Long believed to be the birthplace of the Incas, your exploration of the mesmerizing Lake Titicaca is one that will see you completely immersed in the local indigenous cultures. Home to a cluster of floating islands, you’ll get the opportunity to visit the Uros Islands (constructed entirely by the local Uru people using the Totura reeds that grow in Lake Titicaca), Amantaní Island and Taquile – a place where 350 Quechua-speaking families exist completely unchanged by modern society.
Your overnight home-stay experience will take place on Amantaní Island, and it’s here a local family will welcome you with open arms and homes to share their unique lifestyles. Witnessing first-hand their revered traditions and long-preserved customs is a privilege you won’t soon forget.
Any bar that has a giant, shiny disco ball as part of its décor means partying business. And disco balls are just the beginning. Cape Town’s recently renovated Grand Africa also boasts an enormous red lounge in the shape of some very luscious-looking lips, two huge lion statues and a floating love heart. Despite the audacious styling choices, the interiors are inviting and relaxing, complementing the wooden boardwalks that sit atop marshmallow soft sand and fairytale style day beds.
The incredible Table Mountain makes up Grand Africa’s backdrop while the Atlantic Ocean glistens out ahead. A wide-ranging menu (we recommend any of the seafood dishes) keeps the energy levels up for the DJ sets, which hit the decks from about 4pm during summer, while the cocktail menu keeps the party going. And as things heat up and the nights cool down, this playful, and a little bit cheeky, Cape Town beach club is the place to be.
On this stand up paddleboard (SUP) tour through the centre of Slovenia’s capital, you’ll glide past willow trees and colourful buildings, beneath the nineteenth-century Triple Bridge and four dragon statues along Dragon Bridge. At the height of summer, you’ll likely hear the lilting jazz tunes or spine-tingling soprano of opera singers from the laneways above as you work your core, balancing against ripples forged by local cruise boats.
And as Ljubljana is Europe’s only capital where you can SUP through its centre, you’ll become part of the attraction with tourists regularly snapping your photo as you glide past. Still, it’s worth the physical exertion and moment in the spotlight if you want to experience a city with a fun twist.
All-white everything is the theme of Coco Tulum’s beach club, and we gotta say,this stylish hotel-turned-bar is one of the prettier venues in Mexico’s crowded Yucatán Peninsula. With the crystal-clear turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea lapping at the white sand beach, it’s hard for Coco Tulum to look bad, but the team behind the recent refurbishment have really taken things to the next level. It’s still a little bit unpolished but that just adds to its charm, alongside a sense of sophistication and cool confidence.
Think hammocks, bean bags and deck chairs, rowsof hanging fairy lights, and an impressive range of signature cocktails. Plus, recognising a good thing, Coco Tulum has added to the number of its signature over-water swings, meaning there are more seats than they’ve ever had before. The mood is rather chilled-out here, and the music reflects that – so don’t expect any hardcore trance parties that rage into the night. That said, Coco Tulum know how to throw a pretty epic Sunday sesh, and they’re known to get quite lively so it’s best not to lock in plans for the next morning, just in case.
Yellow sand, salty water and summer beach vibes don’t exactly spring to mind when we think of New York City, but The Ramones were on to something when they decided to “hitch a ride to Rockaway Beach.” Nestled into the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens,this arty-vibe beach is growing in popularity, which makes a nibble and drinks at the Rockaway Beach Surf Club even more appealing. What started as a place for surfers to store their boards is now a beach club with a difference. Rockaway Beach Surf Club embraces the destination’s chilled-out urban beach vibe.
Welcomed by the phrase “Live. Surf. Die”, the club is devoted to the local neighbourhood and hosts a number of cultural and art events within its on-site gallery. Visitors to the club can chow down on some tacos with a side of chips (obviously!), while sipping a fresh watermelon juice or a delicious cocktail or two. It might not be quite the luxury poolside hangout you’d except of the term “beach club” but we’d be happy hitching the next ride to this NYC beachside hangout.
If global warming has taught us anything, it’s the realisation that some of the world’s most incredible natural wonders probably won’t be around for much longer. Which makes a voyage on the MV Skorpios III with Skorpios Cruises all the more important. The three-night Kaweskar route sets sail from Puerto Natales for the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, bypassing 15 glaciers, including Amalia, El Brujo, and Bernal, along with others located in the Fiordo Calvo area.
You’ll be able to admire the immense size of these melting marvels up close, and there’s also the option to sail through multi-coloured ice-floes on the smaller expedition boats. We don’t know how long these glaciers will last so we’d recommend taking this trip sooner rather than later.
With a reputation as the hottest party island in the world, you expect a certain level of unruliness when it comes to clubs in Ibiza. Tucked away on the sandy shores of Cala Nova, Aiyanna is a breath of fresh air. It’s significantly quieter than the party hotspots of Ibiza Town, Playa d’en Bossa and San Antonio, and refuels you with morning yoga and an on-site Airstream caravan serving fresh cold-pressed juices.
There’s a boho-meets-luxury aesthetic happening at Aiyanna, with natural colours and earthy textures dominating the landscape and creating some seriously zen vibes. But it’s fun too, with bright Guatemalan parasols adding vibrant pops of colour, oversized bean bags scattered throughout and strings of sparkling sequins cascading from the roof. Evening live music performances generally get the party started, and when night falls, Aiyanna really comes to life. Best of all though, there’s not a hint of exclusivity here. Foregoing a VIP zone, Aiyanna is access all areas, and that’s just how we like it.
Nicknamed the ‘grey ghost of the Himalayas’, your chances of seeing a snow leopard in the wild are pretty rare, but an expedition with Reef and Rainforest couldbe your ticket to catching a glimpse of these majestic animals. On the ‘In Search of the Snow Leopards of Ladakh’ tour, you’ll travel to the Hemis National Park and Ulley Valley in the Indian Himalayas.
Although their camouflaged coat makes them hard to see, this wild and rugged terrain is known for its increasing numbers of the vulnerable cats, which recently came close to extinction. If you’re really lucky you may also spot the Tibetan wolf, Tibetan fox, Eurasian lynx and an array of birdlife on your travels.
It’s one of the most beautiful places in Northern Ireland, yet few explore Lough Erne, a vibrant waterway rich in folklore in the Fermanagh Lakelands. Once a route of pilgrimage and plunder, today Erne Water Taxi takes punters for leisurely tours across the Lough’s glassy waters.
On a spacious and comfortable eight-seater vessel, you’ll explore the ruins of castles and monasteries, including Devenish Island, one of Ireland’s most significant monastic sights for its preserved sixth-century Augustinian monastery and twelfth-century round tower, and the striking stone cross on Inishmacsaint. You’ll learn the stories about the lives of the monks and Viking raiders while enjoying local cheeses and craft beers – it’s a fascinating look into Northern Ireland’s past.
Along the ancient paths of the infamous Silk Road lies the untouched beauty of Kazakhstan. Far from the tourist trail, these lands have remained a well-kept secret, none moreso than the mystical Lake Kaindy, which sits 2000 metres above sea level. In the early 1900s when a vicious earthquake struck and a limestone landslide ensued, the gorge became blocked and eventually water cascading down from the mountains above formed the 400-metre-long lake, swallowing dozens of Asian spruce trees along its banks.
Infused with limestone deposits, the water’s seemingly unnatural greenish-blue hues are punctured by stark white tree trunks, which are still standing tall, and cast eerie reflections in the glassy surface, while below leaves still cling to their branches, preserved by the lake’s cold temps. With multiple companies offering tours to Lake Kaindy and the breathtaking sights surrounding it, this forest is wellworth the hike.
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