Wanderlust 2021-01 amp 3B02

NEW YEAR, NEW VIEWHow travel will help you see yourself –

and the world – in a whole new light

Travel Well

SPECIAL INTEREST MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR 2020

NORTHERN LIGHTS

The best places to see a phenomenon WILD BALI

Discovering the authentic Indonesia SCOTTISH ISLANDS

Why Islay is Queen of the Hebrides

WIN! A trip to

St Lucia for two worth

£4,000.p82

wanderlust.co.uk January/February 2021 3 The Original Travel Magazine, Est. 1993

Executive Director Jackie wandered

herself to a muddy, sticky standstill

on assignment in the Cotswolds.

Cheers! Writer Robin McKelvie gets his claws into the local delights on the Hebrides’ isle of Islay (p74).

UPFRONTTHIS ISSUE

Behind the scenes this month...

Assistant content editor Rosie

spotted whales while taking in the

joys of o�-season Tenerife (p22).

Monty Halls took time to chat to Wanderlust readers at our Western Australia digital event.

Welcome…

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Shut

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– A

uror

a bo

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Nor

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Thi

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Ala

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Rob

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New horizons Taking in the view

at Banjska Stena in Serbia

4 things we learnt

this month...

1 Never whistle

at the northern

lights... (p50)

2 Antigua has a beach

for every day of

the year (p22)

3Passports come in

shades of just four

colours (p97)

4 You can toboggan

down the sunny

streets of Madeira

in a wicker basket (p92)

NOTE While we try to ensure

the information in Wanderlust is up to date

at the time of going to press, please always

doublecheck especially regarding country entry

requirements.

Hurrah! Despite all the frustrations there’s

finally green shoots of optimism in the world of

travel. With very promising news on the

vaccine front, and with more and more

countries opening their borders again, travel

companies have reported a welcome stampede in enquiries.

So what will 2021 bring? After such a surreal year, one thing

that is clear is that people want to make the most of their travels

and also there seems to be an urge to do something new. So on

page 32 we take a look at ideas for you to try in the coming year.

Being winter, we couldn’t resist going in search of the

northern lights (p50) and also raising a dram or two of warming

whisky in beautiful Islay (p74). But, like me, you may be dreaming

of escaping to the tropics, such as to the lesser-visited and more

traditional parts of Bali (p58).

A huge thanks to those of you who have written to us in recent

months; we appreciate your messages of gratitude and support.

And may 2021 bring you joy, happiness and some glorious and

life-affirming travels.

Seasons greetings,

Lyn Hughes

Editor-In-Chief/Co-founder

wanderlust.co.uk January/February 2021 5

ContributorsTHIS ISSUE

Wanderlust is brought to life by people from all over the planet. Here are some of the writers, photographers and travellers who’ve crafted this issue – plus what their plans are for 2021

UPFRONTTHIS ISSUE

Robin McKelvie Isle of Islay

With the Scottish writer

and blogger’s usual

autumn destinations off

limits, Robin instead

headed to Islay, in the

Inner Hebrides. He

enjoys walking, whisky

and wildlife on p74.

What will you try that’s

new for you in 2021?

“There’s always

something new to

thrill and surprise in

Scotland. With over

800 islands and 11% of

Europe’s coastline,

there is a lot out there.”

Simon Reeve Interview

Wanderlust readers’

favourite TV adventurer

tells us how his travels

around Cornwall (p26)

changed his opinion on

the south-west.



“I’m going to try (again)

to learn Spanish because

I’m hoping to crack on

with my travels down

through South America

to complete my series of

journeys through the

length of the Americas

from top to toe.”

Ash Bhardwaj Conscious traveller

Following his exploits

travelling 8,500km from

Norway to Romania and

1,100km of the Nile (with

Lev Wood), the travel

writer and film maker

here gives us some

pointers on travelling

sensitively on p28.



“Day-trips to towns and

cities in Britain that are

not at the top of tourist

lists. I recently went to

Lincoln; the cathedral

is magnificent.”

Alex Robinson Bali

After winning awards

for his writing and

photography in the UK,

USA and Brazil, Alex’s

most recent trip for

Wanderlust sees him

dodge Bali’s tourists in

search of the authentic

experience (p58).



“All being well I hope to

take a motor scooter

ride around the hairpin

roads of Vietnam’s

mountainous Ha

Giang province.”

Lyn HughesSt Ives

Wanderlust’s editor-in-

chief celebrated the

magazine’s latest award –

and its 27th anniversary –

by visiting the south-

west coast for our British

Break (p93) and compiling

New Year, New View (p32).



“I’d love to do a journey by

campervan; long overdue

as it’s always appealed.

I may even combine it

with a ‘workation’ (horrible

word). I’m certainly going

to savour travel in 2021!”

Michelle Taylor Writing challenge

When not working in IT at

the Open University

Michelle’s travels take her

in search of nature’s

wonders. An encounter

en route to Broome in

Western Australia

provided the inspiration

for her travel writing

competition entry (p24).



“I’m keen to try stand-up

paddle boarding. It looks

like a relaxing activity to

do and even better if it’s

somewhere warm.”Chr

is M

itche

ll/ B

eagl

e M

edia

Ltd

/BBC

6 wanderlust.co.uk January/February 2021

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© Wanderlust Publications Ltd, 2020/2021, ISSN 1351-4733

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The Wanderlust PhilosophyWanderlust aims to inform and inspire all your travel adventures. We strive to bring you the most trusted and reliable information in the world. That’s why we are always upfront about whether our writers have travelled independently or with a tour company. When a tour operator has been used, we always try to use those who’ve scored a minimum satisfaction rating of 85% from readers in our annual awards and we never guarantee positive coverage. Responsible, conscious and sustainable travel is at the heart of everything we do.


Points of view 10 Viewfinder

The sun rises over Bolivia’s

astonishing Uyuni Salt Flats. It

could be symbolic of something...

12 Your letters & photos Your tales and snaps from the road.

98 The real wonders of the world Mokoro at the ready. Why the

Okavango Delta is a travel essential. 32

Contents

5850

Features & pocket guides32 New Year, New View

How and where to get a fresh

perspective on life and work –

just in time for 2021.

50 Northern lights From Alaska to Scotland to

Scandinavia – the very best

places to experience the

greatest show on Earth.

58 Bali We bike beyond the busy beaches

to find Bali’s true nature: villages

set in rolling rice paddies, secret

volcano hikes and dramatic islets.

90 Top Ten Highlights: Washington, DC

No reason why this USA’s capital

is getting a mention in this issue.

No reason at all...

93 British break: St Ives Out of season means fewer visitors,

which is why the ed-in-chief and her

dog are delighted to find themselves

on Cornwall’s celebrated beaches.

Isle of Islay There’s whisky, walking,

wilderness and some more

whisky thrown in for good

measure when we visit the

‘Queen of the Hebrides’.

74PAGE

Beag

le M

edia

Ltd

/Chr

is M

itche

ll/BB

C

26


Swedish LaplandWe get our cameras (and

layers) ready to search of

the northern lights,

reindeer and the Sámi .

36PAGE

Explore 17 Grapevine The latest travel news and trips.

18 Armchair Travel TV, podcasts and books to fire

your travel imagination.

20 Go now: Tenerife Walking, whales and waterfront

cafes. The ideal all-year destination

to beat the lockdown blues….

22 Head to head One country. Two islands. But

which of beachy, birdy, cricket-

mad Caribbean idylls is for you?

89

Alaska p52

Antigua p22

Australia p24

Bali p58

Barbuda p22

Bolivia p10

Botswana p98

Canada p52

Costa Rica p88

England p93

Finland p51

Iceland p52

Italy p92

Madeira p92

Norway p51

Scotland p74

USA p90

This issue mapped

24 Travel writing winners One of the runners up of our

competition discovers the

‘kindness of strangers’ within

herself in Western Australia.

26 Interview: Simon Reeve Somalia. Syria. Cornwall?! The TV

travel star explains why his south-

western adventures gave him

pause for thought.

28 Opinion: Tackling colonialism on our travels Why being mindful of the past will

make those future travels better.

22

Bali, p58

This issue’s highlights

Bolivia, p10

St Ives, 93

Alaska, p52Sweden,

p36

Australia,

p24

Botswana,

p98

Costa Rica, p88

20

WIN! A trip to

Saint Lucia for two worth

£4,000.p82

88

8892

Discover 88 Your travel tips

Spectacular wildlife, green

natural beauty and best place

to enjoy a cocktail. Here’s how

you lot experience Costa Rica.

92 Just back from...

Wicker toboggan racing,

waterfall abseiling and

a spot of horseriding too!

Reader James Willcox

escaped for a post-lockdown

active break in Madeira.

92 Disappointing attractions...

What didn’t live up to your

expectations? You had a lot of

really bitter (and quite funny)

memories – and thanks for

sending them all in!

97 The Wanderlust Christmas quiz Dare you tackle our deviously

difficult quiz, ripped fresh

from the pages of our latest

– and very reasonably priced

– new book? [Yes, you do.]

“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than in miles.” Tim Cahill

Nice to meet you...Salar de Uyuni, BoliviaPhotographer: Michael Poliza

Okay, so we may be a little way off

shaking hands again – remember

shaking hands? – or planning that trip

to Bolivia’s iconic mirrored salt-flats

(aiming for the December-April wet season for

that perfect mirror effect). But it doesn’t seem

too far off either, does it? As we get optimistic

about what the new year may have in store for

us, we venture back to one of our favourite

sources of photographic inspiration. Michael

Poliza’s glorious The World, out now in an

updated edition. You know, that looks like the

sun rising over the horizon to us...

© 2019 Michael Poliza. All rights reserved.

The World (teNeues) is out now (£50);

www.teneues.com;

www.michaelpolizatravel.com

UPFRONTVIE WFIND ER


UPFRONT POSTE RESTANTE

Your mail and missives recalling favourite travel destinations, mislaid journals, things to be thankful for and more

”[The Costa

Rica event with

Ray Mears was]

Informative and

entertaining,

resulting in an

urgent need to take

up canoeing. These

events are very

welcome during

lockdown.”

@gavingough

[On Palma]

”I’ve been

lucky enough to go

to Mallorca three

times in the last

year. Every time I

stayed on a different

part of the island,

but I always made

sure I ventured

into Palma.”

Clemma Tagg

”Shame you

didn’t mention

Aizu region in your

Tohoku itinerary [in

the recent Japan

Trip Planner].

Aizu-Bandai road

down into Nikko is a

glorious way to link

two great areas!”

@AlfieJapanorama

Your letters

SOCIAL TALK

@wanderlustmagwanderlusttravelmagazinefromtheroad@wanderlust.co.uk @wanderlustmag

Drop us a line with your pics, thoughts, tips and

travel suggestions, and help other travellers find their way

Star letter Lost in transitWatching Sir Michael Palin in Travels of a

Lifetime reading from his notebooks brought

back memories of a visit to China that my wife

and I did in 1988. I kept a daily account of our

activities, ensuring that observations that the

camera could not portray were logged. On our

last day in Hong Kong we were so busy I did

not have time to do any writing, but there was plenty of time on the flight

home to complete the notes. At a stop for refuelling I put the notebook in

the pocket in front of my seat and we had to vacate the plane. To my horror,

the cleaners had made a clean sweep and my notebook of the three weeks

of travel had gone! There was a very depressing period until the boxes of

slides started coming through the letter box. With the aid of the images,

the written words in the notebook came flooding back. From this I created

an essay that repeatedly gives pleasure. John N Stevenson, Edinburgh

Literary lureYour article on Palmyra [issue 210]

took me back to October 2010 and

one of my favourite adventures.

I’d read a biography of [scandalous

Victorian aristocrat] Jane Digby

and was inspired to travel to Syria

to follow her journey. I sat where

she had painted her beautiful

watercolours of the ruins and felt so

privileged to have been able to be

there. Only five months later, the

destruction of Syria’s antiquities

and the deaths of so many of the

inhabitants began. I treasure the

photos I took and the people I met,

and my heart breaks for Syria’s

sorrow. Brenda Boulton

Tales from the riverbankThe November issue arrived just

before I set off on my week on the

canals and so I much enjoyed your

piece ‘Tales from the Riverbank’ in

anticipation of my own trip. This was

taken at Autherley Junction where

the Staffs and Worcs Canal joins the

Shropshire Union. Charles Kinsey

EXPLORE

32 wanderlust.co.uk November 2020

wanderlust.co.uk November 2020 33

DISPATCHES

In the depths of lockdown,

when we could only dream

of travel, the chance-find by

my mother-in-law of a bundle

of papers wrapped around

a handful of black-and-white photos

opened a door to a whole new world.

The yellowing typewritten pages

captured the recollections of her

father-in law, James McManus’s,

17-hour trip across the Syrian desert,

from Baghdad to Palmyra.

What made it truly fascinating was

the fact this journey was taken in the

1920s. A civil engineer, James

travelled from his home in Paisley,

Scotland, to live in Iraq; reading his

words and seeing his photographs

felt like stepping into a time machine.

Family treasures uncovered during

lockdown don’t come much better

than this. James wrote in the present

tense and captured the sights and

voices of the desert road trip. We’re

right there, standing beside him as he

points out tombs, colonnades of stone

columns and considers their history.

Palmyra was devastated when ISIL

took control of the area, their

attempts to destroy the site described

by the UN as a war crime. Now the

Syrian government is restoring the

UNESCO-listed site. I’d like to think

James would have approved.

Here are his memories …

“Halte, stop. Nouvelle Palmyre.” To the

weary and dust-stained traveller

approaching Palmyra from the desert,

these signs are welcome. Palmyra at last.

Only 17 hours before, the lights of

Baghdad, 725km away across the

Syrian desert, winked farewell.

Powerful touring cars with running

boards laden with baggage almost to

the height of the hood, travelling all

through the night and a great part of

the next day, had spanned the barren

expanse of desert.

An uneventful journey, it is only

when watches indicate that Palmyra

should be on the horizon there is any

interest. Every distant mound is the

subject of speculation until, at last, the

sun on its western course throws into

relief a dark, irregular shape, which

very slowly resolves into patches of

light, shade and straight lines

recognisable as buildings.

“Palmyra,” says the Syrian driver,

“half hour.”

Turns and twists through the

narrow streets of New Palmyra,

a French-Arab town, allow occasional

glimpses of the ancient city beyond.

A sharp turn to the right past a police

post and there it lies – Queen Zenobia’s

famous city, lonely yet magnificent

even in the chaos of its ruins.

The Palmyra of old may have been

named the City of Palms but there are

few palm trees nowadays. One sees it

as a veritable city of columns. They

cover the area in reckless confusion.

Some rear proud heads 12 or 15 metres

in the air, as erect as the day they were

set up 17 centuries ago. Those

upstanding bear marvellously, but

precariously, enormous stone blocks,

which span from column to column.

To the thoughtful traveller, the

17-hour-journey across the

desert conjures up visions

of the old caravan route

“”

Postcard from the past

“A city of columns.”

And so begins James

McManus’s 100-year-old

account of his journey to

Palmyra, discovered

during lockdownAngela McManus

James McManus’s journey across 1920s Syria has been gathering

dust for nearly a century – until a lockdown tidy-up uncovered

them. Here, we print James’s thoughts as he crossed the desert...

On the road to Palmyra

CORRESPONDENT REPORT

Hundreds, alas, lie

prone, the weathered

yellow stone giving some

semblance to huge

cornstalks, as if a giant

reaper had been at work. In

this barren desert there is no

lichen, moss or clinging ivy

to cloak the nakedness of the

ruins and time has dealt out

uneven treatment. The yellow

stones are pitted and scarred by

the violent blasts of prevailing

sandstorms. In many places the

delicate carvings are as sharp as the

day they were cut, while in others they

are completely eroded.

Built into each column is a bracket

that originally carried a statue. These

were erected to honour those who,

braving the perils of the desert, led the

wealth-laden caravans safely from

India and Persia. Every such

successful venture brought wealth

and renown to Palmyra and its

commemoration in stone also,

materially, helped to build the city.

The number of columns has never

been computed, but some indication

of Palmyra’s success in trading may

be gained from the statement of ⊲

Dre

amst

ime;

BBC

The write stu�I enjoyed the online travel writing

competition you held in June. It

came along just at the right time to

lift the spirits of so many of us that

had trips cancelled. The daily

prompts were great sources of

inspiration. I wrote every day during

the run-up to the closing deadline,

and felt as if I was stepping back into

the best moments of my adventures.

Are you thinking of keeping your

writing prompts as a regular feature

on the website? Laura Eirinn

Thanks, Laura. We’ll put up some more

prompts over the Christmas period – Lyn

Timely updatesI just wanted to extend a thank you

from myself and my fiancé. We’ve

managed to be blessed with 10

days free of our four children to

take our honeymoon and, although

we haven’t booked it yet, your

wonderfully informative and

updated guide as to where we can

and cannot travel has been a

resource that we’ve tapped into

every day.

We are super anxious about this

terrible virus altering our plans any

more than it already has. We’ve had

to cut back on so much already,

only allowed to have six guests to

our wedding, plus our children,

and are currently waiting to hear

if we can have our small reception.

Our saving grace will be our

honeymoon and we really do

thank you for your updates!

Thank you from the bottom of

our hearts for keeping us posted

and making this easier for us to

track! Leanne and Daniel

Each month, the recipient of

our ‘Star letter’ award will win

a versatile High UV with Insect

Shield Bu�® – the ultimate travel

accessory (£22.50 RRP) – so be

sure to get in touch…

Win BUFF® HEADWEAR


UPFRONTYOUR PHOTOS

“The crowded beaches at Erraid sands

on Mull in late October 2020, just before the

second lockdown.” Rob Harper

”I got up with the sun that morning

for a flight above Cappadocia, Turkey, and it

was breathtaking.” Cyndi Garner

So, where have you been recently? Send us pictures from your latest adventures, whether near or far – tag us at #wanderlustmag on Instagram or email them to [email protected]

#wanderlustmag

“Fall is a beautiful time to explore Mangisa

Temple, in the hills around Pyeongtaek,

South Korea.” Rebecca Schochenmaier

“We loved our first road trip to Norway

from the UK and were lucky to have seen the

Northern Lights.” Angela Farmery

“The wonderful Sutton Bank in beautiful

Yorkshire. My first visit and I loved it.”

Caroline Cox

“No visit to Wanaka, New Zealand, would

be complete without a photo of the world’s

most photographed tree.” Susan Blick

“Looking for Inspector Salvo

Montalbano among the beautiful baroque

architecture of Noto, Sicily.” Simon Furze

“Enjoying bath time along the

Pennine Way.”

Rhonda Gurney

“We climbed Creagh Beagh near

Kingussie. It was a stunning and varied

introduction to the area.” Emma Lyons

COMPETITION

To enter the competition, visit wanderlust.co.uk/competitions

comfortable, while the many

pockets ensure practicality.

Women’s Jammer Knit Pant IIWith an updated contemporary

style and fit, this comfortable

trouser provides the versatility

of leggings combined with the

functionality of travel trousers,

making them great for everyday

wear. What’s more, they’re made

from recycled PET bottles,

meaning they’re sustainable

as well as stylish.

Women’s Bug Barrier Discovery III Pant

Made with stretch nylon, these

trousers are light, durable,

breathable and quick-drying,

making them easy to pack and

suitable for trips all over the

world. They can be rolled up

to 3/4 length and include Insect

Shield to prevent bites from

insects. Packed full of practical

features including crease-

resistant fabric, multiple pockets

and a comfortable brushed, soft

waistband, you’ll be feeling and

looking great wherever your

adventures take you.

Wherever we go

travelling, the

clothes we wear

can make a huge

di�erence to our comfort and

our mood. That’s why Royal

Robbins is o�ering one lucky

reader the chance to win £500

of Royal Robbins clothing of

their choice. Whether you are

enjoying a break in the UK or

a trip overseas, the collection’s

comfortable fit, packability and

wear-anywhere practicality

means Royal Robbins garments

will be top of your kit list.

The only problem? Deciding

how to spend your voucher.

With such an extensive

collection – including packaway

coats that convert into bags,

stain-resistant clothes made

from Royal Robbins’ clever

‘Spotless’ fabric and expedition-

ready apparel – there’s a lot

to choose from. Here are just

three items that you could

spend your voucher on…

Men’s Bug Barrier Active Traveller Pant This classic travel trouser is

great for both hikes at home and

further-flung adventures. Made

from stretch nylon, the trousers

are quick-drying, durable and

breathable. And with a Bug

Barrier treatment, you won’t

have to worry about pesky

mosquitoes, either. Adjustable

cu�s and a brushed, soft

waistband mean you’ll stay Mar

tin O

lsen

WIN! £500 worth of Royal Robbins

clothing of your choice

About Royal Robbins Royal Robbins and his wife Liz

were inspired to start the

company after seeing a photo

of themselves at the top of Half

Dome in ripped shorts and

realising there was a gap in the

market for stylish outdoor

clothing. They started Royal

Robbins to make clothing that

would go everywhere. The brand

still makes enduring, classic,

outdoor clothing for people who

love the natural world today.

And because Royal Robbins

clothing is comfortable, easy

to pack, quick to dry and stylish,

you can rely on it for all of your

adventures, whether they are

close to home or overseas once

the world starts travelling again.

