothing feel like they’re at my house.” Vintage prints, Most wouldn’t consider
of the Pennsylvania Dutch: simple shirts for the type you might find in a Parisian bistro or it unless they were drunk
men and, for women, long dresses and modest Milanese bar, hang from the walls. “Our food and it was 2am. But if you
white caps. They belong to a community of is French-Italian, with a nod to my Jewish do want a cheesesteak,
conservative Christians living in Lancaster upbringing,” says Amanda. “But really, we make Angelo’s Pizzeria is the
County, about 70 miles west of Philadelphia. exactly what we like. Our menu is driven by place (angelospizzeria
When I ask proprietor Javan Esh to explain the talking — to each other, to our producers.” southphiladelphia.com).
distinction between the Pennsylvania Dutch The conversation started over a decade Theirs you could eat for lunch,
and the Amish, he reaches for a time-honoured ago, when Amanda was a local student and sober. You won’t get hungry
food idiom. “Tomato, tomahto,” he says, with began hosting elaborate dinner parties for her for the rest of the day.
a boyish grin. Both are centred around faith friends. “Everyone eating the same thing at
and family; both avoid electricity and modern the same time builds community,” she says, W H AT A R E YO U R TO P
vehicles. “You can only go so far in a horse and stepping out with a plate of tortellini filled T I P S F O R V I S I TO R S ?
buggy,” says Javan, who has the healthy glow with spinach and robiola cheese for me to try. I really love Fiorella
of someone who spends a lot of time outside. “In Philadelphia, you can take risks and people (fiorellaphilly.com), a tiny
“It’s limiting, but it works as a safeguard — a are receptive. Our diners love supporting pasta bar in a former sausage
way to preserve and protect our culture.” someone who’s trying something new.” shop in the Italian Market. I
Javan welcomes respectful questions from One area of Philadelphia particularly well would bury myself in a bowl
curious diners like me. “Sharing our culture known for pushing the envelope is South of their rigatoni every day
with our customers is important,” he says. Street, a 10-minute taxi ride away. The district if I could — that and wine
“We’re all about bringing the country to the city spans around 14 blocks — I wander a few and are the only reasons I
and giving people an authentic experience.” find ample evidence of an alternative scene, work out. I also enjoy the
Seasonal, farm-fresh produce is used to make including the work of local mosaic artist Isaiah medical oddities on display
carb-heavy dishes, served in portions intended Zagar, which spreads like tendrils between at the Mütter Museum
to sustain people through manual work. After shops selling everything from fetish wear to (muttermuseum.org).
a mountain of eggs and rye toast, Javan insists bongs. In the midst of it all is Tattooed Mom: fridaysaturdaysunday.com
I try their apple dumpling: a whole-baked part bar, part club, part inclusive creative
fruit swaddled in pastry and served with thick space. “Everyone should feel at home here, if
M AY 2 0 24 143
PHIL ADELPHIA
we’re doing our job right,” says Robert Perry, grocery store and cafe Honeysuckle Provisions, INSIDER TIPS
who wears cool, thick-rimmed glasses and which opened last year and was almost
his grey hair in a quiff. He admits to being the immediately named one of the best new To get a taste of Philadelphia’s
owner only when pressed. “I’m the guy with restaurants in the US by food website Eater. restaurant scene without
the key to the door, but you’re the one making Chef-couple Omar Tate and Cybille St committing to a full meal, book a
this space,” he insists. Aude-Tate are on a mission to celebrate Black food tour with Jacqueline ‘Chef
Robert means this quite literally. The culinary traditions and bring the best Black Jacquie’ Kelly. Choose from an
upstairs room at ‘TMom’s’ is decorated with 25 farmer-grown produce to West Philly. “We itinerary focused on the Italian
years’ worth of stickers and graffiti — everyone want to be intentional about food but make it Market, a multicultural tasting
who’s ever partied here apparently having left relatable,” says Cybille, who has botanically tour, or a circuit of the gastropubs
their mark. Downstairs is ornately eclectic — a tattooed forearms and a broad smile. “We’re not mentioned in the Michelin guide.
look Robert describes as “grandma on acid”. Black history experts but we teach people what streatsofphillyfoodtours.com
Dodgem cars sit alongside palatial wingback we grew up with, helping to build connections
armchairs, an octopus chandelier hangs from between cultures.” Both have food memories Created by folk artist Isaiah Zagar,
the ceiling. Moodily lit, it feels like a stage evident on the menu — Cybille contributing a Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens
set for mischief. Events here like the ‘drag spiced bun made with chanm chanm, a classic are a startling mix of mosaic and
brunch’ showcase local performers, and even street food from her native Haiti, made from sculpture. Avoid the crowds on an
the cocktail list veers towards the theatrical ground corn and peanut powder; while Omar’s early-hours Morning Magic Tour.
— Pickletinis (vodka and pickle juice) come in selection of ‘dolla’ hoagies are a love letter to phillymagicgardens.org
labelled-and-lidded jars, and vodka-cranberry the great Philadelphian sandwich.
is poured into a candyfloss-filled martini glass Although both are instinctive innovators, See if there’s a Midnight Pasta
to make the Cosmo Cloud. “The coolest thing Cybille and Omar understand the power of Party happening while you’re in
about Philly is that it contains so many little nostalgia and ritual when it comes to food. Their town. Natalia Lepore Hagan is a
worlds,” says Robert, sliding me a drink across fried fish hoagies are served only on Fridays, Broadway actress-turned-chef who
the bar. “Ours is a city of neighbourhoods.” when people flock from all over the city to get hosts regular pasta-making events
There’s one more I want to visit — one that their hands on one. I wait for mine at one of three at part of her Culinary Collective in
first captured my imagination aged 11, every tiny tables, my eyes roaming shelves lined with Bridesburg. culinarycollective.co
time I heard Will Smith’s Fresh Prince of Bel- wooden sculptural heads and books, including
Air rap about “chillin’ out, maxin’, relaxin’, all one titled Food Power Politics. My sandwich An easy day-trip from Philadelphia,
cool” at the start of each episode of his West arrives: a homemade seeded roll bursting Lancaster County is the heart of
Philadelphia-based sitcom. It still has that with crispy, creole-fried whiting — lemon and Amish country. Learn more about
vibe today. Porched houses line wide, sleepy herb remoulade spilling copiously onto my the community’s way of life at one
streets, where an occasional streetcar trundles hands. Lunch has rarely made me muckier — or of the area’s many Amish-owned
past. Since the 1990s, the neighbourhood has happier. In a city that prides itself on inclusion attractions, including farms.
acquired a new claim to fame: Afrocentric and authenticity, it’s a fitting last meal. discoverlancaster.com
A terrine of duck tenderloin, chicken
oyster, prune and foie gras at Her Place
Clockwise from left: Typical streetside
vendors on 9th Street at the Italian
Market; chef-owner Amanda Shulman
poses for a portrait alongside the
evening’s menu in Her Place; Michael
Webb’s Tree of Knowledge mural
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PHIL ADELPHIA
“I love everything 14 HOURS IN
about Philadelphia, Philadelphia

and its food is like
the city itself: real- 8A M 1 PM
deal, hearty and E N J OY B R E A K FA S T AT R E A D I N G B ROW S E A N D S N AC K AT YOW I E
TERMINAL M ARKET A sedate redbrick exterior on South Street
without pretension” As the market tends to be less busy first thing, conceals this colourful boutique hotel and
Lisa Scottoline, it’s a great place for breakfast. Slide into one lifestyle shop. Incense by upmarket brand
local author of the kitschy booths at Down Home Diner for

