Lonely Planet
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Bali with children: seven things to keep the kids happy
There’s no doubt that Bali has all the ingredients for a relaxing holiday. What is entertaining for grown-ups, however, might not always be fun for kids.<p>Not to worry, the island of the gods offers a wide range of activities sure to put smiles on the dials of families with children in tow. From …
KidsA perfect day on O’ahu’s North Shore
You’ve enjoyed city delights in Waikiki and Honolulu – now it’s time to escape to Oʻahu’s North Shore. From sunrise yoga salutations and sips of Hawaiian coffee in charming Haleʻiwa to experiencing a sunset at a sacred heiau (ancient stone temple), a day trip to this laid-back surf haven will have …
HawaiiMy city: Athens
Lonely Planet Local Marissa Tejada is a travel writer, journalist and blogger who has been living in Athens for eight years. What she loves about the city is its contrast of ancient and modern. Greece’s capital is never boring – the constantly evolving contemporary art scene, fantastic …
EuropeFrom sea kayaks to medieval pubs: five classic Devon adventures
The water surges around your kayak…the swell lifts you, drops you onto a rock then suddenly retreats. You’re scarily unbalanced and more water is rolling in. ‘Paddle!’ shouts the instructor. ‘Which way?!’ you call. ‘Doesn’t matter – just move!’<p>You lean forward, dig the paddle into the water, the …
Lonely PlanetWhere to go in August for relaxation
If the mere mention of a relaxing break has you wishing your morning coffee were a cocktail on the beach, we’ve got the magic formula for you: sunny skies, stunning landscapes and a whole lot of peace and quiet.<p>With these island escapes, cultural excursions and rustic retreats your day-to-day will …
BeachesWhere to go in August for wildlife and nature
From hordes of wildebeest in the Masai Mara to singing humpbacks in Tonga, Iceland’s expansive lava fields to the ecological wonder that is Madagascar, opportunities to experience wildlife and nature in August are larger than life!<p>Check out these four epic adventures to see Mother Nature at her …
NatureA coffee-lover’s guide to Chiang Mai
Thailand evokes images of serene beaches, ancient temples and delicious coffee. OK, not so much the latter – yet – but this country has a growing coffee industry and caffeine-seekers can find a cup of jo basically everywhere. The northern city of Chiang Mai is particularly known for its coffee …
ThailandBeyond the bistro: off-menu adventures in Paris
Cue letters of complaint, but it is damn difficult to eat terribly in Paris. The French capital rises to the warmth of fresh artisanal baguettes, snacks on cloud-light macarons, and uses two-course lunches as an excuse to uncork a bottle of rich, ruby-coloured Bordeaux.<p>Of course, you can still …
Lonely PlanetBeyond beaches: why you’ll love the Cook Islands
From the mirrored horizon of Aitutaki’s lagoon to the snorkel-friendly Rarotonga, the Cook Islands are brimming with beaches worthy of a few relaxing days’ attention.<p>But this South Pacific nation – easily reached on direct flights from New Zealand, Australia and the United States – also offers …
List-WorthyWhere to go in August for culture
If the idea of crowded museums or pin-drop-quiet art galleries doesn’t float your boat, remember that cultural experiences come in all colours, shapes and sizes – and August delivers the lot.<p>Live like the locals in Papua New Guinea’s rainforest-clad mountains; be inspired by incredible architecture …
EuropeA guide to romantic Japan: where to eat, stay, love
Manga comics, blazing neon, speeding trains, supersized pedestrian crossings – Japan might not immediately inspire a vision of traditional romance, but don’t be fooled. With subtropical beaches, soothing hot springs and an array of world-class food, it’s easy for lovers to be seduced by this …
JapanThe world’s a book: 10 places that bring children’s literature to life
In the right hands, a story is more than just a story. Sometimes it can trigger a lifetime of travel. In my case, the book was Mervyn Peake’s <i>Letter’s from a Lost Uncle</i>, a fantasy travelogue whose illustrations of far-off places launched a travel writing career that has now spanned 20 years and …
Children's BooksWhere to go in August for adventure
August spells adventure across the globe, whether it’s climbing volcanoes in Ecuador, riding the white waters of the Zambezi, kayaking Britain’s coastline or exploring the highs and lows of the Spanish Pyrenees.<p>Thrill seekers, this is your prime time! Get the adrenaline pumping with these expert …
Adventure TravelGreat walls of China: the Middle Kingdom’s enduring city walls
China may have one Great Wall, but it also has many great walls. Military defenses were long an important architectural feature of cities throughout the country’s extensive and turbulent history. Nowadays, some still retain extensive walls and visiting them offers a terrific way to see cities …
EuropePlans unveiled for an incredible spiral treetop walkway in Denmark
How can you fully experience the beauty of a forest while protecting it? One solution this Danish architecture firm has come up with is to give people the chance to walk above the treetops.<p>The new attraction called the Treetop Experience will sit above the protected Gisselfeld Klosters Skove forest …
ArchitectureLA’s Echo Park sees an amazing lotus bloom a month before annual festival