Find out more about Royal Robbins clothing by visiting:

royalrobbins.com


How to enterRoyal Robbins is offering

one lucky reader the

chance to win and choose

£500 of Royal Robbins

clothing. To enter, simply

answer the following

question:

In what decade was Royal

Robbins founded?

a) 1940s

b) 1960s

c) 1990s

To enter and for full terms and

conditions and data policies, go to

wanderlust.co.uk/competitions.

Closing date: 10 February 2021


ExploreTravel news p17 | Armchair travel tips p18 | Head to Head: Antigua vs Barbuda p22 Dispatches: a blown tyre in Western Oz p24 | Column: being mindful of the past p28

Shut

ters

tock

Food | Culture | Adventure

Simon Reeve tells us all about his latest TV

adventures in Cornwall, p26

Tackling Tenerife Walking, whales and

waterfront cafes during

the day; stargazing during

the evening, p20

GO NOW!


Meet some of travel’s biggest names at our virtual travel events. Keep checking our events page and make sure you’re signed up to

our newsletter to ensure you don’t miss out – and get advance access with a Wanderlust subscription!

wanderlust.co.uk/events

eventsreader

Don’t miss out on our virtual travel events

Ash BhardwajJulia Bradbury

Ray MearsMonty Halls

Julia

Bra

dbur

y; M

onty

Hal

ls; G

len

Burr

ows


EXPLORE

GrapevineThe

Shut

ters

tock

, ww

w.o

utdo

orw

orld

dire

ct.c

o.uk

What’s getting us talking at Wanderlust Towers

Visit our website to find out about upcoming events, from

webinars and chats on Instagram Live. As well as mingling with

like-minded travellers and meeting the Wanderlust team, you

can ask questions to a host of experts. wanderlust.co.uk

Did you know that you can’t buy

Maltese wine in the UK? It’s time,

therefore, for oenophiles to

raise a glass to Malta Tourism

Authority for designing a new

wine trail that weaves across the

Mediterranean archipelago. The

route takes in all of Malta’s eight

vineyards and two on

neighbouring Gozo.

Most o�er tours and tastings

and have shops so you can stock

up on your favourite bottles –

Mar Casar on Malta sells vegan,

gluten-free and natural wines

grown without herbicides or

pesticides, while Ta’Mena on

Gozo sells homemade cheese,

pâté and tomato paste. You can

also explore Monte Kristo’s

underground vaults on Malta,

followed by a meal paired with

wine at San Niklaw nearby.

maltauk.com/winery-trail/

If you felt that 2020 passed you by then investigate

the Jordan Trail Pass, a new passport-style scheme

to encourage hikers to delve deeper. Launched in

2017, the whole shebang – all 675km of it – takes 40

days, but you can just walk sections of it, seeing

parts of Jordan most travellers miss.

The passport’s packed with tips, maps and space

for stamps – collect them all to go home with a

certificate. The route guides you through the forests

of the north via the city of Petra before ending at

the Red Sea in the south. jordantrail.org

Fed up with your travel plans falling through? Well, now you can get back in the driving seat thanks to Celtic Routes. The new UK company has launched a series of self-drive 4WD itineraries around Scotland, Wales and Ireland that have been designed with social distancing in mind. Each Land Rover Discovery comes with a tablet pre-programmed with directions, recommended routes and the weather.

It also suggests restaurants and hand-picked accommodation, from lighthouses to yurts and castles. Mountain bikes, paddleboards, camping equipment and pre-bookable adventures are optional extras. Prices start from £1,495pp and include seven nights’ accommodation, breakfast and some dinners. celticroute.com

DRIVEN WILD

Off the beaten track

Wine & dine

DATES

FOR THE DIARY

As well as a built-in headrest, Vango Radiate’s new

Single sleeping bag comes with an electric heater

and a zip that doesn’t undo on its own. It’s way too

heavy for travelling but throw it into your car for

UK camping breaks or sleeping under the stars

on your decking. £75.

outdoorworlddirect.co.uk

Buy this!


EXPLORE ARMCHAIR TRAVEL

The Mouse House is wildMichael Palin. Simon Reeve. Mickey Mouse?! Festive treats for everyone in the house this year, from old favourites to new heroes...

WATCH THIS AT HOME...

With Christmas on the way, you

may be looking for ways to keep

little ones entertained that won’t

drive you to the cooking brandy.

The Disney+ channel’s extensive

collection of on-demand National

Geographic and DisneyNature

documentaries can be tactically

deployed to that effect: try Monkey

Kingdom, African Cats or Bears,

which play young but boast the

cinematography that you’d expect

from a prestige natural history

show (and are often made by the

same crew). Meanwhile, the grown

ups in the house can enjoy the likes

of The Lost City of Machu Picchu,

the Jane Goodall documentary

Jane and the troubling Into The

Okavango, all of which will

certainly put a few ideas on your

New Year resolutions list.

There are more gifts under the

tree too. Following the success of

his archive-traipsing Travels Of A

Lifetime (BBC2; date TBC) during

the first lockdown, Michael Palin is

back with a new special show. This

90-minute episode will focus on

Himalaya, Palin’s 2004 adventures

through India, Pakistan, the

Tibetan Plateau and Bhutan.

But Sir Michael isn’t the only hero

delving into his back pages. Fresh

from his experiences in Cornwall,

Simon Reeve has been using his

lockdown time to contemplate

a career in travel. Incredible

Journeys with Simon Reeve (BBC2;

date TBC) will see the explorer

reflect on the most

remarkable and remote

destinations he’s visited.

If you’ve had your fill of

the season to be jolly, Reza

Pakravan has something less

saccharine for you. The World’s

Most Dangerous Borders

(Amazon Prime) see him rough it

across Africa, following the Sahel

line (where the northern deserts

meets the greener savannahs of

the south) from Senegal to

Somalia. This brings him into

contact with some of the planet’s

little-visited and most troubled

political hotspots, and the people

and cultures who live there – often

in dire need of a lot of peace and

goodwill. Let’s hope they get some.

NH

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ock

Lesser spottedA female leopard rests in

a large Jackalberry tree in

Disney+ documentary

The Flood; (above)

Michael Palin


The Gardens of Mars: Madagascar, an Island Storyby John Gimlette£30; Head of Zeus

John Gimlette’s latest thoughtful

study sees him explore the

relatively recent human history of

the world’s fourth largest island. He

travels across Madagascar to discover that

the people who live there are every bit as

extraordinary as its unique flora and fauna.

Red Sandsby Caroline Eden £26, Quadrille Publishing

Using food as her window into the

lives and culture of the people of

Central Asia, Caroline Eden once

again successfully mixes travel

writing with recipes, providing a tasty

insight into this wild sweep of land.

How to Shit Around the World by Dr Jane Wilson-Howarth £13; Travelers’ Tales

Wanderlust’s regular medical

expert has updated her guide to

staying clean and avoiding illness

while on the road. Often just as

funny as it is plain speaking and practical,

it’s much more than just a bathroom read.

Pilgrim Pathwaysby Andy Bull £15; Trailblazer

You don’t have to head to Spain,

Italy or the Holy Lands to enjoy

a spiritually minded wander.

These detailed guides to 20

one- or two-day walks from across Britain

provide some great getaway ideas to let

you become a weekend pilgrim.

Lion: Pride Before The Fallby George Logan £45; Born Free

A beautifully crafted coffee-

table book celebrating the

endangered King of the Plains

from top photographer Logan.

All proceeds go to Born Free’s Last Lions of

Meru conservation programme in Kenya.

Read this!

Singapore slingSingapore may still be closed to visitors at

the moment but a whole new range of virtual

experiences can take you there from your

armchair. The tourist board is offering

a range of videos and 360° experiences on

their site – take part in a noodle challenge or

have a nose round Raffles Hotel’s famous

Long Bar. You can also download

backgrounds for your virtual meetings,

such as Changi’s iconic waterfall.

They have also joined forces with AirBnB

Experiences to launch a collection of

paid-for online ‘tours’ including Secret’s of

Singapore’s Smallest Museum and Learn the

Secrets of Singapore’s Kaya Jam.

www.visitsingapore.com/virtual-

experiences;

www.airbnb.co.uk/s/Singapore/

Here are the recent books

getting us ready to go

If our story on Swedish Lapland (p36) has you

curious about everyday life there but you can’t travel

just yet, then checking in on the Northern Soul

Journeys YouTube channel may be just what you

need. Hannah and Jeremias are dog mushers living

in a wilderness homestead and post weekly videos

about their huskies and their life. From the

disappointing potato harvest to what they feed their

dogs, this is a fascinating insight into northern life.

https://www.youtube.com/c/

northernsouljourneysthelonghillhomestead

Life as a musher

Ask any well known adventurer how they planned their trip and many will wax lyrical about how they started by buying a map or book at the legendary Stanfords bookshop in London. Since 1853 the likes of Captain Scott, Ernest Shackleton, Florence Nightingale, Ranulph Fiennes, Bill Bryson, and Michael Palin have all made a beeline for Stanfords before embarking on an expedition. In 2019 it moved from its home on Long Acre to smaller premises in nearby Mercer Walk and is as inspirational and useful as ever.

However, with the impact of COVID-19 hitting both travel and retail hard, the shop has faced major challenges and is asking for help. A crowdfunder is running until 23 December. https://payitforward.london.gov.uk/support-stanfords

But even if you miss that, the best way to support the store is by making a purchase: stanfords.co.uk

Stanfords needs YOU


Walking, whales and waterfront cafes. With cheerful temperatures and crowd-dodging adventures, Rosie Fitzgerald says that Tenerife is the perfect place to beat the lockdown blues…

Towering volcanoMount Teide stands

within Teide National

Park and is a must-see

place to visit

AWL;

Ala

my;

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“Wow, was the

whole of

England

on your

plane?” said the airport worker at

Tenerife South Airport. I laughed

from under my mask. I was standing

in a long queue of socially distanced,

last-minute travellers, waiting to

get my temperature checked, just

days after the Canary Islands were

added to the UK’s travel corridor.

On the other side of the airport,

I was greeted by blue skies and

swaying palm trees. I smiled.

Where better to blow away those

lockdown blues than in Tenerife,

an island popular for its year-round

balmy temperatures? Although it

may be the warm weather, sand

and sea that attracts so many

travellers, there’s much more to do

here than lying on a sun lounger.

Despite staying in lively hotspot

Costa Adeje, just a 45-minute walk

lifted me up in the mountains.

Surrounded by lunar landscapes,

with the sun sparkling off the blue

waters below, there wasn’t a person

or hotel in sight.

With a reputed 900km of hiking

trails embossing the volcanic

island, it’s easy to get off the beaten

track here. Head inland to wind up

the iconic Teide – the tallest

volcano in Spain. Or head to

Parque Rural de Anaga to stand at

the most northerly point of the

island, admire the desert-like flora

and work your way downhill to

a white-washed village where

you’ll have the black-sand beach at

the bottom almost to yourself.

More adventures await off land.

Brave the waves whipped up on

the south-west coast by taking

a surfing lesson, or venture

further on a whale-watching tour,

where sightings of pilot whales are

pretty much guaranteed.

All that Atlantic has other pluses

too. At the waterfront taverns you

can enjoy fresh local favourites vieja

(parrotfish) or sardines. Or you can

try the traditional rabbit stew, with

a side of papas arrugadas – boiled

spuds served with a mojo rojo sauce,

whose spices often reflect the

Canaries’ proximity to Africa.

With all that walking, water and

whales, there’s a very good reason

why the flights should be full when

they start up again. But Tenerife is

certainly worth queuing up for.

Go Now

Go now to fix the lockdown blues

THE DESTINATION:

TENERIFE

Towering volcanoMount Teide stands

within Teide National

Park and is a must-see

place to visit

Go now to fix the lockdown blues

THE DESTINATION:

TENERIFE


EXPLORETENERIFE EXPLORE

Getting there Tenerife has two airports

– one in the north and

one in the south, so

decide where you’re

staying before booking

your flights. British

Airways flies to both

from London Heathrow,

from £103 return. Flight

time is around four and

a half hours. ba.com

26 The number of species

of cetaceans found o�

the coast. These include

bottle-nose dolphin,

pilot whale, orca, baleen

whale and blue whale.

3,718The height of Teide in

metres – the highest

volcano in Spain.

2,034 The size of Tenerife in

square kilometres – the

largest of all the Canaries.

18 million Units shifted of U2’s

Achtung Baby – many of

the images on the album’s

cover were

shot at the

Carnival of

Santa Cruz.

THE NUMBERS

Must-try outdoor activities

IF YOU ONLY DO THREE THINGS

STARGAZING

With some of the clearest skies in

Europe, head to Teide National Park

with a local guide to observe the

stars. While the night sky glitters

year-round, visit in August to

witness the shooting meteor

showers of the Perseids.

WHALEWATCHING

Head out on one of the many

boats departing from the south-

west of the island. Pilot whales can

be seen year-round. Visit between

November and February and you

might spot migrating humpbacks,

fin whales and even blue whales.

HIKING

WALK YOUR WAY AROUND THE ISLANDThe best way to really explore Tenerife’s verdant forests, volcanic slopes,

coastal views and historic towns is on foot. The good news is that

walkers are well-catered for, with plenty of signposted trails.

If you’re looking to eye-up the coast, then stretch your legs in Teno

Rural Park in the north-west of the island. At over 1,300m, offering up sea

views in almost every direction you look. Teno is also popular because of

its greenery. You’ll find yourself in thick laurel and giant heather forests.

Look out for rare species such as the osprey and the giant Teno lizard.

For a deeper understanding of Tenerife’s explosive past, go on a guided

hike up Pico Viejo, the island’s second-highest volcano. Your guides will

show you the black lava that scars the landscape, left over from an

eruption in 1798. If there are blue skies, you’ll also be able to see some of

the smaller islands in the Canaries, including La Palma and La Gomera.

PARAGLIDING

You may not think it’s your thing, but

watching those kites sailing high up

and gently making their way to the

coast before touching down on the

sand is strangely tempting. If you’re

going to try this anywhere, Tenerife

makes for an exciting first time.

the images on the album s

cover were

shot at the

Carnival of

Santa Cruz.

e of

a.

hing, but

g high up

ay to the

wn on the

If you’re

Tenerife

t time.

TOP TIP

Join a guided tour of Barbuda’s

caves. Indian Cave is marked with

petroglyphs by the indigenous Arawak

people, Darby Cave is a 20m deep sinkhole and Dark

Cave is home to bats and blind shrimp in

natural pools.

AT A GLANCE

AntiguaPopulation

Around 80,000

Total area

280 sq km

Famous for

Antigua Sailing

Week, cricket,

financial services

and the UNESCO

World Heritage

site Nelson’s

Dockyard, built by

the British Navy in

the 1700s.

BarbudaPopulation

Around 1,300

Total area

161 sq km

Famous for

Cricket (again),

rum, 2017’s

Hurricane Irma

and ducana (sweet

potato dumplings).

ANTIGUA BARBUDA


EXPLORE CARIBBEAN ISLANDS

VERDICT: Antigua is larger and livelier than Barbuda, which was evacuated following the

2017 hurricane. Visit the latter to help the island get back on its feet and you’ll be rewarded

with authentic Caribbean culture and rare birdwatching opportunities.

These two Caribbean islands, about 60km apart, are part of the same country.

Boats shuttle between them in 90 minutes, but if you could only visit one

to experience its beaches, birdlife and festivals, which would it be?

Boggy Peak, the 402m remnant of a

volcanic crater on Antigua, is the islands’

highest point. Antigua’s 5am Hike Club

hosts weekend sunrise hikes, but if you’d

rather walk alone follow the 1.5-hour loop

from Galleon Beach to Shirley Heights

(right), for views of English Harbour, or do

a three-hour Wallings Dam to Falmouth trek.

HIK

ING

Antigua and Barbuda has 194 bird species.

As well as flamingos, you may spot Antillean

crested hummingbird (right), purple- and

green-throated carib and the ruff, whose

elaborate plumage resembles a carnival

headdress. Keen twitchers should visit

Greencastle Hill National Park and Great

Bird Island, 3km off the east coast.

Barbuda has the western hemisphere’s

largest colony of frigate bird, so it

shouldn’t come as a surprise that it is the

nation’s national bird. The species boasts

a 2.4m wingspan, while males attract

mates by inflating their scarlet necks like

balloons. Look out too for Barbuda warbler

and tropicbird in Two Foot Bay.

Alam

y; S

hutt

erst

ock;

Get

ty

Antigua has 365 beaches – one for each

day of the year. While all are public,

Landing Bay in the north-west is the

easiest to access, Darkwood Beach (and

the nearby Love Beach) in the south-west

is away from the resorts, while Eden

Beach is popular with nudists.

There’s more to these beaches than

squidging the sand between your toes.

Head to Low Bay to kite surf, or learn to surf

at Palmetto Point (left) in the west of the

island. Don’t miss Pink Sand Beach nearby;

it’s named for its rosy hue, caused by

thousands of shards of broken coral.

BEA

CH

ES

Head to HeadAntigua VERSUS Barbuda

As a former coral reef, Barbuda’s highest

point is the 38m Highlands, so Antigua

wins when it comes to elevated views.

However, the southern section of Route 1 is

a worthwhile 90-minute walk as it hugs the

coast and is bookended by Pink Sand Beach

and Princess Diana Beach – named after the

princess who enjoyed holidaying here.

Start exploring St John’s at the Museum of

Antigua and Barbuda – to discover its

colonial past and sugar trade – before

touring Antigua Rum Distillery. Cricket fans

should visit Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, or

attend the annual festival. Alternatively,

visit during Antigua Sailing Week (24-30

April ’21) for a nautical-flavoured party.

Codrington is named after a plantation and

slave owner. You can see the remains of his

home, a reminder of the island’s dark past.

However, much of the town – and the rest

of the island – was destroyed by a

hurricane in 2017, so visits are low-key

affairs. Explore by bike then sample

authentic cuisine at Palm Tree Restaurant.

THE

CA

PIT

AL

BIR

DLI

FE

Highlights of the Caribbean

(clockwise from top left)

The turquoise waters of the

Pillar of Hercules at the

entrance to Antigua’s

English Harbour; the view

from Shirley Heights;

Barbuda’s Pink Sand Beach;

frigate birds nesting and

displaying

BARBUDA

ANTIGUA


TRAVEL WRITING

COMPETITIONA three-week trip – and an unexpected encounter – through Western

Australia provided the inspiration for Michelle’s runner-up winning entry into the Wanderlust Writing Challenge, themed around the kindness of strangers

Alam

y


EXPLOREWRITING COMPETITION

“”

“Let’s get a photo

of the sign,”

I suggested. “It’s

not every day we

cross the Tropic of Capricorn.”

Paul nodded and eased his foot

off the accelerator.

The tyres bounced and the

suspension creaked as we pulled off

the empty, tarmac road to Broome

and onto the compacted orange sand

interspersed with hardy, drought-

resistant shrubs and brush. It was

then that we saw the motorhome.

Standing in front, leaning heavily

on one crutch, the other balanced

snugly in his armpit, was an elderly

man waving energetically in our

direction. Just as we approached

a second person slithered out from

under the vehicle.

“We’ve got a flat,” the old fella said

in a wispy voice. “She’s got it jacked

up, but can’t undo the wheel nuts.”

Clad in short, denim shorts, lithe

and tanned with silver hair clasped

loosely at the back of her head, his

wife nodded in agreement at the

succinct summary.

Paul and I looked at one another.

Pasty, office-based IT specialists,

we were no match in practical

skills to the two grey nomads

chasing the sun north up the

west coast of Australia. At our

Grey nomadsWORDS MICHELLE TAYLOR

feet their shaggy terrier stared up

at us, willing a response.

“I’ll give it a go.” Paul stepped

forward towards the deflated

tyre, stooping to his knees in the

gritty sand.

“No wait.” The golden-toned

woman disappeared briefly,

resurfacing carrying a frayed

blanket that she unfurled over

the sandy, rocky ground, to reveal

a series of dirty marks and patches

of matted, coarse dog hairs.

Under a pounding sun, Paul

crouched down and with a grunt

of effort and a crack from the

wheel nuts began spinning the

bolts loose, while the old man

spurred him on with upbeat

phrases, his desperately thin frame

struggling to hold his body erect.

“I’d do it myself, but I can’t

anymore, not since the accident.”

Wiry, reduced to little more than

skin and bone, the old man’s golden

skin tone belied his true state of

health. Angry sores and the uneven

pigment of earlier breakouts

branded him with the mark of an

extremely ill man.

“Cut myself gutting a fish,” he

ventured. “Bacteria got into my

bloodstream. There’s nothing they

can do, but there you go.”

I shu�ed unevenly on the spot, the

soft hot sand which was spilling over

the edge of my sandals onto my toes

no longer offered me the comfort it

once did. Spare tyre fitted, his body

soaked from his efforts in the

unwavering heat, Paul attempted

a final turn of the wrench before

rising to his feet and brushing the

sandy dog hair off his knees.

“Good on you mate,” the old man

said, “I promise I’ll never tell a

Pommy joke again.”