country-style cooking like grits and eggs, or
Agaric Fly scents the small-but-considered
space, where founder Shannon Maldonado
head to El Merkury for Central American street curates a collection of work by independent
food such as Salvadorian pupusas: cornmeal artists and designers. Check out the clothing
pockets stuffed with meat, veg or cheese. Pick and interiors range before heading to Yowie’s
up a coffee and one of Beiler’s Doughnuts all-day cafe, Wim. A seasonal salad — plus
namesake pastries for the road — its 50 one of its signature rosemary orange espresso
toppings include M&Ms and Fruity Pebbles tonics — should see you through until dinner.
cereal. readingterminalmarket.org shopyowie.com
1 0A M 2 PM
G O O N A M U R A L A RT TO U R R AC E T H RO U G H C I T Y H I S TO RY
The mural capital of the world, Philadelphia is Philadelphia’s Old City (part of its Historic
home to over 4,000 public art works, created District) is home to an extraordinary density
as part of Mural Arts Philadelphia. Initially of National Historical Landmarks, including
an anti-graffiti initiative, the programme uses the Liberty Bell, a hallowed symbol of US
panels of wall-hung parachute cloth to channel independence. Head 15 minutes east to stroll
the creativity of local people from all walks the cobbles of America’s oldest residential
of life. Mural Arts Philadelphia’s itineraries street, Elfreth’s Alley (1705): a picturesque
include a 90-minute route through Center row of Federal and Georgian houses that are
City’s ‘Mural Mile’. Don’t miss Saligman’s still occupied today. Then take a cab to the
Philadelphia Muses, a modern interpretation Philadelphia Museum of Art, featured in
of the classical muses, or contributions from the hit 1976 film Rocky. Every day, countless
Above: A bonnet-clad Pennsylvania artists Shepard Fairey and Amy Sherald, visitors copy Sly Stallone’s titular pugilist
Dutch woman working at Dutch Eating known for their portraits of the Obamas. by racing up the 72 stone steps of its East
Place in Reading Terminal Market muralarts.org entrance. discoverphl.com
M AY 2 0 24 147
PHIL ADELPHIA
Fishtown
Philadelphia Museum of Art
PHILADELPHIA
West
Philadelphia
er
Reading Terminal
Market
iv
C e n t e r C i t y
Delaware R
Rittenhouse Liberty Bell
Square
South Street
New York
South 9th Street
New York Italian Market
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia New
Jersey
WASHINGTON D.C.
AT L A N T I C ½ mile
Virginia
OCEAN

American Airlines and British
Airways have daily direct flights from
Heathrow to Philadelphia. aa.com
ba.com
Average flight time: 8h.
Philadelphia is a compact and
mostly flat city, so it’s possible to
explore mainly on foot or by using
the official bike-share programme.
rideindego.com
The salatim (salad) platter of pita, For longer journeys, book a taxi or use
hummus and various roasted, smoked the city’s buses, streetcars (trams),
and pickled vegetables at Laser Wolf subways and trains. septa.org
The PHLASH bus loops around most
major sites. ridephillyphlash.com
4 PM 8 PM WHEN TO GO
E X P LO R E F I S H TOW N H AV E D I N N E R AT L A S E R WO L F Philly gets its best weather in
Historically the centre of Philadelphia’s One of the city’s most coveted tables is at this spring and autumn, with an average
fishing industry, this neighbourhood on Israeli-style shipudiya (Hebrew for ‘skewer temperature of 18C in May and 21C in
the Delaware River has become a hub for house’) in Fishtown that’s named after the September. With July highs of 32C,
young creatives. Follow Frankford Avenue butcher in Jewish musical Fiddler on the Roof. summer can be hot — and busy, with
and you can’t go wrong — it strings together Its menu is packed with meat cooked over kids on field trips flocking to see key
an apparently endless supply of cool small charcoal — plus flavour-packed vegetables US history sites. Although January and
businesses. Pick up a coffee at premium like shawarma-spiced cauliflower and royal February are colder, with average lows
roaster Persimmon, then disappear inside trumpet mushroom shishlik (skewers). around zero degrees, they’re easier
the cavernous Jinxed: a shoppable museum An open kitchen adds to the convivial months for restaurant reservations.
stocking everything from antique maps to atmosphere, as do huge windows and high
Tiffany-style lamps. Head north past various ceilings strung with paper lanterns and WHERE TO STAY
vintage stores until you hit eclectic and trailing plants. Don’t miss out on characterful Loews Philadelphia Hotel, Center
super-friendly boutique Downerss, which sells cocktails like rum punch Charred for Life. City. Doubles from £150, room only.
women’s clothing and interiors objets. laserwolfphilly.com loewshotels.com
persimmoncoffee.com jinxedstore.com Guild House Hotel, Center City.
downerss.com 1 0 PM Doubles from £230, room only.
C ATC H A S H OW AT C H R I S ’ JA Z Z C A F E guildhousehotel.com
6 PM Responsible for helping to create legends
D R I N K P E N N S Y LVA N I A W I N E such as John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie and MORE INFO
Urban winery Mural City Cellars sources its Billie Holiday, Philadelphia has serious jazz discoverphl.com
grapes from a 300-mile radius of the city pedigree — so finish up with a nightcap at one Philadelphia & The Countryside £8.99
and commissions local artists to design the of Center City’s best-loved live music venues,
labels. Winemaker and sommelier Nicholas which this year celebrates its 35th year. Low-lit HOW TO DO IT
Ducos is often on hand to recommend a fresh and wood-panelled, the space has a sense of British Airways Holidays has three
new drop to go with a build-your-own cheese reverential intimacy, with draught beers and nights staying at the Wyndham
or charcuterie board. Its whites and rosé are old-school spirits served at the bar (as well as a Philadelphia Historic District, which is
particularly strong, as are bubbles like ‘pét- stage-side set menu). Students from the city’s a five-minute walk from the Liberty
nat’ (‘Pétillant Naturel’, French for ‘naturally many music schools fill the audience, and the Bell, with flights from the UK included
sparkling’). Its warehouse bar on Frankford Ave performers are often real raconteurs. in the price, from £799 per person.
is buzzy on weekends. muralcitycellars.com chrisjazzcafe.com ba.com/holidays
CELEBRATE DISCOVER EXPLORE
Historic Downtown Natchitoches Oakland Plantation Cane River Lake
Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Front Street Shopping
Natchitoches Meat Pies
Fort St. Jean Baptiste

State Historic Site Kisatchie National Forest
Visit Louisiana’s Oldest City

and The Destination of Travelers since 1714
Natchitoches (Nak-a-tish) is home of the Cane River Creole National Historical Park, Cane
River National Heritage Area, Kisatchie National Forest, award-winning Louisiana Sports Hall
of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum, Natchitoches meat pies and much more.
Natchitoches.com
CITY LIFE
BIR MINGHA M
Multicultural, industrious and in an ongoing battle for the title of England’s
second city, the West Midlands’ capital flaunts its heritage with style
WORDS: RICHARD FR ANKS. PHOTOGR APHS: BEN ROWE
Everything changed for Birmingham with the Birmingham’s industrial prowess lasted
arrival of the Commonwealth Games in 2022, well into the 20th century, but eventually
the biggest in the event’s history. With athletes waned as British manufacturing was scaled
and delegates from 72 nations descending on back from the 1970s. However, its heritage is
the region and more than 1.5 million tickets still on show in pockets of the city, namely
sold, it gave England’s second city a chance along the snaking canal network, which was
to prove its mettle on the world stage. And so cut in the 18th and 19th centuries to transport
it did. The opening and closing ceremonies heavy goods in and out of the region by
rolled out Birmingham’s multifaceted past, narrowboat. Now, many of the waterways have
proudly celebrating the city’s long-standing become urban parks used by joggers, cyclists
multicultural residents — often referred to as and kayakers.
‘Brummies’ — and manufacturing heritage as In Digbeth, the former Bird’s Custard
reggae, rock and grime artists shared the stage. Factory is now a creative digital business
It’s no surprise that this former industrial complex home to independent bars, shops and
powerhouse chose to showcase its roots. From a cinema. In the Jewellery Quarter, where 40%
around the 16th century, the city became of the UK’s jewellery is still made today, former
lauded for its metal-working industry, earning factories have been repurposed as hotels,
it the nickname of the ‘workshop of the world’ trendsetting restaurants and social enterprise
by the 18th century. It then became home to spaces. The regeneration of public squares in
two of the UK’s biggest car manufacturers: the city centre, meanwhile, has seen historic
Jaguar and MG Rover. neoclassical architecture like Birmingham
Today, the residents of Birmingham are Town Hall blend in seamlessly in Paradise,
down-to-earth and self-deprecating, but the a sleek development mixing business space
city has had its fair share of fame. Novelist and leisure facilities.
and lecturer JRR Tolkien grew up in King’s Steady gentrification has also seeped into
Heath, in the south of the city, at the end of the dining scene. While the city has long been
the 19th century and later cited the area as lauded for its authentic South Asian cuisine,
inspiration for his books. During the same especially around the Balti Triangle, what’s
period, the real-life Peaky Blinders criminal less well known is that Birmingham has five
street gang rampaged around Birmingham; Michelin stars, more than any other English
Left: A striking wall they would go on to be the inspiration for the city outside of London. It may not shout about
mural on Meriden blockbuster period television drama that now its achievements, but Birmingham’s official
Street in Digbeth draws tourists to its city filming locations. motto is Forward — and that’s the way it looks.
M AY 2 0 24 151
BIRMINGHA M
SEE & DO J E W E L L E RY Q UA RT E R : Birmingham’s

