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Dolores Vischer is a professional Green Badge Tour Guide based in Belfast, whose knowledge of the area extends from 1950s showbands to punk, to modern day pop and everything in between. She also knows where to see the best gigs, making her a good person to know in a town that’s been newly anointed a UNESCO City of Music.
“In the punk days, there wasn’t the security there is now. You could jump on stage and dance alongside the band,” she says. During a The Stranglers gig in 1979, teenage Dolores did just that, hopping over to drummer Jet Black and announcing she could play. No sooner had the words left her lips, than she was left holding the sticks as he ran to the loo. “I think I did OK.”
Ulster Hall this morning, at the start of our three hour walking tour, is more quilting society meet-up than punk rock dive (the Ulster Orchestra is performing here tonight). But if the walls of this Victorian music hall could talk, they might ring with the melodic pop-punk of The Buzzcocks, the headbanging rock of AC/DC or dark pop of The Pixies. It’s not who has played Ulster Hall, but rather, who hasn’t.
During the Troubles, the city lay in darkness, cordoned off at night. Ulster Hall was the music-goer’s equivalent of a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Sitting just outside the no-go zone, it played host to local and (the occasional) international artist.
Led Zeppelin famously debuted Stairway to Heaven here in 1971. As the story goes, punters were more invested in getting a Guinness at the bar than listening to a song they didn’t know. A decade later, Dexys Midnight Runners rocked out their singalong, clomp-a-lot hit Come on Eileen when the floor caved in. “Nobody stopped dancing, they just moved further back from the big hole,” says Dolores.
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Belfast has had many incarnations since becoming a city in 1888. Shipbuilding, linen, whiskey, tobacco and rope were its lifeblood. Filming of the big budget US fantasy drama television series, Game of Thrones helped its reinvention. But it’s music that helped raise it up and out of its darkest times and which continues to unify it today.
“Music is woven into the DNA of Belfast,” says Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody, who along with Emmy-nominated composer Hannah Peel is one of the Belfast Music patrons. “We have so many incredible bands and artists — and more every single year. I’ve watched in these last 25 years of relative peace the music scene grow and then thrive and now burst at the seams with fearless and limitless talent.”
Belfast City Hall was built in 1906 to commemorate the city, and it’s here the Belfast City Council conceived its UNESCO bid. We come to it via streets slick with rain, its copper dome bright green against grey mushroom skies. Inside the Neo-Baroque building, chequerboard floors and marble staircases lead to decorative arches, frescoes and a dome inlaid with stained glass.
All that remains of the Maritime Hotel is a brick wall and blue plaque announcing it as ‘the birthplace of the rhythm and blues in Belfast in 1964′. That’s when a young Van Morrison stepped onto the stage, launching his global career and putting Belfast on the musical map. “Before the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, we had American swing music and jazz,” says Dolores. “The Maritime Hotel changed that.”
For five years leading up to the Troubles, it was the place to be. Van Morrison wrote the raunchy rock song Gloria on its stage. Local artists The Aztecs, The Loving Kind, and even Rory Gallagher, a Donegal lad who turned down a spot in the Rolling Stones to pursue a solo career, performed here with his band Taste.
We swing past the Presbyterian Church where the HARP congregation organised the first Belfast Musical Festival, music store Starr Records and around the corner to Kelly’s Cellars, a traditional pub claiming to be Belfast’s oldest (one of several jostling for the title). It’s closed but later, I find a cosy tavern and beer garden where a young brother-sister duo playing violin and acoustic guitar perform a rousing traditional set.
On a Saturday afternoon, the maze of graffiti-splashed lanes and warehouses of the Cathedral Quarter is packed with good craic, free flowing beer and a remarkable number of cover artists toting a guitar.
It’s spitting distance from where legendary punk hangout Harp Bar once stood. Good Vibrations record label founder Terri Hooley held gigs late at night in this once-bombed, heavily fortified bar in the heart of the no-go zone at the height of the conflict. Under the cloak of darkness, young punks from both sides of the divide would come together to pogo and share good craic.
Around the corner at the Oh Yeah Music Centre, a not-for-profit studio and performance space where our tour ends, the DIY sentiment continues with a performance from local indie pop artist Sasha Samara. The theatrette is a music-lovers cornucopia stuffed with memorabilia from local and international artists including the guitar used in Snow Patrol’s song Chasing Cars and a vintage street sign of Cyprus Avenue.
“Terry Hooley said ‘New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason,” recalls Dolores. “We were desperate to get good music.” Turns out necessity is the mother of all invention. We fall quiet as Sasha Samara takes the stage.
I’m halfway between Taveuni Island and Qamea Island, islands within the Vanua Levu Archipelago, when the ferry’s skipper, Junior, turns to me. “Ropate,” he shouts above the chugging sound of the ferry’s motor, “that is your Fijian name!” Junior erupts into laughter as we arrive on the shores of the Maqai Beach Eco Surf Resort.
There’s something to be said about a resort run by Fijians, particularly a Fijian family. Cathy and her husband, Wani, are the first Fijian resort managers on Qamea Island. They stand proudly on the beach, joined by the rest of their local staff, strumming ukuleles and guitars.
I’m serenaded with warm smiles and a welcome song as I trudge through shallow waters. “Welcome home, Ropate!” I’m handed a chilled coconut and escorted through the sand bar, and then cheered onto the beach volleyball court, joining the afternoon staff game. They’re right. Home is how this resort feels.
But lovely staff and beachfront bures aside, I was here for a surf break. And I couldn’t wait to get in the water.
Rauli, Maqai’s surf instructor to the stars (naming Demi Lovato among his mentees), waxes his board as our small boat is rocked by the aftermath of two-metre swells. With land a few kilometres behind us and an endless expanse of turquoise ocean in front, we have this entire wave to ourselves.