As we pulled back onto the familiar

tarmac of the road to Broome, Paul

and I laughed at the deal we had

unwittingly brokered with this

intrepid couple still setting off for

the winter months, home in tow, in

search of sun and adventure.

Paul and I looked at one another. Pasty,

office-based IT specialists, we were no match in practical skills to the two grey nomads chasing the

sun north up the west coast of Australia

Broome with a view A campervan over-

looks the beach near

Broome, Western

Australia, at sunset;

(right) Michelle on her

journey and the

troublesome tire

Cornwall with…

Sailing throughSimon explores

life in Cornwall

during the pandemic

SIMON


EXPLOREINTERVIEW

London to Glasgow. But it has

a beauty as well. It’s part of

what draws people there.

You’ve travelled overseas

a lot – did this experience

touch you in the same way?

Yes, it absolutely did. Cornwall

is not as climatically extreme as

some parts of the world. There’s

not the mountains, the desert, or

the indigenous communities in

a jungle, but there are extreme

lives, and there are fantastic

stories, and there are inspiring

people to meet. And for me,

that’s the greatest joy of travel.

Somebody like Don, who runs

the food bank [Ep.1] or Sue Sayer

a seal nut who took me out

to see grey seals o� the coast

[Ep.2] – they’re just incredible,

unforgettable characters.

They’re as interesting as anyone

anywhere on the planet.

tourism employs the most

people. The great fear in

Cornwall this year was that they

were going to go through three

winters back-to-back – winter

last year, e�ectively a winter

over the summer this year, and

then the winter that’s coming

now. And that would have

driven enormous numbers of

people in Cornwall into poverty.

It does feel as if Cornwall is

overlooked, or only seen as

a holiday destination…

Cornwall’s got an enormous

amount to o�er. It’s basically

almost an island jutting into the

Atlantic. It’s got the wilderness

and the wild, the landscape

and the mystery. And it’s got

the isolation, which works both

for and against it. In terms of

travel, it’s very easy to forget

how disconnected Cornwall

is from the rest of the UK. The

time it takes to get to London

is equivalent of going from

He may be known for his intrepid overseas exploits, but Wanderlust favourite Simon Reeve has turned his sights closer to home – Cornwall. He tells us about his South-Western adventures

How did the idea for the

Cornwall series come about?

And was it your idea?

No, it wasn’t. And I slightly

resisted it. I wasn’t convinced

that we could make it work.

I suppose I’d bought into

a simple stereotype of Cornwall

– the beaches and surfing

image of the place.

Then as soon as you start

doing even the most basic

research, you start uncovering

stories, issues, the history, the

mythology... And so, it became

a bit of a no brainer. This

summer, Cornwall was such

a focus of vacation desires but

it’s also a microcosm of so

many issues we face during

the pandemic, and more

broadly as well as a nation.

This year’s been particularly

devastating for Cornwall from

the point of view of jobs?

Not just this year. There is

the ‘staycation’ Cornwall, but

there’s also the fact that during

our great industrial decline,

Cornwall lost an enormous

number of jobs. I don’t think

enough people fully appreciate

the scale of that. And as a result,

there is a shortage of long-term

careers there, and a shortage of

employment for a lot of people.

Agriculture is now the

biggest industry, but

Do you find that a lot of people

who think they know Cornwall

only know the coast?

We met people who’ve been

going to Cornwall for years,

and they’ve never even heard

of the town of Camborne! We

definitely need to explore more

when we’re in Cornwall and

learn about its mining history

and biodiversity. Visit the Lost

Gardens of Heligan and the

Eden Project for jumping o�

points to learn a lot more about

Cornwall’s past, its present and

its future. Cornwall is a distilled,

intensified microcosm of the

whole country in lots of ways.

So, did you finish up feeling

quite hopeful for its future?

I absolutely see hope for the

future in the people. I think

there’s so much raw beating,

sexy, wonderful, glorious

potential in the people of the

county of Cornwall and in the

country as a whole. We’ve got

so much going for us in terms

of our abilities, our aspirations,

our desires. I think harnessing it

and leading it is the challenge.

I think people want a greener,

more interesting, fairer, more

equal world. I think Cornwall

will benefit massively from its

raw potential in the future. It

has to think big, of course,

but it can be done.

Cornwall with Simon Reeve is out

now on BBC iPlayer. REEVE Go to www.wanderlust.co.uk/212

Read the full interview online

Cornwall is basically an island

jutting into the Atlantic. It’s got the

wilderness, the wild, the landscape

and the mystery

“”

Words

Lyn

Hug

hes Images

Chr

is M

itche

ll/ B

eagl

e M

edia

Ltd

/BBC

Why being mindful of the past

will make those future travels better


EXPLORE OPINION

The Conscious Traveller

Travel has not always been good for everyone, says travel writer, film maker and storyteller Ash Bhardwaj, and knowing that helps us travel better.

The great travellers of history, such as

Magellan, Columbus, Cook and Speke, are

known as brave souls, whose discovery of

new lands increased knowledge and

opportunity for everyone. But, for the

people who already lived in those lands, the

explorers’ arrival was rarely a good thing.

Following in the wake of those initial

explorers were the traders, the conquerors

and the curious. Indigenous people were studied, at best,

with exploitation, dispossession, enslavement and

genocide as more common outcomes.

Now, we shouldn’t feel responsible

for the behaviour of our ancestors, but

we need to be aware of it, because that

history shapes the world today. Of

course, destinations want to present

a positive image to visitors, so the onus

is on travel writers to provide context,

even when it is tempting to ignore it.

Until recently, a well-known guide

book wrote about the ‘colonial beauty’

of Caribbean cities, while neglecting

to mention that those same cities were

built by enslaved people. When British

Airways started direct flights to Charleston, South

Carolina, travel sections were filled with articles about

pleasant stays on plantations, but few of them mentioned

the slave history of the area.

Sometimes, when journalists do provide context,

squeamish editors remove it. Recently, a magazine cut

any mention of the British Raj from an article about

Darjeeling by the author Monisha Rajesh; in doing so, the

context about Darjeeling’s creation (as a summer escape

for British Imperial overlords) was lost.

This sort of editing is rarely an act of censorship; it

usually comes from an editor’s desire to keep travel ‘light’.

But the upshot is continued ignorance about the

sometimes unpleasant past of pleasant places.

So, how should the conscious traveller approach these

matters? First of all, accept that your knowledge is

incomplete. There will be elements of history and culture

that you won’t have been taught, or which have been left

out of guidebooks (intentionally or not).

Whilst I was planning for a trip along Russia’s European

border, I mostly read current affairs and travel books by

British journalists. I happened to know a Professor of

Modern History who was originally from Belarus, and

I asked her what else I should read.

“Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky,” she

said, “Sure, they won’t give you

a run-down of modern history, but

you will be reading books about

Russia, written by Russians – free

from Western preconceptions. And

you’ll get an insight into the Russian

soul, rather than the author’s travel

problems or political opinions.”

It made me connect with the places

I visited in a more visceral way, and

gave me a cultural touch-point with

the people that I met.

Secondly, be humble about history. As Brits, we are proud

of our ‘good’ history, such as the Second World War. But we

remain comparatively ignorant about Britain’s more shameful

acts, like war crimes in Kenya or Malaya. Locals in those

countries will not be ignorant of that history, so talking about

a ‘benign’ British Empire in places that suffered occupation,

looting and massacres is insensitive and ill-mannered.

European colonisation affected most of the world. You

don’t have to see everything through that lens, but being

conscious of the past provides you with context and

humility. That will make travel more rewarding for you,

and for the people that host you.

Accept that your knowledge is

incomplete. There will be elements of history that have been left out

of guidebooks

“”


wanderlust.co.uk

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Mr T Raveller5 Wanderlust Close

Journeyman’s Way

Wandering-by-Sea

West RidingIMOF OUT


1MIX WORK & PLAY ON

A WORKATION

If there’s one big learning

from 2020 it’s that those of us

who previously worked in an o�ice

can work successfully from home.

So, if all you need is decent WiFi,

the next logical step is why work

from home if you can work from

somewhere more exotic? Forget

staycation, the big new word is

‘workation’ (or ‘workcation’).

Some countries have been quick

to see the potential in this and are

actively trying to tempt a new type

of ‘digital nomad’. Antigua and

Barbuda have introduced a ‘Nomad

Residence’ visa. The Cayman

Islands has introduced a Global

Citizen Concierge Programme

that allows eligible individuals and

families to work remotely from

the island for up to two years. In

Europe, Croatia, Mallorca and

the Czech Republic are all

trying to woo workationers

post-pandemic.

Hotels around the

world are catching on

to the trend too and

promoting WFH (working from

hotel) packages. Whether you book

an off-season stay in a lovely UK

hotel, rent a Greek beach villa for

a month, or decide to spend a year

based in the Caribbean, this looks

like a trend that isn’t going away.

2WALKING WITH

ANIMALS

Animals are good for us.

We’ve woken up to the fact that it

is not good to ride elephants, and

not everyone is confident riding

a horse. But why ride an animal

anyway when you can walk with

it? Chances are that you’ll learn

more about it, form more of

a relationship with it and feel

more at one with nature too.

Out of office repliesTry a workcation or

(bottom right) get

closer to nature by

accompanying a fell

pony on a trail

NEW YEAR, NEW VIEWLooking for a new challenge in 2021? Seeking a fresh

perspective on life and work – or just on yourself?

Well, here’s how travelling can offer you just that...

Alam

y; P

hoeb

e Sm

ith; S

imon

Chu

bb; S

hutt

erst

ock

TRY THIS


4LET’S GET PHYSICAL

Make 2021 the year you

stretch yourself physically

as well as mentally. It doesn’t have

to be an Everest Basecamp trek or

mountain bike challenge (unless

that’s what you really want).

Do you usually go for gentle pub

walks where you live? Try a multi-

day hike instead, whatever degree

of di�iculty. Not been on a cycle for

years? Fear not, electric bikes are

here to save you. Perfect too, if you

have a fit partner or friends who

want you to join them on a trip.

Stand-up paddleboarding is

seeing an explosion of interest

and can be tried in so many

places, at home or overseas.

There’s a growing interest in

canoeing and kayaking too.

And if it really is just a good

stretch that you need, yoga will

improve your flexibility, balance

and mental wellbeing. Try it in

Costa Rica, India or Bali and you

really will return recharged.

5GO FORAGING

& EAT OUTSIDE

Get a deeper understanding

of nature by foraging for your food.

The experience of gathering wild

foods is fascinating and fun, and

best of all, you get to eat it.

In the UK you can of course

look for wild mushrooms (make

sure you have someone who can

identify them!), wild garlic and

good old blackberries. Try

a dedicated experience such as

the ones that the Tudor Farmhouse

Hotel offers in the Forest of Dean.

The joy of foraging is that

you can do it anywhere in the

world, and courses are now

sprouting up everywhere.

Do try a foraging experience

where you then cook outside –

the food always tastes a million

times better. And, if feeling

inspired, we recommend you

ask for Wilderness Chef: The

Ultimate Guide to Cooking

Outdoors by Ray Mears as

a Christmas present.

Backyard beaches Try a new way to travel,

whether exploring the

local area in more depth,

or a new experience such

as paddleboarding, yoga

or foraging

In Nepal you can walk with

elephants at Chitwan National

Park, and in Thailand an

increasing number of ethical

elephant sanctuaries are offering

it as an experience.

The UK offers walking

experiences too. Whether it’s

treks with llamas in the Black

Mountains (oldkingstreetfarm.

co.uk) or hiking with endangered

fell ponies in the Lake District (see

Wanderlust/September 2020)

spending the time communing

with a four footed-friend will

slow you down and keep you

focused on the moment.

3EXPLORE YOUR

BACKYARD

We’re all guilty of ignoring

what is under our noses, or having

the attitude that “it will still be there

when I’m too old to travel overseas.”

In the UK it is always shocking

when meeting a keen traveller

who has never been to Scotland,

Cornwall or the Lake District.

But it’s so easy to always think

of ‘travel’ as somewhere overseas.

So, think about bits of your home

country that you haven’t visited

yet. Away from the honeypots,

there will be so many secret spots

waiting to be discovered. Visit more

popular places out of season (eg

St Ives, page 93) when your visit

will be appreciated. You could

even go somewhere really close to

home; staying a night or more in

a different environment can open

your eyes and prove more of a travel

experience that you’d ever imagined. ⊲

TRY THIS


6STAY IN NATURE

There’s recently been

an explosion in unique

accommodation – yurts, treehouses,

‘bubbles‘ – situated in wild places.

A stay in a treehouse is a way to

really feel in nature; the evocative

smell of the wood, the creaks and

swaying as it moves. There is also

something very special about

sleeping under a glass dome with

perfect views of the surrounding

countryside by day and of starry

skies by night. It really helps you

feel a connection to nature. And

look out too for places with an

outside shower or bath... sheer bliss.

Best of all is to sleep outside if

the weather permits. Whether you

hunker down on a ‘star bed’ in an

African safari camp, next to a fire in

an Arabian desert, or on the deck

on an Egyptian gulet, this is the very

best sort of sleeping experience.

7TRY A DIFFERENT

MODE OF TRANSPORT

The pandemic has made

us rethink our contact with

other people, and it is therefore

no surprise that campervan/

motorhome rentals are rocketing

and that many people are planning

self-drive holidays. If there is a year

to first experience #vanlife it will be

2021 – look out for an upcoming

feature. Likewise, canal cruising

in a narrowboat has proved

to be incredibly popular (see

Wanderlust/ November issue).

We predict that 2021 will also see a

boom in cycling holidays, especially

by e-bike. If you fancy bikepacking,

where you take everything with you,

look at the really useful bikepacking.

com website as a starting point. If

you want more support, and your

luggage taken for you, then a host

of specialist tour companies o�er

exciting itineraries.

But let’s not forget the romance

of rail. There could well be fewer

people travelling by train in 2021,

making this your time to take

a grand tour by rail or have your first

sleeper train experience.

8A NEW SKILL

Enforced lockdowns and

working from home led

to many people taking up a new

interest or skill in 2020. Make

2021 the year you take that a step

further and combine learning a

new skill with travelling.

It could be that you want to finally

get round to learning a language

(like Simon Reeve on page 5). It’s so

much easier to absorb a language

in the destination, whether doing

a formal course or simply practising

as you go around and about.

But this could also be the year

to learn how to make fresh pasta

on a cooking course in Italy, learn

to tango in Buenos Aires or learn

bush skills in the Okavango

Delta. Whether a day course

or a dedicated week or

longer, the opportunities

are increasing all the

time. And your travel

memories will be all the

stronger and longer-

lasting for your new skill.

9LIVE LIKE

A LOCAL

Understanding how

locals live really gets you under

the skin of a destination. There are

dedicated tours, and there has

been an explosion in experiences

you can book through sites such as

Viator, Airbnb, Get Your Guide, Urban

Adventures and Tripadvisor. Pick

wisely and you can learn to make

sushi in someone’s house in Kyoto, or

prepare tacos in a Mexico City home.

Use travel communities to make

contact with locals. You could

use an app like Meetup – which

brings together people with shared

interests (eg running clubs, choirs,

photography clubs) and highlights

activities and events.

Some tourist boards have schemes

where you can meet a local; West

Sweden for instance has a Meet

the Locals scheme enabling you

to go crab fishing, walking or learn

about railways with people from the

area. The Global Greeter Network

connects you to volunteers who can

show you around their hometown.

Another way to get an insight into

local life is to be a repeat customer

in the same cafe or local shop

several days in a row; forget your

smartphone and just hang out.

Simon says... “¡Hola!”(clockwise from above)

The TV star is looking to

learn a new language in

2021; narrowboating;

treehouses

⊳

Sim

on C

hubb

; Liv

ing-

room

; Chr

is M

itche

ll/Be

agle

Med

ia L

td/B

BC

G E T T I N G T H E

G R E E N L I G H T

Lights. Camera. Action. We go in search of the phenomena,

wildlife and people that make Swedish Lapland so special

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHS MARK STRATTON


Scrunching

through freshly

fallen snow,

I looked up at

a magnificent

arc of stars

undergoing

cosmic bad

reception as the sky began shape-

shifting with jerking staccato

movements. A silvery rectangle

materialised, then the lights

concertinaed out like a Japanese

sliding-screen and silhouetted the

surrounding pines. The lights then

reassembled, oozing smoothly like

the matter of a lava lamp, before

a celestial shower of stair-rods rained

down. Aurora borealis had arrived.

This collision of solar-charged

particles and atmospheric atoms left

me ecstatic, rekindling childhood joys

watching firework displays and

appreciating my good fortune because

seeing the northern lights is never

guaranteed in Swedish Lapland. But

tonight, it was -8°C and the night sky

unblemished. My camera, set for long

exposures, sucked out an intensely

luminous shamrock-green hue naked

to my eye. The aurora proved

challenging to photograph, like trying

to get a toddler to sit still for a school

portrait yet I carried on taking

pictures until my fingers froze, then

watched this phantasmagoria play out

until it vanished abruptly and

uncloaked the starry sky once more.

I’d travelled to Swedish Lapland as

the last throes of autumn transitioned

to early snowfall, hoping the aurora

might cast light over the darkness of

a challenging year. And what better

place to socially distance? Isolation is

a natural state of affairs in

underpopulated Sápmi, to afford

Lapland it’s Sámi name, where

these remote indigenes have

roamed the roof-of-the-world for

thousands of years. During my

four-days here, I would savour this

wilderness and meet the hardy souls

who live off the land and ice.

But first something novel.

Unfamiliar normality. Taking me to

his remarkable Treehotel was Kent

Lindvall. He wore no facemask and all

Luleå’s shops were open. “We’ve

followed our own path in Sweden,” he

said. “We’ve not closed our borders,

everything has stayed open. Swedes

are trusted to follow the rules on

social distancing.” Nobody wore

a mask during my four-night stay.

Branching outThe gateway to Swedish Lapland, Luleå

is an unremarkable port town on the

Gulf of Bothnia’s northernmost shore,

just below the Arctic Circle. It moved

from an inland location to the sea in

1649, leaving behind a UNESCO World

Heritage-listed town at Gammelstad.

Here the 15th-century Nederluleå

church remains surrounded by 405

little red cabins that once hosted the

frozen faithful who traipsed across

Lapland for Sunday service.

Seventy-five kilometres away in

Harads, the Treehotel is up there with

the Ice Hotel as Sweden’s quirkiest

accommodation. We arrived at Kent’s

old-fashioned guesthouse, a former

geriatric home, soft furnished with ⊲

SWEDEN


Seeing the wood for the trees

(clockwise from left)

View from the ‘Blue Cone’

treehouse window at the

Treehotel; the ‘Dragonfly’

treehouse; the ‘Cabin’; the

northern lights over Swedish

Lapland; sauna; (opposite page)

the ‘UFO’ lives up to its name

Pre

viou

s P

age

Alam

y

SWEDEN


touches from the 1930s. I stopped

for a bowl of homemade Jerusalem

artichoke soup before walking into

the surrounding forest to seven

extraordinary treehouses backlit by

aurora borealis. Most eye-catching is

the UFO, a five-bed silver flying

saucer suspended by wires from the

surrounding trees. It has a ladder

stretching down to the forest floor

and I half expected to see a little

green man appear suggesting ‘he

came in peace’. The Bird’s Nest

took more finding, camouflaged by

sticks, roomy enough for both

a family of four and a pterodactyl.

“A friend and filmmaker came to

explore his childhood by building

a treehouse here,” said Kent, next

morning over waffles and blueberry

smoothie. “We asked if we could rent

it out to guests and noticed those

who slept in it felt connected to the

forest. In 2010, I met three Swedish

architects on a fishing trip and

challenged each to design me

a treehouse. We subsequently

added four more designed by

architects across Scandinavia.”

But cosmic lightshows and funky

accommodation aside, it was the

hardy inhabitants that began to

really capture my attention;

inhabitants of an extreme landscape

where midsummer sunshine radiates

for 24 hours daily and winter

temperatures plunge to -30°C.

Canine capers “I saw the northern lights around

midnight,” said Kim Jonsson, a local

musher, later that morning. “But I was

heading to my outhouse for a pee and

felt too tired to get my camera.”

Thirty minutes from Treehotel

is a farm near Krokfors where Kim

runs Lapland Husky. My previous

experiences dogsledding had been

unsatisfactory. I’d experienced dogs

driven too hard, not least in

Greenland, and seen them chained-

up in enclosures snarling at anybody

who went near them. But any

concerns about Kim’s dogs’ welfare

subsided when a pretty Alaskan-

cross with sapphire-blue eyes ran

excitedly towards me and slobbered

my face with husky kisses.

Softly spoken, Kim explained he

has just 26 huskies. He selected

⊳

⊲


eight for a morning sled-run, all of

whom careened around with

excitement, howling towards a

non-existent moon. “I never wanted

too many dogs,” said Kim, attaching

their harnesses. “I want to retain

a personal relationship with each dog

and to care for them properly.”

Training starts at between 6-8

months, when the younger puppies

are mentored by senior dogs like

12-year-old Stella. She exuded the

enthusiasm of a pup but didn’t miss

a trick to stretch out on the snow to

conserve her energy.