Tick tock
RO U N D H O U S E B I R M I N G H A M K AYA K 19th-century industrial prowess gave it the
TO U R S : Birmingham’s canal network was nickname the ‘workshop of the world’, so for a Nicknamed Old Joe,
first engineered in the 1700s to transport window into its heritage, visit the city centre’s the world’s tallest
heavy goods such as coal and iron. Today, Jewellery Quarter. Here you’ll find Europe’s
the waterway’s distinctive 19th-century largest concentration of jewellers in a district free-standing clock
brick Roundhouse, originally used as stables where the original FA Cup, the whistles used tower is situated
and store houses, has been revamped in on RMS Titanic and, at one point, 75% of the
collaboration with the National Trust and world’s pen nibs were manufactured. Now,
on the University
Canals & Rivers Trust as a base for tours. Pop many of the Jewellery Quarter’s warehouses of Birmingham
into the Grade II-listed building’s visitor centre have been repurposed as bars, museums
in the heart of the city centre before joining one and restaurants, all sprawling out from its
campus. Officially
of its unique kayak trips, offering a duck’s-eye centrepiece, St Paul’s Square. called the Joseph
view of popular landmarks such as the historic
Gas Street Basin, and areas that are inaccessible
C A D B U RY WO R L D : Britain’s favourite
chocolate maker turns 200 this year, and what
Chamberlain
by foot. roundhousebirmingham.org.uk better way to celebrate than with a visit to Memorial Clock
S A R E H O L E M I L L & M O S E L E Y B O G : It’s its factory? Just 13 minutes from New Street
Tower, it stands
hard to believe that a young JRR Tolkien Station by train, Cadbury World’s home is
drew inspiration for The Hobbit and Lord of the historic Bournville model village, where proud at 328ft high
the Rings when living just five miles south of cottages, schools and sports facilities were — taller even than
Birmingham city centre, but it’s true. Tolkien built in 1893 by the Cadbury family for its
often visited the grounds surrounding Sarehole workers. Today, Bournville remains a blueprint London’s Big Ben
Mill, a 250-year-old working watermill in Hall for British model villages and its immersive
Green, which he later said inspired Middle factory tour tells the brand’s story through
Earth. A five-minute walk away is Moseley interactive displays, actor appearances and, of
Bog, an ancient forest with gnarled trees and course, tastings. cadburyworld.co.uk
walking trails, which was the inspiration I KO N G A L L E RY: This nationally important
for the Old Forest, on the edge of the Shire. artist-led gallery has one goal: to make art
birminghammuseums.org.uk/sarehole-mill accessible for the people of Birmingham,
P O S I T I V E LY B I R M I N G H A M : These fun free of charge. Ikon turns 60 this year and
walking tours, led by local authors and has been in its current neo-gothic city
photographers, tap into topics ranging from centre building on Oozells Square — a spot
the city’s Victorian heritage to its role as the famous for its cherry blossom display in
backdrop for the hit TV series Peaky Blinders. spring — since 1997. Recent exhibitions have
Tours run Friday to Sunday and take in street showcased the works of photographer Vanley
art, filming locations and city landmarks, like Burke and painter Mali Morris, among others.
the Library of Birmingham and Black Sabbath ikon-gallery.org
Bridge. positivelybirmingham.co.uk PA R K S & G R E E N S PAC E S : With more than
A S TO N H A L L : This Grade I-listed Jacobean 8,500 acres of parks and gardens to explore,
red-brick mansion across the road from Villa Birmingham is a much greener city than its
Park, home of Aston Villa FC, remains one of industrial past would lead you to believe.
Clockwise from top left: Glen Sewell
the finest standing examples of 17th-century Locals’ favourite park is Cannon Hill, a
outside his shop La Mons Jewellery
architecture in the city. It also claims to be one 15-minute bus ride south of the centre, which
in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter;
of the UK’s most haunted buildings. Combine is home to the Midlands Arts Centre, an views over Birmingham city centre
a visit to its rooms with a tour of Villa Park. outdoor amphitheatre, boating lake, tennis from Staying Cool at Rotunda;
birminghammuseums.org.uk/aston-hall courts and mini golf. cannonhillpark.co.uk Swordfish Records, one of the city’s
avfc.co.uk macbirmingham.co.uk/whats-on vintage vinyl haunts
M AY 2 0 24 15 3
BIRMINGHA M
Clockwise from top left: An aerial view

of New Street Station; the loaded
vegetarian breakfast at Cherry Reds
cafe; Street art pops up in unlikely
places around Birmingham city centre;
the vintage interior of Cherry Reds;
a chef at work in the kitchens of
Michelin-starred Simpsons restaurant
BUY L I K E A LO C A L E AT
B I R M I N G H A M M U S E U M & A RT G A L L E RY: S T M A RT I N ’ S R AG M A R K E T: It’s a rite of £ S H A B A B S : The balti was invented in the
Following a lengthy refurbishment, BMAG’s passage for young Brummies to visit the Rag 1970s by a Pakistani-Brummie restaurateur
main galleries are undergoing a phased Market — usually taken by grandparents whose speedy method of cooking and serving
reopening in time for this summer. Head to seeking a bargain — with everything from the dish in the same flat-bottomed wok-style
its shop for products by local creatives, such textiles and homewares to food and jewellery steel bowl caught on. Birmingham’s famous
as Stacey Barnfield’s Birmingham Colour for sale across 350 stalls. Birmingham was Balti Triangle, a 10-minute taxi ride south of
Palette prints, and Punks & Chancer’s t-shirts first granted permission to hold a market on the city centre, is home to a large concentration
emblazoned with the Brummie endearment this very site in 1166, making it a piece of city of authentic balti houses. Shababs restaurant
‘bab’. shop.birminghammuseums.org.uk history. birmingham.gov.uk has been a local institution since 1987.
S WO R D F I S H R E C O R D S : Swordfish is a shop E D G B A S TO N R E S E RVO I R : Birmingham shababsindian.co.uk
tucked away on the city centre’s northeastern is about as far from the sea as you can get, so £ £ C H E R RY R E D S : This kitsch cafe-bar
edge, but is worth the effort — it’s been a Edgbaston Reservoir is where locals retreat to over the road from New Street Station is a
city mainstay since 1979. Most genres are when they want to be by the water. Come for hit with locals for its classic brunch menu
catered for here but there’s nothing more sailing, rowing and standup padeleboarding featuring full English breakfasts and American
quintessentially Brummie than flicking — just a five-minute taxi ride, or a 30-minute pancakes, paired with freshly ground coffee
through the crates and going home with a walk, from the city centre. There’s also a from local roastery, Quarter Horse. Vegans and
Black Sabbath record. swordfishrecords.co.uk 1.75-mile trail you can walk around the edge. vegetarians are especially well catered for here,
M O S E L E Y FA R M E R S ’ M A R K E T: birmingham.gov.uk/reservoir as are craft beer drinkers. Visit on evenings for
Birmingham is surrounded by working farms B E A RWO O D : While the likes of Moseley, live music. cherryreds.com
that supply a handful of regular farmers’ Stirchley and Digbeth find themselves on £ £ £ S I M P S O N S : Michelin-starred
markets. Perhaps the most popular is this one, neighbourhood cool lists, Bearwood has been Simpsons moved into Edgbaston in 2004,
held on the final Saturday of each month in quietly fizzing away. The suburb tips over taking over a sprawling Grade II-listed
the village of Moseley to the south, where all Birmingham’s northwest border into Georgian villa. Chef-patron Andreas Antona
the food and drink for sale is grown, reared Sandwell and has become known for a and head chef Luke Tipping’s contemporary
or produced no more than a few miles away. burgeoning Latino food scene. Try Brazilian British menu provides playful twists on classic
Local craftspeople often sell products such butcher-cum-restaurant BrasilPortu and the fine-dining ingredients like lobster, which is
as jewellery, ceramics and textiles here, too. family-owned A La Mexicana. brasilportu.uk barbecued and served with pilaf rice, coconut
moseleyfarmersmarket.org.uk instagram.com/alamexicana.birmingham and pineapple. simpsonsrestaurant.co.uk
M AY 2 0 24 155
BIRMINGHA M
Jewellery
Quarter
UNITED
BIRMINGHAM KINGDOM
Roundhouse
Birmingham
Ikon Gallery
D igb eth LONDON
Ed gb aston 1 mile
Balti Triangle
Cannon
Hill
M os eley
Moseley
Bog
Sarehole Mill
Cadbury World