A few hours of being knocked about by Maqai’s surf break felt like child’s play compared to the washing machine I found myself in at Natewa Bay. Natewa Bay is the largest bay in the South Pacific and is a hot spot for scuba divers, snorkelers and kayakers, and apparently, manta rays.
With little time to think, I’m thrown my goggles and flippers, and before I can say, “hmm, that water seems a little rough,” I’m neck-deep in a swell and kicking out towards the current – and the squadron of manta rays that have congregated in search of plankton.
Slightly disorientated and unsure where to look, I duck my head underwater. When I turn to face my fellow thrill-seekers, I’m met with a gaping, wide-open mouth. Imagine a creature out of a Ridley Scott alien flick, and you’re close. My heart beats out of my chest as the majestic black sea blanket nears closer, its sheer size enough to leave anyone speechless. As it glides over me, I catch a glimpse of a couple of remora fish, who have hitched a ride on the manta’s underside.
Any Australian will understand how liberating it is to swim in open water without the worry of saltwater crocs, famished Great Whites or poisonous jellyfish. In fact, I’m told that nothing in Fiji is poisonous, and although I’m slightly dubious, it’s a comforting thought as I snorkel Rainbow Reef. Which could easily be mistaken for the set of Finding Nemo.
Discovered by Jacques Cousteau and situated in the Somosomo Strait between the Fijian islands of Taveuni and Vanua Levu, Rainbow Reef is known as the soft coral capital of the world. Strong tidal currents provide a healthy supply of nutrients to the reef, paving the way for a diverse and abundant marine scape. I traverse the reef, zigzagging through schools of fish, turtles and small reef sharks who chill out in the currents below.
No marine reserve is more dazzling than the one that lines mainland Vanua Levu’s south coast in Savusavu. Known as ‘the hidden paradise of Fiji’ and famous for being the source of Megan Markle’s pearl necklace, Savusavu is home to bustling local markets and Kokomane, a boutique cocoa farm selling scrumptious, handmade Fijian chocolates. A short but stunning trek through the jungle takes you to Nakawaga Waterfall or you can kayak the waters of the Qaloqala River past mangrove forests to the stunning Salt Lake.
“Would you like a traditional Bobo massage, Ropate?” asks my masseuse politely at the Koro Sun Resort. Now back on dry land, I’m slathered in coconut oil as I listen to the soothing soundscape of a waterfall trickling through rainforest.
Later I lay crescent-shaped on my beachfront bure’s hammock and drift peacefully off to sleep, listening to the rhythmic sounds of waves crashing onto the crystal clear Vanua Levu shores. It’s the perfect soundtrack, a closing regale to my Fijian sea experience — a country as beautiful underwater as it is on its shores.
“I left Switzerland, and all I can think about is getting back there,” says Sean. “It’s a postcard, you just can’t beat the Swiss landscape. A sunrise at the Matterhorn is spectacular — there’s a reason it’s the most photographed mountain in the world. And then a sunset on the Schilthorn is incredible, just surrounded by those huge mountains.”
We caught up with Sean to chat alpine cows, James Bond mountain huts and how to keep your Swiss adventuring clean, green and epic.
Here are his tips:
There’s perhaps no activity with less of a carbon footprint than hiking. And according to Sean, the trails through Switzerland’s Alps are competing for the best in the world. Himalaya, who?
“The Swiss love their hiking and they’ve got trails to suit all different levels. But nothing beats starting your hike from the top of one of the gondola rides,” he says. “You’re already so high up, my knees were shaking some of the time…but the landscapes are just surreal.”
Between Engleberg and Melch-see Frutt, this trail is stupidly perfect. Imagine postcard-worthy views of snow-capped peaks and cerulean skies, then times it by a billion.
Almost 100 metres high and 500 metres long, this doozy of a pedestrian crossing (just outside of the village of Randa) is the longest suspension bridge in the Alps. People with vertigo, beware!
The Swiss have taken their public transport engineering to the next level. Not to mention almost 100% of the routes are electric. So if you want to swap that road trip for a guilt-free rail trip, Switzerland is the place to do it.
“The trains are just spectacular. Some of them are world-heritage listed and so, so beautiful. You can literally jump on anywhere, jump off for photos, catch them to the top of mountains,” says Sean. “The gondolas cross glaciers, go tip to tip — they’re peaceful but epic. We could even see ibex from our view out the window.”
See the Matterhorn in all its glacial journey from a super high vantage point on the world’s slowest, but seriously steezy, express train through the Alps.
The Brunni-Bahnen Engelberg is a climate-neutral cable car that uses solar panels to produce enough electricity to not only function but also churn out Co2-free snow for the pistes. Yew!
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Less of a mountain goat and more of a mermaid? Don’t stress about Switzerland being all kinds of landlocked, it’s basically one big moated bastion with over 1500 lakes and a whole bunch of rivers, from the Rhine to the Rhone. Not to mention the nation is so freaking clean that you can swim, quite literally, in the middle of its cities.
“Jumping into those glacial lakes, especially after hiking, is the perfect reset,” says Sean. “They’re in spectacular locations, and we’d almost always have the lakes to ourselves. It would be 25 degrees outside but the crystal clear water is freezing, like actual icebergs floating in them. But a dip is exhilarating, refreshing and spectacular all in one.”
Once known as the ‘Evil Road’ this wild gorge has gone through a successful reputation transformation and now is a must-explore spot for canyoners and aqua aficionados.
There are lakes as far as the eye can see here, but it wouldn’t be a trip to Switzerland without a dip in a freezing, glacial lake.
The rule for eating in Switzerland? The more regional, the more seasonal, the better (and delicious, FYI). And luckily, fresh produce isn’t hard to find. In fact, in 2020 the Swiss took out the gold medal for the highest consumption of organic goodies per capita IN THE WORLD. So, like, the food is good.