Kim explained that Alaskan

huskies are lighter and faster than

Siberian but without their

endurance, although he has driven

a team 100km in 24 hours. We

would just be doing a quick loop

around the pine forest.

Kim handed over the dogsled to me

to ‘mush’. They’re not di�cult to

drive, with steering handles like

a motorcycle with brakes. I felt the

exhilaration of speed and the rush of

freezing air on my face. In truth

Kim’s huskies knew exactly where

they were going so it was like

steering on autopilot. “My only

rule is be sure you’re on the sled

before taking off the brake or they’ll

leave you behind. My dogs love

me, but they love running more.”

Shaggy dog storiesCanine deja-vu manifested again on

Hindersön Island. Shortly after

arriving at Jopikgården Lodge I was

mobbed by seven boisterous,

9 months-old Siberian husky

puppies, considerably stockier than

the Alaskans. Big Leo, destined to be

the size of a small horse, mistimed an

enthusiastic welcome and his large

front paws clattered into my groin.

I staggered backwards, grimacing,

nearly slipping on the ice.

Sleepy Hindersön is one of 1,300

islands that make up the Luleå

archipelago in the northern Gulf of

Bothnia. Hewn from the Ice Age,

only a few of these flat forested

islands are permanently inhabited.

“By early November the ice is too

thick for boats to reach them yet too

thin for vehicles,” explained Shane

Doolin, who transferred me by small

boat to Hindersön. “During that

transition I drive a small hovercraft

around the islands until the ice is

thick enough to take vehicles,” said

the ex-Australian navy captain who

came here with his Swedish wife

some years back. By January an

8km-long ice-road is firm enough for

motorcars to Hindersön.

Shane is one of a trio of co-owners

that includes ex-US Army veteran of

25 years, Eric Schlemme, and his

Swedish partner, Susanne. The three

took over the 4-roomed lodge in late

2019 and opened last February.

“Coronavirus closed us in March but

at least it’s given us plenty of time to

get prepared,” said Eric with the

schadenfreude expected from a military

man who once guarded the Berlin Wall.

Eric’s pet project is the establishment

of a dog-pack. I checked into their

converted 19th-century farmhouse

with four upstairs rooms and received

a warm welcome of glug, heated spiced

wine. But I was eager to meet their

11 Siberian huskies, keen to understand

the dogs as individuals rather than

entertainment automatons. The

boisterous puppies were almost fully

grown, their coats thick and silvery-

grey, lupine in appearance. “Recently

they performed a mass breakout

causing the islanders to form search

parties,” sighed Eric.

To mentor them, Eric has four older

rescue-huskies, including Mimi and

Guido, their parents. The powerful

Guido was wary. He was found

abandoned at the property of his

musher, who had committed suicide.

He was going to be put down.

“When we heard, Susanne and

I looked at each other and thought, ‘We

can’t let that happen.’ He’s nervous

with strangers but everyday gets more

comfortable,” explained Eric. There’s

no such reticence with siblings Jumper

and Juna, who bounded all over me.

Jumper was abandoned because of

a minor eye defect and wasn’t

considered reliable for sledding.

“When we got him, he’d never been

indoors but he soon discovered our

sofa and now he howls until we let

him inside to sleep on it,” said Eric.

Training them would recommence

when the gulf froze over. But for now,

I savoured the island’s evolution

‘I was handed over the reins of the dogsled to mush. I felt the exhilaration of speed and the rush of freezing air on my face’

⊳

⊲

SWEDEN



Life in Lapland (clockwise from top left)

Dinner on Hindersön; Sámi

tepee with Andreas and Henrik;

blueberries and lingonberries;

view near the Gulf of Bothnia;

boathouse on Hindersön and

its shoreline; Susanne and

puppies on Jopikgården;

reindeer of Henrik Andersson

SWEDEN


from autumn to winter. Evening

dinner was cooked over a fire as

the northern lights showed again

and I toured tranquil Hindersön

on a fat-tyred bike.

In the 1930s, Hindersön had around

150 residents but after the Second

World War this waned until 1960 when

the school closed. The handful of

islanders remaining were buckling

down for winter. A shop the size of

a bus shelter was almost out-of-stock,

while the wooden jetties were

unattached to avoid being crushed

by the developing pack-ice. The

fishing-boats, harvesting Kalix caviar

from a fish called the vendace, would

soon be dry-docked.

Rounding up reindeerI transferred back by boat to Brändön

Lodge’s waterfront. Scalloped from

a pine forest, the lodge has 15 cosy

log-cabins facing the

Gulf of Bothnia. Over

dinner, its owner,

Göran Widén, said

COVID-19 has had a big

impact on numbers of

international visitors.

Yet because Swedes

have been free to

travel with no

lockdown, they’ve

filled the vacuum.

Peak winter season

would start around

mid-February when the gulf freezes

solid and guests are taken out on

snowmobiles to dine on the ice and

dogsled. For now, lingonberries and

blueberries still poked through the

forest floor snow as lodge guide

Andreas, took two British families and

myself on a basic survival skills course.

Creating sparks from a striking-flint

we lit fires in damp conditions to boil

hot water for cocoa. “You can boil

snow – but don’t use it if yellow or if it

has ‘Maltesers’ on it,” he joked.

The course had ended with us

tasting reindeer – grilled inside the

lodge’s replica Sámi tepee – yet my

final adventure in Lapland would see

me seeking ones with a pulse,

travelling 90km north-west of

Brändön Lodge to meet a Sami

herder. Andreas drove me through

a monochromatic landscape of

snowy pines and birch until we

reached the hamlet where we meet

Henrik Andersson. “Don’t ask him

how many reindeer he has. It’s like

asking how much money he has in

the bank,” advised Andreas.

Henrik eschews romantic

preconceptions of Sámi being dressed

in furs and living in tepees; his high-

performance snowmobile was parked

outside his modern bungalow and his

mobile phone has an app tracking GPS

collars on his reindeer herd. “It makes

life easier than searching thousands of

hectares for them when we round

them up to start the migration south

in November,” he said.

Of course, I was unable to resist

asking the question. “How many

reindeer do you have?” Henrik

screwed up his face.

“You want to know how much

money I have in the bank,” he

teased? “About a thousand.”

Henrik is Luleå Sámi, they dwell in

the forests and speak a different

dialect to the northern Sámi living

high in the Arctic; their reindeer

graze amid the trees during

summertime upon lichen and

fungi. As winter onsets Henrik

drives them south to overwinter

around the Gulf of Bothnia where

foraging is easier in milder climate.

Or so it used to be.

“Climate change may be the

death of Sámi culture,” explained

Henrik. He said wetter milder

winters lead to more impenetrable

ice when the freeze comes so his

reindeer cannot feed off ground

moss and lichen. “Last winter

was catastrophic, the ice was so

thick around Luleå I brought them

back here to supplementary feed

them. That cost me £150,000

throughout the winter.”

A passionate advocate for Sámi

culture, he was planning to head

down to an Extinction Rebellion

protest in Stockholm to address

the crowd about existing with

climate change. COVID-19 had

also reduced demand for reindeer

meat as hotels were not ordering so

prices per kilo had fallen.

Following the herdWe drove deeper into the forest

to his cousin’s smallholding

where a fraction of his herd

loitered around a feeder station.

A handsome alpha male with tall

willowy antlers watched us

passively. Amid his herd was

a sub-male along with females

and several snowy-white calves.

The mating season was just over.

“Males can mate with 50 females,

but this drains them of energy and

they’re vulnerable to

losing the herd to

a younger male in

better condition,” said

Henrik. Now 40-years-

old, he said he’d begun

assembling his herd

aged 17. “Reindeer

herding has been in

the blood of our

people since the

Ice Age,” he said.

Temperatures

plummeted that

evening back at Brändön Lodge. After

dinner I strolled down to the gulf

hoping for a farewell burst of the

northern lights. Lapland’s wilderness

had felt far removed from the travails

facing the world and as soon as the

gulf froze it would be transformed

into a winter playground. But most

preciously, I’d had time to appreciate

the perseverance that characterize

those on Europe’s frozen margins.

With COVID-19 delivering a climate

of discontent, which will hopefully

thaw soon, this remote region and its

people were like a blast of icy fresh air.

Aurora borealis stayed hidden that

night but it’s this unpredictability that

encapsulates its unceasing wildness

and I remembered something Eric

said back on Hindersön. “It is

mother nature up here that

determines what we are going to do

next day.” How true this was.

‘Reindeer herding has been in the blood of

the Sámi people since the Ice Age’

�

⊲

SWEDEN


Vital statisticsCapital: Stockholm

Population: 10.3million

Language(s): Swedish with

English widespread

Time: GMT+1 (Summer GMT+2)

International dialling code: +46

Visas: Not required

Money: Krona. £1=SEK11

When to go September-March The primary

season for aurora borealis; look

between 9pm-2am when the

winter skies are dark. Allow

3-4 nights to maximise your

chances of the experience not

being obscured by cloud.

November The snow has fallen,

and the Gulf of Bothnia freezes,

enabling activities like dogsledding

and snowmobiling, at their peak by

late Jan to Mar before springtime’s

thaw. Temperatures of -34°C have

been recorded at Brändön Lodge.

Early June A good time to hike or

maybe join a tour to find bears.

Footnotes

Sweden

THE TRIP Mark travelled as a guest

of Discover the World

(01737 214291; www.

discover-the-world.com).

A 4-night trip per person

costs from £2,077,

including international

flights, transfers, 3 nights

at Brändön Lodge, a night

at TreeHotel, all meals,

and excursions

featuring the northern

lights, dogsledding,

and snowmobiling.

with dinner for SEK1,420 (£123)

pp. Yet you can find bunkhouses

and hostels that are not going to

break the bank, often with self-

catering facilities. Jopikgården’s

four-bed hostel bunkroom is

excellent value at SEK600 (£52).

Food & DrinkClassical Lapland ingredients bear

the hallmark of foraging and

hunting. Expect to be offered

hunted moose or reindeer during

your stay. A speciality around

Luleå archipelago is the expensive

Kalix caviar while berries, often

flavouring sauces, include

cloudberries, Arctic raspberries

and lingonberries. For fish lovers,

wild salmon and whitefish is

abundant, while breakfast spreads

typically feature dark breads and

sliced cheeses and meats.

Sweden is a co�ee culture

and has interesting local beers,

such as Öl, a birch beer, brewed

for the Treehotel.

Accommodation Treehotel (Harads; treehotel.se).

Set in forest and boasting six rooms

in a guesthouse and seven surreal

treehouses designed by leading

Scandi architects. A B&B night in

a treehouse costs SEK4,700 (£408)

for two people sharing.

WHAT TO PACK

For winter

activities a ski-suit

coverall will help

keep the freezing

cold at bay, as

will mitts for your

hands and thick-

soled insulated

boots. Don’t forget

a tripod.

⊲

Health & safety For the latest advice on entry

requirements, including regarding

COVID-19, visit the FCDO site

(www.gov.uk). At time of press,

the risk of catching the virus was

significantly lower in Swedish

Lapland than in the country’s

south. Follow local rules of social-

distancing and wear masks if

asked to do so. For information on

boosters needed, check in with

fitfortravel.nhs.uk for latest updates.

Exposure to the cold is

a significantly more dangerous

issue as extreme sub-zero

temperatures peak during winter.

Getting thereScandinavian Airlines (flysas.com)

new direct flight from London to

Luleå was recently postponed

but it’s no hardship transiting

via Stockholm’s well-organised

Arlanda airport. Fares currently

from around £400 return.

Getting around The author used private 4WD

transfers between each lodge but

Luleå can also be reached from

Stockholm by train. A night train

from Stockholm Central Station to

Luleä takes around 12 hours with

a suggested fare of £41 one-way

(omio.co.uk).

Cost of travelScandinavia is generally more

expensive than the UK, and

Sweden is no exception. Winter

excursions are pricey add-ons,

for instance Brändön Lodge offers

a northern lights snowshoe trek

Tree-top views Looking out

of a Treehotel

window

Getting the point One of Henrik

Andersson’s

reindeer

SWEDEN


1 MOOSE

Moose, aka elk, are the

largest member of the

deer family, with a large

male capable of weighing

500-600kg. Fairly common

throughout Lapland’s forests.

2 BROWN BEAR

You’ll need a tracker

to see the shy European

brown bear. Females

enter hibernation around

November to give birth to

cubs. They’re active post-

hibernation (May-June) when

forest berries are fruiting.

3 LYNX

You’d be lucky to see

this elusive small cat in the

wild. They are most active at

sunrise and dusk.

4 ARCTIC FOX

One of the most iconic

wildlife snaps is a white-

furred Arctic fox in a snowy

landscape. Smaller than a red

fox, their winter coat gives way

to hues of greyish-brown or

bluish-tinged fur in summer.

5 WOLVERINES

Pound-for-pound this

feisty small mammal is one of

the animal kingdom’s bruisers.

They number a

worryingly low 600-

700 individuals in

Sweden and are

di�icult to see.

Lapland’s Big 5

Map

illu

stra

tion

by S

cott

Jess

op; S

hutt

erst

ock

Jopikgården Lodge (Hindersön

Island; luleaarchipelago.com)

This informal lodge reuses a

farmstead and offers a variety of

accommodation. Deluxe rooms

cost SEK1,900(£165) per night for

two persons including breakfast.

Brändön Lodge (Luleå;

pinebaylodge.se) With a striking

location besides the Gulf of

Bothnia, the lodge has 15 log-cabins

with kitchenettes centred around

a main restaurant and bar. Guest

facilities include an outdoors sauna.

Planning guides Sweden Travel Guide

Archive article ● 7 places to appreciate Sweden’s

architecture – web exclusive

● Into the wild: Wolf-watching in

Sweden – issue 182

● West Sweden’s best kept

secrets – website exclusive

Visit www.wanderlust.co.uk/212

More online

B&B price per cabin per night for

two sharing is SEK2,695 (£235) while

full-board costs SEK4,235 (£370).

Further reading & informationvisitsweden.com – Visit Sweden

swedishlapland.com –

Visit Lapland

Sweden – Lonely Planet (2018)

My Aurora Forest – an aurora

phone app

laplandhusky.com –

dogsledding site

TOP TIP To shoot the lights,

the author used a

tripod; film speed

(ISO) was around

1,600; he set his

focal length at

infinity on his lowest

aperture setting

(2.8) and activated

slow shutter

releases, between

15-20 secs.

⊳

Car

l Joh

an; F

redr

ik S

chly

ter/

imag

eban

k.sw

eden

.se;

Mar

tin E

dstr

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mag

eban

k.sw

eden

.se;

Per

Pix

el P

eter

sson

/im

ageb

ank.

swed

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ta�

an W

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swed

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e;

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE


Sweden offers space for all kinds of adventures, whether you’re exploring the vast national

parks, admiring the incredible architecture or taking time out to sample the food. When the

time is right, head to Sweden to seek out uncrowded, relaxing adventures that will soothe both

the body and the soul…

Discover more Swedish travel inspiration over on our website:

wanderlust.co.uk/discover/sweden-travel

F IN D YOU R S PACE IN SW E DE N


1 ABISKO, SWEDENAbisko National Park is 195km north of

the Arctic Circle, and it’s the country’s

driest spot. The cloud-free conditions

make it the best place in Sweden

to gaze at the northern lights. Some even

consider it to be the best place in the world to

see this natural phenomenon. Watch the lights

from the park’s Aurora Sky Station, which has

a terrace, lookout tower and indoor exhibition.

During the day, strap on skis and tackle Abisko’s

cross-country trails, or go downhill skiing and

snowboarding o�-piste. Alternatively, let

a husky musher guide you through the

wilderness, or try your hand at running your

own team of dogs. Stay at the Ice Hotel,

where you can snuggle up in a suite made

entirely from hand-carved ice.

auroraskystation.se; icehotel.com

AURORA BOREALIS

SEVEN OF THE BESTPLACES TO SEE

Do you want to increase your chances of striking gold - or at least glowing green – when it comes to the northern

lights? Here are the places that should be top of your list...

TOP TIP Avoid planning a trip

around a full moon,

as the light makes

it harder to see

aurora borealis.

You can also

boost your chances

of seeing the lights

by visiting these

seven destinations…

AW

L; D

rea

mst

ime

NORTHERN LIGHTS


2ROVANIEMI, FINLANDRovaniemi in northern Finland

(below) boasts some 200

nights of the most famous light

show on earth. On a reindeer safari at Salla

Reindeer Park nearby you can feed calves

and guide a herd to a campfire under the

lights. Meanwhile, Arctic Snow Hotel hosts

snow-sculpting workshops and trips to Lake

Lehtojärvi, where you can fish for pikeperch

and whitefish through holes in the ice. You

can also bake flatbread in a local home, go

snowshoe hiking and tour a forest on an

electric snowmobile. If you’re wearing

everything you brought and still can’t feel

your toes, then bed down in one of the

hotel’s glass igloos for 360° views of the

lights in cosy surroundings. You can also see

the lights from an outdoor hot tub before

relaxing in a sauna with walls made of ice.

sallareindeerpark.fi; arcticsnowhotel.fi

3LOFOTEN ISLANDS, NORWAYThe Lofoten Islands in northern Norway

(pictured left) are one of the world’s best

places to see the lights, which dance across

the sky like a conductor’s baton. Wild and

remote, the archipelago is o� the north coast, 170km north

of the Arctic Circle. Increase your chances of experiencing

aurora borealis by staying for a week and booking

a photography tour with Lofoten Tours. The Lofotens may

be home to the world’s most northerly surf resort, Unstad,

but if Arctic surfing under the lights doesn’t appeal, during

the day you can kayak among otters, go whalewatching

or fish for mackerel and pollock. The season for fishing for

cod starts in January. Stay at Nusfjord Arctic Resort and

soak in its open-air spa overlooking Nusfjord Harbour as

the lights pirouette above you.

lofotentours.com; nusfjordarcticresort.com

DID YOU KNOW?

The northern lights,

or aurora borealis,

are best seen on

a clear night from

September to April.

Green lights are

most common, but if

you’re fortunate, you

will also see swirls of

pink, red and purple.

⊳

Dre

amst

ime;

Ala

my;

Shu

tter

stoc

k


NORTHERN LIGHTS

6 LAKE LABERGE, CANADALake Laberge in Yukon

Territory is a wild area of

pristine beauty in the

north-west of Canada. Cathers Wilderness

Adventures is a family-run tour company

with a few log cabins for guests on the lake’s

east shore. O�-grid, once night falls it’s lit

by candles, making it the perfect spot for

front-row views of the lights reflected in the

glassy lake. After a late-night show, the next

day you can enjoy the surrounding forest

on a sledge pulled by dogs, which you can

learn to steer yourself. You can also soak

in mineral-rich hot springs in Whitehorse,

a city that’s a 40-minute drive away.

cathersadventures.com

5 ORKNEY ISLANDS, SCOTLANDNorthern Scotland is on the

same latitude as Stavanger

in Norway and Nunivak

Island in Alaska, so if you’re keen to see

the lights on a budget break consider

a trip to the Highlands or Orkney Islands.

On the mainland, Ackergill Pier, Dunnet

Beach and Thurso Harbour are all in dark

sky locations on the tip of Caithness.

Alternatively, take a boat from Thurso

Harbour to Mainland, Orkney, and take

your chances atop Wideford Hill. Stay at

the North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory

guest house in Orkney and join a walk

with an ornithologist. You may also spot

seals and orcas o� the coast.

nrbo.org.uk

Babies conceived

under the lights will

be lucky

The Chinese and Japanese

believe children conceived

under the lights will be

blessed with good fortune –

and good looks.

The lights ease the

pain of childbirth

…according to Icelandic

folklore, that is. Icelanders

also used to believe

pregnant women who

looked at the aurora would

have cross-eyed children.

If they turn red, run

Red lights are rare, and they

used to be considered an

omen of war and bloodshed.

They were seen in Scotland

and England just weeks

before the start of the

French Revolution.

Don’t whistle at them

Native Americans would

whistle at the lights to bring

them closer so they could

whisper messages to the

dead. Others believe that it

attracts spirits who take you

away. Clap and you’ll be safe.

7AKUREYRI, ICELANDOnce you’ve escaped the lights

of Reykjavík, Iceland is one of

the best places to see aurora

borealis. Take a boat tour from

Eyjafjörður Fjord in Akureyri, 100km from

the Arctic Circle. Even if you miss the lights

you may spot whales. During the limited

daylight hours, soak in Mývatn Nature Baths,

a geothermal outdoor lagoon between

Mývatn Lake and Dettifoss Waterfall. You

can also join a tour to explore ice caves

around Vatnajökull Glacier in the south.

Stay at Hótel Kjarnalundur near Akureyri and

view the lights from its outdoor hot tubs.

Or book Hotel Rangá in the south, which has

a rooftop observatory.

myvatnnaturebaths.is; kjarnalundur.is;

hotelranga.is

From lucky lights to bad omens, here are four superstitions triggered by the phenomenon of aurora borealis

4 FAIRBANKS, ALASKAWhile aurora borealis can be seen

in summer in Fairbanks, Alaska, this

is very rare – the lights are at their

most dazzling during the long

nights between December and March. For

uninterrupted views of the sky, drive up Ester

Dome, a 720m hill that’s home to grey wolves,

lynx and black and brown bears. Go native and

watch the lights while lying on your back in the

snow – just prepare for temperatures dropping

to -45°C. In the daytime, soak in a geothermal

mineral pool at Chena Hot Springs, which also

has an ice-sculpture museum and ice bar. Book

a chalet at Running Reindeer Ranch and you can

go hiking with reindeer by your side.

chenahotsprings.com; runningreindeer.com

⊳


PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Floating lazily to the

north-east of

Trinidad, Tobago

couldn’t be any more

different to its

bigger, more bustling sister.