Birmingham New Street is at the heart
of England’s rail network, reachable
by direct train from London in 1.5h,
Manchester and Cardiff in around 2h,
and Edinburgh in 4.5hrs. trainline.com
Ryanair and Aer Lingus offer flights
from Dublin, Belfast and Cork, all with a
journey time of around 1h. easyjet.com
ryanair.com aerlingus.com
Birmingham city centre is compact
and can be explored on foot.
The West Midlands Metro tram
Callie Thirsk, owner of Fox connects New Street with popular

and Chance cocktail bar on nightlife spots including Broad
Pinfold Street, Birmingham Street and the Jewellery Quarter.
westmidlandsmetro.com
WHEN TO GO
AFTER HOURS SLEEP As with much of the UK, Birmingham’s
F OX A N D C H A N C E : Carefully crafted £ B LO C : With 73 cabins inspired by modern, weather can be temperamental.
cocktails take centre stage at this unassuming Japanese design and 35 aparthotel suites, Bloc Summer highs are around 21C, while
central bar known for its service and locally offers great value in a superb location near St in December, average daytime
inspired cocktail names. Deep chesterfield Paul’s Square. Its lowest rates are found in its temperatures drop to around 8C.
sofas and vintage artworks are nice touches, compact ‘no frills, no window’ space-saving Visit in November or December for
but it’s the bartenders’ expert drinks rooms that still have king-sized beds, super Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas
knowledge that sets the bar apart. Try the soft linen and excellent monsoon showers. Market, the largest market of its kind
funky Cannonball rum cocktail, named after a blochotels.com/birmingham outside of Germany and Austria, or
former city jazz club. foxandchance.co.uk £ £ S TAY I N G C O O L AT ROT U N DA : For a during the summer for music festivals
N O RTO N S : This independent bar in the bird’s-eye perspective on Birmingham, stay including Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul
Irish quarter of Digbeth pours some of the at this hotel high up in the landmark Rotunda Festival, and Birmingham Mela
best Guinness in the city, alongside a range of building. It’s as central as you can get, with — Europe’s biggest celebration of
cask and keg beers. Drinkers can expect great apartment-style rooms featuring kitchens that South Asian music, food and culture.
craic with trad music sessions on weekends include complimentary local delicacies such thebfcm.co.uk birminghammela.com
and a beer garden showing live sports. There’s as Birmingham Brewing Co beers and snacks
even a ‘split the G’ leaderboard with free pints from local zero waste shop The Clean Kilo. MORE INFO
for those who can take a gulp and land the stayingcool.com/locations/birmingham visitbirmingham.com
black line between the gap in the ‘G’ on their £ £ £ T H E G R A N D H OT E L : Birmingham’s 111 Places in Birmingham That You
Guinness glass. nortons.bar landmark hotel was empty for almost 20 years Shouldn’t Miss. £13.99
H A R E & H O U N D S : If you’ve heard of the before a £50m restoration brought it back to Second City: Birmingham and the
Hare & Hounds it’s probably because you know life in 2021. The likes of Winston Churchill Forging of Modern Britain. £25
someone that saw Ed Sheeran play in its tiny and Charlie Chaplin stayed here in their day,
gig room above the pub in 2011. Or so they say. and more recently it’s hosted film stars such HOW TO DO IT
This stalwart venue has indeed brought some as Tom Cruise and Johnny Depp. The rooms Run of a Kind hosts Birmingham’s
of music’s biggest names to the sprightly south include family and accessible options, as well only guided running tours, taking
Birmingham suburb of Kings Heath, including as penthouse suites with four-poster beds. in parks, street art and more
UB40 who, in 1979, played their first ever gig There’s also an on-site NYC-inspired brasserie, — prices vary depending on length.
here. hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk Isaac’s. thegrandhotelbirmingham.co.uk runofakindbirmingham.com
■
SALT is a restaurant nicety percepted providing something for everyone
from the people behind the REVO group, from daytime, dining, nightlife
which are deeply experienced in and events.
hospitality services, property Our mission is to stir up a
management, marketing, events and more. revolutionary concept of the
Salt is about tasting the Mediterranean restaurant by exceeding the client's
cuisine, seafood and sushi. It is a one-stop expectations in a dimension where
shop for food and beverage experiences, time, food and drink will savour more.
| P A I D C O N T E N T F O R D E S T I N AT I O N D C
WASHINGTON, DC
Five of the coolest
neighbourhoods
The US capital’s classic sights will always appeal, but take the time to stray
a little further and you’ll find colourful, cosmopolitan neighbourhoods
breathing new life into the city. Words: Jonathan Crossley
M 3
any first-time visitors Washington Nationals have their home SHAW
to Washington, DC stadium here, which features outstanding Steeped in African American history,
understandably make a views of the US Capitol dome from many Shaw is one neighbourhood that’s seen
beeline for the striking of its 40,000-plus seats, while Audi Field, major revitalisation in recent years. It’s
monuments and museums of the National home to Major League Soccer’s DC United, located in the popular northwest quadrant
Mall — the vast expanse of parkland that offers state-of-the-art facilities that also of Washington, DC and takes its name
stretches from the Lincoln Memorial to the host a variety of cultural events, community from Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, who
US Capitol. Look further afield, however, activities and concerts. commanded an all-Black regiment during
and the city’s eclectic charm unfurls. Over the Civil War. Visitors can learn about the
131 neighbourhoods, each with their own
flavour and flare, can be found throughout
the city, from the historic enclaves of
2 GEORGETOWN
Widely regarded as DC’s most historic
neighbourhood, Georgetown was originally
area’s rich history at the African American
Civil War Memorial Museum, which recalls
the events of the war through to the Civil
Georgetown to the global cafes and jazzy established in the 1700s as a tobacco-port Rights movement with related photos,
bohemian quarters of Adams Morgan. town and housed a lumber yard, cement letters, artefacts and soldier’s uniforms.
works and the Washington Flour Mill. Today, Shaw also had a thriving alley culture
1 CAPITOL RIVERFRONT
The former site of one of the nation’s
oldest naval facilities, Capitol Riverfront has
visitors can amble its cobblestone streets to
scout out its federal architecture and historic
landmarks, such as the Old Stone House,
in the 19th and 20th centuries. Located
behind DC’s blocks of rowhouses, these
intersecting, brick-paved zones, once filled
been transformed into a haven for sports the famous steps from The Exorcist and the with stables, workshops and working-class
fans, nature-lovers and foodies. Set along homes of JFK and TV chef Julia Child. dwellings, have now become a mecca for
the banks of the Anacostia River, just south While in the area, be sure to visit the iconic trendy restaurants, hip bars and boutiques.
of the US Capitol, this fast-growing, urban Blues Alley Club, the oldest, continuously Head to Causa, located in Blagden Alley, for
area has seen its dining scene blossom. Now, operated supper club in the US, which Michelin-starred Peruvian seafood, Andean
visitors can enjoy house-brewed beer at has played host to many international cuisine and one of the nation’s largest
Blue Jacket, locally sourced seafood at The artists. Those looking for a unique dining pisco sour libraries. Alternatively, Supra,
Salt Line and spectacular waterfront views experience, meanwhile, should head to located just down the street, is the place to
at District Winery, to name a few. The area the 1789 Restaurant & Bar, which serves sample traditional Georgian fare, including
also draws in legions of passionate baseball upscale, contemporary American cuisine in khachapuri (cheese bread and eggs) and
and soccer fans. Major League Baseball’s a renovated federal townhouse. khinkali (soup dumplings).
| P A I D C O N T E N T F O R D E S T I N AT I O N D C
4 U STREET
5 ADAMS MORGAN Clockwise from left: Washington, DC is known for
Few of DC’s neighbourhoods feature Known for its historic houses, colourful its neoclassical architecture, including the Capitol
building; Perry’s Rooftop in Adams Morgan;
the variety and notoriety of U Street and murals and cosmopolitan culinary scene,
colourful murals on the walls of Blagden Alley in
its trendy 14th Street corridor. An epicentre the Adams Morgan neighbourhood captures the Shaw district
of art and African American heritage, this the essence of the city’s diversity. Here,
bustling stretch of hospitality-packed real restaurants range from Ethiopian and
estate includes everything from dive bars Ghanaian to Dutch, Cajun, Palestinian,
to avant-garde dining rooms. It’s also the Peruvian, Pakistani and Lebanese.
place to experience the city’s exciting music Whatever visitors are looking for, they’ll
scene. Bordering the Shaw neighbourhood find it along the area’s main thoroughfare
to the east, the iconic Howard Theatre is — vibrant 18th Street. The pace picks up at
one of the best venues to catch a live jazz night when the District’s iconic bars, such
performance and has seen the likes of Louis as Roofers Union and Madam’s Organ, host
Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington live music, DJ sets and karaoke, while a PLAN YOUR TRIP
and Ella Fitzgerald grace its hallowed stage. more lowkey spot, Perry’s Rooftop, serves
Meanwhile, for rock and alternative groups, Japanese fare with an extensive drinks Exploring the wider urban area of
make a beeline for the revered 9:30 Club. This menu, including whiskey and sake cocktails. Washington, DC is easy on the city’s
legendary venue features an electrifying Adams Morgan is also the ideal place to extensive and energy-efficient public
lineup, with sold out shows from upcoming while away a long afternoon. Scout out the transport system, which includes the
bands and artists. region’s kaleidoscope of street art, including Metrorail and Metrobus networks.
U Street is also a unique destination vibrant murals, colourful building faces, American Sky offers a three-day tour of the
IMAGES: GETTY; DESTINATION DC
for shopping, with various vintage and painted jersey barriers and more, before city, including flights and accommodation,
artisanal stores, quirky boutiques and taking a long stroll through Meridian Hill from £999 per person. For more
bookshops. Stop by Salt & Sundry, located Park to admire the cascading fountain, information, visit americansky.co.uk
on 14th Street corridor, to peruse its eclectic which is one of the largest in North America.
emporium of home wares, jewellery and The best time of year to visit, however, is in
gifts. These products are created by a mix September for the annual Adams Morgan
of independent makers and designers, both Day Festival, which sees the streets come
local and international. alive with international music, art and food.
T H I S I S PA I D C O N T E N T. I T D O E S N OT N E C E S S A R I LY R E F L E C T T H E V I E W S O F N AT I O N A L G E O G R A P H I C ,
N AT I O N A L G E O G R A P H I C T R AV E L L E R ( U K ) O R T H E I R E D I TO R I A L S TA F F S .
T R AV E L TA L K
A S K THE E XPE RTS