“The cows are such an important part of Swiss culture, especially the Alps cows. In the summer they’re high up in the mountains and then they’re brought down to their barns in the winter,” says Sean. “I went out to this small village famous for making special cheese fondue from these alps cows — it was so authentic, and just a really lovely traditional food experience.”
High above Lake Uri, this mountain hut has taken the local cuisine and made it extra gourmet. Expect fresh mountain herbs, and lots of them.
Stefan Weissner already has one Michelin star but he’s not stopping there. All the ingredients here are locally-sourced and foraged. First up? Snow-smoked soup.
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Mountain huts, eco-friendly hostels, the former retreat of an Austrian Empress. You can’t say the Swiss don’t deliver when it comes to sweet places for travellers to rest their weary heads.
“There are these incredible mountain huts, one was even a James Bond location, and they’re usually balanced on some amazing peak. They’re pretty spectacular,” says Sean. “Zermatt is also a nice, eco-friendly town. There’s no cars there, everyone is walking or catching trains and cable cars, the whole vibe is busy, but beautiful with the Matterhorn looking down on you.”
Fresh mountain air, beers on tap, gourmet meals. Waking up in an alpine hut before a day of hiking the Swiss Alps is a bucket-list experience.
Stay in this castle (formerly the playground of an Austrian Empress) and enjoy a completely natural experience, from your bed linen to the homegrown produce in the kitchen garden.
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Lack of snowboarding prowess aside, I can’t pass up a slide on these first-class slopes. But what I’m really pumped about is what lies beneath them—a subterranean world of glittering ice ‘stalactites’, known as Nature’s Ice Palace. Back in 2007, a guy by the name of Roman Erler was out skiing when a tiny, 10-centimeter gap in an ice wall caught his eye. Two days later he returned with his axe and hacked a shoulder-width passage into a cavernous secret.
After thousands of hours of exploration and the installation of a few rubber mats, a bunch of steel ladders and hundreds of metres of cable, Nature’s Ice Palace opened to the adventurous. Nowadays, you can explore this glacial labyrinth under the guidance of the research and conservation team who continue to study it.
To get there, you’ve got to catch three gondolas—a journey that puts you 200-metres away from the glacier’s highest point. From there, you’ve got about five minutes of unrestrained slipping and sliding to the cave entrance (arguably the most challenging part of the whole experience).
“If you fall, make sure you fall far enough that no one can hear you,” jokes Thomas Kurz, structural engineer and tour guide. Against the immense white, the small hole in the mountain—reinforced with a few wooden planks—looks as official as a Wild West mine. It starts with ice stairs (I’ve never been so happy to see a rubber mat), then moves on to ladders. Mountaineers normally clank over metal rungs like these when bridging crevasses, but today we’re using them to descend.
Ladders and mats aside, the passageways themselves are entirely natural, made of pure ice carved by water and wind. It’s hard and slippery, sometimes glass-clear with a sprinkle of frozen bubbles or frosted white and pale blue. I feel like I’m suspended in a cocktail ice cube. The most impressive part? When the cave opens out into the full ‘ice palace’, revealing great spears of frozen water hanging from unseen corners.
It’s like some architectural masterpiece from Gaudi.
The how’s and why’s behind the formation of this system has attracted researchers from around the world. These aren’t conventional crevasses but rather cavities formed by tensile forces that deform the compacted ice. Lubricated by water, they usually glide at ‘glacial pace’ through the valleys that hold them but here the ice is locked solid onto permafrost, and a 52m research shaft lets Thomas and his team regularly inspect it.
“When I go down and I see permafrost, all is good,” says Thomas. “If I don’t see the permafrost then we close the cave, we are running! The glacier could move.” Peering down the 52-metre research shaft is like looking into a blue hole. The frozen rope ladder descending its depths is almost absorbed by the ripples of ice that line it.
At this point, I start to lose all sense of direction, depth and distance, working up a minor sweat despite the zero-degree temperature. At 20-metres deep, we’re below ski piste number five. At 30-metres, we’re under the gondola top station. Here, water fills a crevasse to form a tiny lake—like a window to another world, all pale blue water and submerged icy curves.
For another few euros you can swim in it—in fact, Josef Koberl almost achieved an Ice Mile here in 2021 after swimming 1,511 metres in 38 minutes—but we opt for a short raft ride instead. Only a sliver of rubber separates me from the freezing water and 20-metre-deep crack below as Thomas pulls us through the water tunnel.
As far as exploring cracks go, it’s the wedgie of a lifetime.
Laura Waters travelled as a guest of the Austria Tourist Office.
In the 1990s, Ndoyiya orchestrated a plan to deliver a classic South African dish into the U.K to the then South African President Nelson Mandela, for whom she was a private chef for over two decades.
“He spent a long time in London one year and I got a call from one of his advisors, and they told me: ‘Nelson is not behaving so well, we need you to send some food over’,” she told get lost over dinner at Sanctuary Mandela, Madiba’s old residence in Johannesburg. The Sanctuary has been made into a boutique hotel, and Ndoyiya has returned as Head Chef.
“It was Umphokoqo—not a meal you can get in London, I don’t think. You cook the maize nice and fluffy, and it goes with a sour milk that you make with cottage cheese,” says Ndoyiya.
“I wrapped it like it was a present and gave it to his friend. And they smuggled it in—I was a smuggler!
“But when we came back he teased me. He would say to me: ‘they are going to put you in jail!’”
Ndoyiya was born and raised in Queenstown, in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, where Mandela also hails from.
She was plucked from relative obscurity to cook for one of the 20th century’s most iconic figures. “It all started at home as a young girl. My grandmother and my mother were the people I learnt from, and who inspired me,” she tells us.
“I was at school and decided I liked cooking, and I knew my parents could not afford to send me to the cooking school, so I left and came to Johannesburg. I was introduced to Nelson by a friend of mine who owned the hotel I was working at, someone who knew me and trusted my cooking,” says Ndoyiya.