A trip to LA is often centred on hitting up classic spots like the Hollywood sign or the Walk of Fame. But if you head away from the star-studded sights and into the neighbourhood of Echo Park, you will see something amazing blooming.<p>Echo Park Lake – a popular neighbourhood spot – has seen its …
Los AngelesLook at these amazing 3D pictures that Chinese farmers created on rice paddies
Tourists are flocking to northeast China to see a very unusual sight: rice paddy fields covered in cartoons and images.<p>Farmers in Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning province, plant unique strains of rice that grow into varied colours, creating a kind of 3D painting on the fields as the rice matures. …
ChinaSee inside this incredible James Bond-style cruise ship coming in the next year
Luxury French cruise liner Ponant have announced that their cruise ship, Le Lapérouse will be the first ship in the world equipped with a multi-sensory lounge so that guests can connect and interact with the ocean like never before.<p>Named <i>Blue Eye</i>, this is the first-of-its-kind in the world and is …
Lonely PlanetBlissful floating hot tubs could soon be a thing on London’s Regent’s Canal
London is known as a busy city with plenty to see and do for visitors, but a new project aims to introduce a relaxing way of taking in the sights while chilling out. HotTug UK is hoping to introduce the first wood-fired floating hot tub, known as a hot tug, to Regent’s Canal in the centre of the …
LondonThe Netherlands is converting unused prisons into luxury hotels
Hotels are often an oasis of comfort and calm, a break from the real world. However an increasing number of prisons in Europe have gotten a new lease of life as luxury hotels.<p>The most famous of these is probably the Netherlands’ Het Arresthuis (the Arrest House). Located in the Roermond region, …
HotelsNo more eating, drinking, paddling or washing pets in Rome’s historic fountains
It’s only a couple of weeks since authorities in Florence announced that they would hose down the steps of historic buildings to deter tourists from eating their lunch there, and now Rome has got tough too by declaring a ban on people eating and drinking by the city’s historic fountains. City …
RomePlay with words at Chicago’s newest museum
The first thing to know about the new American Writers Museum in Chicago is that it’s not some stuffy institution offering a definitive statement on national literature: who’s canon, who’s not.<p>On the contrary, the recently inaugurated space – tucked on the second floor of a nondescript office …
Lonely PlanetSweden’s Museum of Failure has been a resounding success
A Swedish man’s idea to open a museum celebrating failure has captured the hearts of millions of people around the world.<p>Samuel West is a clinical psychologist who is tired of hearing about success stories. He believes that in order to be successful, one first needs to fail. He told Lonely Planet …
Lonely PlanetA giant rubber duck is floating in for Canada’s 150th – but some opponents are crying fowl
This summer, Canada will celebrate its 150th birthday with events across the country. But one whimsical addition to the celebrations might find itself sailing into some choppy waters when it arrives in Ontario next month.<p>The “world’s largest rubber duck” is set to visit Toronto’s HTO Park on Canada …
Lonely PlanetA photographer has captured this eerie abandoned hotel in Indonesia
Checking into a hotel is a pretty standard part of many vacations – but exploring an abandoned and overgrown hotel is a far more unusual way to spend your holiday.<p>But, that’s exactly what Roman Veillon, a French photographer, did while travelling through Bali, Indonesia. Shrouded in mist and …
HotelsWebinar series promotes adventure travel and sustainable tourism in the Balkans
A new series of monthly webinars has been launched to promote adventure travel and sustainable tourism in the Western Balkans, as this region in south-eastern Europe has become the continent’s newest adventure playground over the last few years, increasingly attracting independent …
TourismSan Francisco to throw free Summer of Love concert to mark 50 year anniversary
It’s been 50 years since flower-bedecked young people from all over the U.S. and Canada converged on San Francisco for what became known as the Summer of Love. Now, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and the Conservatory of Flowers want to celebrate the start of summer and the …
San FranciscoTake a break with this video of a kayaker going through a secret tunnel under an island off the coast of Ireland
Umphin is an island in the north-west corner of Ireland, two miles from the coast of Donegal. When local man Iain Miller found out that there was a secret tunnel under the island, he had to get out and see it for himself. The tunnel stretches out 980 feet across the island and is only navigable for …
TravelIndonesia set to count every one of the estimated 17,500 islands that make up the country
Indonesia is famous for its incredible diversity of islands, where travellers can check out the beach-filled coasts of Bali, the volcanoes of Sumatra and the spices of Maluku without leaving the archipelago. But the Asian country isn’t actually sure of how many islands make up Indonesia, and now …
IndonesiaHeading to the US this year you may come across a newly-discovered species – a type of flying squirrel
Travellers to the West Coast of the USA and Canada this summer may catch a glimpse of the world’s newest-discovered species.<p>Scientists have found that a new species of flying squirrel has been hiding in plain sight in the forests of British Columbia and the Pacific states. For two centuries, it was …
Biological Species