N EED ADVI C E FO R YO U R N E X T TRI P ? ARE YO U AF TER RECOM MEN DATI O N S ,
TI P S AN D G U I DAN C E ? O U R E XPERT S HAVE TH E AN SWER S …
TH E
E X PE RT S
Steph Dyson
Freelance travel writer
Claire Boobbyer
Kerry Walker
Laura Lindsay How easy is it to travel From Nuuk, fly north to Ilulissat, night in a traditional Inuit abode
Destinations and travel independently in Greenland Greenland’s adventure capital. equipped with thermal mats,
expert, Skyscanner and can you suggest a good Situated at the entrance to the sleeping bags and reindeer skins.
itinerary for a solo adventure? UNESCO-listed Ilulissat Icefjord From 3,995 DKK (£458), full board.
While solo adventuring is possible and Disko Bay, in the Arctic Circle, diskolineexplorer.com hotelarctic.
in Greenland, many attractions the town overlooks a dramatic com worldofgreenland.com
are only reachable by boat, so parade of soaring icebergs carved Finish up in Kangerlussuaq, a
you should expect to spend some from the Greenland Ice Sheet. former US airbase that has around
time on guided tours. Start in Go on a whale safari for the chance 300 clear nights per year and some
Nuuk, the capital, and visit the to spot pods of humpbacks, fin of the best conditions for seeing the
Greenland National Museum whales and, if you’re lucky, narwhal. Aurora Borealis. Make sure to sign
and Archives, which houses the Travel by boat to Ilimanaq Lodge up for a dog sledding tour: being
500-year-old Qilakitsoq mummies, for a 22-course tasting menu of pulled along the frozen Qinnguata
IMAGES: GETTY; GROVE OF NARBERTH; ALAMY
plus exhibitions documenting foraged Greenlandic food at Kuussua river to Kangerlussuaq

the island’s Indigenous Inuit and two-Michelin-star restaurant Koks, Fjord by a howl of huskies is a
Clockwise from above: colonial history. en.nka.gl which has relocated here from the standout Greenlandic experience.
The view over Nuup In summer, sail across the vast Faroe Islands until the end of 2024. Whatever the season, don’t miss
Kangerlua fjord,
Nuup Kangerlua fjord to Camp Afterwards, bed down in Hotel Point 660, the only part of the
Greenland; the Brda
Kangiusaq, a glampsite that offers Arctic’s Aurora Cabins, which have Greenland Ice Sheet reachable
River winds its way
kayaking and paddleboarding sweeping bay views and glass roofs by vehicle, where you can take
through the heart of
Bydgoszcz, Poland; tours between icebergs. From for catching the Northern Lights. teetering steps on the million-year-
summer sunshine at the 3,750 DKK (£430), full board, From 4,595 DKK (£527). In winter, old ice and even pitch up overnight.
Grove of Narberth including boat transfers to and take a snowcat nine miles inland albatros-arctic-circle.com
in Pembrokeshire from the camp. watertaxi.gl to Igloo Lodge and spend the S T E P H DY S O N
Will a Cuban stamp in my of terrorism in January 2021. depending on where you
passport cause problems at President Biden has done live. At the time of writing,
the US border? The US and little to roll back Trump’s the waiting time is 110 days.
Cuba have been locked in clampdown, meaning that if Note that while Cuba isn’t
a Cold War clash since the you’ve travelled to Cuba on or currently stamping foreign
early 1960s, giving birth to after 12 January 2021, you’ll be passports with entry visas at
the world’s longest-running unable to enter the US under the border, this policy shouldn’t
trade embargo — 62 years the regular ESTA Visa Waiver be seen as a free pass to
and counting. Restrictions Program. You can still travel to circumvent US law.
relaxed under the Obama the US, but you’ll need to apply Be aware that you can
administration, but President for a B-2 visitor visa, which also no longer use an ESTA
Trump overturned many of means filling out an online form visa to enter the US if you’ve
the overtures his predecessor and paying the $185 (£145) travelled to Iran, Iraq, Syria,
had made towards Cuba visa fee. You’ll then be given a North Korea, Sudan, Libya,
during his period of office, face-to-face appointment at Somalia and Yemen since 1
including placing the country the US Embassy in London or March 2011. uk.usembassy.gov
back on a list of state sponsors Consulate General in Belfast, C L A I R E B O O B BY E R
I’ve yet to organise a family