“The thing was, when I met him, I didn’t know that I was coming for an interview! Nelson said ‘I need you to cook home food for me, can you do that?’ And I didn’t hesitate, I just said yes, and that was it. I worked as his chef from that day until his very last day.”
White paint adorns the façade at the Sanctuary, which was Madiba’s residence between 1992 and 1998. He was based here for all the significant moments in the Rainbow Nation’s history, such as negotiating the multi-party talks that led to South Africa’s democratic rebirth, and South Africa’s famous 1995 Rugby World Cup win.
Much remains the same here, including the arched entrance once made famous by the iconic photo of Mandela reading the newspaper.
While returning to the same kitchen, Ndoyiya has swapped cooking for world leaders and dignitaries for the general public. Today she presides over a menu which blends contemporary South African cuisine and Mandela-inspired dishes; the Umngqusho—samp (dried corn kernels) prepared risotto style with pan-fried king oyster mushroom, sugar snap peas & toasted cashews—was one of the great man’s favourite dishes.
Ndoyiya also notes Mandela had a sweet tooth, and while admonishing grandchildren and others for eating sweet food, he was more than partial to baked treats.
It is striking to hear the reverence in her voice when she speaks of her old boss, despite it being almost a decade since his passing.
“He was always asking about our families, he wanted to know about everyone who worked for him. He knew my mother quite well.
“He was so whole-hearted. I would see him teaching people everyday with my own eyes and he taught me so much as well. He was so good to everyone around him and to the people of South Africa,” she says.
“All the values he left with me—I will never forget them.”
A quiet veneration can also be felt throughout the plush nine-room sanctuary, which is part Madiba museum, part boutique hotel.
Hand-written letters from the former President to various people around the world are framed, and a large image of a young Madiba during his boxing career hangs in the hallway.
CHINATOWN
It might seem remiss to ignore the classic San Fran go-to’s, like Union Street’s electric nightlife and the dive bar scene of Haight-Ashbury, just to head to Chinatown instead.
“I’ve got a Chinatown in my hometown,” we hear you say. But this is not just any old Chinatown. This is one of the largest Chinatowns in the world, and—according to us—it’s the best.
The bottom of the neighbourhood (which starts at the gate with the three guard lions) is home to both Michelin-star restaurants and humble, family-run operations. Both just as much of an experience as the other.
Take Sam Wo’s for example. The infamous restaurant became a San Fran icon not because of its food (they’ve been serving solid, if slightly unspectacular, fare since 1907) but thanks to the rudeness of its waitstaff. People now come from far and wide to be told to “sit down and shut up” a’la the legendary 1980s waiter, Edsel Ford Fong. AKA the worst waiter in the world.
Then there’s Moongate Lounge—a trendy cocktail bar with red-velvet booths; and the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory—a building that generates an unfathomable 20,000 fortune cookies a day.
LITTLE INDIA
A lively enclave where the spices and energy of the subcontinent have made a new home in the orderly streets of a culinary capital.
In a city of chilli crab it might feel weird to opt for Indian, but we’re pretty sure India must have sent its best cooks here in the early 20th century because the grub is just that good.
Serangoon Road, with the Tekka Centre at its centre, is a splash of colour followed by a whiff of ginger. We recommend getting the prawn noodles from Whampoa, a little stall ran by a third-generation Indian family at the Tekka. If you can’t find it, just ask someone for directions to Ruifang’s—they’ll show you where to go.
LITTLE AMSTERDAM
We cannot stress enough that Little Amsterdam in Cebu is not named because it shares a fondness for doobies (like the famously relaxed Dutch capital).
It does not. And believe us, drug laws in the Philippines are not ones you want to flirt with.
What it does share is a fondness for flowers. Sirao Flower Garden is a colourful patchwork of gardens, windmills and mountains, a massive ode to the Dutch tulip fields that are—ironically—atypical of Amsterdam itself, and found more commonly in the countryside of Holland.
The area is a haven of fresh air and very Instagrammable spots, like the gigantic, golden, open palm, which gives the impression of being held up to the Gods.
If you’re needing a break from the beaches and chaos of Philippines’ urban centres, a day ambling around the paths here should do the trick. Just don’t light anything up.
LITTLE ITALY
Sure, Italians have spread their wings far and wide, but Kenya probably isn’t the first (or second, or even third) place you think of when you imagine a centre of Italian culture and gastronomy. But then you’ve probably never been to Malindi.
Malindi has been teeming with Italians since the 1960s when the Luigi Broglio Space Centre (this may shock you, but Luigi Broglio was an Italian) was established just around the corner. The spaceport was well-positioned near the equator to launch things into space, and it did just that, not to mention bringing many Italians over for work while they were at it.
Pizzerias and gelato shops line the streets; limoncello and Aperol are the after-dark go-to’s. European-style day beds can be found on pristine beaches, and the sing-song Italian language can be heard everywhere you go, including from Malindi’s locals.
HAHNDORF
An eccentric South Australian town with an eccentric German history (and an über German main street). Hahndorf (which means Hahn’s village) was settled by Lutheran Germans in the 1830s—not exactly recently. But a drive through town today will make you feel like you’re cruising Bavaria on your way to Oktoberfest.
Quaint fachwerk style buildings line the main street, where German-style pubs serve German beer and buskers in German lederhosen play the (maybe German?) accordion on weekends.
It all feels like one big theatrical event…either a German festival or a very German Truman Show that’s been running for 180 years.
From where I’m sitting and sweating in this five-star sauna, I’ve got a clear view straight to Greenland’s immense, otherworldly ice sheet. Well, a relatively clear view if you don’t count the sweat currently pouring into my eyes. As water hisses on the hot lava rocks beside me, I watch as a geological phenomenon unfolds—millions of tonnes of icebergs are calving away, falling into the Arctic Ocean.
