how to visit Copán Honduras lead image

How to visit Copán in Honduras: a quick guide

Our guide on how to visit Copán covers everything you need to explore the enigmatic Maya ruins and charming Honduran town

At first sight, the Maya ruins of Copán in Honduras aren’t quite as grand as Tikal in Guatemala or Chichén Itzá in Mexico – but they are impressive in their own right. Copán is among the most significant Maya sites in Central America and has been called the ‘Paris of the Mayan World’ due to the sophistication of the artefacts found here.

Isla Pelícano in the San Blas Islands

How to visit the San Blas Islands from Panama City

Our guide on how to visit the San Blas Islands from Panama City has everything you need for the perfect trip to this idyllic archipelago

When it comes to beaches, we’ve seen some stunners. From remote islands in the South Pacific to indulgent resorts in the Indian Ocean, we thought we’d seen the best of them. And then our little skiff washed up in the San Blas Islands off the coast of Panama.

The emerald lake in Santa Ana Volcano in El Salvador

8 day trips from San Salvador in El Salvador

From hiking volcanic peaks to exploring Maya ruins, we share the best day trips from San Salvador, El Salvador’s bustling capital city

As the smallest and most densely populated of the seven Central American countries, it’s hardly surprising that El Salvador packs a lot into its borders. With a verdant tropical interior, charming colonial towns and superb surfing on its coast, El Salvador is arguably a microcosm of wider Latin America. And considering that many of the country’s best assets – hiking, hills and coffee – stem from its fiery geology, it’s easy to see why the country is known as the ‘Land of Volcanos’.

A buddhist monk in Myanmar

23 interesting facts about Myanmar

We reflect on the interesting facts about Myanmar we learnt during our cycling tour through the country

As a tourist destination, Myanmar may be young, but it is rich in history and culture. After centuries of rule – under colonial powers and then an oppressive military junta – the Burmese were finally getting their country back.

japan has the most powerful passport

Ranked: world’s most powerful passports 2023

In 2023, Japan has the world’s most powerful passport. Holders are able to visit 193 destinations without a prior visa

It’s official. Globally, we are on the move again. In 2022, international travel showed significant signs of recovery, with arrivals reaching 57% of pre-pandemic levels. An estimated 474 million tourists travelled internationally during the first seven months of 2022, compared to 175 million in the same period of 2021.

Hawa Mahal Palace in Jaipur, India

50 quick tips for first-time visitors to India

India can be a culture shock, especially for newbies. To help you adjust, we’ve put together 50 quick tips for first-time visitors

On my first trip to India, I was a relatively inexperienced traveller. I was overwhelmed by its beauty and allure. But I was also taken aback by the assault on the senses often reported by first-time visitors. On my second visit – this time with my father who lived in India for several years – I expected to be more familiar with the country’s various vagaries. In reality, I was just as overwhelmed as the first time round.

Chichén Itzá lead image

Visiting Chichén Itzá: my seventh wonder of the world

Peter finally gets around to visiting Chichén Itzá, but will the Maya ruins measure up to the other six wonders of the world?

During our round-the-world trip in 2014-15, Kia and I visited Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was my sixth of the New 7 Wonders of the World, a 2007 campaign which selected the new world wonders from a list of 200 monuments. The final seven were chosen by the public who cast over 100 million votes in the process.

facts about Colombia lead image

24 interesting facts about Colombia

Our curated list of the most interesting facts about Colombia we learnt during our visit

We didn’t plan on staying a month in Colombia. After spending longer than we had planned in the South Pacific, we were wary that we had only six months for an area far larger than what we had seen thus far.

Of course, our journey through Cartagena, Santa Marta, Taganga, Medellin, Guatapé, Popayán and San Agustín warranted more than the two weeks we had planned.

things to do in Ras Al Khaimah lead image

11 best things to do in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE

From the world’s longest zipline to desert bedouin camps, these are the best things to do in Ras Al Khaimah

Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven emirates that make up the UAE, is an intriguing blend of the modern world and old Arabia. Unlike its neighbouring emirates, overdevelopment is yet to engulf Ras Al Khaimah, more commonly known as RAK. This, along with its sandy coast and craggy interior, makes it a beguiling Middle East destination.