Tobago is the Caribbean stripped

back to its purest, where tangles

of rainforest, filled with wildlife

and a kaleidoscope of birds,

roll down to the coast

uninterrupted, and vibrant

patches of coral and crystalline

sea lick golden beaches.

Tobago’s authentic Creole

culture still flourishes without the

blemishes of modern builds, a way

of life that’s best sampled with

sweet rum and soundtracked by

steel pans. A rich array of natural,

cultural and eco-friendly

experiences await those who

visit this undiscovered corner

of the Caribbean, whether

for honeymooners seeking

a more adventurous alternative

to the traditional getaway, or

for travellers seeking a taste

of the real Caribbean.

But it’s all about savouring the

simple pleasures here, like

relaxing beneath a cooling

waterfall or glimpsing the flash

of a hummingbird. If this sounds

like your perfect idea of island

life, then you’ll fit right in...

Wind your clock to

TOBAGO TIME

With welcoming locals, a bounty of natural riches and an immersive culture, Tobago is an unspoiled Caribbean

secret waiting to be unwrapped…

⊲Nat

alie

Kriw

y


NATURE, NATURE EVERYWHERE

Tobago’s lack of large-scale

development has meant its wild

corners have been allowed to

blossom. The island might be

tiny but there aren’t just one or

two natural wonders to explore,

they’re littered all over Tobago.

Virgin rainforest and nature

reserves cut giant emerald

swathes across large parts of

the island and the grandfather

of them all is Main Ridge Forest

Reserve. Tracing much

of Tobago’s spine, it was

established by the British

in 1776, making it the oldest

protected forest reserve in the

western hemisphere. For

nearly a quarter of

a millennium, this status

has allowed Main Ridge to

grow old gracefully without

a sniff of human intrusion, with

the end result an ancient mix

of craggy peaks, pristine

rainforest and waterfalls

seeping from the island’s

central upper highlands.

Thanks to the multitude

of walking trails that web this

wilderness, accessing it is easy.

The most iconic is the Gilpin

Trace track, which blazes

right through a prime slice of

jungle and serves up a front-row

view of Tobago’s varied wildlife,

including armadillos, agoutis,

snakes and lizards. But any trail

you take in Main Ridge will have

your eyes constantly catching

the flashes of bright colour

that dart between the trees.

That’s because the reserve

is home to many of the island’s

260 species of birds, with the

headline attractions being

Tobago’s national bird,

the rufous-vented chachalaca,

and the white-tailed sabrewing

– so rare it was thought

to be extinct until 1974.

One of Main Ridge’s trails

leads to another of Tobago’s

natural icons: Argyle Waterfall,

the island’s highest cascade

(54m). Completely encased

by jungle, the waterfall tumbles

down a trio of levels that each

have a limpid-blue pool ideal

for a dip after your hike. But

Tobago’s most famous waterfall

is by no means the only

worthwhile one. Parlatuvier

Waterfall is topped and tailed

with a cooling pool while

Highland Waterfall, Tobago’s

tallest single-drop cascade,

is so hidden that most people

don’t even know it’s there;

what’s their loss is your gain.

Wildlife-spotting opportunities

abound across the rest of the

island, too. Few people know

of Corbin Local Wildlife Park,

a non-profit sanctuary set up by

hunter-turned-conservationist

Roy Corbin, which

provides a safe haven

for many threatened

and rescued species

before they are ready to

be released across the rest of

Tobago. Guided tours, often led

by Corbin himself, give you the

opportunity to spot wildlife

among the rainforest, such

as opossums and armadillos

scuttling along the jungle floor,

caiman on the banks of the pond

and birds such as manakins,

jacamars and motmots.

Tobago is a world-class

birding location and twitchers

can find more at the organic

estate of Adventure Farm

and Nature Reserve, which

is home to a huge array of

hummingbirds, or even offshore

at the satellite island of Little

Tobago. This seabird sanctuary

has become an important

home for the likes of

frigatebirds, red-footed boobies

and red-billed tropicbirds.

Pristine paradise(clockwise from this)

Swim at the base of

waterfalls; Pigeon Point;

enjoy the incredible

marine life; see wildlife

like birds and butterflies

�


PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

UNDERWATER UTOPIA

Of course, this is the Caribbean

and so you’d expect a slew of

postcard-perfect beaches to

curl up with a good book on – and

Tobago doesn’t disappoint.

Pigeon Point is its most

celebrated stretch of sand and

its palm-pocked cotton-white

beach and thatch-topped jetty

are worth visiting just to admire

their tropical splendour. But not

all of Tobago’s fringes are solely

for relaxing on: Grange Bay is

the best place on the island to

catch a sunset and if you visit

Turtle Beach between March

and September you can witness

female leatherbacks nesting.

Mother Nature didn’t just

wave her magic wand on land.

Tobago’s natural glories extend

offshore as well, with a bounty

of marine life awaiting within

its waters. The snorkelling and

diving opportunities are virtually

endless and a wade into the blue

in any direction will have you

gliding among crayon-coloured

coral within minutes. To the

north, you can swim along

orange and yellow-tinged corals

and sponges around the

submerged Japanese Gardens,

glide among rays, reef sharks

and schools of tropical fish

around Booby Island, and come

up close to hawksbill turtles,

moray eels and spiny lobsters

among the coral-rich waters

of Cardinal Rocks. Perhaps

northern Tobago’s most iconic

diving spot, though, is London

Bridge, named so because of

its giant natural arch, whose

dramatic overhangs and

crevices play host to tarpon,

turtles and porcupine fish.

The south-west coast

harbours just as many

underwater treasures, with

Mount Irvine boasting two

excellent dive sites. The shallow

waters of the Wall are home

to lobsters and crabs hiding in

crimson-stained rocky crevices,

while the deeper Extension

offers you the chance to swim

with hawksbill turtles.

Elsewhere, spy nurse sharks

flitting around coral-encrusted

cannons left behind by the Dutch

East India Company, while the

MV Maverick is a former ferry

deliberately sunk to create

a new artificial reef. However, it’s

the east coast that arguably has

Tobago’s most spellbinding

underwater sight: Kelleston

Drain, where a 5m-wide brain

coral has been growing

undisturbed for centuries.

If you want to mix it up a little,

Kariwak Reef is a great place

for a night dive, where the

midnight-black waters come

alive with the likes of Christmas

tree worms and fire coral.

Beyond the fine array of

snorkelling and diving, Tobago’s

marine encounters display

remarkable diversity.

Above the surface, a unique

experience can be found at

serene Buccoo Bay, where

you can go horseriding through

its gin-clear waters. The calm

waters makes it perfect for

stand-up paddle-boarding,

too – both day and night. In

the sunshine, you can spend

a whole day paddling along

tranquil rivers, beside blush-

coloured beaches and over

kaleidoscopic coral reefs.

By night, your experience

couldn’t be more different. After

dark, Bon Accord Lagoon’s

sheltered waters are lit up an

electric blue by bioluminescent

plankton and every twist and

stroke of your paddle will be

akin to spilling a tin of neon

paint, creating an eye-popping

watery dance-floor. Mother

Nature’s magic has sparkled

in Tobago once again. ⊲Nat

alie

Kriw

y; B

rett

Tho

mps

on; A

dven

ture

Eco

Vill

as T

obag

o; V

isit

Toba

go; S

hutt

erst

ock


LIVE THE GOOD LIFE

Tobago’s wealth of pristine

nature only tells half of the

island’s story. With clocks

permanently set to island time,

the good life rules supreme

among its laid-back locals.

Thanks to its tiny size and lack

of modern development, visitors

and locals exist together in

good-humoured harmony. It’s this

intimacy with the culture that

allows a deep dive into

Tobagonian life right from the off,

a kind of immersion that’s rare to

find anywhere else. You can be

laughing with a local at a beach

bonfire, picking up locally hewn

crafts at the market in Store Bay

or helping fishermen to pull in

their daily catch. These golden

moments of local life are

everywhere in Tobago.

As well as encountering its

present, there are plenty of

remnants of Tobago’s past to

find, too. A number of forts cling

to its cliffs, legacies of an island

that was one of the most coveted

in the Caribbean, changing hands

more than 30 times in its history.

Fort King George is the most

well-preserved, built in the 18th

century by the British and named

in honour of King George III. Its

colonial-era barracks, officers’

mess and cannons are some of

the highlights of a walk around

the grounds, while its high perch

grants fine views over the capital,

Scarborough, and beyond. Of the

rest, Fort Bennett in Black Rock

boasts crumbling battery

remains and well-manicured

gardens, while the oldest, Fort

James in Plymouth, offers misty

views across Great Courland Bay.

The latter was built by the Duchy

of Courland (now modern-day

Latvia), who were the first

Europeans to colonise Tobago.

It’s a feat also remembered

in the adjacent contemporary

Courland Monument.

Tobago isn’t just full of solid

history, it’s also cloaked in

folklore. One of its biggest

mysteries is at the 18th-century

tombstone of Betty Stiven,

where the confusing inscription

– it speaks of her as a mother

without knowing it and a wife

without letting her husband know

it – has had baffled islanders

guessing her fate for nearly 250

years. For more of the island’s

legendary tales, villagers from

Les Coteaux bring them alive

in a theatrical stage show

performed at Tobago’s annual

summer Heritage Festival.

Another way to access

Tobago’s culture is through your

stomach. Trying its signature

dish of curried crab and

dumplings is a must, not only

because it’s super tasty but also

because it reflects its multi-

cultured locals, who hail from

India, China, Africa and beyond.

It’s one of the many dishes you

can tuck into at the island’s

harvest festivals, held in

a different village each week.

Tobagonians have a sweet tooth,

too, with a particular weakness

for chocolate. This love affair

is best explored on a tour at the

Tobago Cocoa Estate, where you

can unpick the island’s cocoa

history and help with all aspects

of the chocolate creation. Then

comes the best bit: sampling

some of the finished chocolates

with a glass of rum.

Culture awaits(clockwise from this) Tobago’s

rainforest canopy; kayaking; Fort

Milford ; enjoy the festivals

⊳

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

For more information, go to: tobagobeyond.com

DON’T TAKE JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT

Tobago’s vast number of natural

jewels and resistance to

large-scale tourism has earned

it a hatful of eco-conscious

awards. North-eastern Tobago

has earned the UNESCO ‘Man

and the Biosphere’ designation,

an award that not only protects

local livelihoods and the fragile

ecosystems around them, but

also strengthens the bond

between the two. In turn, this

region has become the largest

in the English-speaking

Caribbean to gain such an

award. On Tobago’s fringes,

three of its beaches have

Blue Flag Pilot status,

a title given based on their

cleanliness, safety and

environmental awareness.

In these unusual times, Tobago

also has the nous to prepare

itself for visitors after the

COVID-19 pandemic. The

government has given grants

to a range of accommodation

owners, from hotels to self-

catering apartments, to help

them become COVID-safe and

adjust to new social distancing

measures. This and other

coronavirus-orientated

initiatives have led Tobago to

receiving a ‘Safe Travels’ stamp

from the World Travel & Tourism

Council, only awarded when

a destination has sufficient

health and safety COVID-19

protocols in place.

All of these accolades are

certainly impressive and show

Tobago is keen to protect both

its natural treasures and those

who visit them. After all, this is

an unspoilt island that makes

you instantly feel a part of the

family and where spotting

a brightly coloured bird or

swimming alongside turtles

garner the widest smiles.

Visi

t Tob

ago;

Shu

tter

stoc

k

BALItoBACK

Villages set in rolling rice

paddies, secret volcano hikes

and islets where plunging cliffs

drop to wild Indonesian sands –

we bike beyond the busy beaches

to find Bali’s true nature

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHS ALEX ROBINSON

Biking Bali(clockwise from above)

The author hits the

road; guide Andy; locals

in the paddyfields

‘We were in a countryside of

palms and paddies, winding

through villages where

locals carried baskets of

fruit on their heads’⊲

BALI


Andy was

slipping into

a trance. Eyes

half-lidded, he

was silent and

statue-still.

I could see my

friend’s mind was journeying, drifting

with the intricate steel-band

psychedelia of the gamelan angklung

orchestra, playing in the outer

courtyard of the pura (Hindu temple).

Incense swirled around him, carried

on the sea breeze, rising over the

sugar-palm-thatch roofs and dark

brick of the tiered meru pagodas,

sweeping out over the temple towards

the distant cone of Mount Agung.

When the pemangku (priest) began

to chant I could feel myself following

Andy. I was losing track of time,

slipping into the deep sea of the

subconscious. The niggling cramp of

kneeling on stone flags faded, and

anxiety I didn’t even know that I had

ebbed. Senses brightened – the

vibrant gold of our udeng headdresses,

the balsamic scent of the joss sticks –

I closed my eyes. Thoughts thinned,

time dissolved into the present

moment, which danced in intricate

gamelan patterns like waves on

a single ocean. I drifted into that

ocean’s depths, floating for who-

knows-how-long, and then falling

back into consciousness with a splash:

of water, thrown by the pemangku

from sprigs wet from a sacred spring.

When I opened my eyes the light was

lower. Next to me Gede, our guide was

smiling. He beckoned us out of the

temple and onto the vast black sand

beach: at Watu Klotok, in eastern Bali.

This wasn’t my first visit to the

island. A few years before I’d booked

the standard seaside holiday: days in

the sun on bar-crammed Seminyak

beach were punctuated with day-trips

to Mount Batur volcano, to rice

paddies and to Ubud village – where

Julia Roberts came to Eat, Pray, Love.

But that Bali was tired and

Torremolinos-touristy. I left with all

my books finished and determined

not to return. But without thinking

much I bought a paperback in the

airport shop: Island of Bali by Mexican

anthropologist, Miguel Covarrubias,

who had lived here in the 1930s. It

would pass the time, I thought. But it

did far more. The book filled me with

excitement – Covarrubias had been

changed by Bali. His walks in the

bird-filled forests that shrouded the

volcanoes, his temple visits, his time

with locals had filled him with a sense

of the miraculous. It seemed so far

from the Bali I’d visited. “Could it still

be there?” I wondered.

Back in BaliSo some years later I flew back to find

out, and to meet an old friend who’d

spent his life in search of the

miraculous in Asia. While the rest of us

had gone to university, Andy Axelrood

had gone to Beijing to study Chinese

medicine and then to Thailand –

nominally to teach English, but really

to spend years exploring Bagan and

Angkor, Luang Prabang and the Plain

of Jars. He’d be the perfect uno�cial

guide for my week-long trip to find

Covarrubias’ Bali, taking me up its

volcanoes, to empty beaches and

little-visited villages.

“I’ll meet you in Denpasar,” he’d told

me. “Pack light. And use a rucksack.”

The Andy who met me off the plane

was a touch thinner on top than

I remembered. But the big smile,

warm welcome and the fact that he

was the only Westerner wearing

a sarong assured me that little else had

changed, and that this visit to Bali

would be a thrill.

I didn’t know the adventure would

begin right away. No wonder he’d asked

me to pack light. We were travelling by

motor scooter. Before I had time for

questions, Andy was whizzing out of

the airport, out of the city. Within half

an hour we were in a countryside of

palms and paddies, winding through

wooden villages where local women

carried baskets of flowers and fruit on

their heads. I recognised those from

Covarrubias’ book – they were pura

offerings – left in shrines and temples

during Balinese rituals.

After a couple of hours we reached

Capella, Ubud, our hotel for the next

few days – nestled in a steep forest-

filled gorge that dropped to a tinkling

stream and a small, ancient shrine.

‘The walk was idyllic, a path

sloping up through rich rainforest.

Butterflies floated in front of us,

magpie-robins chirruped...’

�

⊲

BALI


“You’ll want to rest,” said Andy.

“Tomorrow we wake early. To

climb a volcano.”

Westward to CaturWe were back on the bikes before

dawn, going slowly on the narrow

roads in the half-light, dodging

sleeping dogs and scythe-carrying

farmers on their way to work. The sun

rose as we reached Tegallalang,

glistening orange over paddyfields that

dropped in stepped terraces down

narrow valleys. As I stopped to take

a picture, Andy promised me coffee and

a treat: we would take a detour to Tirta

Empul village. In the café he handed

me another surprise – a bag containing

a white shirt, a sarong and sash and an

udeng ceremonial headdress. “Change

in the loo,” he said, heading there

himself. “We’re going to take a bath.”

The bath was inside the local

temple, where we spent half an hour

under powerful jets of mountain

spring water, which gushed from

mossy spouts into a huge brick tank.

I emerged caffeine alert and buzzing

with life. I was glad of Andy’s surprises.

We retraced our route and then cut

across Bali’s central flatlands, riding

for an hour or so out to the west.

“We’re going the wrong way,” I said

when we stopped for water, pointing

back the way we came to the distant

smoking cones of Batur and Agung,

Bali’s famous twin peaks.

“That’s where the crowds go,” Andy

replied. “Which is why we are going

in the opposite direction.”

Another half an hour’s ride brought

us to a dirt road and a trailhead

where a young Balinese local, Kadek,

was waiting for us with a smile and

a pre-packed breakfast. There wasn’t

another tourist in sight.

“Make sure you eat the chocolate,”

Kadek said as we unwrapped breakfast.

“Mount Catur is a tough trail.”

Bali’s other volcano – set in the

centre of the island seemed easy at

first. The walk was idyllic. A well-cut

path sloped up through rich rainforest.

Peacock swallowtail butterflies floated

in front of us, magpie-robins chirruped

in the trees. All was tranquil and

Eden-like. Then the way narrowed

and climbed steeply. Before long we

were clambering over huge boulders,

heaving up rugged slopes, gripping

roots and vines. After two hours

I was dripping with sweat and

Bathing in the real Bali(clockwise from above)

Wading in the water at Tirta

Empul water temple; the

trance-enducing ceremony at

Watu Klotok; Tirta Empul;

moss-swathed temple

decoration; Watu Klotok

⊳


panting. After three, we’d reached

the cloud line and the boulders and

tree trunks were wrapped in blankets

of moist moss. The forest thinned and

we entered what looked like a clearing.

“Careful here,” Kadek warned.

“There’s a sheer drop just beyond

those bushes.” We shrunk back into

the trees and then climbed on,

eventually reaching the summit just

as the mist began to thin and then

dissipate, revealing a shrine of stupas

and a spectacular view.

Below our feet, shimmering in the

early afternoon light was a giant caldera

lake. Kadek pointed to a temple huddled

on its southern shore. A terracotta

village spread around it in grids of

streets, and a mountain ridge rose steep

above it, flanked by forest-covered

cones. Beyond was the Pacific Ocean,

ribboning into the two-kilometre

wide narrows of the Bali strait. Ijen

and Raung, the giant, sulphurous

volcanoes of east Java, loomed grey

and serrated in the distance.

The walk, the view, the mountain

itself were exhilarating. I felt alive, the

wind whistling in the pines had my

skin tingling, the presence of the

mountain itself was palpable and it

somehow seemed focused in the tall

temple meru-pagodas around us. Andy

and I joined Kadek as he laid a little

garland of flowers on the central meru.

All our moods were lifted… until we

discovered plastic bottles and bags

strewn around the shrine’s back end.

“Left by tourists?” I asked. “No.

Tourists don’t come here,” responded

Kadek, clearly angry, “This was left

by Balinese. But not Bali Aga – by

⊲

BALI


beaches were crowd-crawling. Andy

assured me otherwise and had

chosen Nusa Penida, a small island in

the Balinese archipelago just to the

south-east of Bali itself and easily

reached by ferry. We would avoid

Penida’s backpacker-busy western

beaches, he said, and head for the

island’s far east at Atuh.

The 40-minute boat crossing from

Bali was rough. The road out of the

port was rougher still, turning from

asphalt into broken paving and then

steep shingle, where we skidded

frequently. Villages gave way to

abandoned farms where dry tropical

forest was regrowing – a rare sight in

South-East Asia. Driving through

a quiet stretch I stopped suddenly,

when I saw a black-and-white bird,

perched in a branch.

“It’s a Bali starling!” I shouted to

Andy, sending the bird into the trees.

“They’re critically endangered!”

We were both shaky when we finally

arrived at the clifftop look-out, after

a hairy, two-hour drive. But Atuh

Balinese who don’t respect our

traditions and culture.”

“Bali Aga?” we asked. But Kadek didn’t

respond. We helped clear the litter. On

the way down the mountain he was

more forthcoming, explaining to Andy

why tradition meant so much to him.

“Everything in Bali is balance,” he

said, explaining that temples are laid

out with precise harmonic orientation.

“In pura temples, we Balinese meet

with our ancestors and with nature

itself. Pura are like a giant tuning fork

for the spirit,” Kadek laughed. “Pura

concentrates purity!”