Experiencing the Northwest Passage has always been a dream of mine, like any young modern explorer I wanted to walk in the footsteps of Shackelton, Franklin and Amundsen. Just a hundred years ago, teams of men would go boldly to the edge of this frozen continent, sometimes succumbing to death, madness or—even worse—cannibalism.
And yet here I am, on board Quark’s luxury exploratory vessel, The Ultramarine, eating a dinner of lamb smothered in Tuscan mushroom glaze instead of cold beans poisoned with lead. And I definitely wouldn’t change a thing.
And then there are the helicopters waiting for you on the top deck. Honestly, there’s nothing quite like jumping in a twin engine H145 chopper and getting Uber’d to places no human has ever stepped. Exploration? Adventure? This is as intense as it gets. As we slice toward the ice sheet, I watch from above as parts of it crumble into the ocean—the very same crumbling I’ve been watching from my sweaty sauna. Incredible.
When we land, I stand in awesome silence, with the great ice expanse at my feet. My eyes scan the piercing blue and white vastness; I listen as the ice buckles and twangs, like wet wood settling into a new house. Being in this place requires you to use all of your senses. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced, or am likely to experience again. Any junky, be it for drugs, work or sports, is always pushing the limits of their addiction. For me, my drug is travel, and my limits are always defined by perspective; the greater the amount of perspective a journey can offer, the greater the trip will be. And this trip is definitely giving a berg’s worth of perspective.
Back in the lounge, I’m sipping on a perfect 50/50 martini—made by Jimmy the bartender who has remembered my name since day one— watching as two polar bears, sitting on an iceberg, are feeding on seals. There are no words. No words for what I’ve already seen, what I’m currently seeing, or what I will see tomorrow. I decide the only course of action is to continue to medicate myself, as elegantly as I can, as I wait for dinner.
Dinner is a special meal crafted by the ship’s chefs Mikki and Peter. Each night Mikki and Peter put together a hand-crafted menu, consisting of local recipes and regional fare, for a small group of passengers. Both chefs are natives of the high Arctic, and the flavours they command are those that have been passed down through generations.
Muskox risotto, beet cured reindeer tartare, and seared deep-dive Disco Bay scallops are some of the strange and wonderful bites you might encounter. But the truth is you can never truly prepare, as everything is sourced locally from stops we make along the way. The Arctic, at this point, is literally inside all of us. We are prisoners here, consumed by awe, incarcerated in a floating paradise. I’m loving it.
The next morning we take a trip ashore to visit a small Inuit town. Our zodiac captain navigates toothy icebergs with the skill of a surgeon to get us there. Locals come out to greet us, working sled dogs offer their bellies for rubs, and throngs of kids invite us to play games. We’re invited into homes for kaffemilk and conversation. A few of us peel off to hike a grey granite peak behind town and are treated to a view of a rainbow of Arctic moss. We see wild foxes, narwhal in the bay, and thick billed murres circling above us. I quickly realize I will need more than one martini to digest all I’ve seen today.
For some travellers, the journey needs to be difficult to be rewarding. I think mountain climbers and anyone who enjoys Eastern European art films are those types of folks. I’m not saying that a cold beer after a very long trek doesn’t taste good, but sometimes a place is so unbelievably phenomenal that there’s no need to make it more difficult than it already is.
I mean, the Arctic is already trying to kill you. Constantly. Whether it’s the freezing cold tundra or the animals that have evolved to assassinate you with the precision of a teenager playing Call of Duty. Experiencing everything the Arctic has to offer—all the sensory extremes—from the lap of luxury is still spine straightening, if you ask me.
I just wish Shackleton could’ve also known the wonders of an espresso machine.
What does it take to take a dip in sub-zero Arctic waters? And how many shots of vodka do you need afterward? We find out.
You might have seen the phrase ‘responsible travel’ thrown around a lot recently. Often it’s in conjunction with ‘ethical’ and ‘sustainable’, or even ‘regenerative’. And while we’re not normally big on buzzwords, we are big on the sentiment—travel nowadays has the power to make a positive impact, both on the traveller and the world.
If you’re thinking—how is travel ever bad? That’s a fair question, with a complex answer. From the environmental impact of mass tourism to the cultural exploitation of communities and lack of industry equity, believe us when we say the tourism sector can definitely be improved. And it needs to be.
But also believe us when we say that it’s totally possible to travel and make a difference. In fact, there are a heap of exceptional, incredible operators and businesses already leading the charge. These trips will still give you everything you crave (like adrenaline and challenge and luxury and inspiration), but with the added bonus of having a positive impact. Winner, winner.
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Arguably the greatest thing about travel is the opportunity to discover, interact with and learn from other cultures and communities. Nothing is more exciting than landing on a foreign airstrip and just immersing yourself in a new place. How do I say ‘hello’? What’s the national dish? Can I watch that ceremony? How do I flag down that bus?
It’s all well and good until a destination starts to suffer from over-tourism or you notice that the authentic cultural show you’re watching isn’t that, well, authentic. So how can we, as travellers, make sure we’re exploring and not exploiting the communities we’re visiting?
The answer is to go local, every time. Here’s a few culturally-sound adventures we’re loving:
This new trip, launching this year, is from the Much Better Adventures crew—a rad B-Corp dedicated to ‘adventuring for good’. This Mongolia trip is in support of local communities, so you’ll be experiencing life with traditional nomadic families and getting around the steppe with pioneering female guides. Not to mention bunking down in a ger (Mongolia yurt) every night. Doesn’t get much better than that.
Ever heard of the Kalash celebration? Neither had we before today. But Pakistan’s remote northern mountain ranges definitely know how to celebrate it. On this small group trip you’ll join the Responsible Travel gang, a totally responsible (as per the name) outfit that puts people and planet first. You’ll head deep into hidden valleys, witness a men’s purification ceremony (hint: it involves the blood of 40 goats) and maybe even spot a snow leopard.