holiday for May half-term. Can
I’m looking for UK hotels and mushrooms. Kids are Evans as he combs the coastline you suggest a good-value city
offering foraging excursions. welcome, too. From £503, B&B. for samphire, cockles, clams beak to book last-minute? There
Where would you suggest? thefifearms.com and oysters. From £199, B&B. are still great deals available for
Warmer days, budding In the Welsh market town grovenarberth.co.uk those willing to shop around,
hedgerows and sun-dappled of Abergavenny, The Angel Near Stoke-on-Trent and the especially if you’re open to
woods make late spring the Hotel is a stylish, Georgian-era Peak District National Park, The exploring alternative, lesser-known
ideal time for a foraging break. springboard for romps into Tawny offers foraging sessions European cities like Bydgoszcz in
The Fife Arms in Braemar, Bannau Brycheiniog National that fit neatly into its back- Poland or Billund in Denmark
Scotland is a revamped Park with foraging whizz and to-nature ethos. A morning — both typically more affordable
Victorian coaching inn that author Adele Nozedar. Expect hunting for plants, fruit and than mainstay favourites such as
delivers a slice of Highland to find edible weeds and fungi rounds out with a forage- Paris and Barcelona, especially
wilderness in the Cairngorms flowers, as well as botanicals focused lunch at The Plumicorn. during peak school holiday times.
National Park. Resident forager for infusing gin. From £125. Later, rest up in eco-chic digs Billund is the perfect place
Natasha Lloyd leads eye- angelabergavenny.com from treehouses to cosy cabins, to keep the kids entertained
opening two-hour rambles Alternatively, head west all with outdoor spa baths. during half-term week. It’s home
in search of wild garlic, to Grove of Narberth, in From £250, B&B. thetawny.co.uk to the original Legoland Resort
bilberries, nettles, rosehips Pembrokeshire, to join Craig K E R RY WA L K E R (often cheaper and less crowded
than the UK’s Windsor site) and
Lalandia Aquadome, Scandinavia’s
largest tropical waterpark, which
features hair-raising slides, a
plethora of pools and even its own
aromatherapy sauna. Lalandia
Aqualand 299 DKK (£34) for a full-
day ticket; Legoland Billund Resort
from 329 DKK (£38). legoland.dk
lalandia.dk
If you want to explore further
afield, Copenhagen is easily
reachable by car or public
transport, as is historic Aarhus,
home to the famous Viking
Museum. Billund also provides easy
access to the Jutland peninsula,
which has an abundance of wildlife
trails and biking routes, ideal for
those seeking an active break.
At the time of writing, flights
during May half-term are still good
value. Billund Airport has several
connections with UK airports, so
it’s worth comparing prices before
you book, especially if you’re
within reach of a choice of airports.
skyscanner.net L AU R A L I N D S AY
M AY 2 0 24 161
THE INFO
The Channel Tunnel

CO N N EC TI N G B RITAI N AN D CO NTI N ENTAL EU RO PE, TH E WO RLD ’ S LO N G E S T
U N D ER S E A T U N N EL C ELEB R ATE S A MI LE S TO N E B I RTH DAY TH I S M AY
TIMELINE
30th
The anniversary the Channel Tunnel marks in 2024.
An engineering wonder, it was officially inaugurated
on 6 May 1994 by Queen Elizabeth II and the
French president, François Mitterrand
1802
French mining engineer Albert
Mathieu-Favier creates a plan
to dig a tunnel beneath
the English Channel for
horse-drawn coaches
1880
The first attempts are made to
construct a tunnel to France,
from Abbot’s Cliff, near
1997 Folkestone. The project

is soon abandoned
32 miles
1987
The length of the tunnel linking Folkestone, TH E Y E A R TH E A M E RI C A N S O C I E T Y
England and Calais, France. It runs for 23.5 miles O F C IV I L E N G I N E E R S D E S I G N ATE D
under the English Channel, making it the world’s TH E T U N N E L A M O D E RN WO N D E R Construction of the Channel
longest undersea tunnel O F TH E WO RLD Tunnel begins on the English
side. Excavation on the French
side begins the following year,
and the two tunnels meet in 1990
WORDS: EMMA MONK. IMAGES: GETTY
1993
4 million
TH E N U M B E R O F D O G S A N D C AT S
246 ft
The depth below sea level the Channel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel is
completed and the first test
trains make the journey.
TH AT H AV E TR AV E LLE D TH RO U G H reaches. Remarkably, even at such depths, The tunnel officially opens
TH E T U N N E L S I N C E 2 0 0 0 4G mobile services are available for passengers the following year
Sources: asce.org eurostar.com eurotunnel.com samphirehoe.com
T R AV E L TA L K
HOT TOPIC
FOREIGN OFFIC E ADVIC E

The government has come under fire for being ‘dramatic and sensational’
in its guidance for trips abroad. But has it really been too harsh?
Half the fun of going on a foreign

adventure is dealing with the
unexpected, but it’s still important
to be aware of any potential risks.
The Foreign, Commonwealth
& Development Office (FCDO)
provides travellers with detailed
online advice on visiting all overseas
countries and territories, covering
everything from health, safety and
security to local laws and entry
requirements. But recently it’s
come under fire for allegedly being
outdated and overly harsh in its
recommendations, most notably
for visitors to Sri Lanka.
What happens if you travel