“Litter, noise, waste… all these bring

disharmony,” he told us. “We call it

sebel. When nature is unclean, we are

unclean – tired, depleted – without

inspiration or energy. We need to

puras to purify ourselves.”

Out to AtuhAfter the mountain – and a few days

rest at Capella – we decided to try

and find unspoilt ocean. It would

surely be an impossibility. Bali’s

‘The pura temples are

where the Balinese meet

with their ancestors –

and with nature itself’

Catur without

the crowds

(clockwise from centre)

Walking through the

greenery on the Mount

Catur trek and the view of

the caldera lake from the

top; temple decorations


soon had us spellbound. The cliffs

spread in front of us – Dover-white

and twice as tall, crumbling to a long

beach of talc-fine sand. Turquoise

waves crashed along its length, and as

the late afternoon sun sank, it

burnished the scene in buttery-yellow

light. I saw monkeys in the trees. An

osprey soared on thermals overhead.

South-eastern serenityWe spent two days at Atuh, seeing

only intrepid backpackers and

enjoying pure sea and starry sky.

Then we returned to the mainland

ever more determined to spend our

final days here in search of

traditional Balinese life.

We decided to base ourselves by the

sea in Candidasa on the south-east

coast – a quiet, laid-back alternative

to Kuta and Sanur. Bali would show us

the way, we figured, and it did. When

we visited a temple set on a cape to

the east of Candidasa village, a local

young woman, surprised at seeing

visitors wearing temple gear, asked

us about ourselves.

“You’re looking for the real Bali?

Ring this man, Gede,” she said.

“He will help you.”

Even Andy was amazed by Gede.

He took us to places where Balinese

life seemed little-changed since

the time of Covarrubias – the

sleepy, rural Sidemen valley,

huddled under the bulk of Agung

mountain, and Tenganan

Pegringsingan – a hamlet tucked into

the hills above Candidasa itself.

⊳

BALI


at the heart of the village and in the

doorways of their cottagey homes.

These, Gede said, were Bali Aga.

He led us to a teak-wood house –

one of several in the village where Bali

Aga kept the old traditions alive. We

watched a sinewy old man hand-

engrave a Balinese book from reeds

smeared with charcoal, while his

daughter crafted textiles on a loom.

Sure, they were for sale, Gede said, but

they also made for local people – just

as they had been for centuries.

On our final evening Gede took us

to Watu Klotok. Here Andy and

I, again donned in our temple

sarongs and udeng head dresses,

were invited to take part the

ceremony and lulled by incense and

gamelan into a trance.

In his hushed tones Gede told us that

in Tenganan we would meet Bali Aga.

“Who are they?” we asked.

“The true Balinese”, he said.

“Those who preserve our original

culture. This is one of a handful of

true Bali Aga villages.”

Tenganan was as beautifully tended

and as true to its roots as an Anglesey

hamlet – little flower-scented cottages

with gorgeous gilt-wood doors;

a peaceful temple set over a groomed,

green lawn. The men wore sarongs,

the women decked out in beautiful

hand-woven lace tops. They greeted

us with warm smiles but no one tried

to tout for business. They were more

intent on catching up on local gossip,

chatting with each other on the steps

of the beautifully manicured temple

Sat on the beach afterwards, we

felt as if the tension of life had been

taken by the surf and the wind. Our

minds were quiet. Every moment

seemed to hold so much more: senses

were brighter – the gold of the sun

dipping into the ocean, glistening

off the wet black sand, the calls of

terns rising over the rumble and hiss

of the waves. Gede came and joined

us. He felt closer to us somehow,

united by this timeless Balinese

experience. I thought Covarrubias

would have approved.

“Maybe you begin to understand

Bali,” said Gede quietly. “Our rituals,

our pura, how they call nature to

clean our hearts, clear our minds,

sanctify our souls. Tell people about

this when you leave.”

Double trouble

(clockwise from below)

Guides Andy and Gede;

the cliff edge ofNusa

Penida; temple

decorations

⊲

BALI


Vital statisticsCapital: Denpasar (Bali);

Jakarta (Java, Indonesia)

Population: 4.3 million (Bali);

264 million (national)

Languages: Balinese, Indonesian

Time: GMT +8 hrs

Visas: Not required by UK nationals

for stays of up to 30 days.

Money: Indonesian Rupiah (£1 to

IDR 18,700); ATMs throughout Bali,

cash dollars widely accepted.

When to GoBali is equatorial, so it’s tropically

warm all year round with average

temperatures in the mid twenties.

October-March is the wet

season the wettest months.

December to February are the

wettest months, with as much

as 35cm of rain falling in January.

November has high humidity with

temperatures hitting an average

maximum of 31°C.

April-September is the dry

season, with occasional tropical

Footnotes

Bali

THE TRIP The author travelled with

Audley Travel (audleytravel.

com, 01993 838 110), who

o�er a 7-night adventure

in Indonesia staying at the

Capella Ubud, Candi Beach

Resort and in Sidemen, all

with breakfast. Prices from

£3,600pp (based on two

sharing). Price includes return

flights with Malaysia Airlines

from Heathrow to Bali via

Kuala Lumpur, transfers and a

guided hike up Mount Catur.

Cost of travelExpect to spend around £25 per

day staying in a decent hostel

and eating cheap. Staying in

air-conditioned hotels and using

better restaurants will cost you

between £60 and £100 a day.

Luxury is available from £150 a day.

AccommodationBali has a huge choice of hotels,

but to see unspoilt Bali, you’ll need

to base yourself in the rural interior,

or the beaches in the east and

north. There are simple places to

stay on Nusa Penida.

Capella (Ubud; capellahotels.

com) boasts tented wooden villas

tumbling down a steep, forested

valley, to a sacred spring-water

stream overlooked by tiny forest

temple. All are mood-lit, decorated

with handicrafts and fronted by

a hardwood deck with a private

pool. Doubles from £570pn, B&B.

Candi Beach Resort (Candidasa;

candibeachbali.com,) is low key

but luxurious, with rooms set in

a frangipani-scented garden next

to a tranquil seashore temple.

The half-kilometre silky-soft

strand at Karangasem and the

sheltered, forest-backed cove

at Bias Tugle are close by. Most

rooms overlook the ocean, there’s

a spa, infinity pool and bookable

visits to Bali Aga villages. Doubles

from £40pn, B&B.

Lempeh Jungle (near Atuh;

booked though online services),

rooms are simple – bamboo and

thatch, with shower bathrooms

and tiny terraces, but the location

is stellar – a few minutes’ walk

from Atuh’s plunging Durdle Door-

dramatic cliffs and sweep of white

sand. Doubles from £25pn, B&B.

WHAT TO PACK Light long and

short-sleeved

shirts and shorts,

a sun hat and

glasses and plenty

of (reef friendly)

sunscreen. For

the Catur volcano

trail you’ll need

walking boots with

ankle support,

long trousers and a

long-sleeved shirt.

⊲

showers. September is the driest

month, with around 46mm of rain.

Health and SafetyFor the latest advice on entry

requirements, including regarding

COVID-19, visit the FCDO site

(www.gov.uk). For information on

vaccines and boosters needed,

check in with fitfortravel.nhs.uk

for latest updates.

Crime is generally restricted to

petty theft and credit card scams.

Indonesia has a zero-tolerance

policy towards drugs.

Getting thereThere are no direct flights from

the UK to Bali. Malaysia Airways

(malaysiaairlines.com) fly to

Denpasar, the island’s capital via

Kuala Lumpur from £730 [pre-

pandemic price].

Getting AroundTaxis and drivers are easy to hire

on Bali. Guides are an essential

if you are to get off the beaten

track. Gede Widanta (or ‘Widi’,

pronounced ‘Weedi’) is reachable on

[email protected]; WhatsApp:

+62 82 146 938 439; from £45 per

day, prices depend on group size.

Gede can also organise drivers.

Nusa Penida is 50 mins south of

Bali by ferry (marlinfastboat.com,

IDR 550,000 [£30] rtn). Motor

scooters can be hired in shops

throughout Bali (and at the dock in

Nusa Penida) for as little as £10

a day. Away from main towns,

roads are narrow, windy and

often with potholes. Local and

backpacker driving can be erratic.

Eat, stay, love The Capella sits on the

outskirts of Ubud; (above)

traditional crafts in Tenganan

BALI


1 JATILUWIH

RICE TERRACES

Steep valleys of stepped rice

fields and fewer visitors than at

the better-known Tegallalang

rice fields near Ubud.

2 VOLCANO VIEWS

Every day, hundreds of

tourists hike up Batur volcano,

Bali’s most famous peak for

wonderful volcano views. Mount

Catur sees only a handful of

those, with equally wild views.

3 CANDIDASA

Serene sands, traditional

Balinese villages and locals who

are still pleased to see a visitor.

4 SIDEMEN

Sleepy villages set in rolling

rice fields in the shadow of the

giant cone of Agung volcano.

5 WEST BALI

NATIONAL PARK

The largest remnant of Bali’s

ancient rainforests, fringed

by coral-sand beaches quiet

enough for nesting olive ridley

sea turtles.

6 NUSA PENIDA

Crumbling 100-metre high

cliffs sheltering coral-fringed

coves and, as yet, no big resorts

or tour parties.

7 UBUD

The village where Julia

Roberts came to Eat Pray Love

is now a town teeming with

tourists, but there’s still charm

to the winding alleys lined with

temples, boutiquey restaurants,

craft shops and day spas.

8 KUTA

Time for one last night out

on the town? Kuta beach’s

busy strip has resorts by

the dozen, all manner of

restaurants, bar-lined streets

and a buzzing nightlife scene.

And it’s right near the airport for

that return flight.

8 Bali Highlights

Map

illu

stra

tion

by S

cott

Jess

op

Food & drinkPan-Indonesian food like nasi

goreng (spicy stir-fried rice with

chicken, prawns and shredded

omelette) and satay (kebabs of

chicken served with a peanut sauce)

are common. Bali has its own local

specialities too – like babi guling

(spit-roast suckling pig seasoned

with turmeric, ginger, galangal and

chillies) and pepes ikan (spicy fish,

steamed in a banana leaf).

Planning guides Indonesia Travel Guide

Archive article ● West Indonesia: Bali and beyond

– issue 115

● West Indonesia: Bali and

beyond – issue 138

Visit www.wanderlust.co.uk/212

More online

Further reading & infoIsland of Bali (Periplus Classics;

1937) by Miguel Covarrubias. Still

fresh and fascinating today.

Ring of Fire: An Indonesia Odyssey

(1988) – award-winning book/

documentary of Lawrence and

Lorne Blair’s 1980s voyages

through wild Indonesia. Available

through indonesianodyssey.co.uk

Lonely Planet Indonesia (2019) –

by Ian Stewart; useful guidebook

TEMPLE ETIQUETTE

Remove shoes

before entering a

temple; never point

feet at the shrine,

or stand higher

than the priest;

ceremonies will

require traditional

clothing.

⊳


PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Phi P

hi Is

land

Vill

age

Beac

h Re

sort

; Les

ley

Fish

er; K

oh Ju

m B

each

Vill

as; K

haol

ak M

erlin

Res

ort;

Nut

ty’s

Adv

entu

res

Turtles hatch

and scuttle

down white

sand beaches.

Elephants

stomp through

thick jungle while clear seas

hide a rainbow of coral. This

is Thailand, and its incredible

landscapes and wildlife

deserve to be protected.

This year has seen most of

the world shut off to tourism,

but Thailand has discovered

a silver lining to this problem.

Without the usual crowds

of visitors, the country’s

extraordinary natural habitats

have been given time to heal.

It is now arguably more

important than ever to ensure

Thailand’s wildlife and natural

spaces are protected when

visitors return. Enter the

Responsible Thailand Awards,

which recognises the

outstanding contributions

that companies have made

to grow Thailand as

a sustainable tourist

destination. Drum roll please,

for the 2020 winners…

Marine & NatureWINNER: Phi Phi Island Village

Beach Resort (for its Marine

Discovery Centre)

This resort enjoys a secluded,

pristine location and offers

many educational activities,

including at the on-site Marine

Discovery Centre. Run by

a resident marine biologist, the

judges were delighted that the

resort is doing more than just

paying lip-service to

conservation and the green

agenda. One judge said: “It is

a really practical project that

will be of benefit not just to the

hotel, but to the neighbouring

community as well. It also offers

an outstanding range of

activities for their eco-

conscious guests.”

phiphiislandvillage.com

AnimalWelfareWINNER: Samui Elephant

Sanctuary, Koh Samui

This sanctuary rescues

elephants from the tourism or

logging industry. The judges

commended the sanctuary’s

schools programme,

presentations to tour operators

and elephant medical clinic.

The judges were “impressed

to see the reach of high ethical

standards, expanded through

a new second sanctuary. We

were also encouraged by how

the principles of elephant

welfare are communicated

to the visiting public”.

samuielephantsanctuary.org

Runner up: BEES – Burm and

Emily’s Elephant Sanctuary

Community-Based TourismWINNER: Kindred Spirit

Elephant Sanctuary

This sanctuary in Chiang Mai

impressively continued to

support elephants and their

local community, despite being

closed due to the pandemic.

The judges said: “This

demonstrates a laudable

commitment to the livelihoods

of the local community. This

includes involvement in

homestays, the provision of

English lessons and – crucially

in 2020 – support during the

economic ravages of

COVID-19. A really impressive

approach; we salute them.”

kselephantsanctuary.com

Runner up: The Tuk Tuk Club

2020 WINNERS

RESPONSIBLE THAILAND

AWARDS

wanderlust.co.uk January/February 2021 73For more information, visit responsiblethailand.co.uk

HOW THE WINNERS WERE PICKED

In July 2020 we asked

Wanderlust readers and the

UK travel trade to nominate

the Thailand-based

organisations and resorts

that they felt were most

deserving of recognition for

their green initiatives and

tireless efforts to promote

sustainable tourism.

The criteria for judging

included the sustainability

of each of the projects and

organisations, their

demonstrable successes,

and the legacy of benefits

for both Thailand and

international visitors.

It was difficult to choose

the final winners , but the

decision was finally made

by a judging panel that

consisted of: Derek Moore

(AITO); Clare Jenkinson

(ABTA); Martin Symington

(travel journalist); and Lyn

Hughes (editor-in-chief

of Wanderlust).

Eco-Lodge/Eco-HotelWINNER: Koh Jum

Beach Villas

The judges found much to

admire about Koh Jum Beach

Villas in Krabi: “From the

low-energy lighting to the

availability of bikes; from their

work with Trash Hero to the

planting of sea grass and

mangroves, this is an eco-

property in so many varied

ways. We were impressed by

the zero-interest loans for

locals to start businesses, and

to the attention to detail in

tackling a broad range of

environmental issues. They get

guests involved in their

initiatives too. Truly impressive.”

kohjumbeachvillas.com

Runner up: Banyan Tree

HotelWINNER: Khaolak Merlin Resort

This eco-resort has a vast

tropical garden, which is home

to hundreds of species of flora

and fauna. The judges said:

“From their work with the Love

Life Foundation and their

development of a water project,

this is clearly a hotel with an

eco-agenda which lifts it above

other properties. Their slow

loris project tops their list of

achievements. A combination

of uncompromising green

standards in the resort, with

support for the local

environment and wildlife, has

made this a winning entry.”

merlinkhaolak.com

Runner up: Pimalai

Resort & Spa

Green StepsWINNER: Nutty’s Adventures

This tour operator is dedicated

to sustainable travel, focussing

on community-based tourism

operated in a way that benefits

all stakeholders. It now offers

accessible tours for travellers

with disabilities.

The judges were refreshed

to see a tour operator with

a determination to work with

the local community. They also

noted: “Their innovative

programmes for clients with

disabilities and visual

impairments makes them

stand out among the tour

operators of Thailand.

A worthy winner.”

nutty-adventures.com

Runner up: The Mangosteen


Making tracksWalking Machir Bay’s 2km

stretch of sand is a fine

way to build a thirst

ISLAY


Whisky, walking, wilderness and some more

whisky thrown in for good measure. We visit the

Inner Hebrides to enjoy the taste of Scotland

Whisky, walking, wilderness and some more

whisky thrown in for good measure. We visit the

Inner Hebrides to enjoy the taste of Scotland

WORDS ROBIN MCKELVIE

Hebridesof the Queen

The


“This is a ‘what

a time to be

on the planet,

in this room,

right now’ type

of whisky,”

beamed Ron,

the head tour

guide at Ardbeg. Despite the ravages of the

pandemic I agreed with Ron; not just on the

45-year-old dram. This was, and is, a special time to

be at my favourite Islay distillery, the whitewashed

dame that has stood firm against the Atlantic since

Queen Victoria was on the throne. It was and is

a special time to be on Islay too, a life affirming

oasis; a safe port, even, in the COVID-19 storm.

I’ve long had a special place in my heart for the

‘Queen of the Hebrides’. It’s hard not to fall for an isle

alive with sweeping beaches, epic seafood and no

fewer than nine whisky distilleries; Islay is a real life

treasure island. This time, though, it was not mere

sightseeing I sought, but an escape from the

maelstrom of the pandemic. I’d taken five days out of

the confines of my home office, but could Islay work

her magic so quickly in this most surreal of times?

Heavens, havens & HebridesI was in good company flying to Islay. There may

have been only five passengers on our Loganair Saab

340, but over autumn and winter thousands of pairs

of geese flock here to escape the worst ravages of

winter. Indeed 60% of the world’s barnacle geese and

a quarter of its endangered Greenland white-fronted

geese seek sanctuary on Islay. This may be northern

Europe, but the Gulf Stream ensures the mercury

rarely dips too low and snow is rare. My traditional

autumn Canary Isles escape had been quarantined

off, but on this early morning flight, as Islay seared

into view in the peach-tinged light, its sandy shores

wrapped around low hills and gnarly bays, the island

already felt much more than a substitute.

Islay may currently be pleasantly devoid of the

crowds, but it’s no backwater as local taxi driver

Hughie Currie was quick to point out. “Islay was the

centre of the isles for centuries and we’ve not

forgotten those days,” he said with a quiet smile ⊲

Distilling the sunLagavulin Whisky Distillery

overlooks Lagavulin Bay;

(below) Finlaggan

Prev

ious

AW

L Th

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ISLAY


‘We were the only people here enjoying this implausibly dramatic backdrop. The only sound, high above, was the geese on their seasonal sojourns’


‘I followed the sound of the Atlantic surf in search of the ocean. It was not long until my shoulders dropped and I smiled as white sands spilled out

all around when I descended from the dunes’

AW

L; R

ob

in M

cKel

vie

Heart of the Hebrides

(clockwise from this) The wooden

walkway that takes you to Eilean Mor

(Large Island), the HQ – and burial place

– of the Lords of the Isles; Port Ellen;

Ardnahoe; the Paps of Jura across the

Sound of Islay; whisky and food pairing

at Ardnahoe; seals

ISLAY


and hint of cheekiness in his eyes; a look you get

often on Islay. Hughie was right though. The mystical

Lords of the Isles, the MacDonalds, held sway over

huge swathes of the Hebrides from Finlaggan, their

Islay stronghold until James IV’s ascension to the

Scottish throne in the 15th century. Today Prince

Charles holds the title of Lord of the Isles.

We made for Finlaggan to delve further. The first

time I came I was disappointed: I’d been expecting

a sturdy fortress and boastful battlements. That is not

Islay’s style. So powerful were the Lords that they

didn’t need to fortify Finlaggan. As we eased out to

the wee island that houses the epicentre of their

world, the centuries slipped back to when they sipped

claret here as they surveyed their expansive empire.

It’s an arresting spot, borrowing its implausibly

dramatic backdrop – the legendary Paps of Jura

– from the neighbouring island of Jura. We were the

only people here and the only sound, high above, was

those relieved geese enjoying their seasonal sojourns.

Whisky, wonders & wandersHughie’s taxi proved an ideal way to explore the

distilleries over a couple of days, although the island

has tried to make visiting eco-friendly too with

a footpath/cycle track connecting the southern trio

of Ardbeg, Lagavulin and Laphroaig. The distilleries

are on the ball with COVID-19 as I found at

Bunnahabhain where they took my temperature

before I was allowed into their bonded warehouse.

I found my guide David swathed in thousands of

litres of whisky and over 130 years of tradition. He

charmed me through a tasting where the craic

flowed as freely as the fine malts. “There is a dram for

everyone, literally, whether you like wine, port or

sherry,” he enthused as we enjoyed our merry dance.

But two distilleries in particular struck me in these

testing times. Ardnahoe is the no-expenses-spared

new kid on the block, a literal breath of fresh air:

I stood on their terrace gazing out over the Sound of

Islay. “You can see seals and dolphins out there,”

said my latest distillery guide in the café, with its

cinematic widescreen windows. “Whales too.”

The second distillery experience was another

thrilling one and I don’t just mean the whisky. In

a nod to the pandemic, the guide from tiny

Kilchoman farm distillery met me down at the wild

and wildly beautiful ‘tasting room’ of Machir Bay,

with its 2km necklace of sand. The guide’s smiles

were infectious and soon spread to my new friend,

Michael, a banker from London, who had booked the

same COVID-era outdoor tasting. He was here to

seek escape too. We both knew what from, but this

was not a time for talking elephants. We found our

solace as whisky tales soothed with a dram in hand

and gulls swirling above on the brisk breeze. There

was time to wander the sands too. We made time.