This is one for the women, and the women only. Yeah the girls! Lirrwi Tourism is a 100% Aboriginal-owned operator offering a super special cultural immersion experience with the Yolŋu women of East Arnhem Land, in Australia’s north. This type of Indigenous experience brings people together to share in the Yolŋu culture, specifically learning from the Yolŋu sisterhood. Join the women in weaving a dilly bag—a powerful and symbolic symbol in Arnhem Land—and know that your travel dollars are supporting and strengthening the Arnhem Land economy.
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It’s common knowledge, or at least it should be, that the tourism industry has a huge impact on the environment. The pandemic proved it. When the world stopped flying, dolphins returned to Venetian canals and villages in Nepal could once again see Mount Everest. What pollution? Smog, where?
Don’t get us wrong, we’re not saying never fly again. But did you know there are a heap of ways to get your travel kicks and make a positive difference to this big blue ball we call home?
If you’re into nature and science, jumping on a volunteering trip with an organisation like Earth Watch or Adventure Scientists is bucket list travel stuff. These guys are all about leaving no trace, but still making your mark. How? They rely on citizen scientists (aka travellers) to join them on expedition trips to help collect data and perform research in some of the world’s most ridiculous destinations.
From conserving wild bees in Costa Rica to observing the effects of climate change at the Arctic’s Edge, these expeditions not only help with the hands-on science (making it possible to collect waaaay more data than scientists could do on their own) but often help to pay for permits and field equipment and lab space—all the stuff that makes science expensive sometimes. Just imagine going on a trip to Mexico and diving insanely incredible coral reefs, knowing that your travel adventure is helping to inform actual, real life environmental policies. Wild!
Click to watch citizen scientists in action
Speaking of reefs, the Republic of Palau—an archipelago in the West Pacific—has gone and introduced a world-first initiative that combos travel and environmental advocacy. It’s called Ol’au Palau (to take care of Palau) and it’s basically an app-based ecotourism rewards program.
Sounds complicated, but it’s not. Whenever you do something sustainable in Palau, like track and offset your footprint or eat sustainably-sourced local food, you can unlock a badge that will give you access to a unique experience normally only accessible to locals—like casting a reel in a secret fishing spot or witnessing a local ceremony.
It’s gameify-ing responsible travel, and we’re here for it. Palau is a prime example of a destination stuck in the middle of tourism and climate change. While Palau’s economy relies on its tourism sector, the archipelago also faces the brutal reality of changing climates and rising sea levels. In 2017, they introduced the ‘Palau Pledge’ which requires every traveller to pledge a stamp in their passports promising the children of Palau that they will ‘tread lightly’ and ‘preserve and protect’ the islands. Palau needs, and is seeking out, educated travellers who understand that island ecosystems are fragile. If that’s you, why not add Palau to your 2023 bucket list?
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So we’ve talked about having a positive impact on the planet and its people, but what about all the other furry / slippery / friendly / cold-blooded / endangered / winged critters and creatures who call it home?
If you’re looking to embrace your inner Attenborough, travel is actually a great way to donate time and money (and increase awareness) about major animal rights issues. Take Adventure World, for example. The custom tour operator recently revealed its new ethos—‘Travel with Purpose’—which sees them back responsible, sustainable travel experiences with a major focus on protecting wildlife. Good news, right?
They’ve gone ahead and partnered with Animals Asia, an animal welfare organisation that is super focussed on ending bear bile farming in Vietnam. Yep, that’s right bear bile farming. And it’s as horrific as it sounds. This practice of capturing and caging sun and moon bears has been pushing the species right to the brink of extinction, but now—with the help of a new bear sanctuary—Animals Asia are confident they can bring the cruelty to an end.
Watch Adventure World at work
But how can you get involved? This year you’ll be able to add a four-day, three-night package to your Adventure World trip in Hanoi and get an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Tam Dao Bear Sanctuary. Plus Adventure World will also donate a ‘Mend a Broken Bear’ pack (valued at $300) with each booking.
If you’re more of a coastal get lost-er, a trip to Portugal’s incredible, remote Azores Archipelago could be right up your adventure alley. The team at Biosphere Expeditions are on the hunt for travellers who are keen to join them on their 2023 citizen science journey, where you’ll listen to whale and dolphin vocalisations, photograph sperm and humpback whales and capture loggerhead turtles to measure, tag and release. All in the name of conservation! During the day you’ll be hanging out on a catamaran research vessel and by night you’ll bunk down on beautiful Faial Island.
CLick here for ARCHIPELA-GO TIME
Falcons play a very traditional role in many middle eastern countries and cultures. In fact, the falcon is the national bird of UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman, and can be traced back to ancient chieftain times when hawking was a significant practice. Checking out a bird hospital in Abu Dhabi might not be high on your travel list but ADFH is the largest and most advanced in the world. It’s actually the leading centre for falcon medicine worldwide. And guess what? You can take a tour. Inside you’ll learn about the history of falconry, get up close and personal with the birds and even get a peep into the surgical room. Not recommended for people with ornithophobia.
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All travel leaves its mark, whether it’s a greater perspective on your place in the world or an unwanted gut parasite after some particularly sketchy kebabs. But if you really want to use travel as a way to super saiyan your life—why not give one of these adventures a go?
Really into skiing? Fancy yourself an amateur photographer? Want to make pasta like a legit nonna? There are trips out there, with actual experts (including nonnas), that are designed to help you upgrade your life skillllz.
Take the gang at NonStop, for example. They’ve got a ‘Master the Mountain’ off-piste ski course that’ll take you to your choice of Canada or France for ONE WHOLE MONTH of nonstop (lol) snow things. It’s like a mini-sabbatical, but instead of writing that novel you started five years ago, you’re cruising down fresh pow in the Alps or eating poutine in a ski camp in BC. Not to mention mastering your freeride skills with pro coaching. Yew.