against FCDO advice? Travelling
against government advice isn’t
illegal, but it will invalidate almost
all mainstream travel insurance Sigiriya rock fortress is one
policies. So, if something goes of Sri Lanka’s highlights
wrong, it has major consequences.
It’s also worth considering that even
if only a single day, or less, of a trip
enters an area designated as off outbreaks or natural disasters, it ‘indiscriminate’ terrorist attacks Do travellers generally heed
limits by the FCDO, it can invalidate says, “we’ll advise against travel remain today. Detailed information advice? Most major operators,
the insurance for the duration. only when we consider the risk to on political and economic protests such as Tui, Jet2 and EasyJet
Taking out a specialist policy is British nationals is unacceptably of 2022 is also still there. Holidays, don’t sell destinations
the best way to ensure you’re high”. In the case of terrorism, “What’s concerning about the FCDO advises against travel to.
covered, although these can be the FCDO will only advise against Sri Lanka, and it’s probably true Bealby believes most of his
costly, especially for older people. travel “in situations of extreme of some other destinations, is customers heed government
The Association of British Insurers and imminent danger, where the the wording is so dramatic and advice, a view backed up by a recent
can help travellers find a specialist threat is sufficiently specific, large- sensational,” says Jonny Bealby, survey of 4,000 people that found
broker. abi.org.uk scale or endemic to affect British founder of adventure tour operator 74% would forgo a free holiday
nationals severely”. Wild Frontiers, which sells trips to if the FCDO travel advice said a
How does the FCDO assess areas the FCDO advises against. destination was unsafe. The poll,
countries? The advice for each Is advice getting stricter? “It really puts people off. And the commissioned by Experience Travel
country or territory is constantly Objectively, no; the way the advice reality on the ground in Sri Lanka is Group, also found that 61% of Britons
being reviewed, and the FCDO is compiled hasn’t changed. But that 99.99% of all our holidays pass relied on the accuracy of the FCDO
uses a number of sources to 35 MPs and tour operators have off without any trouble at all.” travel advice to make decisions.
determine it. These include: local signed an open letter coordinated Out-of-date information doesn’t Martyn Sumners, executive
embassies; information provided by the Experience Travel Group just affect Sri Lanka. On the pages director of the Association of
by local authorities; and, in some saying that the advice on the Sri for Spain, for example, details of Independent Tour Operators, says:
cases, information gathered by Lanka page, in particular, is too the 2017 Barcelona and Cambrils “The FCDO guidance is clearly a
intelligence services. severe and written in a way that terrorist attacks are still carried. leading factor in which countries
The FCDO says: “We know [our can unnecessarily deter travellers. The Kenya page still references a are selected by holidaymakers.
assessments] can sometimes have In May 2022, the FCDO advised single attack at a hotel complex Ministers surely owe it to both
an impact for businesses in the UK against all but essential travel to that happened five years ago. So travellers and international
and abroad and for international Sri Lanka because of the ‘ongoing while the FCDO hasn’t actively partners to make sure the guidance
relations, but we don’t let this political and economic instability’. become more harsh in its guidance, is fair, consistent and accurate.”
affect our advice.” For threats The advice was dropped the it could be argued that it needs to B E N C L AT WO RT H Y Travel and
such as coups, civil unrest, disease following month, but warnings of take a fresh look. transport correspondent at The Times
M AY 2 0 24 163
R E P O RT
C AN TR AVEL
C ERTIFIC ATION S
M AKE A DIFFERE NC E?
TH E N UMB ER O F B CO RP- C ERTI FI ED COMPAN I E S I S G ROWI N G, B U T WHAT
D O E S TH I S ME AN AN D C AN I N ITIATIVE S LI KE TH I S RE ALLY H ELP U S
TR AVEL I N A MO RE RE S P O N S I B LE WAY ? WO RD S: H O LLY T U PPEN
Travel has incredible potential which try to cut through the noise any company in any sector; B only goal of the company, and
for good. It can boost local by providing a badge that lets Corp brands range from ethical that they simultaneously seek
economies, provide much-needed customers know a company is clothing company Patagonia to to address social, economic and
funds for conservation and offer doing all it claims to be doing. ice-cream maker Ben & Jerry’s. In environmental needs.
employment opportunities. But But, with over 100 travel, certified B Corps include Elsewhere, like in the UK,
not all companies operate in a certifications in the travel hotels, tour operators and sites companies must instead change
way that benefits the regions they industry, even this can be tricky listing self-catering options. But the wording of their governance
work in, and over recent years this for consumers to navigate. what does becoming a B Corp documents to declare that
is an issue that’s been thrown into Some involve rigorous checks to actually involve? they hope to ‘have a material
the spotlight. ensure a company does what it Three things, in short. positive impact on society and
Travellers have increasingly says, while others involve little First, the company must score the environment’. When making
been seeking more responsible more than box-ticking, with no at least 80 out of 200 in an decisions, board members must
experiences. According to ensuing verification. Some look online assessment that covers also consider a range of aspects,
Booking.com’s 2023 Sustainable for generic impact indicators, governance, workers, community, including employees, suppliers,
Travel Report, 76% of respondents like recycling initiatives and environment and customers. Each society and the environment.
want to travel sustainably over the workplace diversity, while answer is awarded points based Finally, every B Corp must be
next 12 months, while 2021 others are tailored specifically to on best practice. For example, transparent about its impact. As a
research by Google found that social and environmental risks if at least 40% of managers are starting point, each has a profile
71% of people think travel and opportunities in the travel women, a company can earn on the B Lab website outlining
companies should offer more industry. Working out what 1.03 points; if it offsets its carbon how it measures up to the
sustainable choices. each claim means can be tricky emissions, it can earn 0.48 standards. These profiles include
But while a majority of for industry experts, let alone points; and by collaborating a report listing the answers to
travellers want to book more the average traveller. Here we with other businesses (for every question in the assessment,
responsible trips, only about a unpack one of the fastest growing example, providing data for although most businesses don’t
quarter do. This is known as the certifications: B Corp. research or speaking at events) actively promote them.
‘intention gap’. Factors such as to help improve environmental
price and convenience play into Business with purpose performance, it gets 0.41 points. A growing movement
this, but it can also be because Founded by three friends in the US Next, the company must legally As the only multi-sector
travellers simply don’t know in 2006, B Lab — the not-for-profit commit to considering its impact environmental and social
where to turn for accurate and body that certifies B Corporations on the environment and society certification, B Corp is in demand.
reliable information. — aims to help businesses have a rather than just making a profit. So much so that there are
The situation hasn’t been better social and environmental This is known as a ‘triple bottom waiting times of up to two years
helped by tenuous sustainability impact. To help achieve this, it’s line’ approach or ‘mission lock’. for assessment. However, that
claims and jargon, which have designed a process to verify if In some parts of the world, like hasn’t put many companies off,
IMAGE: GETTY
flooded brochures and social a company is acting in the best the US, this requires a legal status particularly in the UK, which is
media feeds in recent years. This interests of people and the planet. change to a benefit corporation, one of the fastest-growing B Corp
is where certifications come in, The certification is available to which means that profit is not the regions globally.
According to a recent
report, three-quarters of
travellers are keen to book
more sustainable trips
M AY 2 0 24 165
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R E P O RT
Intrepid Travel hired additional female

tour guides as part of improvements
brought about by B Corp certification
Reasons for going through the by telling travellers how much and work more closely together. There’s no doubt
B Corp process vary. Some travel carbon each trip is responsible for, Co-chaired by Thomas Power,
companies might want to be part or producing the annual Impact founder of Pura Aventura, which
that there’s rising
of a community of sustainability Assessment highlighting work organises tours in Spain, Portugal awareness of social
leaders, while others might across environmental and social and South America, and Rochelle
believe it will help to sell more indicators. Every B Corp must Turner, head of sustainability at
and environmental
trips to increasingly ethical reapply for assessment every group tour operator Exodus, the issues among
travellers. Despite the intention three years, too, so becoming
gap between people saying they certified can mean embarking
community includesrail specialist
Byway and the tour operator
travellers today
want to book a more sustainable on a continual journey of Steppes Travel, among others.
trip and actually doing so, there’s improvement. Mike Bevens, For Power, this collaboration is chain — the businesses, people
no doubt there’s rising awareness managing director at Sawday’s, part of the appeal. He says, “The and services you choose to work
of social and environmental says, “When we recertified last open, collaborative nature of the with in a destination; for example,
issues. In a 2023 Nielsen IQ year, we improved our score to community is remarkable. We all a local hiking company or a lodge.
survey, for example, data showed 122.3 [out of 200]. We want to run individual businesses, but So understanding and influencing
that 46% of consumers wanted improve in our next certification.” together we can have a greater it can be a complex task.”
brands to lead in creating change. Much Better Adventures, a impact.” An example of this The B Lab assessment could
But for many companies, it’s a high-scoring travel B Corp, has cooperation was when the group be more thorough in unpicking
means of finding points that need found that becoming certified recently commissioned research a travel business’s impact in the
improvement and documenting has had some other benefits, too, from behaviour change specialist places they operate — according
what’s been achieved. Zina such as finding new like-minded Behaviour Smart to better to a report in the Financial Times,
Bencheikh, EMEA managing suppliers.As a result, it’s now understand how to get travellers a company may commit to paying
director for Intrepid Travel, says, working with Chilean wildlife tour to choose more sustainable trips. its employees a fair wage, but
“The B Corp process helped us to operator Birds Chile to create a there are no requirements under
identify areas we could improve. new trip in Patagonia. Co-founder A complex reality the existing process that it should
For example, we realised we didn’t Sam Bruce says, “Knowing that While the B Corp badge indicates extend this further down the
have the right gender balance we share an ethos for travel to be a that a company is trying its best supply chain. That means that, for
among our tour leaders, so in 2019 force for good helps build a strong to benefit the places it operates example, a company could agree
we doubled the number of female working relationship.” in, unpacking what it actually to pay its employees at head office
tour leaders we worked with.” So far, 60 travel businesses means for travellers booking a fair wage, but it doesn’t have to
Intrepid Travel also launched a have attained B Corp status in the a specific trip is a little more consider the workers in the hotel
IMAGE: INTREPID TRAVEL
collection of Women’s Expeditions UK, among them Inside Travel complicated. “Sustainable travel they send travellers to, which they
(all-female trips led by local Group, Luxury Cottages, Travel is nuanced,” Megan Devenish, don’t own. Currently, profits don’t
female guides) following the B Matters, Steppes Travel and Mr head of adventure at Much Better have to be reinvested back into the
Corp process. Other businesses say & Mrs Smith. About half have Adventures, explains. “Most of a local communities, either.
that certification has made them joined collective Travel by B Corp tour operator’s environmental and Changing the assessment
more transparent — for example, to promote the B Corp badge social impact sits in the supply process would be a positive step
M AY 2 0 24 167
R E P O RT
B Corp assessment is being

