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There’s something in the water. It’s eerie but don’t be afraid. Known as the River of a Thousand Lingas, Kbal Spean is a carved riverbed featuring thousands of elaborate 1000-year-old etchings, mostly phallic symbols of fertility known as lingas or lingams.
The Angkorian-era site is set deep in the jungle about 50 kilometres northeast of Siem Reap and also features carvings of animals and Hindu deities, which can be found above a small waterfall. To access the site, hire a tuk-tuk or motorbike from Siem Reap, then hike the steep two-kilometre walking track that winds through the jungle and past unique rock formations to the riverbed.
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The ultimate in travel experiences
Crypts of the Diseased
Missing from many tourist maps, Chacarita Cemetery is Argentina’s largest graveyard and the stomping ground for the ghosts of yellow fever victims who have escaped from their derelict graves. Struck with the mosquito borne epidemic in 1871, up to 25,000 Argentines died with blood weeping from their eyes and mouths as they vomited bloody bile.
The posh La Recoleta Cemetery refused infected bodies, so the city commissioned Chacarita as a place to bury thousands of unfortunate porteños (locals). So many bodies were packed into the earth that the authorities built a train line just to transport the dead. Tiptoe past cracked graves, peer into vandalised mausoleums and slather on high DEET bug spray to keep those deadly mozzies at bay.
Dhoni Worry, Be Happy in the Maldives
Sail around one of the world’s most picturesque island nations aboard a traditional Maldivian fishing boat with G Adventures. The dhoni will take you to some of the most beautiful of the Maldives’ 26 atolls during this week-long cruise. All you have to do is lie back, relax and enjoy the sensation of floating through paradise.
It’s likely you’ll spend more time in the water than on the boat as you explore turquoise lagoons, coral reefs and uninhabited island beaches. But hey, that’s what visiting the Maldives is all about.
Sail like the Tsars
Explore the two jewels in Russia’s imperial crown, and everything in between, as you ply the waterways of the tsars between Moscow and St Petersburg over nearly two weeks. Start in the capital by taking in Red Square and the former royal citadel, the Kremlin, which is now home to the president. Once you’ve seen the Moscow sights, pack your bags – you’re about to set sail along Europe’s longest river, the Volga, immersing yourself in Russia’s rich history along the way.
Admire the ancient architecture of the ‘Golden Ring of Cities’ – Uglich and Yaroslavl – and enjoy the journey’s grand finale with an evening at the ballet in St Petersburg.
Play Cosmonaut at Star City
Strap into a Soviet spacesuit, see how a g-force simulator operates and watch as astronauts test out zero gravity at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre. You can even see a full-size, water-submerged copy of the MIR space station. Explore the training centre with a tour guide and watch as astronauts jog around – heck, you could maybe even join them. Once a highly restricted zone, the heart of the Russian space program is now open for tourists.
Arctic High on a Tall Ship
Travel to Norway’s northernmost archipelago, Svalbard, and sail on
the century-old German tall ship, the Noorderlicht. The Noorderlicht offers a 12-day voyage sailing in the high Arctic around North Spitsbergen, where polar bears outnumber humans. Marvel at spectacular fjords, ice-covered seas and Arctic glaciers, and enjoy an abundance of wildlife-spotting opportunities. See walruses beached on ice floes, reindeer, arctic foxes and, of course, polar bears.
Hook in to Cook’s friendly islands
Navigate the turquoise waters of the Tonga archipelago on your own fully equipped yacht from Sunsail. Follow the breeze from uninhabited isles laced with pristine beaches to traditional villages, and learn why Captain Cook christened Tonga ‘the friendly islands’.
Take advantage of the year-round perfect climate and hit the water where you can laze in lagoons and clamber through waterside caves. Strap on your snorkelling gear and swim through underwater kelp forests and colourful coral reefs. See humpback whales, white dolphins and schools of tropical fish.
Swiss winter wonderland
It’s a winter wonderland year-round at Saas Fee. Squeezed between the glaciers of the Pennine Alps, this Swiss village is a guaranteed snowfest day in, day out. If you think you’re too cool for school, think again; there are several ski schools on the mountain teaching basic skills through to advanced moves. There’s even a freestyle skiing eld to pick up some new tricks.
Embark on a mountain trek, sail into the sky on the cableway for jaw-dropping 360-degree mountain views or take the world’s highest funicular railway to explore a glacier inside the planet’s largest ice grotto. Whatever you choose to do, remember the village is a car-free zone, so try to conserve some energy for your post-adventure stroll back to your hotel.
One run to rule them all
New Zealand’s Mt Ruapehu is not your average ski slope. One of three active volcanoes that form Tongariro National Park, this World Heritage Site was made famous in the Lord of the Rings trilogy as Mount Doom. But don’t let the moniker put you off. Grab your gear and make like Frodo for the summit. There are two ski areas: Whakapapa (pronounced “fukka puppa” – really) on the northwestern slopes, and Turoa on the southwestern side.
If snow is something you’ve only ever seen in movies, Whakapapa’s Happy Valley has gentle slopes for beginners. If you’re a seasoned snow baby, head to the top of Turoa on New Zealand’s highest lift, the Highnoon Press, and plummet down Australasia’s longest vertical descent (722 metres).
Ski pure Japanese powder
When it comes to a skiing break, those located in the Pacific region can’t do much better than Japan for diversity, location and affordability. Niseko, on Japan’s north island, provides a plethora of powder possibilities, whether you’re a novice dabbling in the white stuff or an experienced snow hound. The region has four main ski resorts offering all the snowboarding and skiing action you could ask for, from gentle groomed powder and steep runs to terrain parks (jibs and jumps) and off-piste thrills.
When the sun goes down the lights come on and Niseko’s luscious curves invite after-dark exertions (we’re talking night-skiing here). The resort has the best-lit runs in Japan, and who could resist a moonlight meander on the mountain?