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Wellbeing retreats are a dime a dozen nowadays, which is cool, because some are pretty amazing. And then there are slightly more niche workshop-based trips, like the itineraries from Retreat&Conquer. These retreats work with horses in (extremely) beautiful settings to help guests conquer and overcome any fears or blocks that might be holding them back in life.
Using evidence-based methodologies in equine-facilitated learning, these retreats are posited as ‘safe places’ to examine your life and nurture a little wellness. Sounds good. Count us in for the 2023 Nihi Sumba retreat. Great, thanks.
You may have seen during the week that the ‘50 most Instagrammable places in the world’ were named, and you may also have been able to predict that this list was doomed to become a farcical billboard for subjectivity, which it did.
A U.K-based travel editorial company made the list and their criteria for the Top 50 (which made headlines around the world) was described as:
“…destinations that offer an abundance of opportunities for capturing stunning photographs and videos that are sure to impress your followers and inspire your next adventure.”
They then proceeded to harness their collective brainpower to name this top ten – an extraordinarily mundane list of already famous and quite obviously Instagrammable cities in the world.
What makes a place Instagrammable? Some places are prettier than others, and some are more likely to get you a ton on Instagram, even if you take it on a Motorola Razor.
But of course these places are beautiful, and great for the ‘Gram. Tell us something we don’t know.
It’s also a big, subjective assumption. There’s a lot of countdown lists out there that assume responsibility for everyone, as if they’re assessing the beliefs and interests of each of the 8 billion people on the entire planet and making a calculated decision on behalf of them (click here to read our definitive list of the top 11 places to be in 2023 right here).
And so without further ado, here’s ten of OUR most Instagrammable locations from around the world, that you may or may not have heard of, and may or may not impress your followers, but they sure impressed us, and that makes it the definitive top 10, because we said it was.
Some things are subjective, but not Iceland. How can you leave these guys out of the top ten of a list like this? Everywhere you drive around the Golden Ring is like a windows screensaver. Extraordinary.
The private jet villa in Ulawatu is exactly what it sounds like – a private jet, made into a villa. It’s also perched onto the edge of a cliff.
If you don’t have a picture of yourself basking in the warmth of a setting sun over Uluru, ideally with an Akubra on, do you even have Instagram?
If you’ve ever wanted to go to another planet, but lack even the most basic of astronaut capabilities, then head to Oshima Island. An otherworldly desert, on a small island, covered in black volcanic sand and rocks, as if you’re on Mars.
It’s pretty hard to take a bad picture set against the backdrop of the Skeleton Coast’s enormous sand dunes rolling straight into the deep blue of the South-Atlantic Ocean.
As Roberto Serrini found out in issue eight of get lost digital, this place is like stepping onto another planet. The colourful homes make it for us as well.
The hottest place on earth, predictably, throws out some pretty wild landscapes.
The ‘cruisy chaos’ of Sri Lanka is never more evident than in Arugam Bay, the fishing and surfing and chilling capital of ‘the teardrop island’. 
They don’t give you the location of this place until after you book, and so we can’t give you the location either. But it is definitely one of the most Instagrammable hotels we’ve come across in the last few years.
Not far behind Arcana is the Cube Aletsch, nicknamed the ‘Cube in the Stars’. The detail is in the name itself.
At get lost we reckon 2023 is shaping up to be the most exciting year of travel in a very long time, especially now that we can plan trips with the freedom of old travel times.
What will you do with that freedom? Will you use it to conquer Earth’s final frontier? Lose yourself in an Eastern European labyrinth that’s flown under the radar for 700 years? Or embark on an epic journey through the desert in Australia’s true outback?
If it’s all a bit overwhelming, fear not: we’ve checked Earth’s calendar and found 11 incredible destinations, experiences and events to experience next year.
THE ECHO BASE, ANTARCTICA
Arguably the only place on Earth we haven’t conquered, Antarctica is shrouded in mystery, impossible for even the most indifferent of humans to not feel at least a little curious about.
The Echo Base is an experience-based set of pods situated in the white wilderness, inspired by space exploration. In fact, a former NASA astronaut Terry Virts called it “the most beautiful (he has) seen across Earth, Mars and Venus”.
From the base, there’s fat biking, abseiling and ice climbing, 20,000 Emperor penguins, and the opportunity to travel to the South Pole.
Opening in December 2022, this place is out of this world. Almost.
SRI LANKA
Over the last two years, COVID and an economic crisis have made life exceptionally difficult for the 25 million lovely locals that call Sri Lanka home.
But now there is a new president, and renewed optimism, and 2023 presents the rare chance to see the teardrop island without competing with hordes of travellers.
Landscapes are aplenty with its beautiful, wave-laden coastline, mountains in the north and jungles in the centre, while the chaos of Colombo is an urban jungle all of its own. There is something for every kind of traveller here, but especially the get lost traveller.
EUROPE: JAMES BOND TURNS 60
Ever wanted to be the world’s greatest spy?
From March 2023 you too can drive an Aston Martin at breakneck speed with a beautiful model under your arm, before suiting up for dinner and delivering witty one-liners over a martini (shaken, not stirred).*
In 2023 travel company Black Tomato are offering the ultimate Bond, James Bond, experience for all discerning fans.
They haven’t released the full itinerary yet but it will take you to all the glamorous locations in the ilk of Venice, Monaco, Paris and of course, London.
*Cannot recommend breakneck speed or guarantee models…
GEMINIDS METEOR SHOWER, DECEMBER 13-14
Attention stargazers, astronomers and general aficionados of astral activity, the king of the meteor showers — the Geminids — is due to bless our earthly night sky in December with not one, but 120 colourful meteors, per hour. Per hour!