Folded hills in Lesotho

20 interesting facts about Lesotho

We share the most interesting facts about Lesotho collected on our brief but breathtaking visit to the ‘Kingdom of the Sky’

We had only 36 hours in the tiny Kingdom of Lesotho, but it turned out to be a gem of a trip, throwing up plenty of surprises along the way. We reached Lesotho via the twisty Sani Pass with a local expert.

Lesotho is tiny and one of the least-known countries in the world, yet it is a land full of fascinating facts. A mere 36 hours was nowhere near enough and we’ve pledged to return one day.

A polo player at the Shandur Polo Festival

22 interesting facts about Pakistan

From savage mountains to political firsts, we share the most interesting facts about Pakistan

I recently visited Pakistan for the first time to complete the K2 base camp trek. I would be lying if I said that I had booked my flights without a hint of trepidation. Pakistan has long suffered from bad press, exacerbated by years of political instability. As such, there are still areas of Pakistan where travel is not advisable

Asunción, Paraguay

20 interesting facts about Paraguay

The most interesting facts about Paraguay, from a double-sided national flag to the ‘Heart of South America’

American essayist P.J. O’Rourke once quipped that Paraguay was “nowhere and famous for nothing.” He then took a business trip there, fell in love with the country and promptly moved there.

While we can’t say we felt the same striking attraction, we certainly appreciated Paraguay’s history and authenticity. The small and struggling country is a steamy subtropical land of remarkable contrasts with a tragic and torrid history filled with violence and loss.

visiting-easter-island-Ahu-Tongariki

16 interesting facts about Easter Island (Rapa Nui)

We examine the island’s history and explain some of the most interesting facts about Easter Island

This remote Pacific island is not only beautiful but full of mystery. The open-air museum in the middle of the Pacific Island has some of the world’s most recognisable images.

things to do in Eswatini Swaziland big five

21 interesting facts about Eswatini (Swaziland)

We share the most interesting facts about Eswatini collected on our brisk but beguiling sojourn into ‘Africa’s newest kingdom’.

We had been in southern Africa for nearly three weeks by the time we arrived in Eswatini, our fourth country of the trip.

Montevideo's beach with skyscrapers in the background

21 interesting facts about Uruguay

Our curated list of the most interesting facts about Uruguay that we learnt during our visit to the country

We didn’t spend long enough in Uruguay – not nearly long enough. Squeezed for time at the end of our trip, we had just enough to charge through the country stopping off at the charming city of Colonia del Sacramento and the country’s diverse capital, Montevideo.

Krakow in Poland during sunset

Kraków Old Town: a DIY walking tour

Kraków Old Town is best explored on a DIY walking tour. Here we share our tried-and-tested route for exploring Poland’s glorious former capital

Kraków was Poland’s only major city to escape World War II virtually undamaged. Since then, the assembly of monuments and architecture that makes up its Old Town was quite rightly celebrated by UNESCO as one of the 12 original World Heritage sites first listed in 1978.

Visiting Auschwitz from Kraków: a sobering journey

Kia reflects on a visit to Auschwitz from Kraków and defends what some dismiss as problematic tourism

The famous gates of Auschwitz are startling, not because they’re sinister or imposing but the very opposite. Usually depicted in black and white, these gates have featured in myriad Holocaust films and documentaries. Today, however, they’re not in menacing monochrome or veiled in evocative fog. Rather, they’re bathed in sunlight with a blazing blue sky behind.

The minarets of the Blue Mosque during the day

Blue Mosque dress code and tips for entry

Photos and advice on what does and doesn’t meet the Blue Mosque dress code. Includes tips on the best time to visit and what happens when you arrive

The third or maybe fourth time I met Peter’s parents, I spent 10 minutes beforehand fretting that my top was too low.

Peter rolled his eyes. “For God’s sake, my mum wears lower-cut tops than that!”