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.
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.
In the constant back and forth between Nubia and Ancient Egypt, the city-state of Napata was founded in the shadow of Jebel Barkal, the sacred mountain of the Nubians. The ruins of the city, including the Temple of Amun, are within walking distance of the Nubian Rest House, a true jewel of the desert.
Location, location, location. Meroe Camp takes that old adage to heart. At about 1 km from the Meroe pyramids and necropolis, the camp is within walking distance of an archaeological paradise.
To see the Europe from the novels of the romantics, one can resort to the imagination, or alternatively, travel to Viscri. A small town in Transylvania, Romania, where the crafts and the activities from the past are jealously guarded.
In my recent trip to Sudan, I enjoyed ancient archaeological sites without having to wait in line… I was the only one there! I experienced warmth and hospitality in a safe country. Among the ruins of one of the great Nile civilisations, I discovered a travel destination that has been unjustly ignored by tourism, offering a unique opportunity for those seeking authenticity.
I am standing in the battlefield surrounded by Hubla warriors armed with spears and bows. My body is painted for war. I am only wearing the traditional koteca, the penis sheath made of cultivated gourd that characterises the tribes of the Baliem Valley in the highlands of Indonesia’s Papua province.
Nestled between Kyoto, Osaka and Nara, Daimon Brewery is housed in a 250-year old structure. The brewery has been offering the finest sake in the region for nigh on two centuries. Recently refurbished and reopened, Daimon Brewery remains a family owned business with one big ambition: being Ambassadors for the World of Sake.
Bhutan is a country with a thousand facets, which allows an adventurous trip in nature and a special voyage within yourself finding happiness. This is my experience.