My base for the days of whisky, the Port Charlotte

Hotel, slotted into place like everything seems to on

this trimly-run island. I reached it via a wee side trip

to Portnahaven (Hughie offers more than just a taxi

service), a sleepy fishing village that fights a daily

battle with the Atlantic. Hughie insisted I had to see

a sign. It was ‘just’ a large splosh of paint on a wall

saying ‘OK’. Hughie suggested it may have been to

reassure returning servicepeople from the Second

World War that they were now safe. In this

COVID-ravaged world it seemed as fitting as the

local bus stops, which sported free hand gel.

It felt more than OK at the Port Charlotte Hotel,

a whitewashed oasis right on Loch Indaal, with

a blinking lighthouse completing the feeling of

sitting inside a postcard. One morning the first rays

of sun eased me up and I eked outside to find Islay

slowly rousing. I thought it was just me savouring

the explosion of burning orange and ochre, but then

I spotted a seal as friendly as a Labrador and two

locals ‘enjoyed’ a bracing morning swim.

Dining out on Islay felt equally joyous; I didn’t eat

badly once. At Port Charlotte it was hard to choose

between a heaving seafood platter and Islay beef

fillet; at the Islay Hotel it was tennis ball sized scallops

then local lobster mac ‘n’ cheese and, at SeaSalt in

Port Ellen, more lobster alongside seafood specials

and Islay beef and lamb. Owner Yan Wang explained:

“Islay is like one big larder. It’s almost embarrassing

what we have here with our seafood fresh from the

boats, bountiful farms and the seasonal game too.”

One of the culinary highlights was at my other

Islay base – Glenegedale House. Owners Graeme

and Emma Clark conjured up a seafood feast that

would struggle to be fresher – “The boats come in at

5pm and it’s on your plate by 7pm,” she said.

Emma insisted all guests at her award-winning

hideaway get out exploring Islay and she was full

of advice. She couldn’t believe that in half a dozen

visits to Islay I’d not walked on Big Strand, at 12km

the island’s longest beach. I made amends,

following the sound of the Atlantic surf in search

of the ocean. It was not long until my shoulders

dropped and I smiled as white sands spilled out all

around when I descended from the dunes.

Two wheels & (more) whiskyNot content with my venture to Big Strand, Emma

asked Islay E-Wheels, a new outfit run by a lovely

young couple, to bring me one of their e-bikes. I set

off south and soon left the modern world behind.

After shaking off the Victorian distilleries east of Port

Ellen I was alone. Utterly alone, for the first time

since the pandemic restrictions began in February.

It felt weird, then joyous. I was cheered by a deer

skipping around the tree line and intrigued by the

‘Dun’ on my OS map. No one had mentioned it, no

guidebook includes it. There are 1,000s of these

wee ancient hill fort sites dotted around Scotland.

I bashed down to it through gnarly vegetation and

emerged on a promontory overlooking the Atlantic.

The Mull of Kintyre smiled back to my left, while

the island of Ireland hunkered down under

�

⊲


low-slung cloud on the other flank.

Islay offers the sort of mindfulness that

courses struggle to teach.

I was enjoying being away from the

world now and spotted a starched white

sand cove. Again it was nothing on my

map. I slipped down from the dun and

was greeted by an otter meandering his

way along the rocks. In the bay the seals

were busy sunning themselves, though

a couple couldn’t resist splashing over to check me

out. I caught sight of porpoises too, flirting their

way into view then skipping off into the depths

before I could get my phone out.

My last stop was, of course, at Ardbeg, where many

of the myriad layers of Islay gloriously fermented in

my mind, or rather distilled. The sea salt filled the air

and added a tang to the slowly maturing whisky on

the Atlantic battered coast. It was sunny now; my

face warm. For the first time in months I was

thinking about nothing bar just breathing and the

sun. They took my temperature – ah yes COVID, I’d

forgotten about you – but that was ok. It was all more

than OK on Islay. Ron was about to tell me what

a time it was to be on the planet, in this room, right

now, and I thoroughly, spirit soaringly agreed.

AWL;

Shu

tter

stoc

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ap il

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Sco

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1VISIT A

DISTILLERY

No Scottish isle boasts as

many whisky distilleries

as the hallowed ‘Whisky

Isle’ so get stuck in to the

nine distilleries. Ardbeg,

Lagavulin and Laphroaig

tempt in the south,

eponymous Bowmore in

the island capital;

Bruichladdich sits

across the other

side of Loch Indaal

while Kilchoman

lies just inland

from Machir Bay;

Ardnahoe recently

joined its siblings out east –

Bunnahabhain and Caol Ila.

2EXPLORE

BOWMORE

The island capital is a

whitewashed charmer. Its

most striking building is

the ‘Round Church’, said

to have been built in its

unique shape so that the

devil did not have any

corner to hide away in.

3TAKE A BOAT

Getting out on the

water is the best way to

follow in the boatsteps

of the Lords of the Isles

and appreciate Islay’s

geography and history,

as for thousands of

years getting here by

sea was the only way.

Islay Sea Adventures

operate a range of trips,

with everything from

wildlife sailings in search

of sea eagles, otters and

whales, through to foodie

orientated seafood

adventures. islay-sea-

adventures.co.uk

4KAYAKING

THE COVES

Kayak Wild Islay are the

guys if you want to get

out on the cobalt Atlantic.

Explore the island’s wildlife-

rich and endlessly scenic

coast. You can choose

to tackle a half day, or

make a whole day of it.

kayakwildislay.co.uk

5ESCAPE

TO JURA

Islay’s neighbour is

a brooding, deeply

mountainous beast. It’s

much wilder than Islay

and indeed sports only

one real road, a distillery,

a shop, a hotel, a bar and

a population of around

6,000... red deer. Only

around 200 hardy souls

today inhabit remote Jura

(a short ferry trip from

Islay) in a land ravaged by

the Highland Clearances.

argyll-bute.gov.uk

6GET INTO GIN

The rise and rise in

popularity of Scottish

gins has not gone

unnoticed by the islanders.

Bruichladdich’s Botanist

is already fairly well

established; more niche

is a relative newcomer,

Nerabus Islay Gin.

islayginltd.com

7 GET ON YOUR

HIKING BOOTS

Islay has a great range

of hikes and most are

easy to tackle even in

winter. The walk along Big

Strand is a bracing one.

Even more dramatic is

pushing around from its

southern tip in search of

Soldiers Rock, a striking

rock pinnacle that echoes

Orkney’s

Old Man

of Hoy.

If you only do 7 things on Islay...

TOP TIP The highest hill,

Beinn Bheigeir, at

491m, is a bit of a

yomp and you will

need to work out

transport there and

back. Make sure you

have the correct

gear, have a map

and compass and

tell someone where

you are going.

�

ISLAY


Footnotes

Islay

TOP TIP If you like whisky

check out the

Lochside with

its atmospheric

whisky bar and

waterfront terrace.

They stock the

heavenly – and

no-longer-made

– Ardbeg 17-

year-old.

lochsidehotel.co.uk

Vital statisticsCapital: Edinburgh

Population: 5.45 million

Language(s): English,

Scots, Gaelic.

When to goApr-Jun Midge-free spring and

early summer offers a good

chance of dry weather with the

serious bonus of the explosion

of wildflowers. June also offers

long, light days with spectacular

brooding sunsets.

Jul-Aug Nominal summer, which

means the mercury can top 20°C,

but rain is a frequent visitor.

Sept-Mar The ‘low season’ is

peak season for migratory birds.

The mitigating effects of the

Gulf Stream temper the worst

of the frosts and coupled with

the maritime climate reduce the

chances of snow, though you will

still need all your layers. The island

feels on the cosy side of hygge.

Health & safety Islay feels very COVID-secure

with signs outlining Scottish

Government health advice as

you enter every village, bus stops

stocked with free sanitising

gel and temperature checks at

the distilleries. The island has a

dedicated COVID-plan too and

sticks rigidly to the latest Scottish

Government advice. You should

check this before travel – it does

vary from Westminster (gov.scot/

coronavirus-covid-19).

Reassuringly the islanders take

their COVID-19 responsibilities

seriously and you should too

with mask use de rigueur – non-

compliance will be met with a polite

reminder. The cumulative effect

is that Islay feels safer than most

places in the UK and in much of the

rest of Europe at the moment.

Getting there There are CalMac (calmac.co.uk;

foot passengers £13.80 return)

ferries to Islay from Kennacraig

in Kintyre, but they make for

a long journey as you have to

get to the ferry port from your

arrival point in Scotland.

A much quicker option – and

arguably not much less green given

the multiple transport option of

road/rail and ferry – is flying from

Glasgow with Loganair (loganair.

co.uk; returns from £109). The

scheduled flight time is 45 minutes,

but in reality you are often spirited

over in under half an hour. The

added bonus are the epic views

en route as Scotland unfolds like a

tourist office promotion video and

Islay looms tantalising into view.

Getting around There is a limited local bus

service – timetable information

available at argyll-bute.gov.uk.

Currie Taxis (curriestaxis.com)

offer bespoke taxi tours, including

distillery transport.

E-bikes are available from Islay

E-Wheels (islayewheels.co.uk) who

can deliver to your accommodation.

They can also supply Thule rear-

mounted child seats.

Islay Car Hire (islaycarhire.com)

offer hire at the airport.

Cost of travel Prices for food, travel and

accommodation on Islay are

similar to the Scottish mainland,

though accommodation costs

tend to rise in summer and during

the annual whisky festival in May.

Islay is not a ‘cheap’ island as

such, but Scotland enjoys some

of the most liberal land access

laws in Europe so you can

wild camp if you follow the

Outdoor Access Code (www.

outdooraccess-scotland.scot/

practical-guide-all/camping).

It’s worth budgeting extra for

eating out as the local produce is

superb and also for picking up a

souvenir bottle of whisky. Look out

for ‘Distillery Only’ bottlings, which

often appreciate in value. That is,

of course, if you don’t drink them!

Further reading & information Mainstream guide coverage of

Islay is quite sparse; The Rough

Guide to Scottish Highlands &

Islands (2017) and Lonely Planet:

Scotland’s Highlands & Islands

(2019) cover the basics.

Islay – The Land of the Lordship

(Birlinn, 2017) by David Caldwell,

provides a more in-depth delve into

the island and its myriad layers.

OS Landranger 60 handily covers

the whole island.

Wild About Argyll (wildaboutargyll.

com) offers information on Islay and

the surrounding area.

islayjura.com – island-based site.

Modern folk/pop crossover

Hebridean band Tide Lines

(tidelinesband.com) provide

an easily accessible, engaging

background to exploring Islay.

The good stu�... ...and where to get it. The

distilleries at Ardbeg

and (top) Laphroaig

WIN! A post-lockdown trip to the Caribbean

ADVENTURE AWAITS IN SAINT LUCIA



1 Natural beautyChances are, you’ve

already admired Saint

Lucia’s natural charms without

realising – because its Piton

peaks, which rise straight from

the sea, are one of the

Caribbean’s most famous sights.

They’ve stood sentry on the

south-west coast for at least

200 centuries – long before the

arrival of the early Arawak tribes,

the European colonial forces, or

the adventure-hungry travellers

that now come to climb them

(or at least toast them with

tropical cocktails). At 798m,

Gros Piton sits slightly taller than

Petit Piton (743m), but both are

striking reminders of the island’s

volcanic past – as well as a huge

source of national pride,

emblazoned everywhere from

banknotes to beer bottles.

But they’re just the start. From

rainforest to reef, Saint Lucia

is rich in untamed treasures –

a land of thundering waterfalls,

idyllic shores and snorkelling

sites teeming with life. It’s also

home to one of the world’s only

Babonneau, where you’ll find zip

lines, canopy walkways and

nature trails aflutter with birds.

Of course, Saint Lucia’s

coastline is a beach-lover’s

paradise: the west of the island

(the leeward side) is typically

calmer than the east, with

sheltered shores and soft sand.

Happily, it’s home to the best

snorkelling sites too – such as

Anse Cochon and the cove at

Anse Chastanet resort (people

come from all over the island to

swim in its reef). Take the plunge

on a snorkel or scuba trip,

or sign up for sea kayaking,

windsurfing and sailing at one

of the many watersports centres

– what better way to banish

those lockdown cobwebs?

For the epicurious,

there are myriad adventures

to choose from, such as cooking

workshops and rum-tasting

sessions. Saint Lucia’s cocoa

plantations give a fascinating

insight into the history and

culture of the island: take a

tour of Fond Doux cocoa farm

‘drive-in’ volcanoes, which

is far wilder than it sounds, with

mud-bathing pools and hot

springs. Love birdwatching? You

can hike rainforest trails to see

if you spot any of the 176 bird

species. Keen diver? Set your

sights on the sub-aqua slopes

of those Pitons. Fascinated by

history? Head to the north-west

coast to find Pigeon Island

National Landmark’s authentic

ruins, cannons and military

relics, and tall-tales aplenty

of pirates and plunderers. Walk

along the golden sands and then

climb Fort Rodney for views as

far as Martinique. That’s day one

sorted – what else awaits?

2 Get your heart racingFor starters, you’ll want to

get out on foot or bike, following

inland trails to secluded

cascades and hilltop viewpoints

– marvelling at the pristine

jungle scenery as you explore.

Or, take an open-air gondola ride

through the treetops at

Rainforest Adventures in

Saint Lucia, and two of its amazing hotels – Windjammer Landing

Villa Beach Resort and Anse Chastanet – are offering one lucky

winner and a friend the island adventure of a lifetime. Tempted?

Here’s what this Caribbean jewel has in store...

Sea for sore eyesSoufrière seafront;

(right) snorkelling

at Anse Chastanet

⊲

stlucia.org

COMPETITION

or Rabot Estate – owned

by global chocolatiers Hotel

Chocolat – to learn about the

journey from bean to bar, and

pick up a few sweet souvenirs.

3 A rich cultureThere’s no such thing

as a stranger in Saint

Lucia – just a friend that you

haven’t met yet. It might sound

cheesy, but it’s true: the

islanders’ warmth and welcome

are legendary. Saint Lucia is full

of independently-run

businesses, from beach cafés

serving up cappuccinos and

calypso tunes to unique

enterprises like the Tet Paul

Nature Trail – where local guides

give tours of the medicinal

plants, organic farm and

traditional house.

Wherever you venture, you’ll

meet island characters such

as Hattie Barnard, the co-owner

of Choiseul Art Gallery.

A renowned painter and author,

she’s passionate about the

local creative scene and

exhibits her work alongside

pieces by other Saint Lucian

artists. Zaka Art Café in

Soufrière also puts island

art in the spotlight; while

Eudovic’s Art Studio – run

by Vincent Joseph

Eudovic and his family –

specialises in

beautiful hand-carved

wooden sculptures.

To really get to know

the island, it’s definitely

worth hiring a local guide.

While you can see the main

sights under your own

steam, an insider will give you

unrivalled insight into Saint

Lucia’s story: whether that’s

its cocoa plantations and

colonial legacy, or its wild

wonders such as bird watching,

forest hiking and geology. Over

at Diamond Falls Botanical

Gardens, the team of green-

fingered guides bring the

island’s natural history to life,

while Greenwood Terrace

serves up fun cooking

classes and fascinating

harvesting tours in

a gorgeous garden.

4 Amazing accommodationFrom family-run

guesthouses and sea-view villas,

to boutique hotels and five-star

resorts – the island has

accommodation options to suit

every budget and style. And if

you’re our lucky competition

winner, you’ll enjoy four nights

at Windjammer Landing Villa

Beach Resort and three nights

at Anse Chastanet.

The former, up on the north-

west coast of the island –

overlooking Labrelotte Bay – is

all about beachfront relaxation:

its villas and guestrooms blend

into the forested hillside, just

a few sandy steps from the sea.

You might not consider yourself

an all-inclusive aficionado now,

but wait until you’ve got five

à la carte restaurants on your

doorstep, rum-laced cocktails

served on the beach, and

unlimited paddle-boarding,

snorkelling and sailing. A dive

centre puts the island’s wrecks

The peak of paradise (clockwise from this) Zip-lining over

the canopy at Soufrière; Windjammer

Landing Villa Beach Resort; Dennery

Waterfalls; Anse Chastanet; local

smile; kayaking

�


and reefs within easy reach, and

there are a whole host of day

trips available too: nature tours,

zip-lining, whale-watching

safaris – and much more.

Over at Anse Chastanet, in the

south of the island, you’ll have

2.4 sq km of tropical forests and

coast to explore, with coral reefs

just a leisurely paddle away, with

opportunities for diving on-site

for those wanting to venture

further. The entire estate is

criss-crossed with walking and

cycling trails, leading to two

soft-sand beaches, sea-breezy

coconut groves, and a handful

of secluded rooms and cottages.

It’s luxurious, yes, but the

resort’s unusual side is what

makes it so special, from its

treetop restaurants to its guided

birdwatching hikes, sea

kayaking trips, and cocoa

plantation tours. And look: the

Piton mountains are tantalisingly

close, so you'll have front-row

views of those famous peaks.

What's more, the premium

rooms have one wall which

is entirely open, giving the

illusion that you can reach out

and touch the famous peaks

from the comfort of your bed.

5 Food for thoughtIn true Caribbean style,

Saint Lucia’s signature

dishes put the island’s bounty of

fresh ingredients first. Seafood

is the star of the show: lobster,

lambi (conch) and saltfish are

national favourites, served

as spicy fritters, thick soups

or straight from the barbecue.

A rainbow of veg is grown on the

island, from green bananas

(known as figs) to golden apples

– while a dollop of hot sauce

adds some real Creole spice!

Saint Lucians like it as piquant

as possible, made from Scotch

bonnet chillies, so be sure to

order a cooling Piton beer, too…

There are some incredible

restaurants all over the island,

serving up local specialities

in beautiful surroundings. At

Ti Bananne, in Rodney Bay, live

music and local art set the scene

– while The Cliff at Cap offers

panoramic sea views. At

Windjammer Landing, seek out

the Upper Deck grillhouse: its

fresh seafood and fiery sunsets

make for a spectacular supper.

Saint Lucians are passionate

about their food, so you’ll find

lots of great independent

restaurants too – like Orlando’s,

in Soufriere and Rodney Bay,

which is run by celebrated local

chef Orlando Satchell. He’s

scooped numerous awards for

his signature dishes, which are

known all over the island – like

Piton Poulet, a spicy-sweet

medley of grilled chicken,

ginger and coconut. Fancy

picking up a few island recipes?

At Anse Chastanet, you can take

gourmet cooking classes and

learn about cocoa harvesting

at the hotel’s organic farm. Not

a meat eater or fancy something

different? Don't miss the hotel's

vegan restaurant, Emeralds.

6The best of both worldsFor all of its rural beauty,

Saint Lucia has plenty of bright

lights too. The island can loosely

be divided into two ‘halves’: the

north, where you’ll find the

bustling city of Castries and the

lively sights around Rodney Bay

– and the south, which has

a quieter and more natural vibe.

That’s not to say that the north

is overrun with tourists: it’s

simply the hub of local life.

Castries and Rodney Bay Village

are home to a varied cluster of

restaurants and shopping areas,

as well as entertainment venues

galore – from art galleries to

beach bars. And if you want

a glimpse of local nightlife, head

to the Gros Islet street party on

Friday evenings. Here, locals let

their hair down for a night of

barbecue, rum punch and music

– it’s the island’s most famous

‘jump-up’ (party), and

everybody’s invited.

Rather than choosing between

the north and south, a two-

centre trip lets you explore the

whole of the island. Try a few

days near Rodney Bay, enjoying

the buzz and beaches – before

heading south to discover the

mountainous scenery and Piton

views. That’s what we’d do – and

it’s what you could look forward

to as well if you’re the lucky

winner. Thought the Caribbean

was just sunloungers and

swimming pools? Think again.

We bet that you’ll never have so

much fun being proved wrong...

To enter the competition, visit wanderlust.co.uk/competitions

stlucia.org

COMPETITION

Enter nowThe Saint Lucia Tourism

Authority is offering one

reader and a friend the

chance to win four nights at

Windjammer Landing Villa

Beach Resort on a bed &

breakfast basis and three

nights at Anse Chastanet

on a half board basis, with

return economy seats to

Saint Lucia from London

Gatwick with British

Airways, with all transfers

included. For your chance

to win, simply answer the

following question:

What is the capital

of Saint Lucia?

a) Piton

b) Rodney Bay

c) Castries

To enter and for full terms and

conditions and data policies, go to:

wanderlust.co.uk/competitions

Closing date: 10 February 2021

Next Issue

The most inspiring destinations to rediscover your Wanderlust...

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PA

GE

93Pocket guide:

St Ives

We take Simon

Reeve’s advice and

head to Cornwall

to discover its

beaches and cafes

are even more inviting

out of season.

Discover

98PA

GE Real wonders of the world

We get our mokoro out to celebrate

Botswana’s Okavango Delta.

Travel Tips | Expert Advice | Pocket Guides

Solving (most of) your travel dilemmas

PA

GE

88Reader travel tips

Spectacular wildlife,

green natural beauty, the

best spot for a cocktail

and a whole lot of pura

vida. Here’s how the best

travelled readers on this

planet – that’s you – like

to experience Costa Rica.