Sure, the Geminids is an annual sparkly show, but 2023 is set to be extra sparkly thanks to an exceptionally well-timed new moon (which means the sky will be dark as…well, night). The shower will be visible from anywhere in the world but for maximum meteor enjoyment, head to the northern hemisphere where there are a tonne of world-class (but lesser-known) stargazing spots.
USA’s Bryce Canyon National Park is a desert dream; Kiruna, Sweden is just north of the Arctic Circle and perfect for a night time picnic; and Westhavelland, Germany is known for its dark sky reserve.
SKELETON BAY, NAMIBIA
The perfect wave does exist…but now is the time to surf it.
The ominously named Skeleton Bay, on the edge of the arid expanse of the unforgiving Namib desert is a world class, barrelling left but it might not be around for much longer.
“The shoreline is advancing the wave northwards making it change in shape and quality,” says Swellnet meteorologist and barrel chaser Craig Brokensha.
“It seems 2012 was when it was at its most perfect. Erosion is occurring north of the wave, on the west facing coast. Due to the lengthening of the spit off the northern end and not enough sand being supplied to keep up with this.”
What does this mean? The wave is still super special, but there’s a possibility this won’t be the case in the coming years. Get there in 2023.
MOUNTAIN BONGO AND RHINO SANCTUARY, KENYA
In good news for wildlife and wildlife enthusiasts everywhere, 2023 will see the construction of a brand new animal sanctuary purpose-built to home the critically endangered mountain bongo (a fancy, very rare species of antelope) and black rhino. Their new address? A 250-acre parcel of primo forest in the Mount Kenya Reserve. And you’re welcome for a visit. BYO binoculars.
The bongo population will actually be repatriated back to their native home from Florida, where they’ve been raised by the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation. And the rhinos are going to be ushered into the sanctuary via a series of wildlife corridors (think a school hallway but for African animals) from the greater Mount Kenya ecosystem.
The mountain bongo hasn’t been seen in the wild for many, many years and the black rhino population shrank from 65,000 in 1970 to just 2,300 by 1993. Talk about special times, someone call Attenborough.
ASTUNGKARA WAY TRAIL, BALI
Reckon you’ve ‘been there, done that’ when it comes to Bali? Think again. There’s a brand new hiking trail in town and it’s 120 kilometers, coast to coast, of lush rice paddies, thick bamboo forest and traditional Balinese culture (not a Bintang in sight).
What can you expect? Firstly, you’ll be kicking off at the Pura Gede Luhur Batu Ngaus Temple – an auspicious starting location if we ever heard of one. From there you’ll spend your days learning about regenerative farming, eating your bodyweight in organic nasi lemak, stopping by villages and making mates with the locals. Oh, and hugging a 700-year-old tree. If that’s what you’re into. This is less of a hike and more of a pilgrimage for the travellers who like their travel slow and super duper sustainable.
MUNGA-THIRRI SIMPSON DESERT CAMEL TREK, AUSTRALIA
Imagine this: it’s just you, your cameleers and 18 humpies on a traditional Afghani camel train in the middle of the Australian outback.
Andrew Harper’s unique camel trips take ‘off the beaten track’ to a whole new level. Mainly because there are no tracks (or routes, for that matter), unless you count the dingo prints in the sand dunes.
This is an immersive desert experience, and an entirely different way to see the Simpson. Accommodation? A swag under a vast night sky. Transport? On foot across red plains. Leisure activity? Feeding camels unlimited oranges and/or snoozing under a coolabah tree. For the extra adventurous, join the team on one of their surveys and head out with scientists (palaeontologists, environmentalists, the lot) to research the land and its history. Mega (fauna) points for finding dinosaur bones.
VILNIUS, LITHUANIA
The celebration is already well under way (in fact, they started a whole year early) to celebrate Lithuania’s capital city, Vilnius, turning a whopping 700. We feel bad for the person buying candles for that cake.
Quirky and off-beat, Lithuania is often overlooked as a European travel destination. But the discerning traveller will be adding this beauty to their 2023 bucket list asap.
Besides stretches of sand dunes, castles on lakes and some very, very interesting local delicacies, Lithuania is going to be putting on a hell of a birthday show in January. Expect performance festivals, epic events at the city’s Modern Art Museum and an AI-driven reconstruction of the first ever opera performed in Lithuania. Be there or be…not there and disappointed.
LOS ANGELES, USA
Run for the hills, the Hollywood Hills. Because those big white letters are turning 100.
Come for the anniversary of an iconic Instagram selfie site and stay for the following La La Land activities that you’ve probably never heard of.
Start your day with a picnic breakfast at the Old Los Angeles Zoo. Just to be clear, it’s abandoned and kinda creepy but maybe you want to eat croissants in the cage of a former tiger, who knows. Next up, catch a puppet show at the Bob Baker Marionette Theatre. Again, kind of creepy but it’ll make you feel like a kid again.
Then hop over and explore Bronson Caves out in the southwest section of Griffith Park. These caves were part of an old quarry and have been featured in a bunch of movies, like the exterior of the Batcave in the original Batman TV show. Cap it off by spending the night at a legit Hollywood Hills castle built back in 1931 — drink a martini, swim in the pool and pretend you’re Elizabeth Taylor, Carey Grant or [insert-favourite-actor-here].
YOKOTE KAMAKURA FESTIVAL, JAPAN
Japan REALLY gets into winter.
While the rest of us are complaining about cold mornings and clothes not drying, the Japanese are busy eating delicious food inside the unbelievably cute igloos they’ve just built.
Kamakura Festival is a celebration of the beauty of winter, and takes place in February at various cities around the country. Igloos (kamakura) are built and at night, locals and travellers alike are invited in for a hearty meal by candlelight. Plus a little amazake — a kind of rice wine said to warm the body and heart.
Yokote and Rukugo, in the country’s Akita prefecture, are the largest celebrations of Kamakura, and the oldest too at over 450 years old.
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