Varanasi is the holiest of holy cities in Hinduism and Jainism. It is full of meaningful and powerful experiences if you know where to look. The Death and Rebirth Walk reveals the spiritual underpinnings of Varanasi. The walk is a simple concept: an expert, certified guide picks you up at your hotel in the evening and from there you venture into the depths of the city by foot.
Nestled in Jodhpur’s prominent north-eastern quarter, RAAS Jodhpur is an enclave of tranquillity amidst the bustle of the Blue City. With breathtaking views of the Mehrangarh, this magnificent boutique hotel sits in the shadow of the imposing fort. RAAS combines ancient architectural gems, such as a stepwell, with a modern approach.
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Some two hundred years ago, Ladakhi craftsmen built Stok Palace high up in the mountains in northern India. Today, the Palace is a heritage hotel, managed by the very same royal family for whom it was built. Architectural brilliance and precious legacy are the tenets of this Himalayan gem, an immersive and privileged experience of Tibetan culture and traditions.
Nestled in the middle of the Himalayas, Mary Budden Estate is a tranquil retreat in the mountainous Kumaon region of northern India. The Estate lies within Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary and provides a welcome retreat from all the hassle in this off-the-beaten-track corner of India. A place with a rich history, it is lovingly maintained and a family-run 19th-century homestay.
The Fortress of Kuelap fulfills all the requirements for a just-do-it-before-word-gets-out holiday. These ruins are testimony of a pre-Incan culture that was conquered by the powerful Incan Empire. The fortress dates to the 6th century and once was the stronghold of “The Warriors of the Clouds”. Mysterious enough?
Inland New Caledonia is not exactly what you’d expect of a South Pacific paradise. It is shrubby and, specially in the west, much drier than the rest of the island. Here, a very peculiar cowboy culture has emerged, the Caldoche. Descendants of the original French settlers, the Caldoche manage large cattle ranches and feel at home on horseback.
The adage that it’s about the journey not the destination, was never truer than aboard the Vaka Motu, a traditional canoe that sails between the islands of Vanuatu. Emerging as a project to find green and sustainable transportation in the archipelago, the Vaka draws from local traditions and is true to the designs of old. Not only that, but the trips are full of symbolic and cultural significance.
Blue caribbean waters meet lush jungles that reach toward the sky to turn into misty forests, full of ancient ruins and isolated tribes. Sounds like something out of an explorer’s log, an impossible place in this day and age. More so because Tayrona has been practically ignored by mass-tourism and travellers seldom venture to this wonderland in northeastern Colombia.
Nestled in rugged terrain of inland Sardinia, Hotel Su Gologone is surrounded by nature, and constitutes a true exercise in refinement. This magical place has the power to turn each day into a work of art, actually, the rooms are masterpieces in themselves. This is one of travel’s best-kept secrets.