revamped, introducing minimum
TO P T I P S
standards across a range of issues, Booking
such as environmental stewardship responsibly
A S K TO S E E
A N I M PAC T
ASSESSMENT
Any business serious
about improvement
will publish an
annual Impact
Assessment. Look
for data-backed
statements and
whether it covers
everything from
local communities
to the environment,
rather than focusing
on just one aspect.
ASK QUESTIONS
The most responsible
travel companies
train everyone, from
sales teams to back-
of-house employees,
in what it means
to have a positive
in an industry where economic taken at face value. We should to. Being accessible is a strength impact. The more
leakage — money seeping from instead encourage travellers to of B Corp, creating wider you ask questions,
local communities into the hands be curious and actively energised awareness and uptake, but also a the easier it is to spot
of international businesses — is instead of blindly accepting potential weakness, diluting what genuine do-gooders
a concern. According to the UN certification.” He continues: it ultimately means. — those who care will
World Tourism Association, “Tourism is unique in that what is B Lab is attempting to address generally have the
US$95 of every US$100 spent on most important to address varies this criticism. The assessment best answers.
tourism in the developing world greatly by destination.” process is currently under
leaves host countries. Examples of this can be found review by its Standards Advisory DON’T BE AFRAID
According to Paul Easto, worldwide. For example, water Council (which includes a mix of TO S PE AK U P
founder of Wilderness Scotland, conservation is a pressing issue businesses, independent experts Always consider
these concerns were the reason for hotels in Cape Town, where and government bodies) and is your impact when
the company avoided seeking B drought is commonplace, whereas open for public consultation. The travelling — whether
Corp certification. “We decided protecting mangrove forests is a exact date is yet to be announced, on a local community
to instead channel our energy priority in Indonesia, where coastal but the first updates are expected or an environment
and resources into tackling issues erosion puts local communities to be available later this year and — and how you’d feel
where we could have the most at risk. This context is difficult include a shift from the flexible if roles were reversed.
impact, such as adapting our to address in a standardised 80-point system to requiring If you find yourself
product and operations to reduce certification like B Corp. every company to meet minimum in a situation or see
emissions or eliminating all Rochelle Turner, head of standards across multiple something on your
single-use plastics and food waste sustainability at Exodus, issues, such as fair wages and itinerary that doesn’t
on our trips.” acknowledges this: “There are environmental stewardship. feel right, don’t be
But certifications like B Corp some other certifications that are This commitment to continual afraid to speak up
have their uses. Xavier Font, specific to tourism and therefore improvement certainly provides — it’s the first step
professor of sustainability more aligned to it, like The Long hope in the imperfect world of towards making a
marketing at Surrey University, Run’s Global Ecosphere Retreats sustainability stamps. Whether B postive change.
says: “What the certification standard and other Global Corp and other certifications can
provides is a seal of approval that Sustainable Tourism Council- improve quickly enough to meet
you can probably trust what this recognised certifications.” the increasing scrutiny of savvy
company says because it has its These tend to drill a little deeper consumers and shifting regulation
house in order.” into a business’s impact by remains to be seen, but in the
Justin Francis, founder of asking more questions about, for meantime, as Thomas Power puts MORE INFO
Responsible Travel, agrees: “The example, its choice of suppliers it, “It sounds grandiose, but if we travelbybcorp.com
IMAGE: GETTY
best certifications, like B Corp, and the social and environmental all spend our money with B Corp- bcorporation.net
should give travellers some risks and opportunities in the type businesses, then our world is gstcouncil.org
confidence, but none should be destination they send travellers likely to be a better place to live.” thelongrun.org
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IN THE NE XT I S SU E
Paris
In the lead-up to the 2024 Olympics, experience the best of

the French capital outdoors. Soak up the summer in sculpture
gardens, have dinner on a rooftop terrace, explore urban
wineries, swim in al fresco pools and much more
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Unexpected pleasures Your feature on a Norwegian rail journey
I found your magazine in the MRI waiting (‘Slow Train Under the Midnight Sun’, April
area of my local hospital. I was, as they say, 2024) reminded me of my time travelling
transported. I enjoyed the shorter articles around Bergen by train. What was an
— I managed to read several in the limited everyday commute for the locals became
time available, actually feeling anxious I’d an unforgettable memory for me. The route
be called to my appointment before I’d read passed through mountain tunnels and
A pair of enough. But I particularly liked the feature emerged next to waterfalls and fjords. I’m now
Hanwag boots on trekking in Scotland (‘Between the Lines’, booking another trip to Norway to experience
worth £235! March 2024), having driven through this area this again. Thank you for the inspiration.
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and stability on all terrain. to the UK. I feel we have unfinished business
Available in a range of fits in South Africa, and your feature on the city’s
to suit the length, width and culinary scene (Cover story, March 2024)
shape of your feet. reminded me it’s time to see what we missed.
hanwag.com PAT E D G A R
M AY 2 0 24 17 7
BELGIUM
HOW I GOT THE S HOT

TR AVEL PH OTO G R APH ER KE VI N FAI N G NAERT RE VE AL S H OW H E
D I S TI LLED TH E H I S TO RI C AL C HAR M O F G H ENT FO R O U R APRI L I S S U E
Tell us about this image. architecture and picturesque canals, and I knew What’s the secret to the perfect skyline shot?
Looking to capture Ghent’s beauty in a single this view showed both at their very best. To Shots like this require a combination of careful
shot, I found a view looking out over Graslei make the scene even more magical, I decided planning and artistic vision. Scout for vantage
quay towards three of the city’s most iconic to shoot in the morning, when the towers were points on Google Maps before heading out.
towers: St Nicholas Church, the Belfry of Ghent backlit and the sun was just starting to hit You’re looking for locations that offer a unique
and St Bavo’s Cathedral. On the right, people the cobblestones and ornate facades, further perspective of the skyline, such as high-rise
cross St Michael’s Bridge and flow towards the heightening the city’s timeless allure. buildings, hills or waterfront areas. Pay close
Old Centre. In Ghent, history unfolds with every attention to lighting, too, as light quality can
step. Wandering around the city, you encounter What were the challenges at play? make or break a skyline shot. Golden hour
ancient cobblestone streets, elegant canals and There are already thousands of photos of the often provides a soft light that will add a
magnificent architecture at every turn. three towers, most of them taken by people on magical glow to images. And don’t forget to
St Michael’s Bridge. I wanted to show something pay attention to composition principles such
How did you get the shot? similar, but from a fresh perspective. While as the rule of thirds, positioning key elements
This was taken on a mirrorless Canon R5 with scouting the location, I found a hotel near the of the skyline along the lines of an imaginary
a 28-70mm f.2 lens, which is outstanding for bridge and asked the receptionist if I could grid to create a balanced composition.
both portraits and landscapes and therefore take a picture from a room with a riverside view. Including interesting foreground elements
my go-to lens for travel jobs. I arrived with the After I told her I live in Ghent, she was kind can also add depth and context.
intention of highlighting the city’s historical enough to show me a room overlooking the
charm — Ghent is renowned for its medieval canal and let me shoot from the window. @kevinfaingnaert
I S U B M I T YO U R P H OTO G R A P H Y F O R C O N S I D E R AT I O N AT P H O T O G R A P H Y@ N AT G E O T R AV E L L E R . C O . U K

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C I R CA COLLEC TION / SPR ING 2 024

PHOTOG R APHY: A L IS TAIR TAY LO R - YO U N G / LO CAT I O N : TO K YO, JA PA N

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