PA

GE

92Just back from...

Wicker toboggan racing,

waterfall abseiling and

a spot of horseriding too!

Reader James Willcox

tells us about his

post-lockdown active

break in Madeira.

PA

GE

97Travel quiz

Experienced travellers

appreciate that there’s

more to the humble

passport than meets

the eye – but how much

do you know about

them? Test your

knowledge in our quiz.

PA

GE

90Top 10 highlights:

Washington, DC

I don’t know if you’re

aware, but there’s been

some sort of election

going on in the USA?

Okay, although you’ve

been seeing a whole lot

of the United States’

capital recently, there’s

so much more to it than

old men griping at each

other. There’s a

magnificent spread of

museums, galleries as

well as Arlington

Cemetery, all providing

vital, impressive and

often moving historical

context for those

stars and stripes.


Fabulous wildlife including dolphins

and sloths. And enjoy a sundowner

at Cosmic Crab – a lovely resort with

a bar over the water to see the sun

go down. Perfect end to the day!”

Stella Ellis

Hidden gemRincón de la Vieja “The Catarata Escondida in Rincón

de la Vieja (right). After the four-

hour or so hike to get there you

come to an open-air waterfall,

but if you follow the trail about

another 100m you come to

a completely hidden waterfall

among the forest. Our tour group

had Christmas lunch there in

2019 and it was magical.”

Edmund Murray

Shake it up!La Fortuna “Had some of the best fresh fruit

milkshakes in Costa Rica, available at

most restaurants. Don’t miss a pina

colada milkshake from POPS ice

cream parlour while overlooking

Arenal Volcano in La Fortuna.”

Gail Ashington

Whether it’s advice on the best places to see Costa Rica’s wildlife and natural beauty, where to enjoy a cocktail or a shake, or tips on saving money and how to get around, you have it covered…

Go wildManuel Antonio NP“We saw birds, monkeys and long

trails of very busy ants carrying

leaves, but the highlight for me was

sloths dangling from the trees.

It gets busy at weekends but is

well worth a visit. Bear in mind that

the park is closed on Mondays.”

Alison Lawrence

Treasure islandsBocas del Toro “Do go to Bocas del Toro province –

a few small islands in the Caribbean. Shutterstock

Travel tipsYOUR TIPS ON...

COSTA RICA

Hanging aroundCosta Rica has a wealth

of wildlife, including

the brown-throated

three-toed sloth

See the sightsView from the summit

of Cerro Chirripó as

Turrialba Volcano erupts

in the distance (above);

sunset over the Pacific

Ocean, as seen from the

Osa Peninsula (below)


DISCOVERREADER TIPS

rather ‘exciting’ – such as Cerro de la

Muerte (aka ‘the mountain of death’)

– but this is all part of the experience.

It gives you the freedom to visit

off-the-beaten-track places at your

own pace, for that ultimate sense of

pura vida.” Caroline Lywood

Creature featureTortuguero National Park “Don’t miss a visit to Tortuguero

National Park, only really accessible

by boat, where you’ll find plenty of

opportunities for wildlife watching

both by trekking and by boat. Guides

can take you to see the turtles

coming ashore to lay their eggs by

night. Don’t forget your waterproofs

– it rains most days.” Fiona Hyde

Zest for lifePandora village“In provincia Limón, next to the

Caribbean coast, is a small village in

the jungle called Pandora. A local

biologist lives there with his family.

You can stay with him for free and in

exchange you will help build trails

and plant trees. I planted a lemon

tree there in 2014 and this year it had

its first lemons.” Ewa Treszczotko

Getting aroundIn the driving seat“Hire a car and take a road trip.

Driving in Costa Rica is absolutely

worth the extra cost and turns

a holiday into an unforgettable

adventure. Some of the roads can be

Rest and relaxationGolfo Dulce “Take the boat transfer from Golfito

to Golfo Dulce in the heart of the

Costa Rica rainforest to relax and

unwind at Playa Cativo eco-lodge.

There are outstanding views from

the gardens, which supply the lodge

with fresh produce.” David Brierley

Money mattersCost-saving tips“To save money, eat plates of gallo

pinto [rice and beans] at small

family-run places. Pay for groceries

and other small purchases with local

currency and travel during the low

season (aka the rainy season) for

reduced room rates.“ Carol Thomas

Guided toursLa Fortuna “The Bogarin Trail in La Fortuna is

easily accessible from the centre

of town, no car needed. It has

great guides and it’s a lovely

place to just wander around

first thing in the morning.”

Claire Walsh

Visit wanderlust.co.uk to submit your tips.

Next month’s topic is: Travelling solo

Ellis Valentine, Asia Specialist

at Scott Dunn, gives us her

top tips for travel to India…

Where to go? The Golden Triangle cities of Agra, Delhi and Jaipur will give you your fill of busy Indian life, while the rural regions of Rajasthan and numerous national parks will show you a different side – soak up the landscapes in total tranquillity and even go in search of tigers. Best time to go? The best time to travel is October to March, when the whole country is dry and bright and temperatures are at their most comfortable. September is also nice and often a bit quieter. April and May get very hot but are excellent for tiger safaris. Top tips? Spend some time chatting to the locals. You’ll gain a more enriching insight into India’s culture and you’ll make their day too.

Call me on 020 8682 5000 for more India travel tips, or visit scottdunn.com

Insiders’ guide to...INDIA

High spotCerro Chirripó “Costa Rica’s

highest peak,

Cerro Chirripó

is a must. It’s a

hard trek to the

top but seeing

both the Pacific

Ocean and the

Caribbean Sea

is a great

enough reward.”

Sue Beardwell

Natural beautyOsa Peninsula “Even If you have to sell

your grandmother do it,

do not miss a few days on

the Osa Peninsula. Some

tour companies don’t

include it because of the

boat/plane journey but it’s

simply the most beautiful,

quiet and friendly place,

with abundant wildlife.

I’d also recommend you

fly one way and get the

boat the other way so you

see as much as possible

from the sky and the sea.”

Julia Pollock

10HIGHLIGHTS

TOP


With a new president about to get his feet under the desk at the Oval Office, we take a look at the stirring icons, noble monuments and celebrated museums that the USA’s capital has to offer

DK

; Dre

amst

ime;

Sh

utt

erst

ock

1National Museum of American History

A mix of artefacts from ‘America’s

attic’ and contem porary

exhibits, ranging from

polit ical campaign buttons

to historic examples of the

Star-Spangled Banner.

2 The White House The most elegant and

familiar of all the world’s

political residences, the

White House has witnessed

some of the most consequential

decisions of modern history.

Washington, DC

Presidential residenceThe iconic White House

with the bronze

equestrian statue of

President Andrew

Jackson in Lafayette

Square in the foreground

3 US Capitol The design of the US Capitol

(right) combines ancient tradition

and New World innovation,

perfectly invoking the spirit of

US democracy.

4 National Museum of Natural History

There are a lot of exhibits to

explore, from the famous

Rotunda elephant to the

fascinating Hope Diamond,

as well as the Insect Zoo

and a Butterfly Pavilion filled

with live specimens.


DISCOVERTOP 10 HIGHLIGHTS

5Arlington National Cemetery

Four million people each year

visit these rolling lawns studded

with the headstones of America’s

war dead (above). A moving and

reflective experience.

6Mount Vernon George Washington’s estate

and mansion is a perfect example

of the gentleman-farmer roots of

many of America’s founding fathers.

7 National Air and Space Museum

Reportedly, this is the second

most visited museum in the world.

The artefacts within trace one of

man kind’s greatest quests.

8 Washington National Cathedral

The ancient and modern come

together in this, the ‘national house

This feature is adapted from the DK Eyewitness Top Ten Washington, DC travel guide, which contains illustrations, tour suggestions and a pull-out map. See dk.com

of prayer’, from the Gothic

architecture to the Space Window.

9 National Gallery of Art

The National Gallery’s vast

collection makes it one of the

greatest art museums in the world.

10National Zoological Park

Animals from across the world’s

varied habitats can be seen and

studied at this internation ally

recognised leader in animal care,

breeding of endangered species

and public education.

See the sights(below, left to right)

Pyramid at the National

Gallery of Art; sculpture of

Christ in the Washington

National Cathedral; giant

panda at the National

Zoological Park

Historic homeMount Vernon – the

plantation house of

George Washington

and his wife, Martha


DISCOVER READER REPORT

Shut

ters

tock

SIZE MATTERS

“We queued for ages to

see the Mona Lisa. I was

underwhelmed by the

‘stamp’-sized image barely

visible from the back of the

throng.” Eve Blyth

ON THIN ICE

“In Beijing I was invited

to a production of local

dancing on ice. We arrived to

be told the ice had melted

and they would try to do the

production on roller skates

instead.” David Jackson

HOLY MOLY

“The Vatican. We queued

for ages to get in and it ends

up being three hours of

drudgery, with crowds and

guards shouting ‘No photo’

all the time. Then, by the time

you escape and are hungry,

the local restaurants charge

£15 for a thin, crusty tomato

crisp.” Steve Voller

LOVESICK

“I’d always wanted to go

on a gondola in Venice.

As a surprise my husband

arranged for a gondola ride

as an anniversary present

and I was so happy, but after

only a few minutes I became

nauseous and spent the rest

of the trip with my head over

the side, retching!”

Angella Willis

Your tales of…

DISAPPOINTING ATTRACTIONS

Go online to share your

travel tales on next

month’s topic: ‘Christmas

in a strange land’

The highlights: Swimming in the natural lava rock

pools in Porto Moniz. Racing down the roads in the

famous wicker basket toboggans in Monte!

Snorkelling with whales and dolphins in the open

ocean. Feeling the adrenaline while abseiling

down 60m waterfalls getting soaking wet!

Exploring sun-kissed Porto Santo on horseback.

Must see: The summit of Pico Ruivo (the

highest peak on the island at 1,862m above sea

level). It’s a fabulous hike with jaw-dropping

landscapes and rock formations that will take

you high above the clouds.

Top tip: Don’t go everywhere by car. You’ll miss

the wonderful scenery. Get the latest bus

timetable, hop on a bus for a few euros and

enjoy the fantastic views as the bus weaves up

and down the narrow mountain roads and

through remote villages.

Cautionary tale: The island’s levada walks are great

for venturing out into the wilderness. But many

involve transiting pitch-black tunnels, some over

a kilometre long, so take a bright torch!

I wish I’d known: The finishing point of the

toboggan ride isn’t actually in downtown Funchal.

It’s a 30-minute downhill walk back to the city

centre. Alternatively, you can get a bus or taxi.

Anything else: Madeira is a perfect getaway during

the COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone that enters the

island (residents and visitors) gets tested free of

charge at the airport. Results within 12 hours.

Just got back from somewhere

amazing? Visit wanderlust.co.uk or email

us at [email protected]

wanderlust.co.uk

Reader James Willcox and his partner, Katie, escaped for a post-lockdown active break in Madeira

MadeiraJUST BACK FROM…

Village lifeSt Ives out of season

means near-empty beaches, bagging

a cosy pub’s best seats and wild walks on nearby moorland

Shut

ters

tock

Pocket Guide

Your cut-out and keep travel companion

BRITISH BREAK IN...

ST IVES, CORNWALL


The changeable

autumn light showed

off the luminous

beauty of St Ives.

Even when it was

cloudy there was a soft focus

glow across the whitewashed

cottages of the town, and the

sands and waves would shimmer,

regardless at which of the several

beaches you were looking over.

Then, when the sun broke

through, it was like being in the

Mediterranean, the sea would

turn cerulean blue, and you knew

why so many artists have based

themselves here over the years.

More prosaically, the gulls were

no surprise as they strutted

around the harbour’s benches

scavenging for chips and ice

cream cones. But then a cute

wader, the type of bird you see

in the shallows, came bobbing

along, seemingly combing the

tourist detritus too. A quick

Google revealed it was a

turnstone, and that St Ives is

known for its population

around the harbour.

It was probably revelling in the

unexpected bonus of a glut of

visitors. “Everyone is saying that

they’ve never known such a busy

October!” said the vicar of St

Senara’s Church in nearby Zennor.

With lockdown lifted, Cornwall

had seen a steady stream of

visitors well into autumn, much

to the relief of businesses that

depended on tourism.

Fortunately St Ives was able

to absorb the extra visitors, even

with social distancing in action.

With fewer visitors than in summer, the Cornish fishing village of St Ives has a tranquil

feel to it for those that are lucky enough to explore it out of season, says Lyn Hughes

ASK A LOCAL“When

low tide

allows there

is something quite special

about walking the length

of all of St Ives’ beaches

while barely leaving the

sand. Start at Porthmeor

Beach, hop over to

Porthgwidden then stroll

around the headland

towards the harbour

along the back of

Smeaton’s Pier, before

heading toward your

final destination,

Porthminster Beach.”Elizabeth Davies, Sails Loft

It was busy but not crazy-summer-

busy. The narrow maze of streets

and former fisherman’s cottages,

now mostly holiday lets, absorbed

the incomers. The independent

shops were ticking over nicely,

and while the more popular

restaurants were fully booked

for evening meals, there were

enough options to not go hungry.

Each beach has its own

personality, so there was ample

space for exhilarating windswept

walks with the dog, and on a walk

on the moors just outside town

there was no other soul in sight.

Within a few hours I felt recharged.

Forget those few weeks of high

summer when the world seems

to descend on this honeypot.

Out of season is the time to

revel in its charms. ⊲


Start with a spot of modern art,

much of it local, at Tate St Ives,

then enjoy a coffee overlooking

Porthmeor Beach. A steep walk

takes you to the atmospheric

Barbara Hepworth Museum and

Sculpture Garden – you can buy

a combined ticket.

If art isn’t your thing then learn to

surf. Alternatively, watch newbies

and experienced sufers alike battle

Atlantic rollers from Porthmeor

Beach Cafe. You’re spoilt for lunch

choices, such as the famous

Porthminster Beach Cafe or

its hidden gem of a sibling,

Porthgwidden Beach Cafe.

Alternatively, simply pick up a

Cornish pasty from St Ives Bakery.

Get your shopping fix by

mooching along Fore Street

checking out the characterful

shops and stocking up on local

crafts, soaps and foodie delights.

Independent galleries dot the

town. For ceramics, visit St Ives

Ceramics on Fish Street.

Enjoy an early evening beer at

The Sloop Inn or The Castle Inn

before enjoying seafood at One

Fish Street (pre-book), one of the

beach cafes above or a burger

at Blas Burgerworks.

Day 1

POCKET GUIDES BRITISH BREAK

1 Learn to surf

If you’ve ever been even

half-tempted to have a go

there are several schools

in and around town. St Ives

Surf School, for example

(stivessurfschool.co.uk), is

one of the most renowned

companies and teaches

surfing on Porthmeor

Beach or paddleboarding

and kayaking on the placid

waters of Porthminster.

2 Take a hike

With the combination

of coastal path, beaches

and moorlands, St Ives

is a walker’s delight. St

Michael’s Way is a 19km

pilgrimage trail running

from Lelant to Marazion,

home of St Michael’s Mount.

For a shorter (6.5km) scenic

walk, take the train from St

Ives to Lelant, then walk back.

3 Beach life

How many beaches

does St Ives have?

Depending who you ask it

has anything from four in

town (actually five) to 300

within the area! Each has

a di�erent character with

some vast expanses of sand,

while others may only appear

at low tide. Porthkidney

is 3km from town, and gets

far fewer visitors than the

well-known ones.

4 Seek seals

Look for seals on one

of the regular boat trips that

leave from St Ives’ harbour.

To the west of the town

is Seal Island, home to

a colony of pinnipeds,

while another colony can

be found to the east at

Godrevy Lighthouse.

Dolphins are increasingly

seen around the waters too.

Get active. Keen walkers can walk

the South West Coast Path to

Zennor – it’s rough and parts need

scrambling (wear walking boots),

but it’s a beautiful bit of coastline

with the Atlantic crashing on one

side and gorse-filled heath and

brooding moors on the other. Allow

three to four hours and time it so you

can catch a bus back (travelinesw.

com). Alternatively, hire an ebike

(stivesbikes.co.uk) and take the

coastal road for the same views.

At Zennor check out the

600-year-old seat with a mermaid

carving in the village church and

ask someone the story about the

connection between mermaids

and the village. Have lunch at the

lovely traditional Tinners Arms or

walk/cycle a bit further for lunch at

the renowned gastropub The

Gurnard’s Head (pre-book).

Depending on your mode of

transport, spend the afternoon

exploring the dramatic coast and

the windswept moorlands. The

moors are dotted with neolithic

standing stones and stone

circles. For an insight into

Cornwall’s tin-mining past, visit

Geevor Tin Mine or see the oldest

working mine-serving steam

engine at Levant Mine.

Day 2

Getting there: Trains from London Paddington stop at St Erth; from there take the scenic branch line to St Ives. If driving, be aware that parking can be di�icult to find in town. The nearest airport is Newquay.

Stay at: Sail Lofts (thesaillofts.co.uk) is a collection of luxury self-catering apartments. It has

its own parking eight minutes’ walk away and is well situated just a stone’s throw from Porthmeor Beach and within a few minutes’ walk of the harbour. Some apartments are dog friendly and being so close to the beach and the grassy slopes of what is known as The Island means it is great for walking your pooch.

The essentials

4 THINGS TO DO IN

CORNWALL

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DISCOVERTRAVEL QUIZ

1 In which century was the concept

of a passport first mentioned?

2 According to the Henley Passport

Index 2020 (which notes how many countries each nationality can visit visa-free), which nation’s passport is the most powerful?

3 So, how many countries do you

think passport holders from that nation can visit without a visa: 91, 151 or 191?

4 According to the same index, which

nation’s passport is the second most powerful?

5 According to the same index,

which European nation’s passport is the most powerful?

6 According to the same index,

which nation’s passport is the least powerful in the world?

7 According to the same index, which

nation’s passport is more powerful: UK, US or Australian?

8 Passports can come in different shades

of which four colours?

9 Do you know the colour of the USA’s

standard passport?

10 Is it true that the Australia

passport features an image of a kangaroo?

11Finland’s passport has a flick-book

cartoon in the corners of its pages, featuring

which animal?

12 Is it true that the northern

lights are depicted inside the pages of a post-2014

Norwegian passport?

13People don’t just have

passports in the UAE, individual birds of a type of raptor do, too. Which type of bird?

14 What colour are the

passports belonging to the majority of Peruvian citizens?

15 Is it true that the Canadian

passport front cover features an image of Queen Elizabeth II?

16Which country’s former passport

design featured the image of a breastfeeding woman?

17Japanese passports have

which flower on the front?

18What does Easter Island’s

unique passport stamp look like?

19The sleekly-designed Swiss

passport features an abundance of which symbol?

20Egypt’s general passport design

is an unusual shade of which colour?

Xmas Travel QuizHow well do you know your global passports? Test your wits against this exclusive

extract from The Wanderlust World Travel Quiz Book, and work out whether you’re in the fast-track queue to success or just stuck for hours in passport control...

Unique Passports

21Following the country’s exit

from the EU, the UK passport changed colour as of mid-2020. Which colour is it now?

22 Is it true that you’ll find

the Komodo dragon and ra�lesia flower within the pages of Indonesia’s passport?

23What colour is New Zealand’s

passport and the writing on it?

24 Is it true you can get your

passport stamped at Machu Picchu?

25Each state gets its own

page of Mexico’s standard passport. How many Mexican states are there?

Find the answers at Wanderlust.co.uk/

ChristmasQuiz

This quiz has been adapted from the Wanderlust World

Travel Quiz Book (out now, £8.99). For more info visit Wanderlust.co.uk/QuizBook

DID YOU KNOW?

Wildlife is especially

concentrated

around the delta’s

largest island.

Chief’s Island is a

protected area that

was once a hunting

ground for a

tribal chief.

It’s hard not to feel humbled while

exploring the Okavango Delta.

This vast space in the north-west

of Botswana is one of the seven

natural wonders of Africa.

As one of the world’s few inland

deltas, the region is also a UNESCO

World Heritage Site. From December

to February, rainfall from Angola’s

highlands flows into Botswana’s

Okavango River, flooding the plains

to form a delta that unfurls across

the Kalahari Basin like veins on a leaf.

When water levels begin to recede

in August, lagoons and waterholes

form around 150,000 islands.

As well as crocodile, hippo and

buffalo, expect to see the world’s

largest population of African

elephant. There are also lion, giraffe,

leopard, black and white rhino, blue

wildebeest, zebra and spotted hyena.

The delta is rich in birdlife too, with

482 recorded species – 24 of which

are threatened. Look out for lilac-

breasted roller, southern ground

hornbill and helmeted guineafowl.

To protect the wildlife, capacity

is reduced, and activities are

sustainable. You can explore on

horseback or by boat, but the most

authentic way is in a mokoro (dugout

canoe) – just as a bushman would.

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Wade in the waterA herd of Cape bu�alo

cross a river in the

Okavango Delta

19.6510° S, 22.9059° E

Shut

ters

tock


DISCOVER THE REAL WONDERS OF THE WORLD

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